09/14/2026
This is the second bowhunting print publication we've seen saying farewell in the past month, after Bowhunting World also announced it was ceasing publication a few weeks back.
While you might think we're happy to see our "competition" fall by the wayside, the truth is that the archery and bowhunting communities are very small, and although we may all occupy different niches, we do not root against fellow archers. As the old saying goes, "Blowing out someone else's candle does not make yours shine any brighter."
We wish the folks at Traditional Bowhunter the best in retirement, in the field and everywhere else life's journey leads. May the wind be ever in your face, and may your arrows fly true.
Dear Friends,
Nearly four decades ago, traditional archery was nearly crushed by the incoming waves of new technology in the bowhunting industry. But one man, T.J. Conrads, wasn’t having it. He knew he wasn’t alone in his passion for longbows and recurves. Yet how, in a pre-internet era, would he reach out to like-minded archers across the continent and overseas as well? A magazine, that’s how—a quality publication where readers could be entertained by well-written bowhunting material and learn from columns written by experienced outdoorsmen and women. And so, Traditional Bowhunter® Magazine was birthed. At the time, other bowhunting magazines were thriving, and competition was fierce. But TBM soon found an audience within the traditional community and even those outside of it who were drawn to passionate writing about wild things and wild places.
But, like it or not, times do change. Bowhunters no longer have to put their time and talent into penning a 2,500-word hunting story accompanied by photographs of their adventures and have the material vetted by a professional editorial board. With the quick snap of a cell phone and a couple of hundred hastily written words on a social media post, instant gratification is achieved. No more patiently waiting for months to see your work in print.
And likewise, print media advertising—the life blood of any publication—has lost the battle to the internet and social media. It’s faster and more economical. We here at TBM get that, as much as it hurts. At the end of the day, it’s all just business. Yet many of today’s successful traditional vendors got their start and plenty of their business through ads in TBM, and we hope they’ll never forget that. (And many who no longer advertise with us have remained subscribers, and we’re grateful for that.)
By now, some of you have realized where this is going. Yes, with great disappointment, the magazine that has served the traditional community since 1989 is closing up shop. Earlier this year, a national publishing house (who owns several other outdoor titles) expressed interest in purchasing TBM. Negotiations went on for months with Robin Conrads spearheading the effort and providing all the necessary materials the potential new owners would need to understand the dynamics of TBM, from financials to subscribership and every facet in between. Discussions were moving forward in a positive direction. However, just days ago, with terms agreed upon and a transfer of ownership deadline looming, the other company suddenly and shockingly backed out. No words can describe the crushing blow this unexpected turn of events has had on T.J. and Robin. The hopes of a new publisher continuing the long legacy of the magazine were gone. With plans for a well-deserved retirement by year’s end, it’s just too much to resume the emotional and exhaustive process with any other interested party. So, their journey will go on, just not with the enormous but joyous workload that has been TBM all these years.
So, friends, with heavy hearts, the Dec/Jan2027 issue (see above cover image that was taken by T.J.) will be the final issue of TBM. And in a most unusual and generous gesture, TBM will be reimbursing the remaining pro-rated subscription monies (minus a small fee to cover all the costs) to our loyal readers who request a refund in writing. This was always T.J.’s intent from the beginning should such an event like this occur. I personally know of no other publication that has done this for its readership. (The phones at the Boise office have been shut off at this time, readers will be informed via social media, the Dec/Jan 2027 issue’s Editorial, and the TBM website.)
On a personal note, occupying the Co-Editor’s desk for the past five years has been the experience of a lifetime. Earning T.J. and Robin’s trust (with my mentor, longtime Co-Editor Don Thomas leading the charge) that allowed me the honor to play a small role in this magazine’s legacy is a debt I’ll never be able to repay.
Yes, Traditional Bowhunter® is a physical thing we can hold and read, but it’s more than that. A lot more. There is a soul to this magazine that has become part of us all. We’ll move ahead on our own individual journeys, but we’ll carry the spirit of TBM and T.J.’s dream of Heritage, Lifestyle and Community with us.
And T.J. and Robin wanted me to say that they’re not going away. Their newest effort, the Traditional Bowhunter’s Hall of Fame, Inc., will consume much of their time, as will personal travel and visiting with many of you at Compton, PBS, and more regional events.
Again, our humble thanks to all of you for being an important part of the TBM family.
David Tetzlaff
Co-Editor, Traditional Bowhunter® Magazine
