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feedback from Backpacker
Question:
I would also like a copy. With the hunting season coming up this would make good "fodder" for the hunting magazines, and could help organizations like "putting people first" to have a cogent story to tell to advertisers who buy space in Backpacker and sell to hikers and hunters. (e.g.–Columbia Sportswear, Camptrails, etc.)
Response:
says… – Hide quoted text — Show quoted text ->Last October I wrote a letter to Backpacker magazine, in response >to a negative article about sharing the woods with hunters. I >pointed out that hunters are more aware of hikers than vice versa, >that hunters actually pay for their wilderness use, and that >backpackers are much more likely to get hurt while driving to >their trailhead than by a hunter’s bullet. I also reminded them >that their readership included many hunters, and an "us vs. them" >attitude just served to discredit their other articles. >Several months passed without a word from Backpacker. Last week, >a friend of mine, laid up while recovering from appendicitis, >browsed his back issues of Backpacker and found my letter in the >February letters column. He brought it in for me to read. "Severely >edited" is putting it mildly. My two page letter was reduced to two >paragraphs. Another friend put it this way, "You didn’t get edited, >you got re-written..". >The "edited" version packs a much weaker punch than the original. >It might as well not have even appeared, except that it tells me >where Backpacker is coming from. If anyone has the 2/96 issue >and missed my original letter, which I posted here, I can e-mail >them a copy privately for comparison. >Tom Faller
I am a hunter and a backpacker. I also subscribe to Backpacker Magazine. I don’t remember the letter but I would like to read the original version if you can e-mail me. Thanks, Bill
Response:
Last October I wrote a letter to Backpacker magazine, in response to a negative article about sharing the woods with hunters. I pointed out that hunters are more aware of hikers than vice versa, that hunters actually pay for their wilderness use, and that backpackers are much more likely to get hurt while driving to their trailhead than by a hunter’s bullet. I also reminded them that their readership included many hunters, and an "us vs. them" attitude just served to discredit their other articles. Several months passed without a word from Backpacker. Last week, a friend of mine, laid up while recovering from appendicitis, browsed his back issues of Backpacker and found my letter in the February letters column. He brought it in for me to read. "Severely edited" is putting it mildly. My two page letter was reduced to two paragraphs. Another friend put it this way, "You didn’t get edited, you got re-written..". The "edited" version packs a much weaker punch than the original. It might as well not have even appeared, except that it tells me where Backpacker is coming from. If anyone has the 2/96 issue and missed my original letter, which I posted here, I can e-mail them a copy privately for comparison. Tom Faller