MISSOULA, Mont. – The Outdoor Writers Association of America is pleased to announce the winners of the 2014 Excellence in Craft Contests. First-, second- and third-place winners were chosen in 10 contests. Entries were from work created in 2013. Cash prizes totaled more than $11,000. Prize money, plaques and certificates were presented to winners at OWAA’s 87th annual conference, May 23-25, 2014, in McAllen, Texas.
For more information on the annual EIC contests, visit owaa-oldsite.birchbarkmedia.com/eic.
OWAA thanks the 2014 contest sponsors – National Rifle Association, The Pew Charitable Trusts, and Realtree – for their continued support of this prestigious contest program.
2014 winners are as follows:
Television/Video/Webcast Contest
Conservation or Nature Category
Sponsored by The Pew Charitable Trusts
- First Place: Ben Avechuco, “Quagga mussel invasion,” http://www.azgfd.gov/video, Oct. 1, 2013
- Second Place: Dave Carlson, “Sage advice,” WQOV-TV 18, Nov. 18, 2013
- Third Place: David Majure, “Protecting Grand Canyon’s endangered humpback chub,” http://www.azgfd.gov/video, Sept. 13, 2013
Family Participation/Youth Outdoor Education Category
Sponsored by Realtree
- First Place: Grant McOmie, “The salmon and the grandkids,” KGW-TV (Portland, Ore.), Oct. 26, 2013
- Second Place: Dan Small, “New vision wilderness,” Milwaukee Public Television / Outdoor Wisconsin, Jan. 31, 2013
- Third Place: David Majure and Carol Lynde , “2013 Junior Jack Kamp,” http://www.azgfd.gov, May 29, 2013
Fishing Category
- First Place: David Majure, “The healing waters at silver creek,” http://www.azgfd.gov, Oct. 28, 2013
- Second Place: Grant McOmie, “Paddling for clamming,” KGW-TV (Portland, Ore.), April 3, 2013
- Third Place: Bill Sherck, “Oh Saskatchewan!,” Due North Outdoors, Dec. 24, 2013
Gear/Technical Category
- First Place: Bill Sherck, “30 millionth!,” Minnesota Bound (KARE 11), Nov. 24, 2013
- Second Place: Bill Sherck, “Northland impulse,” Due North Outdoors, Dec. 12, 2013
- Third Place: Tom Keer, “How to tie a surgeon’s knot,” TakeMeFishing.org, Aug. 28, 2013
Hunting or Shooting Sports Category
Sponsored by the National Rifle Association
- First Place: Bill Sherck, “The flush,” Outdoor Channel, July 4, 2013
- Second Place: David Majure, “Winter range,” http://www.azgfd.gov, April 26, 2013
- Third Place: Bill Sherck, “Bird up! In Aberdeen,” Outdoor Channel, Sept. 19, 2013
Outdoor Fun and Adventure Category
- First Place: Lisa Densmore, “Passion for snow,” Maine Public Broadcasting Network, Dec. 19, 2013
- Second Place: Brett Prettyman, “The Utah bucket list,” KUED – Salt Lake City PBS affiliate, Aug. 1, 2013
- Third Place: Dan Small, “New vision wilderness,” Milwaukee Public Television / Outdoor Wisconsin, Jan. 31, 2013
Radio/Podcast Contest
Conservation or Nature Category
Sponsored by The Pew Charitable Trusts
- First Place: Dan Small, “Operation migration,” Outdoors Radio Network – WHBL, June 15, 2013
- Second Place: John Kruse, “Everything I don’t know about great horned owls,” Northwestern Outdoors Radio Network, June 1, 2013
- Third Place: Ed Kanze, “Little drummer boy,” Mountain Lake PBS website, Dec. 24, 2013
Family Participation/Youth Outdoor Education Category
Sponsored by Realtree
- First Place: Dan Small, “Youth turkey calling champ,” Outdoor Radio Network – WHBL, April 13, 2013
- Second Place: Dan Small, “Scholastic pistol program,” Outdoor Radio Network – WHBL, Aug. 3, 2013
- Third Place: Jeff Kelm, “Millisecond Molly,” Outdoor Radio Network – WHBL, Sept. 14, 2013
Fishing Category
- First Place: John Kruse, “Columbia River salmonfishing,” Northwestern Outdoors Radio Network, Sept. 28, 2013
- Second Place: Jeff Kelm, “Lucy Millsap: Okie noodling champ,” Outdoors Radio Network – WHBL, July 6, 2013
- Third Place: Ty Stockton, “A hairy problem,” Cowboy State News Network, Aug. 13, 2013
Gear/Technical Category
- First Place: Ty Stockton, “Reducing recoil,” Cowboy State News Network, Nov. 20, 2013
