Outdoor Writers Showcase - October 2025
This month, OWAA members covered birds, bison, bull elk, and the burgeoning blasphemy of microplastics.
As the days grow shorter and the temperatures drop, OWAA members retreat to their cozy work spaces and continue to produce pertinent outdoor storytelling for audiences local, regional, and national alike. This month’s lineup features an array of conservation stories that pair well with tea, baked goods, falling leaves, cabin naps, and other charms of October. Looking for something to warm the soul? Read about species restoration projects making strides from the Mid-Atlantic to the South Pacific. Prefer something spooky or scary? Consider the encroachment of microplastics in the remote headwaters of the Hudson River.
As always, our members create work that both engages the concerned and encourages the hopeful. The best way to honor their efforts is by reading on.
Members At Work
“Indigenous-led protections spark Bali starling’s recovery in the wild”
Heather Physioc, Mongabay, October 2
A near-extinct songbird with white plumage and a cobalt face is the star of Physioc’s work of photojournalism for Mongabay, which looks at a history of failed attempts — and one successful one — to protect the charismatic Bali starling. Today, the small island of Nusa Penida is a sanctuary for the recovering species.
“Can bison ever reclaim their historic range east of the Mississippi?”
Jessica Baltzersen, Sierra, October 6
Some 60 million bison once called North America — including the eastern U.S. — home. Baltzersen reports on the collaborative, multi-pronged effort to restore genetically diverse bison to their native range, the outcome of which looks promising. Small herds of bison now roam in Ohio, Florida, New York, Pennsylvania, and Indiana.
“After 20 Years of Applying, 28 Days of Hunting, and 130 Miles of Hiking, I Arrowed My Bull at 8 Yards”
Kris Millgate, Outdoor Life, October 10
‘tis the season for some truly outlandish hunting stories, and this one from Millgate might take the cake. Bowhunter Leana Robins recounts her gut-busting efforts to fill an incredibly rare elk tag in her home state of Oregon. The bull she harvested had an injured hoof and a broken piece of another bull’s antler sticking out of his skull — a tribute to the wily toughness of the Rocky Mountain elk.
“On Eastern Egg Rock, puffins get the last laugh”
Derrick Z. Jackson, The Maine Monitor, October 19
Sometimes conserving one species means controlling others. That’s the story for the Atlantic puffin on Eastern Egg Rock in Maine, where the Audubon Seabird Institute has set up shop to deter competing species in a variety of ways — some of which are fatal. Jackson’s story and photos shed light on the complexities of ecology and the hope of those doing the work.
“Hikers’ footwear linked to microplastic pollution in Adirondack lakes”
Steven Featherstone, Syracuse.com, October 23
Featherstone’s reporting spotlights concerning results from a report on water samples from Lake Tear of the Clouds — the highest-elevation source of the Hudson River — that contained nearly twice as much microplastic pollution as samples in 2023. The culprit? Likely the treads on visitors’ shoes, researchers say.
OWAA News
Mark your calendars! The 2026 Excellence in Craft Awards submission window is fast approaching. Starting on November 1, OWAA members will have the opportunity to submit work published within the last year for EIC consideration. Follow along at OWAA’s Submittable homepage for information on categories and entry instructions and check out last year’s winners here.
Lastly, This…
On October 14, OWAA celebrated six years under the leadership and guidance of our hard-working executive director, Chez Chesak. If you’ve attended an OWAA conference, used OWAA’s ample member resources to advance your career, or even just learned something from an OWAA social media post in the last six years, you have Chez to thank. The next time you see him either in-person or digitally, let him know how much you appreciate him and his massive contribution to the organization.
Cheers Chez, you rock!
See you next month!
The monthly Outdoor Writers Showcase newsletter highlights work published by current members of the Outdoor Writers Association of America. If you’re a current member and would like to see your work featured, please submit links for consideration to this Google form OR comment on the weekly Friday Brag post in the OWAA Members Only Facebook group.
Not a member of OWAA? Creating work that aligns with these stories? Join us today.