TRAVIS SMOLA
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Portfolio

My best work with Wide Open Spaces
This is a selection of my best pieces while working as a freelancer and Senior Staff Writer for Wide Open Spaces. At this point in my career I've had the privilege of interviewing some of the biggest names in the outdoor industry like Remi Warren and Bill Dance. I've also had the opportunity to review some incredible outdoor gear and write longer pieces on issues of conservation, the environment, and sustainability. 
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Bill Dance talks his new signature lake project in tennesee 

As a life-long angler this was a dream come true to interview arguably the greatest angler who has ever lived, Bill Dance. 

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World champion tie-down roper tyson durfey tells all

This was the first major interview and press trip I did with Wide Open Spaces to world champion tie-down roper Tyson Durfey's Texas Ranch. 

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New research  identifies the most common plastic waste in national parks

I don't often get to report upon environmental issues, but this one was a real eye-opener for me personally. I started cutting single use plastics out of my life after writing this story. 

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Winchester XPR 350 Legend REview

Here in Michigan we're only allowed to use straight wall cartridges for whitetail hunting. I spent hours on the range before going into the field for real-world testing on whitetails for this one. 

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Testing  Penn's new authority and fathom  reels on  costa rica tuna

This was my first international press trip and the experience of tangling with a 91-pound yellowfin made for a rather enjoyable writeup of the experience. 

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Remi Warren  talks food to table and the joys of outdoor cooking

It's always fascinating for me to learn people's motivations for fishing and hunting, and how the connection with nature and knowing where one's meals come from plays a part in their motivations to participate in the tradition. 

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Decked X Uncharted Emergency Supply kit review

For a big review like this, it's always fun for me to go in and find what's there, and what the manufacturers left out. It's also interesting to find what doesn't work the way the advertised. 

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Review: Kuiu  Proximity line of hunting clothing

I really put this jacket and pants through the ringer for this one. I put it up against freezing cold and arguably had the wrong camo pattern for snowy conditions, but still managed to take a nice buck. 

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Pheasant hunting south  dakota: outfitted vs diy-style on  public land

My first pheasant hunting experience ever was rather interesting simply because it was an interesting contrast of the frustrations of public land vs a fully outfitted excursion on some exclusive private land. This story also has the first video where I appeared as an on-screen personality for Wide Open Spaces. 

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berkley fishing's testing lab is state of the art, and  we got a rare inside  look

It's not often that Berkley fishing opens their doors to outsiders. This experience gave me a better understanding of the competitive nature of the fishing industry. 

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Dometic  CFX 3 Cooler Review

I sometimes use gear reviews as an excuse to take extra camping trips to make sure I'm getting real-world use out of a product. That was the case with this Dometic cooler. 

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Lake  Okoboji  Fishing: The home of  berkley, and  Iowa's best bass fishing

If I'm going to go on a press trip, I try to get the most content out of it as I can. This wasn't a piece requested by my editors, but I wrote it anyway since I had such great photos and a fun time on this trip. 

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Reapr Camp axe Review

Another review example. I tend to be rather rough on gear while doing testing like this. Note that I shoot all my own images while doing any product review. 

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"The Ghost"  A Legendary Tennessee  public  land turkey with  snow white  feathers 

One of the perks of this job is meeting cool people and hearing some of the wildest hunting stories you'll ever hear. This one was an all-timer and it was a privilege to share their story. 

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