- Second Place: Dan Small, “Video your valuables,” Outdoors Radio Network – WHBL, Feb. 23, 2013
- Third Place: Charlie Burchfield, “Common sense gun care,” WCED AM/FM, Dec. 30, 2013
Hunting or Shooting Sports Category
Sponsored by the National Rifle Association
- First Place: Dan Small, “Colten Bonk: Safari intern”
- Second Place: John Kruse, “Field hunting 201,” Northwestern Outdoors Radio Network, Dec. 14, 2013
- Third Place: Ty Stockton, “A not unsuccessful hunt,” Cowboy State News Network, Jan. 29, 2013
Outdoor Fun and Adventure Category
- First Place: Dan Small, “Iditarod twins,” Outdoor Radio Network – WHBL, March 2, 2013
- Second Place: Charlie Burchfield, “Adventures on Hawk Mountain,” WCED AM/FM, Dec. 23, 2013
- Third Place: Tom Stienstra, “Horseback riding the right way,” KCBS-74 (San Francisco), Feb. 2, 2013
Magazine/E-zine Contest
Conservation or Nature Category
Sponsored by The Pew Charitable Trusts
- First Place: Michael Kallok, “The case for copper,” Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine, September 2013
- Second Place: Bill Vanderford, “Cumberland Is Georgia’s most special island,” Lakeside magazine, July 2013
- Third Place: Stephen Zakur, “The salvation of stoneflies,” The Drake, Spring 2013
Family Participation/Youth Outdoor Education Category
Sponsored by Realtree
- First Place: James Smedley, “Next generation fishing,” Canoeroots magazine, Early summer 2013
- Second Place: Tom Keer, “Class in session,” USA Today, Summer 2013
- Third Place: Aaron Teasdale, “Runaway train,” Bike magazine, Dec. 1, 2013
Fishing Category
- First Place: Angelo Peluso, “Feed ’em feathers,” On The Water magazine, January 2013
- Second Place: Angelo Peluso, “Match the catch,” On The Water magazine, August 2013
- Third Place: Drew Chicone, “Spoon fed,” Fly Fishing In Salt Waters Magazine, September 2013
Gear/Technical Category
- First Place: Tom Keer, “Drop ’em a dropper rig,” Kayak Angler, Summer/Fall 2013
- Second Place: Tom Keer, “Easy kayak anchor,” Kayak Angler, Early Summer 2013
- Third Place: Michael Zlotnicki, “Not a flash in the pan,” Wildlife in North Carolina, November/December 2013
Humor Category
- First Place: Robert Ford, “Old dogs,” Hounds and Hunting, February 2013
- Second Place: David Brown, “Mavericks’ big wave surfing safety crew,” MavericksInvitational.com, Oct. 7, 2013
- Third Place: Tom Keer, “The forbidden fruit,” Fly Fishing in Salt Waters, July 2013
Hunting or Shooting Sports Category
Sponsored by the National Rifle Association
- First Place: Michael Kallok, “A careful walk in the woods,” Minnesota Conservation Volunteer magazine, November 2013
- Second Place: Larry Stone, “If Guns Could Talk,” Outdoor Guide, February/March 2013
- Third Place: Pat Wray, “A bear hunt for the ages–or aged,” Game Fish Publications, July/August 2013
Outdoor Fun and Adventure Category
- First Place: Matt Soberg, “A huckleberry grouse tale,” Ruffed Grouse Society magazine, May 15, 2013
- Second Place: Aaron Teasdale, “View with a room,” Sierra Magazine, July 2013
- Third Place: Nancy Sorrells, “New rides in King George,” Spokes, August 2013
Newspaper/News Website Contest
Conservation or Nature Category
Sponsored by The Pew Charitable Trusts
- First Place: David Hendee, “Bighorns aplenty,” Omaha World-Herald, April 15, 2013
- Second Place: Brett Prettyman, “Monitoring their miles per talon,” The Salt Lake Tribune, June 9, 2013
- Third Place: David Hendee, “Making the sky safer for cranes,” Omaha World-Herald, April 1, 2013
Family Participation/Youth Outdoor Education Category
Sponsored by Realtree
- First Place: Brett Prettyman, “A lasting impression,” The Salt Lake Tribune, July 7, 2013
- Second Place: Brent Frazee, “Holiday far from the city,” Kansas City Star, Nov. 15, 2013
- Third Place: Marc Folco, “Adventures in Maine moose hunts,” The Standard-Times/southcoasttoday.com, Nov. 10, 2013
Fishing Category
- First Place: Bob Frye, “Fly fishing for muskies not for faint of heart,” Tribune-Review, March 17, 2013
