POWA recognizes Craft Award winners

The Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association presented its the annual Excellence in Craft Awards at spring conference banquet held Saturday, May 21 at Mansfield University. Awards Chair Brad Isles presented first-place awards to 18 winners across a total of eight Core Award and 20 Specialty Award categories. Overall, 39 members submitted a total of 347 entries across a combined 225 categories.

CORE AWARDS

Best Newspaper Column (sponsored by Bob & Linda Steiner)
• Winner: “Man’s best friend” by Doyle Dietz, published in the Pottsville Republican Herald on June 6, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “When all feels right, it’s OK to take archery shot” by Tyler Frantz, published in the Pottsville Republican Herald on Nov. 7, 2021.

Best Newspaper Feature (sponsored by Pennsylvania Hunters Sharing the Harvest)
• Winner: “Boxed Inn” by Ben Moyer, published in the Uniontown Herald Standard on Aug. 22, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “More than 200 practice falconry in PA” by Brian Whipkey, published in The Daily American on July 17, 2021.

Best Magazine or Regional Newspaper Column (sponsored by POWA EIC Entries)
• Winner: “Backtracking” by Bob Sopchick, published in Pennsylvania Game News, December 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Summer’s upstream allure” by Ben Moyer, published in Pennsylvania Game News, Sept. 10, 2021.

Best Magazine or Regional Newspaper Feature (sponsored by Pennsylvania Federation of Sportsmen and Conservationists)
• Winner: “The Ruffed Grouse – 90 Years” by Timothy Flanigan, published in Covers Magazine, Spring 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Special Abilities Deer Hunter” by Steve Sorensen, published in Deer and Deer Hunting, December 2021.

Best Published Newspaper Photo, Color or Black & White (sponsored by POWA Past Presidents)
• Winner: “Cooper’s Hawk with Chipmunk” by Karen Wolf, published in the Dillsburg Banner on Nov. 11, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Vulnerable Eagle” by Steve Sorensen, published in the Jamestown Gazette on July 26, 2021.

Best Published Magazine Photo, Color or Black & White (sponsored by POWA EIC entries)
• Winner: “Trout Cover” by Linda Stager, Pennsylvania Angler & Boater Cover, November/December.
• Runner-Up: “Spring Peeper” by Joe McDonald, published in Nature Photographer, Summer 2021.

Broadcast Media Award (sponsored by POWA EIC entries)
• Winner: “Saltwater Fly Fishing 101” by Alex & JoAnne Zidock, Out in the Open TV, June 3, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Pennsylvania Game Wardens Reflect on Fall 2021 Hunting Seasons” by Brian Whipkey, Daily American Videos, December 2021.

Best Published Art Award, Color or Black & White (sponsored by POWA EIC entries)
• Winner: “Music from Winslow Hill” by Gerald Putt, Pennsylvania Game News cover, October 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Sycamore Retreat” by Michael Kensinger, 2021 PA Waterfowl Management Stamp Design.

SPECIALTY AWARDS

Pass it on Award (sponsored by PA Environment Digest)
• Winner: “Deployment Deer” by Paula Piatt, published in Pennsylvania Game News, December 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Special Abilities Deer Hunter” by Steve Sorensen, published in Deer and Deer Hunting, December 2021.

Wildlife Conservation Partnership Award (sponsored by the Pennsylvania Game Commission)
• Winner: “The Ruffed Grouse – 90 Years” by Timothy Flanigan, published in Covers Magazine, Spring 2021.
• Runner-Up: “PA Outdoor Corps aids fishers on state forest” by Ben Moyer, published in Pennsylvania Outdoor News on Aug. 27, 2021.

Hawk Mountain Sanctuary Raptor Conservation and Eco-Tourism Award (sponsored by Hawk Mountain Sanctuary)
• Winner: “Focus on Raptors” by Dave Wolf, published in the Dillsburg Banner on Aug. 5, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Remote raptors in Pennsylvania” by Tyler Frantz, published at outdoornews.com on March 11, 2021.

The Pennsylvania Elk Resource Award (sponsored by the Keystone Elk Country Alliance)
• Winner: “Elk tag winners have options to consider” by Brian Whipkey, published in the Daily American/Erie Times on Sept. 23, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Scouting the sweet spot” by Bob Frye, published in Pennsylvania Game News, October 2021.

Best Action Hunting, Trapping Or Fishing Photograph (sponsored by POWA EIC entries)
• Winner: “Hitting hard water” by Ben Moyer, published in the Uniontown Herald Standard on March 7, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Early bird buck” by Tyler Frantz, published in Pennsylvania Game News, September 2021.

