I read with great consternation the editorial at the beginning of January's magazine. Not only did NAW lose Duncan Dobie as a great editor we also gained 16 pages of turkey hunting in a DEER magazine.
Most of us don't mind an additional article or two but 16 pages or 20% of the magazine dedicated to turkeys? Come on!!
I looked back to the Dec-Jan 2009 magazine (almost 13 months ago) and found that ironically that magazine also had 80 pages like the magazine I just got last week but all 80 pages were DEER articles. There's no doubt Gordon W. was trying to be sincere in his editorial but the facts are the facts. This last magazine is 20% less than what I and I'm sure most other subscribers paid for.
I kow that the magazine businees is as cut throat as any other business today but don't try and shove something down us die-hard whitetail hunters like turkey hunting. If we wanted to read about turkey hunting we would be subscribing to "North American Turkey".
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TO WHOM IT MAY CONCERN:
Since the mid 80's I have been a faithful reader of NAW mag, and I truly believe it has made a me better hunter. I started getting the monthly mag delivered when cash was in short supply in our house hold while we were raising our young family. I waited with baited breath each June for the the new years issues to start showing up, I learned with time that around the June 23 the July issue would arrive. When the calender turned into July the stories in that issue were already ancient history. Nearly ever issue is stacked neatly in the closet of my "man cave", ready to be re-opened and reminisced over. I truly love NAW mag., so much so that I'm a frequent contributor, here on the forum. As silly as it may seem to many, for more than 20 years I have had a dream to harvest a buck that would be worthy of gracing the "The Hall of Fame" page.
So, it was with great sadness that I felt compelled to allow my subscription to expire. It had become increasing apparent to me that something was amiss with the accounting/billing in Marietta. I have always bought a 3 years renewal at whatever the asking price was at the time . However in recent years it seems the 3 year period was getting shorter and shorter. I know that as we get older time seems to fly by faster and faster. In the same token it appeared to me that every year in August I was receiving in the mail, a request to renew. My records are shoddy on this issue at best (it's a guy thing), but in my heart of hearts I feel that I am being taken advantage of, but not by design. It was finally in August that I made the decision to end the magazine subscription.
While at dinner, my wife and I were discussing my hunting trip planned for Saturday, when she inadvertently stated that she hadn't seen a NAW mag in the mail lately. It was then that I informed her of my decision. I told her about my concerns and that maybe it had been the right time to end the relationship with the magazine. Later that night she asked if maybe the problem was with the confusion over us buying a subscription for our son in Wichita. I expressed doubt with the notion and thought nothing more of it.
At the urging of my bride she has suggested we should try one more time. It is sort of bitter/sweet for me, bitter that I'm giving someone another shot at me and my loyalty, that I felt had been given the ample time needed to realize the error, if such an error exists. (Keep in mind I feel there is). However, it is sweet that I can continue receiving what I think is a great Magazine.
So, to simplify the order at my wife's bidding. I will be re-subscribing, for me and my son, which will be added to my order/account with NAW. If I receive a renewal request before 2013, then this long standing arrangement will be terminated, albeit regrettably.
Danny
My Lord, my Wife, my kids and whitetails, what else really matters?