A few good magazines for outdoorsmen

We've entered the time of year made for warm fires and reading. With many of the hunting seasons already closed and the remainder winding down, and with fishing at its toughest, I always try to take advantage of the winter months to get through those magazines I've been putting off all year. I love to read, but I stay so busy during the spring, summer, and fall, that I don't read nearly as much as I would like. I subscribe to so many magazines, most of them go unread. I've made a resolution to reduce my amount of subscriptions to a select few and to completely read the magazines I continue receiving. I thought I'd share with you a couple of the magazines I really enjoy, and think most sportsmen would appreciate.

Outdoor Indiana

Outdoor Indiana is the Indiana Department of Natural Resources publication devoted to informing readers of Indiana outdoor news and possibilities. Outdoor Indiana offers feature stories concerning people and places related to the outdoors in Indiana and regular columns by DNR director, Rob Carter, and others. This magazine is valuable to the Indiana sportsman, even though the magazine is not primarily a hook and bullet publication. Readers will find articles on fishing and hunting, but there'll also be articles on hiking, camping, biking, and other outdoor activities. The photography in Outdoor Indiana is excellent, as it show cases some of our state's most beautiful natural resources.

Traditional Bowhunter Magazine

Traditional Bowhunter Magazine is, hands down, my favorite hunting magazine. If you're a hunter, but you don't hunt with traditional archery, or even if you don't hunt with archery at all, you'll still appreciate the adventures of Traditional Bowhunter Magazine. The stories in this publication are told by people who care about the experience of hunting. TBM is less commercialized than most magazines, and does a great job of mixing how-to with tales of adventure. If you are a traditional bowhunter, but not yet reading TBM, then you're missing out on a great magazine

Gray's Sporting Journal

Gray's Sporting Journal is a tool I use to design my list of things I'll do if I ever win the lottery. While Gray's may come across as a little "uppity", the writing is superb, and the stories are inspiring. The magazine exudes a deep concern for conservation and ethical behavior. The articles in Gray's cover fishing and hunting from across the world. While I don't foresee myself taking an African Safari anytime soon, I could maybe swing a quail hunt in Georgia or a fly fishing trip in Colorado, both of which could fall into the pages of Gray's.

Fur -- Fish - Game

What I like about Fur-Fish-Game is the "everyman" appeal. It covers a wide range of topics concerning hunting, fishing, and trapping, and does so in a very blue-collar manner. I enjoy reading a magazine which may contain a piece about deer hunting Indiana, trapping in Arizona, and bluegill fishing Tennessee. Fur-Fish-Game is available 12 times per year. The magazine is informative and does a good job of offering sportsmen something new to try.

Indiana Outdoor News

Indiana Outdoor News is one of the best "free" publications I have ever picked up. The magazine focuses on outdoor news from Indiana and beyond, but also publishes articles about the adventures of Indiana sportsmen. Josh Lantz, the editor of ION, has won many awards for his writing and does an excellent job of putting together Indiana Outdoor News. If you don't have a pick-up location for ION in your area, log on to www.Raghorn.com and let Josh know that you'd like to see ION in your neck of the woods.

The magazines I have listed here are all magazines I read on a regular basis. I'm a self-described dreamer. When I'm not "out there", I'm dreaming about my next adventure It doesn't matter if I'll only be heading down the road or across the country. I often come up with new dreams by reading about someone else living theirs. Take some time to enjoy a few good outdoor magazines this winter. Maybe you'll find your next adventure in the words of another sportsman.