Outdoor Writing
I’ve been an award-winning outdoor writer since 2015, and I wrote and edited hundreds of articles as the Hunt & Fish Editor at GearJunkie from 2018-2022.
In the spring of 2024, I founded The Westrn. The Westrn turned out two newsprint magazine volumes in 2025, hired more than a dozen freelancers, and maintains an ongoing presence as a best-selling and five-figure earning Substack, where it continues to thrive.
Online Bylines: Outside Online, Men’s Journal, Business Insider, GearJunkie, The Westrn, MeatEater, EPIC Journal, Outside Bozeman, Cowboys & Indians online, and more.
Print Bylines: Outside Magazine, USA Today, The Westrn, RMEF’s Bugle Magazine, Outside Bozeman, Cowboys & Indians Magazine, Montana Outdoors, American Prairie Journal, Modern Huntsman, Backcountry Journal
Editing Experience: GearJunkie, Modern Huntsman, Cowboys & Indians, The Westrn
Specialties: outdoor gear, conservation news, profiles, op-eds, travel, sponsored content, SEO writing, food and drink, how-to, western lifestyle, bird dogs, horses, hunting, backpacking, hiking, and more
Sponsored & Brand Content: Leatherman, Mathews Archery, Chaco Footwear, Epic Provisions
Awards
OWAA Presidents Award, 2025: “On Killing Animals” – Best of the Blog Category
OWAA Hunting Blog, 1st Place, 2025: “On Killing Animals” for The Westrn
OWAA Hunting Blog, 2nd Place, 2025: “No Time Wasted” for The Westrn
OWAA Gear Magazine, 2nd Place, 2023: “A Four-Year Gear Test” for GearJunkie
Stories Worth Reading
The Life of a Government Mule – Cowboys & Indians Magazine
Should You Buy Gear from Brands That Don’t Align with Your Values? – Outside Magazine
Need Hardcore, Durable Outdoor Apparel? Don’t Sleep on Hunting Brands – Outside Online
On Killing Animals – The Westrn
The Teacher Will Appear – The Westrn
A Hunt for Community – Epic Journal
GearJunkie: My Top Picks of More Than 400 Articles
4-Year Gear Test: Hunting Editor’s Tried-and-True Favorites
Expert Outdoorsman’s Advice Helps ‘Mitigate Risk’ While Hunting
How to Start Hunting as an Adult
Backpacking Alone is for Everyone
The Hunter Decline Myth: Habitat — Not Hunting — Is at Risk
From Anti-Gun to Hunter: How I Came to Own and Respect Firearms
An Open Letter of Solidarity to a 9,000-Year-Old Hunter
SEO Writing
Throughout my time at GearJunkie, I wrote hundreds of articles focused on driving content to the top of Google’s algorithm. Our hunting and fishing content consistently broke the mold, driving millions of dollars worth of purchases in gear and equipment. I am well-practiced in the art of a high-performing review, building top tier buyer’s guides, and developing educational content that serves a curious audience.
Current Projects: Fall 2025
Western Screenplay :: I’m teaming up with artist and long-time film production expert Kate Lindsay to write a Montana-centered screenplay about a young girl overcoming obstacles to win big in the rodeo scene.
The Westrn :: As the Editor-in-Chief of The Westrn, I keep The Westrn running as a passion project for long-form narratives and outdoor storytelling outside of the mainstream.
Nicole Qualtieri 