NYSOWA Announces Communications, Photography Awards

The New York State Outdoor Writers Association presented the honorees of its annual communications and photography recognition program with valued art first-place awards and second- and third-place certificates and cash awards at its annual awards banquet, sponsored by the National Shooting Sports Foundation, on Saturday, Oct. 2, in Saratoga County, N.Y.

The Excellence in Craft Communications and Janice M. Keesler Memorial Photo Awards Program, co-sponsored by Ducks Unlimited, Redding Reloading Equipment and the Outdoor Sportsman Group, was judged by highly regarded writers, editors and photographers from outside the organization.

The first-place awards in the Excellence in Craft program were this year’s annual edition of beautiful waterfowl decoys created by award-winning carver Bill Suitor of Youngstown, N.Y. Awards for first place in the photo recognition program were framed original paintings on feathers by renowned artist and NYSOWA member Deborah Brosen of Kinderhook, N.Y.

A complete list of first- to third-place finishers in both the communication- and photo-award programs follows.

Excellence in Craft Communication Awards

Magazine Feature: First place, Angelo Peluso, City Water, On The Water, Jan. 2020; Second place, Angelo Peluso, Long Island’s Largemouth Legends, On The Water, April 2020; Third place, Bill Hilts, Jr., Laske Ontario Forecast Is Good, Great Lakes Angler, April-May 2020.

Magazine Column: First place, Charles Witek, Conservation: Overfished, American Angler, May-June 2020; Second place, Tom Schlichter, Northeast Seaboard: Sounds of Silence, Southern Boating, May 2020; Third place, Tom Schlichter, Northeast Seaboard: Grim News for Long Island’s Scallops, Southern Boating, Jan. 2020.

Newspaper Feature: First place, Tom Schlichter, To the Rescue, Newsday, July 19, 2020; Second place, Steve Piatt, Hunt the Track—and Kill a Big Buck, New York Outdoor News, Nov. 13, 2020; Third place, Paula Piatt, Shocking Developments, Pennsylvania Outdoor News, July 3, 2020.

Newspaper Column: First place, Glenn Sapir, Here and There, Now and Then: Alone or Together? New York Outdoor News, Sept. 19, 2020; Second place, Steve Piatt, Still Out There: Our Season, Morning Times, May 13, 2020; Third place, Steve Piatt, Still Out There: Stepping Out, with Caution, Morning Times, April 15, 2020.

Online Publication: First place, Tom Schlichter, Weather Tells for Boaters, Seatow.com, May 2020; Second place, Charles Witek, Gulf Red Snapper Management in the Spotlight Again, Marine Fish Conservation Network Nov. 4, 2020; Third place (three-way tie), Charles Witek, Mid-Atlantic Fisheries: Time to Abandon the Past and Embrace the Future, Marine Fish Conservation Network, Oct. 2, 2020; David Figura, The ‘Slug Gun Doctor’: Well-known Gunsmith Still Going Strong at 82, Syracuse.com, Dec. 31, 2020; and David Figura, The Legend of Bella the Deer Lives on with Her Iron Statue in Downtown Pulaski, Syracusse.com, Dec. 30, 2020.

TV, Radio, Video and Audio: First place, Terry Belke, The Slumber of Trees, WGRZ-TV, Dec. 22, 2019; Second place, Bill Hilts, Jr., Outdoor Beat with Bill Hilts, Jr.: Cambria Game Farm, LCTV, Oct. 29, 2020; Third place, Bill Hilts, Jr., Outdoor Beat with Bill Hilts, Jr.: Jeff Pippard, LCTV, Sept. 16, 2020.

Janice M. Keesler Memorial Photo Awards

Hunting & Fishing: First place, Angelo Peluso; Second place, Chris Paparo; Third place, Rich Redman

Outdoor Action: First place, Tom Schlichter; Second place, Chris Paparo; Third place, Tom Schlichter.

Outdoor Scenic: First place, Rich Redman; Second place, Chris Paparo; Third place, Chris Paparo.

Wildlife: First place, Susan Kiesel; Second place, Chris Paparo; Third place, Chris Paparo.

People: First place, Chris Paparo; Second place, David Figura; Third place, Bill Hilts, Jr.