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WyoChukar
PostPosted: Sat Feb 24, 2018 9:15 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2124
Location: Hudson,Wy

Just curious, what is out there in terms of magazines devoted to bird hunting/ wingshooting? I am aware of Gray's, Shooting Sportsman, Upland Almanac, Wildfowl, Gun Dog, Pointing Dog Journal, and American Waterfowler. I am wondering what else is out there.

Also, what are the favorites amongst you folks, and what is it that makes your choice a favorite?

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Byron Whitlock
PostPosted: Sat Feb 24, 2018 12:49 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 27 Jan 2016
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Location: Oswego, Kansas

The Retriever Journal is put out by the same group as the Pointing Dog Journal and is a good magazine.

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Chicago
PostPosted: Sat Feb 24, 2018 1:17 pm  Reply with quote
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The best magazine I have found for upland hunting is The Ruffed Grouse Society Magazine that comes out, I believe, quarterly. You get it for free with your membership. Less ads and more content. The Pheasants Forever magazine is also pretty good. I like the Upland Almanac but anymore it seems to be all ads and not much content. I understand their plight with reduced readers, but sometimes I get a copy and don’t read a single article.

Good Hunting,
Mike
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df
PostPosted: Sat Feb 24, 2018 4:01 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 01 Oct 2007
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Location: Minnesota

I like the pheasants forever magazine. It comes with membership.
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PatrickB
PostPosted: Sat Feb 24, 2018 4:16 pm  Reply with quote
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Covey Rise
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fred lauer
PostPosted: Sat Feb 24, 2018 6:18 pm  Reply with quote
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Location: western pa

I've had every one that you have listed, over the years. The only one that I still get is Shooting Sportsman . It's not any better than others but I still have a few more years on the subscription. I think that as we get older, there isn't much in those magazines that we don't already know. I do however enjoy Sporting Classics, it seems to be more like the magazine stories we had back in the 60's and 70's.

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RangerG
PostPosted: Sat Feb 24, 2018 8:36 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 10 Sep 2017
Posts: 24
Location: Saskatchewan

I subscribed to Wing and Shot from day one and have every issue that they made for 16 years. I was very sad when they stopped publication and haven't found anything close to being as good since.
Will check out Covey Rise.
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Ray-citori
PostPosted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 5:35 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 05 Feb 2015
Posts: 267
Location: New Braunfels TX

I like Shooting Sportsman, but it makes me want to buy expensive doubles Shocked Twisted Evil
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double vision
PostPosted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 6:11 am  Reply with quote
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RangerG wrote:
I subscribed to Wing and Shot from day one and have every issue that they made for 16 years. I was very sad when they stopped publication and haven't found anything close to being as good since.
Will check out Covey Rise.


I was also a big fan of Wing & Shot. I subscribe to The Pointing Dog Journal and get the Pheasants Forever for being a member. I also receive Shooting Sportsman, but I'm on and off with the SS.
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WyoChukar
PostPosted: Sun Feb 25, 2018 9:21 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 16 Jul 2015
Posts: 2124
Location: Hudson,Wy

I too miss Wing and Shot greatly.

I understand the problem of bird hunting mags being "repetitious" to experienced hunters. There is some reason for that though, behind the scenes "traditions" sometimes get in the way. I mean there are preconceived notions as to the "right way", "right dog", etc. along with an undeniable pattern in many articles. Behind the scenes there are other factors depending on editors and publishers, but that gets complicated.

My biggest gripe? Articles that read "Best outfitter, best lodge, shot some birds over "best blooded dog", gourmet meal, fine wine, fine cigar, shot of finest liquor, shot a bird or two next day with "best gun", did I mention the lodge?"

Sorry, I know that crowd has the bucks and advertisers like bucks, but a plethora of us don't really live or hunt that way. It's nice to read about those adventures once in a while, but they spend far to little text on the actual hunting. I like good stories that bring the hunt experience and interactions home to me, the rest is just filler.

With that ground work now in place, I am curious as to what you guys think ruins a magazine and what would make the "ultimate" magazine if you all could have say over such things.

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jswanson
PostPosted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 5:53 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 03 Feb 2008
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[quote="Chicago"]The best magazine I have found for upland hunting is The Ruffed Grouse Society Magazine that comes out, I believe, quarterly. You get it for free with your membership. Less ads and more content. The Pheasants Forever magazine is also pretty good. I like the Upland Almanac but anymore it seems to be all ads and not much content. I understand their plight with reduced readers, but sometimes I get a copy and don’t read a single article.

Good Hunting,
Mike[/quot

+1

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T-Bone
PostPosted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 8:00 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 31 May 2009
Posts: 153
Location: Orofino, Idaho

The Fall Upland Bird Edition of Gray's Sporting Journal is about as close as it comes anymore. I subscribe to Gray's, Shooting Sportsman and Sporting Classics. Sporting Classics seems about the best month to month.

WyoChukar is "spot on" with his comments. I am a bit put off by outfitter ads for a wingshooting adventure that in reality is a school bus ride to a field with a crowd of claim agent hunters and some Babe Winkleman - type yelling orders for the mob harvest of planted pheasants.

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UncleDanFan
PostPosted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 9:55 am  Reply with quote
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I would subscribe to a magazine devoted to chukar and hun hunting.

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tramroad28
PostPosted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 10:47 am  Reply with quote



Joined: 20 Jul 2011
Posts: 625
Location: Ohio..where ruffed grouse were

WyoChukar wrote:
...With that ground work now in place, I am curious as to what you guys think ruins a magazine and what would make the "ultimate" magazine if you all could have say over such things.


What is tough on magazines are escalating costs and the Internet, especially, websites covering almost all of what the mags cover....and more.
Websites also trump rags in offering a voice and, many times, an opportunity to feel a part of a community.
The last is a big one....be it looking for hunting buddies/hunting opportunities, brag photo posting opportunities or, simply looking for folks with shared interests in a day when many hunting/shooting interests are less well...distributed and accepted in the population.

What ruins a magazine is that which enables it to survive.....advertising and the ease and lure of restating the obvious and long-known....or trying to sell the latest knock-off scattergun or rifle or handgun.

Ultimate?.....is gone, no longer are the Big Three what they once were, no longer is cover art...art. No longer are there folks writing and teling stories(as much)...today it is about preserves with good food but also about self-defense and ARs and survival on the corner of Third and Elm street. or, it is about ...instruction and how-to by guys wearing sunglasses in the shade.

My ultimate requires picking and choosing at the newstand....I look for bits and pieces of what satisfies...stories, hunts, dogs, whatever...there is some to be found.
Otherwise, I buy a bag of chips and reckon that enough.

An idea....hit ebay and buy a few of the old magazines from the 30s-50s.....then enjoy the look and the guts within.
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hayseed
PostPosted: Mon Feb 26, 2018 12:39 pm  Reply with quote



Joined: 14 Feb 2017
Posts: 401

Tramroad28 your last statement hit the nail right on the head for me. I love the older issues of the outdoor magazines. Anything prior to 1980. Real stories. Real hunters. Tradition. Stories of quality hunting that you didn’t have to be wealthy to enjoy. Of course that was when it was easier to find quality hunting close to home.
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