Out of the Woods and Into Print

Five Hunters Create Outdoors Magazine

It might not have been a business plan on a bar napkin, but the idea for Buckwild Outdoors magazine was just as spontaneous.

Five Southern Maryland hunters, only one of whom had any publishing experience, decided last year that they wanted to produce a magazine. The first issue of the quarterly publication, with more than 80 pages, hit shelves across Maryland and in nearby states this month. The second is due in November.

"We read every book we could find. We called every printer and publisher. We called existing magazines and were picking the brains of them," said Nick Simonds, one of Buckwild's founders. "We know that in the end, it will be worth it, but we're not worried about getting a paycheck now. It's just about supporting the magazine."

Despite its impromptu beginning, Buckwild looks like a professional publication. The founders planned extensively and found a professional editor, who volunteers his time. It features tips on how to catch or kill various types of animals, firsthand stories from hunters and plenty of wildlife pictures -- all wrapped in a glossy cover. Buckwild's founders have full-time jobs unrelated to the venture. Nick Simonds, 29, of Leonardtown is a sales manager for Pepsi. Steve Simonds, 33, of Mechanicsville, Nick's brother, is a canine officer for the St. Mary's County Sheriff's Office. Reed Smith, 29, of La Plata is a software engineer for the Navy. James Stewart, 47, of Waldorf is a retired business owner who runs hunting services on the Eastern Shore and in Canada. Giovanni Rodriguez, 28, of Bryans Road is a graphic designer for Lockheed Martin.

United by a love of hunting and the outdoors, they play different roles in producing the magazine. Rodriguez is the primary layout artist, with help from Steve Simonds. Nick Simonds lines up writers and advertisers. Smith handles the paperwork and keeps the books. Stewart writes articles, finds advertisers and provides financial backing.

"None of us really knew what we were doing," said Rodriguez, who briefly produced a magazine at a previous job. "We all started researching. We all started hitting the Internet."

What the Buckwild founders lacked in magazine experience, they made up for in hunting expertise, local connections and hard work. Nick Simonds and Rodriguez said the magazine sprang logically from two other endeavors: a Web site launched in 2006 where local hunters could share their stories, and a hunting and outdoor expo last year at the Charles County Fairgrounds. After the expo, Steve Simonds said, his brother called him to suggest they start the magazine.

"I said, 'Well, Nick, that's a really good idea, but you've never done a magazine before,' " Steve Simonds said. "It's been a learning curve along the way."

Smith said he just thought it would be fun. "Worst possible case, we throw a couple of copies of a magazine out. It's a good story," he said.

But Buckwild is more than a good story. The founders printed 10,000 copies of the first issue, and Smith said they have about 150 paid subscribers, at $10.99 a year. More than 600 stores are carrying the publication, they said, which sells for $3.99 an issue. Stewart said he is eager to have the magazine nationally distributed, although it has a Maryland focus.

Advertising covered printing and distribution costs for the first issue, but the founders haven't recouped the $10,000 to $15,000 they invested, Smith said. Although they have hooked up with a printer and distributor, the men do not have an office or full-time employees. They said they hope to have those eventually.

"We work out of a barn when we have to, or we work from home," Nick Simonds said. "You come home from work, you spend time with the family, you put the kids to bed, and then you work until you can't stay up anymore."