# Nodak Outdoors in the Bis. Trib 1/19



## H2OfowlND (Feb 10, 2003)

Just read the Bismarck Tribune and read the article on Nodak Outdoors and Chris!! In my opinion it was a very well put together article and stressed many points about the site and about what is going on with the legislature. Some very good P.R.!!!!! Good job Chris, keep up the good work!!!! :beer:

H2OfowlND


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Here it is....

Inside NoDak Outdoors
By RICHARD HINTON, Bismarck Tribune 
Whether the comments make you sleep better at night knowing North Dakota's hunting tradition is being safeguarded or make your blood boil, one thing is clear: NoDak Outdoors has become a major player among outdoors-minded people.

Created in March 2001 as a way to keep the state's sportsmen informed about legislative issues, the Web site - www.nodakoutdoors.com - has become much more.

Now you'll find forums for more issues than most can keep up with: fishing reports by species, deer and other big-game reports, game bird reports by species, plus forums on rifle shooting, shotgun shooting, reloading, handgunning, recipes, hunting dogs and outdoors women.

But the heart and soul of NoDak Outdoors is its "serious issues" section, with subjects such as "hot topics," "legislative bill forum" and "wildlife clubs."

The liveliest debate on "hot topics" is outdoor retail giant Gander Mountain's apparent practice of leasing prime hunting acreage for use by its high-paying clients. The comments - 276 as of Tuesday morning - flowed over to a seventh page. The subject attracted 19,743 looks, as well.

The "bill forum" breaks out all outdoors-related measures into single topics, and each has a hyperlink that sends a viewer to a copy of the original bill and any amended versions. And most of the bill topics will have comments as well. The site also has easy links to all state legislators' e-mail addresses and a district-by-district breakdown for viewers to pinpoint easily which district they live in and who their senator and representatives are.

NoDak Outdoors is the work of a Fargo native and recent Bismarck transplant, 26-year-old Chris Hustad, a self-described hard-core waterfowl hunter. He also could be described as a big-time opponent of the commercialism that he sees trying to creep into North Dakota's hunting heritage.

"(NoDak Outdoors) was started to bring hunters together," he said last week as he sat in the family room of his north Bismarck home, where he and his wife have lived since they moved here in March. "I wanted to offer a free flow of ideas."

Most of those ideas revolve around the quality of hunting in North Dakota.

"North Dakota is a unique place," he said. "People are passionate about hunting and fishing. They think it needs to be preserved."

One means to accomplishing that is NoDak Outdoor's most proactive feature, its "etree." The e-mail equivalent of a telephone tree, etree e-mails alert those signed up to any changes in legislative hearing times or dates or notify them of pending hearings or votes on key outdoors-related bills. The e-mails also include a recommendation on the bills and ask recipients to send their views to their appropriate senators or representatives.

Rep. Todd Porter, R-Mandan, called the etree "very effective. They made a difference in making legislators know how they felt."

NoDak Outdoors has the support of many wildlife clubs, especially those in the eastern part of the state. Hustad acknowledged that many wildlife clubs differed philosophically on some hunting and fishing issues before NoDak Outdoors was born.

Now, the etree takes the politics out, he said. And bills are "promoted with no affiliation. It's 'What's best for North Dakota?' "

That "What's best?" message also carried over after the last session ended.

NoDak Outdoors issued a legislator report card, grading the state's senators and representatives on how they voted on bills that were addressed in etree alerts.

Grades ran from A to F and were based on how legislators scored with their votes on those key outdoor bills. The scores allowed NoDak Outdoors to rank legislators, starting with No. 1 and ending with No. 141, Sen. Bill Bowman, R-Bowman, who did not reply to an e-mail seeking comment.

"We want to let them know they are being watched," Hustad said.

Hustad also finds irony in the fact that the legislators in his former Fargo district graded out with two As and a B, while the legislators in his new Bismarck district earned two Cs and an F.

Porter was one of several lawmakers with a No. 1 ranking and an A last session.

"Whether you agree or disagree, it's a good way for sportsmen to follow the issues," said Jeb Williams, an outreach biologist for the North Dakota Game and Fish Department. "It keeps people up to date on issues, whether they are landowners, sportsmen or anyone who loves the out-of-doors. That's the positive."

Philosophically at least, Kyle Blanchfield, the president of the North Dakota Professional Guides and Outfitters Association, sits in the corner opposite of NoDak Outdoors.