- Second Place: Brent Frazee, “Still landing the big ones,” The Kansas City Star, April 28, 2013
- Third Place: Tom Stienstra, “Sturgeon guarantee in Oregon,” San Francisco Chronicle / SFGate.com, Nov. 20, 2013
Gear/Technical Category
- First Place: Brett Prettyman, “Gear up and chill out,” The Salt Lake Tribune, Feb. 10, 2013
- Second Place: Brett Prettyman, “Next year’s top gear,” The Salt Lake Tribune, Aug. 10, 2013
- Third Place: Bob Frye, “Westmoreland County man develops new deer calling system,” Tribune-Review, Sept. 15, 2013
Humor Category
- First Place: Bob Frye, “Not-so-smooth criminals,” Tribune-Review, July 14, 2013
- Second Place: Pat Wray, “Oh, boy the bearskin rug is here,” Corvallis Gazette-Times, Oct. 24, 2013
- Third Place: Marc Folco, “Everything, and more, you wanted to know about deer urine,” The Standard-Times/Southocoasttoday.com, Dec. 15, 2013
Hunting or Shooting Sports Category
Sponsored by the National Rifle Association
- First Place: Kris Millgate, “A century outside,” Post Register, Oct. 10, 2013
- Second Place: Tom Keer, “BVA program strives to preserve precious hunting heritage,” Daily Local News, Sept. 17, 2013
- Third Place: Mark Freeman, “2 percenters,” Medford (Ore.) Mail Tribune, Oct. 11, 2013
Outdoor Fun and Adventure Category
- First Place: Jackson Landers, “Dancing with black widow spiders,” The New York Times, Sept. 16, 2013
- Second Place: David Hendee, “Capturing Yellowstone,” Omaha World-Herald, Aug. 13, 2013
- Third Place: Mark Freeman, “Nike,” Medford (Ore.) Mail Tribune, April 12, 2013
Blog Contest
Conservation or Nature Category
Sponsored by The Pew Charitable Trusts
- First Place: Matt Miller, “Saved by chance: The incredibly strange story of the Pere David’s deer,” Cool Green Science, Sept. 23, 2013
- Second Place: Matt Miller, “Lose the memory, lose the fish,” Cool Green Science, Nov. 4, 2013
- Third Place: Candice Gaukel Andrews, “Soundscape ecology: A real conservation tool or exercise in nostalgia?”, Good Nature Travel, the blog of the World Wildlife Fund and Natural Habitat Adventures, April 23, 2013
Family Participation/Youth Outdoor Education Category
Sponsored by Realtree
- First Place: Steve Zakur, “The second to last summer,” sippingemergers.com, Aug. 6, 2013
- Second Place: James Smedley, “Tackling the turtle,” Northern Ontario Travel Website, Summer 2013
- Third Place: Dave Barus, “Fearless fishing kids defy rain,” Erie County Federation of Sportsmen website, June 8, 2013
Fishing Category
- First Place: Stephen Zakur, “Steelhead Camp,” sippingemergers.com, Nov. 20, 2013
- Second Place: Bob Bramblet, “No secrets,” http://www.bonitabobfishing.com, August 2013
- Third Place: David Barus, “War veterans fish Lake Erie,” http://www.castawaycharters.net/heroes/fishing-with-heroes, Aug. 5, 2013
Gear/Technical Category
- First Place: Marty Basch, “Camp cooking,” ActionHub.com, Aug. 29, 2013
- Second Place: Tom Keer, “Steer with a homemade drogue,” TakeMeFishing.org, Nov. 26, 2013
- Third Place: Robert Ford, “Stuff,” Blackwelder’s Outfitter Journal, Oct. 13, 2013
Humor Category
- First Place: Marty Basch, “Dewing it on the slopes,” OutdoorHub.com, Jan. 25, 2013
- Second Place: Stephen Zakur, “The fishing was hell,” sippingemergers.com, Jan. 10, 2013
- Third Place: Robert Ford, “The Easter bunny and beagles,” Blackwelder’s Outfitter Journal, March 26, 2013
Hunting or Shooting Sports Category
Sponsored by the National Rifle Association
- First Place: Robert Ford, “Old leather,” Blackwelder’s Outfitter Journal, June 7, 2013
- Second Place: Robert Ford, “Down in the ghetto,” Blackwelder’s Outfitter Journal, Feb. 22, 2013
- Third Place: Mark Herwig, “The gun dog lifestyle,” Pheasants Forever website, The Nomad Blog, Sept. 3, 2013
Outdoor Fun and Adventure Category
- First Place: Aaron Teasdale, “Fathers and friendlies,” The Clymb, July 4, 2013
- Second Place: Aaron Teasdale, “Maasailand manifest,” The Clymb, Sept. 1, 2013
