Outdoor Canada
Outdoor Canada is Canada's national fishing and hunting magazine, in print since 1972 with a mix of how-to articles, buyer's guides, profiles, travelogues, reportage and analysis. In 2015, "Outdoor Canada West" was launched. Along with promoting conservation and celebrating Canada's heritage sports, "Outdoor Canada" and "Outdoor Canada West" encourage anglers and hunters to improve their skills and broaden their knowledge of the outdoors. Included are fishing and hunting hot spots and roundups of the best new gear. Published six times a year. In 2005, 2011 and 2012, it was named Magazine of the Year  (50,000 to 149,999 circulation category) by the Canadian Society of Magazine Editors, while editor-in-chief Patrick Walsh was named Editor of the Year those same years. History. It was an ambitious idea: a homegrown national magazine covering absolutely everything about the Canadian outdoors. And this at a time when U.S. magazines dominated the newsstands even more so than today. So debuted "Outdoor Canada" in 1972, promising readers a Canadian take on fishing, hunting, conservation, hiking, camping, boating, skiing, photography, parks, wildlife and more. That first issue, for example, carried a piece on Ontario steelheading by veteran outdoors scribe John  Power, a look at the Yukon's new Kluane National Park and a tale about Sir Edmund Hillary canoeing through the wilds of Quebec. Also featured were moose recipes and book reviews alongside articles on cross-country skiing, winter survival, snowmobiling, motor homes and boating. While "Outdoor Canada" has since refined its focus to concentrate on fishing, hunting and conservation, the magazine's original commitment to a uniquely Canadian perspective lives on. The magazine was founded by the husband-and-wife team of Ron and Sheila Kaighin; the couple sold their home in North Vancouver and camped their way across  Canada before setting up shop in Toronto. Sheila served as editor, taking over in 1973 from earlier recruits Mike Irving and Graeme Matheson, while Ron maintained the role of publisher. The couple sold the magazine to the Canadian National Sportsmen's Shows in 1985. They both stayed on in their respective roles for another year before making a clean break. Here is a brief timeline of the magazine's major milestones: Section::::"Outdoor Canada" today. Soon after buying "Outdoor Canada" from the Canadian National Sportsmen's Shows in 1998, publisher Avid Media made a strategic decision: no longer would the magazine  strive to cover all outdoor pursuits. Instead, it would focus solely on angling, hunting and related conservation issues. The magazine is presided over by Patrick Walsh, who became editor in 2000 (James Little went on to edit Explore magazine until late 2012). Tailored to males between the ages of 18 to 49, and with a paid circulation of approximately 90,000. In 2004, Outdoor Canada was purchased, along with the other three magazines belonging to Avid Media, by Transcontinental Media G.P. Transcontinental subsequently sold the magazine in September 2009 (along with sister title Canadian Home Workshop magazine) to Quarto Communications Inc. , later to become Cottage Life Media, a division of Blue Ant Media Partnership. In 2015, B.C.-based Outdoor Group Media obtained a 50% stake in the magazine, then gained full control in 2018. The magazine continues to be published out of Toronto. Awards. "Outdoor Canada" has received numerous honours over the years, including 30 National Magazine Awards. Outdoor Writers of Canada Awards. "Outdoor Canada" has dozens of awards from the Outdoor Writers of Canada, including (as of 2018): 30 first-place finishes; 22 second-place positions; and 23 third-place awards. Outdoor Writers Association of America Awards. The magazine has taken  home two first-place wins and two second-place wins from the Outdoor Writers Associations of America. Canadian Society of Magazine Editors. The Canadian Society of Magazine Editors has awarded "Outdoor Canada" its Magazine of the Year distinction three times (2005, 2011 and 2012), while also honouring EIC Patrick Walsh as Editor of the Year three times. As well, the magazine has earned CSME's Jim Cormier Award for Display Writing three times, and Best Front-of-the-Book honours once.