He said he visits the Web site occasionally and calls it "well done. The e-mail tree is no doubt powerful."

Hustad said what's made NoDak Outdoors so effective in the Legislature is "there's no holding back." Unlike similar Web sites, he said, "there's a free flow of information."

Attacking ideas in the forums is fair game, Hustad said, "but you don't attack the person. You treat others the way you want to be treated."

Blanchfield said he used to post on the site but has stopped because "I didn't want to stir the pot.

"I get torn to shreds on that site," he added. "They have a myopic view on a lot of issues, and they generally don't tolerate people with opposite views."

Hustad works out of his home for a Fargo-based real estate software firm. He calls NoDak Outdoors "my other 40-hour-a-week job."

Although the majority of his supporting members are from the eastern part of the state, the number of sportsmen from western North Dakota is growing, he said, as is the number of out-of-state folks visiting the site.

Hustad also calls it a misconception that most supporting members live in big cities, which fosters the urban versus rural debate.

"It's more dispersed than that," he said, adding that more and more rural residents are getting involved.

He pointed to House Bill 1189 as one way to help rural areas promote hunting. That bill would amend the North Dakota Century Code by establishing a new private land hunting access program and require a local match.

NoDak Outdoors gets financial help from about 500 supporting members, who pay $10 annually. And visitors regularly number about 3,000. On average, each visit lasts 26 minutes, Hustad said.

His hosting bill also is up, eight times more than when he started NoDak Outdoors.

Hustad disagrees with those who would say that NoDak Outdoors' philosophy is selfish.

He sees the philosophy as saving game for future generations. And that's the problem with thinking of hunting issues in the short term, he added.

"They want to milk every drop out of the cow rather than keep some for the future."

Hustad also said that's why small-town North Dakota businesses should be working with hunters instead of siding with outfitters, who are their competition for hunting dollars.

"We're trying to make more hunting and fishing opportunities," he said. "We are looking at the long term, not just 2005.

"If something isn't done, what about five years from now? Commercialism will be all over, and nonresident hunters will be staying, eating and drinking at the (outfitters') lodges."

Hustad said his issue with guides and outfitters is their business practices.

"The citizens of North Dakota own the game, but they access it for a charge," he said.

He's not looking to abolish guides and outfitters in North Dakota, however.

"I feel there's a place for commercial hunting," he explained, "but it has to be regulated."

In Hustad's view there is room for other interests.

"We need to find a balance where we can make residents, nonresidents, commercial interests, small-town businesses and landowners meet in the middle," he said.

Hustad said his biggest reward comes from trying to make a difference for North Dakota's hunting heritage.

"We need to protect our future," he said. "We want what's best for North Dakota as much as (guides and outfitters) want it for their businesses."


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## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

Great article and good PR. Well done Chris !!! :beer:


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## Britman (Dec 18, 2002)

GREAT JOB CHRIS!!!! :beer:


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## drjongy (Oct 13, 2003)

Congratulations, Chris!!

:beer:


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## Matt Jones (Mar 6, 2002)

Very well written and I'm impressed at the different points of view the writer used for it. Well balanced. :beer:


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## KEN W (Feb 22, 2002)

Great job.... :beer:


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

Excellent!!!!


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## Eric Hustad (Feb 25, 2002)

Pretty cool bro, congrats.


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## 4CurlRedleg (Aug 31, 2003)

Great job Chris!!
:beer:


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## buckseye (Dec 8, 2003)

right on, interesting... thanks Chris and the rest of you supporters!!


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## jamartinmg2 (Oct 7, 2004)

Great job, Chris! Minnesota would be well served if we had a site like this in this state. If there is one, I've not run across it. :beer:


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## Squeeker (Apr 1, 2004)

Very good article that is well deserved. I would hope one of the biggest compliments to this website is the fact that almost every waterfowl hunting search I have done through Google will bring up the site within the first 10 matches...Now that's web marketing!


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## GooseBuster3 (Mar 1, 2002)

Congrats on the great article man!!! :beer:


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## Ryan_Todd (Apr 11, 2004)

very good article. congrats chris!


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## DuckBuster (Mar 18, 2003)

Congrats, Chris! That was a very well deserved article. You should be proud of what you have accomplished. It sure has been fun watching this site evolve and grow! :beer:


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## faithsdave (Jan 8, 2004)

Excellent job Chris. Keep up the hard work, it's paying off.