- Third Place: Colleen Miniuk-Sperry, “The constancy of change: Seeing with fresh eyes,” You Can Sleep When You’re Dead blog, May 16, 2013
Column Contest
Overall Category
- First Place: Marc Folco, “Honoring Sadie one last time”, “Explaining the hunter’s psyche”, “Nothing boring about life in a treestand”; The Standard-Times/Southcoasttoday.com
- Second Place: Emily Stone, “The Smell of rain”, “Mosquitoes”, “Inhale beauty, exhale gratitude”, Sawyer County Record
- Third Place: Pat Wray, “Not Learning from Newtown leads to another tragedy”, “Be careful what you say, especially about cats”, “Not all hunters speak the same language”; Corvallis Gazette-Times
Book/E-book Contest
General Audience Category
- First Place: Hank Shaw, “Duck, Duck, Goose: Recipes and Techniques for Cooking Ducks and Geese, both Wild and Domesticated”
- Second Place: Thomas R. Pero, “A Passion for Grouse”
- Third Place: Leonard Lee Rue III, “Whitetail Savvy”
Children’s Story in a Newspaper, Magazine or Web Product Contest
Overall Category
- First Place: Michael Furtman, “The scoop on bills,” Puddler magazine, Spring 2013
- Second Place: Michael Furtman, “The eyes have it,” Puddler magazine, Fall 2013
- Third Place: Dave Barus, “Sunshine kids find fishing fun at Teach-Me-To-Fish,” Erie County Federation of Sportsmen website, April 29, 2013
Illustration/Graphic Contest
General/Overall Category
- First Place: Sam Caldwell, “Big surf, big sky, big fish on,” Currents, Texas CCA newsletter
- Second Place: Sam Caldwell, “Deep red structure,” Currents, the Texas CCA newsletter
- Third Place: Bruce Cochran, “Marsh Madness: ‘Face it, Chuck…’,” Wildfowl magazine
Photography Contest
Action Category
- First Place: Gary Kramer, “Fighting pheasants,” 2013 Pheasants Forever calendar
- Second Place: Gary Kramer, “Northern pintail and mallard,” Ducks Unlimited, May/June 2013
- Third Place: Ann and Rob Simpson, “Running doe,” Nature Guide to Shenandoah National Park, 2013
Family Participation/Youth Outdoor Education Category
Sponsored by Realtree
- First Place: Aaron Teasdale, “Flathead River Camp,” Bike magazine, November 2013
- Second Place: Aaron Teasdale, “Triple roots,” Bike magazine, November 2013
- Third Place: James Smedley, “Perch fishing,” Sault Star, April 6, 2013
Fauna Category
- First Place: Mike Wintroath, “Landing gear down,” Arkansas Wildlife calendar issue, July 2013
- Second Place: Marie Majarov, “Yellow-necked caterpillar,” Virginia Wildlife magazine, May/June 2013
- Third Place: Mike Wintroath, “Rainbow bliss,” Arkansas Wildlife calendar issue, July 2013
Flora Category
- First Place: Colleen Miniuk-Sperry, “Summer’s gift, avalanche lilies, Glacier National Park,” fine art print, Aug. 30, 2013
- Second Place: Larry Stone, “Milkweed and caterpillar,” art print
- Third Place: Michael Furtman, “Pretty white water lillies all in a row,” Northern Wilds magazine, August/September 2013
Outdoor Fun and Adventure Category
- First Place: James Smedley, “Kayaking Superior,” Northern Ontario travel website
- Second Place: Michael Furtman, “Raptor release: Birding at Hawk Ridge,” Midwest Living magazine, October 2013
- Third Place: James Smedley, “Turtle River,” Northern Ontario travel website
People Category
- First Place: Aaron Teasdale, “Fire lookout fisheye,” Sierra Magazine, June 2013
- Second Place: Bill Vanderford, “Cowboy at Vista Verde Ranch,” Lakeside magazine, November 2013
- Third Place: Gary Kramer, “Shooting at flushing bobwhite quail,” 2013 American Sportsman Calendar – Hunting Dogs & Upland Birds
Scenic Category
- First Place: Colleen Miniuk-Sperry, “Raven’s nest on Schoodic Peninsula, Acadia National Park,” 2013 National Geographic National Parks and Landmarks Wall Calendar
- Second Place: David Schneider, “Valley spirit,” http://www.fringe.com, fine art shows, April 2013
- Third Place: Ken Dunwoody, “Morning mist,” Dec. 4, 2013
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