This entry will probably come off being as more of a bitch session than anything else, but here goes. I have been a NAW Magazine Subscriber since the original 3rd issue of the Magazine. It has LONG BEEN (in my opinion) the best Whitetail magazine out there in print for a LONG time. But like everything else, things usually downgrade as time goes on.
Over the last couple of years I have mentioned to NAW a couple different items of which nothing has been addressed. As I read through a couple of the forums here, I saw one topic that I had also asked about, older issues being reprinted. Seems like NAW is not going to address this topic. Another topic is NAW used to have a write in question area that was answered by a couple different "professionals". This has been also discontinued. (I very often found these questions and answers very interesting). I am not going to state that maybe the changeover in personnel is the problem, but I have definitely noticed the down hill slide of the quality since it is now under the "Intermedia Outdoors" group.
Then I also noticed something that to me is maybe the final straw that will have me not continuing my long-standing subscription notice. That is the shortening of this past year's yearly issues. It is stated (and has been for a very, very long time) , that NAW is a yearly magazine with eight issues per year. I noticed this year(2009), we did not get a December 2009 Vol 28 No 8 issue. That the next issue was labelled December-January 2010 Vol 29 No 1. ?? I called the Intermedia Outdoors group about this and yes, there would be only 7 issues for 2009 and that my subscription record had not been extended for this issue. Now my question is, " I wonder if the brain trust of this idea figured that they could produce one less issue and the subscribers would not know the better? " I for one am offended with this prospect, as a long time subscriber to this very publication. What will be next?
I just hope many other subscribers read this post and at least call in, voice their discouragement and at least get their notice updated.
This great animal, the whitetail deer has brought a lot of pain into my life (that I won't go into here), along with a lot of joy and peaceful memories. Also on the positive side, as being a long time hunter, I am still hooked on seeing and reading about monster whitetails being taken across this country of ours. But all good things in life do come to an end.
Whitetail2034...
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Everything you say is true, it is slipping. My biggest complaint is that I flipped through the lastest issue and 11-12 pages were dedicated to turkey hunting, I am angry. If I wanted to read about turkey hunting I would have subscribed to a different magazine!!!
Yup...NAW was once the magazine by which all others were measured. It's not even close to what it once was. Big Buck Magazine has it beat hands down..... No comparison. The pictures are better, the paper quality is better, the articles are better, etc.
Another issue I see, is that this group is making it more difficult to find "any" call in phone numbers to ask any questions or "complain" about anything. No one seems to answer any phone calls and if you read a couple posts, even their own employees say that the writers and others are not good about getting back to people. They use the excuse that "they are busy this time of year." Yea, thats because they are all tired out from doing all their free hunts across the U.S. We should all be so busy.......
I also feel that since we are PAID subscribers that we should get our issues sent to us first before they hit the newstands. They used to do this, now we are the last to get them.
Yes, I am complaining, because I am bitter. The one real magazine I used to look forward to getting.
Well, it appears obvious that the "Big Dawgs" who call the shots at NAW don't even read this forum. The only conclusion I can come to is that they don't give a hoot about their readers. Thus, after buying every issue ever printed and keeping every one, after 29 years I will not be renewing my subscription..... Probably just a mute point anyway as the magazine is either going to fold or start being something other than exclusively Whitetail. It will probably start printing sections on "Crappies", which would be very fitting... Pun intended.
Hello to all. I am new to this sort of thing (forums). I joined because I have a little inside info that I think all of you on here should know. I, like most of you on here, have been a fan of NAW for many years. I have, to the distaste of my wife, kept every issue since the late 80's in my collection. Recent proceedings at NAW has left a bad taste in my mouth and after you all read this, I am sure you will also. I did not welcome any turkey section in what I have always concidered the "Holy Grail" of trophy deer magazines. Like many others, I will buy a turkey magazine if I want to read about turkeys. If it wasn't bad enough that the corporate folks at Intermedia Outdoors Inc. (owners of NAW, Bowhunter, Game And Fish, In-Fisherman, and many others) have jammed this turkey section down our throats, they have let somthing else happen that far outways the turkey issue. Did anyone notice that Duncan Dobie did not pen the editorial in this issue? That is because he chose to disagree with corporate and the end result is, he is not editor for NAW any longer!!! I know Mr. Dobie, as well as others involved with the magazine and television show. Duncan Dobie is a stand-up guy who believes in what NAW used to stand for. It is becoming very apparent that Duncan Dobie is the only one at NAW who possesses any real backbone. My suggestion for everyone on here is to read an article by a great outdoor writer, Les Davenport, on the state of affairs at NAW. It was found at prairestateoutdoors.com. Mr. Davenport hits many nails on thier heads when he talks about how corporate America is ruining yet another good thing. Don't forget to leave a comment after reading.
http://www.prairiestateoutdoors.com/index.php?/pso/article/end_of_an_era_at_north_american_whitetail/
Have much more to chat about later. Looking forward to venting with you all. Later.
I have been trying to cancel my subscription since I got my latest magazine! Why in the he!! are there 9 pages of turkey hunting? What makes me even angrier is the fact you can not get in touch with anyone from NAW. I have every magazine since 1989 and I will now have to try and find something to fill the void!
That won't be hard to do.......just about any magazine is better than NAW these days. Also, I believe there were 22 pages of turkey crap.
Should anyone want to ask about anything to do with North American Whitetail (the magazine or TV show), please feel free to contact me. My direct line at the office is 678-589-2034; my email is gordon.whittington@imoutdoors.com.
In the 25 years I've worked fulltime at NAW I've always tried to be responsive to folks' questions, but my travel schedule these days hasn't made it easy. (Since Sept. 30 I've been at the office fewer than 30 days, but I just got back Monday and don't have to leave town again until Feb. 11.) My apologies if anyone's tried to reach me but couldn't. Feel free to give me a ring or drop an email.