Excellence In Craft
The EIC Award recognizes excellence within various categories of outdoor related communications and has been held continuously since 1945. Member entries for the competition are anonymously judged by members of other Outdoor Writers Associations.
LOWA membership includes newspaper and magazine writers, editors, columnists, photographers, radio and television broadcast journalists, wildlife artists, internet journalists, book authors, videographers and public relations specialists. The recent contest saw 17 members compete, in six different categories, with 61 various entries being presented to the judges for consideration!
LOWA would like to thank the following EIC sponsors for their continued support of the contest: The National Wild Turkey Federation, Louisiana Sportsman Magazine, the Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries Foundation, the Louisiana Association of Professional Biologists and the Louisiana Charter Boat Association.
Fish Of The Year
Youth Journalism
Young writers and photographers have until 5 pm, June 30, to submit entries for the Louisiana Outdoor Writers’ Association’s annual Youth Journalism Contest.
There are two writing divisions: Junior Essay is open to boys and girls ages 7-13; Senior Essay is for writers ages 14-18.
Essays must be an original, unpublished writing about a personal experience while hunting, fishing, boating, camping, hiking or other related outdoor activity.
Essays must be 300 – 1,000 words long, and must be typed, preferably with double-spaced lines.
The Photography Division includes boys and girls ages 7-18.
- Photos must be an original, unpublished black-and-white or color photo.
- Submitted photos must be sized 4×6 inches, 5×7 inches or 8×10 inches.
- Submitted photos must be center-mounted on an 8×10 inches board.
Each entry must have name, age, school, home address and home telephone number attached at the top of the essay or photo. If possible, please furnish an email address.
The top three and honorable mentions in each category receive cash prizes. Winners will be honored at the annual LOWA convention banquet.
The contest is sponsored by the Louisiana Chapter of Safari Club International with support from the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries.
Send all contest entries to:
Joe Macaluso
Advocate Outdoors
P.O. Box 588
Baton Rouge, LA 70821
ATTN: LOWA
Youth Hunter
Youth Hunter Award
The Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association (LOWA) previously partnered with the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries (LDWF) Wildlife Division Deer Program on a program for anyone 15 years of age or younger. Participating youth received a certificate recognizing their hunting achievement and efforts to keep the hunting tradition alive in the Bayou State.
The program goal was collection of stories and photos of youth hunting activities. All hunting activities qualify including small game, waterfowl, deer, turkey, and hogs, etc. The contest required submission of a story about a hunting experience along with photographs of the hunt.
The Youth Hunter of the Year program was made possible by generous donations from South LA Branch of the Quality Deer Management Association, the Baton Rouge Chapter of Delta Waterfowl, Andrew Harrison with Harrison Law, LLC, the Louisiana Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation and Bowie Outfitters in Baton Rouge.
Youth Angler
LOWA and Coastal Conservation Association of Louisiana have established the Youth Angler of the Year Award (YAA) for High School youth. The goal of this program is to encourage youth participation in fishing, thereby helping to keep outdoor traditions alive in the Bayou State.
The YAA secondary goal, is to encourage aspiring outdoor journalists by requiring youth to write a story about – and take photos of – their fishing trips. Young fishing enthusiasts are encouraged to carry a notepad, pen and camera (or to use their smartphones) to take notes and photographs during their fishing trips. The program sponsors will select one male and one female Youth Angler Of The Year, based on the stories received. Stories will be judged on story matter first, then spelling and grammar. Youth may only enter and win one time. All entrants must be Louisiana residents.
Winners each receive a Louisiana Lifetime Fishing License. It is our hope they will continue to enjoy the great outdoors and share their passion with friends and family, and we wish them luck in their future endeavors.
The Bob Dennie Award
Bob Dennie was a LOWA member from 1964 until his death on September 7, 2010. His love and dedication to LOWA and it’s members is legendary.
In 2010, the LOWA Board decided to create the Bob Dennie Lifetime Achievement Award; unfortunately at that time, Bob was suffering from the final stages of skin cancer. The Bob Dennie Award is bestowed on certain LOWA members who have exhibited a lifetime of dedication to the organization, as Bob did.
The Bob Dennie Award was first bestowed on Bob himself at the Annual Conference in Houma (August 2010), shortly before his death.
The Arthur Van Pelt Award
At a board meeting of the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association, some of the younger members questioned why the most prestigious award our organization gives was named for a man they had never heard of.
Annually, the Arthur Van Pelt award is given to an individual who has had a lifelong record of achievement and dedication to conservation.
Only three members – Bob Dennie, Dave Hall and Charles Frank – knew this man who, for 17 years, had written a series of tomes for The Times-Picayune under the heading All Outdoors. No one has had more of an impact on our craft and its practitioners than this gentleman, yet he has been all but forgotten.