Interesting thread, indeed. I'm afraid the old style of magazine in our field is, indeed gone. I think one of the big reasons is that reading, for the pure pleasure of it, is far less common. TV, internet, etc. have changed the average "reader" into, as JB pointed out, someone who doesn't want to engage a 3000+ word article.
The "article" that sells is a picture of a hunter with arrows and captions pointing to the gear being used, with a one or two paragraph blurb describing the buck harvested as a result of that gear. Pictures with captions beat out narrative every time.
There are a few writers extant that can still write an article that both informs AND entertains. And that is why I'm anxiously awaiting JB's new book! Sure wish Brian Pearce would write a book one of these days...he has that talent as well.
