2009.01.21
Today's Roanoke Times is a real collector's item
For those of you who have seen a hard copy of today's Roanoke Times (left), you may have noticed it's a special issue.
That's right. I got a mention in the Letters to the Editor section. I mean, I rarely even make the Sports Mailbag. It's a big day.
The letter writer is not a fan of hunting. She really isn't a fan of the hunting "hero shots" we've been running in the paper pointing readers to "Your hunting photos" that are appearing on this blog.
I admit I've been a little surprised at just how many plugs The Wild Life has been getting lately.
When we started those daily online teasers on page 2 of the main news section, this blog didn't get much love. But that has changed over the past couple of months as the folks who pick those teasers have been watching our Web traffic numbers.
I don't have exact figures, but let's just say in November and December, we did well. I say we because you all get a lot of the credit. (Although my wife accuses me of visiting the site 100 times a day to pad the numbers.)
And while I'd like to thinkthe uptick in traffic is becaue a bunch of people all of a sudden realized, "Man, this Mark Taylor sure writes some witty, insightful, entertaining stuff," I know the deal. It's the game pictures. (And occasional fish picture.) I'm cool with that. I just appreciate you all tuning in, period.
Anyway, the guys who pick the in-paper online teasers apparently are going to milk this thing, hence all the dead animal pix on page 2.
I still run some dead animal pictures with my stories, which primarily run in the sports section. In fact, I don't think I run many fewer than I did back when I started here more than 10 years ago. But, interestingly, I get far fewer complaints about dead animal shots now than I did back then. I can't help wondering if one reason is because deer have fewer sympathizers now than they did even a decade ago because the number of people who have them ravaging their gardens and yards, or have hit (or nearly hit) one with their car, keeps growing.
Again, thanks very much to everyone for checking in here from time to time. And keep those pictures -- of fish, game, whatever -- coming. Otherwise, you may be forced to read my witty, insightful, entertaining writing until spring turkey season gets here.
Mark, you really do great work and I'm glad you're getting noticed for it! You keep doing what you do and we'll keep coming back for more!
Comment by tommy nunley — January 21, 2009 @ 7:15 pm
Mark, as the previous poster commented, you do a great job. I've enjoyed your articles for quite some time now and always look forward to the next one. The pictures are wonderful and the comments that follow are always interesting, sometimes surprising us with their content. Thanks.
--Thanks, Donna. I agree that many of the comments show a lot insight, and proof just how wrong it is to stereotype hunters and anglers as a bunch of hillbillies. mt
Comment by Donna — January 22, 2009 @ 2:52 pm
Well now I know where the "dead animal picture" comment comes from.
Comment by Static Lines — January 22, 2009 @ 5:03 pm
Mark, I just read the letter mentioned above and would like to say I respect this lady's right to voice her opinion but it always burns me the way MOST anti-hunting people have this superior attitude to hunters. Why can't they just say they disagree with our right to hunt and leave out the snide remarks aimed at hunters being uneducated or cold hearted murders of innocent harmless animals. I think you do a great job and I look forward to each new article. The pictures are great and the comments are very interesting, sometimes surprising, some are funny, and some are very nice encouraging other hunters. Thanks
--Amen, and thanks again. mt
Comment by Donna — January 22, 2009 @ 6:43 pm