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## woodie1 (Dec 6, 2004)

Great job, that's some good advertising to put the word out there and get more concerned sportsmen involved


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## MossyMO (Feb 12, 2004)

Maybe some guests or even others who maybe haven't even been to NoDakOutdoors web site before might even sign up to be supporting members knowing their inexpensive membership fee is going to a good cause.


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## J.D. (Oct 14, 2002)

Way to go Chris........Keep up the hard work! :beer:


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## Dick Monson (Aug 12, 2002)

Great Chris, you opened the door a little wider for all of us. And thank you to Rich Hintton also.


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## leadshot (Aug 2, 2004)

:beer:


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## Scraper (Apr 1, 2002)

Honest reporting is very refreshing.

We are all proud to be a part of this thing.

Thanks


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

Squeeker said:


> Very good article that is well deserved. I would hope one of the biggest compliments to this website is the fact that almost every waterfowl hunting search I have done through Google will bring up the site within the first 10 matches...Now that's web marketing!


That's not by accident. 

Thanks for the compliments guys. I've even received some phone calls from people I don't know today telling me thanks...pretty cool.

Good day for etree signups too, heads are turning.

:beer:


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## Anas Strepera (Nov 10, 2004)

A great article about a great site. :run:


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## DJRooster (Nov 4, 2002)

Thanks Chris for letting me be opinionated and telling the world about it! And thanks to everyone else for all the great infomation.


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

I can still remember the day that you bought the name for the site! Look at it now! Congrates!!!


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## The Norseman (Jan 8, 2005)

Thank you for all that you do, Mr. Hustad. Great job.


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## quackattack (Sep 27, 2003)

Special thanks to Chris for making the site what it is today.... but also thanks to all the guest/supporting members for helping the site too
good luck to everyone in future seasons

:beer:


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## zogman (Mar 20, 2002)

Double dittos on what everyone said. Very good interveiw Chris you sound more professional and polished than KB. I guess most of us know that.


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## Madison (Mar 1, 2002)

great job man!!! Well put together..


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## taddy1340 (Dec 10, 2004)

Chris, I agree with all said above. In my short tenure on the site, I have witnessed its great accomplishments, but more importantly, its potential! You have served your fellow outdoorsmen well!

On a side note, thanks for adding another addiction to my life...this site. :lol:

tad


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## curty (Sep 18, 2003)

Way to go Chris!!! great exposure, Great article, Thanks for the opportunity to be a sponsor and supporting member of the site.


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## MRN (Apr 1, 2002)

Excellent work young man!!

Aside from the excellent site coverage, you put out a huge banner that game animals belong to the citizens of the state, not the guides. O/G's can't duck this, they can't shake this - they are the @#$%^& stealing from the kids, grandkids, great grandkids of the state, instead of doing something productive with their lives.

M.


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## Ref (Jul 21, 2003)

Great site Chris. I wish Mn had a site like this.


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## NDMALLARD (Mar 9, 2002)

Thanks for providing us with such a powerful tool to promote and defend our outdoor passion.


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## tb (Jul 26, 2002)

Congratulations.

One nice thing to see, was that the writer of the article let his guard down for one day. If you read the tribune, you will notice that this guy seems to have an agenda that is pro-commercialization, pro-guide, etc. I don't think he's a native North Dakotan and he doesn't understand what ND's hunting heritage means to us natives. So, its especially nice to see a complimentary article from him. Maybe Chris helped turn on the light bulb for this guy. That would be a major achievement and asset for the cause.


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## Ithaca1 (Nov 24, 2003)

Well said. Way to go Chris.


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## adokken (Jan 28, 2003)

Hopefully most of the legislators read this paper and understand that they are being watched.


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

I like the part about the grading system........letting them know that we keep an eye on what they are doing! Damn personalized agenda's of some of these guys ****** me off! The forget that they were elected to represent us.......not them.


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## Old Hunter (Mar 8, 2002)

Chris This website has provided us the means to save some North Dakota hunting opportunities for the average hunter. Whether we are resident or nonresident we all owe you a debt of gratitude.
Thank you Chris


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## zettler (Sep 7, 2002)

Chris et al,

I have known you now for over five years and am proud to see how you have put into action what many of us dream about but please do not forget there are some of us OOS's that care and share similar philosophies.

Look forward to that retirement up to my new home someday soon... :beer:

Bob


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## Remmi_&amp;_I (Dec 2, 2003)

I can't believe how much press Chris "Hollywood" Hustad gets nowadays! We may have to get his autograph now before he starts charging us for them! :lol: :wink:


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