Best Conference Related Material (sponsored by POWA EIC entries)
• Winner: “Finny Foray on Shenango Lake Yields Mixed Bag” by Tom Tatum, published in the Daily Local on Aug. 10, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Shenango from the shadows” by Ben Moyer, published in the Herald-Standard on Aug. 8, 2021.

Best Published Pennsylvania Fishing Or Boating Related Newspaper Photo, Color Or Black & White (sponsored by the Pennsylvania Fish & Boat Commission)
• Winner: “Trip Around Allegheny Reservoir” by Bob Steiner, published in the Derrick/News Herald on July 30, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Hitting hard water” by Ben Moyer, published in the Uniontown Herald Standard on March 7, 2021.

Don Heckman – Tell the Story Award (sponsored the Pennsylvania Chapter of the NWTF)
• Winner: “The Iron Gobbler” by Bob Sopchick, published in Pennsylvania Game News, November 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Declining turkey populations prompt proposed hunting changes in state,” by Tyler Frantz, published in the Pottsville Republican Herald on Feb. 14, 2021.

Handloading Promotion Award for Electronic Media (sponsored by Redding Reloading)
• Winner: “Crafting your own ammo” by Charlie Burchfield, published at ridgwayrecord.com on July 23, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Ammo shortage ignites a big boom in reloading” by Tyler Frantz, published at outdoornews.com on Feb. 18, 2021.

Handloading Promotion Award for Print Media (sponsored by Redding Reloading)
• Winner: “Ammo shortage ignites a big boom in reloading” by Tyler Frantz, published in Pennsylvania Outdoor News on March 26, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Handloading Challenges in today’s times” by Wade Robertson, published in the Olean Times Herald on Nov. 13, 2021.

Outdoor Blog Entry Award (sponsored by POWA EIC entries)
• Winner: “Scoring Big Bucks: The Traveler” by Brian R. Kightlinger, published at globaloutdoors.com on Nov. 11, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Should I get my buck mounted?” by Kyle Hey, published at bowhunting.com on Sept. 1, 2021.

Pennsylvania Trappers Award (sponsored by the Pennsylvania Trappers Association)
• Winner: “Setting a trap” by Tyler Frantz, published in the Pottsville Republican Herald on Dec. 19, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Boxed Inn” by Ben Moyer, published in the Herald-Standard on Aug. 22, 2021.

Trout and the Coldwater Resource Award (sponsored by Pennsylvania Council of Trout Unlimited)
• Winner: “What’s the difference between wild and stocked trout?” by Lenny Lichvar, published in The Somerset Daily American, Oct. 27, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Award for service” by Doyle Dietz, published in the Republican Herald on Jan. 17, 2021.

Lantz Hoffman White-Tailed Deer Award (sponsored by Karen Wolf)
• Winner: “A deer hunter’s anticipation,” by Charlie Burchfield, published in the Daily Press on Nov. 26, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Wonder and the Whitetail” by Bob Sopchick, published in Pennsylvania Game News, August 2021.

Wildlife Art Award (sponsored by Ned Smith Center for Nature and Art)
• Winner: “Solo Drummer” by Gerald Putt.
• Runner-Up: “Carved Turkey Feather” by Ken Hunter.

Young Trees Habitat Award (sponsored by the Upland Bird Hunt Chapter of the Ruffed Grouse Society)
• Winner: “The Ruffed Grouse – 90 Years” by Timothy Flanigan, published in Covers Magazine, Spring 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Why are the trees dying” by Dave Wolf, published in the Dillsburg Banner, Sept. 2, 2021.

Youth Fishing Award (sponsored by Expositions, Inc.)
• Winner: “How some pumpkinseeds saved kids’ day” by Ben Moyer, published in Pennsylvania Outdoor News on July 16, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Daddy One” by Marshall Nych, published in International Game Warden, Summer 2021.

Youth and the Hunting/Shooting Sports Award (sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation)
• Winner: “After Effect” by Brian R. Kightlinger, published in Pennsylvania Game News, December 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Plan Now – Share the Experience” by Charlie Burchfield, published in The Ridgway Record on Sept. 10, 2021.

Archery Award (sponsored by United Bowhunters of Pennsylvania)
• Winner: “Footsteps Followed” by Marshall Nych, published in Pennsylvania Game News, June 2021.
• Runner-Up: “The art of archery under pressure” by Wade Robertson, published in the Olean Times Herald on Sept. 11, 2021.

Humor Award (sponsored by POWA EIC entries)
• Winner: “The sad saga of Cooney and Earl” by Tom Tatum, published in the Daily Local on April 20, 2021.
• Runner-Up: “Raptor Conservation, Warden Consternation” by Marshall Nych, published in American Falconry, Fall 2021.

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