L.O.W.A. Honors Members for Excellence in Outdoor Communications

The Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association (LOWA) honored members during the group’s 68th annual conference, Aug. 9-10 in Lafayette. The honorees were selected for awards in the association’s 2013 Excellence in Craft (EIC) competition.

The EIC contest, which recognizes excellence within various categories of outdoor-related communications, has been held continuously since 1945. Member entries for the 2013 competition were judged by members of the Outdoor Writers of Ohio.

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.

For more detailed information about the competition or LOWA, visit www.laoutdoorwriters.com. The winners and sponsors of the 2013 EIC competition by category:

Magazine Short Feature (less than 1000 words)

1st Jerald Horst: His Mom Made Him Do It
2nd Deborah Burst: Why do I do this?
3rd Deborah Burst: The Lovit Traildogs
*Co-Sponsors: LA Forestry Association and LA Association of Professional Biologists

Magazine Regular Feature (more than 1,000 words)

1st Terry Jones: Pass a Good Time
2nd Terry Jones: Highway Robbery
3rd John Flores: Scout’s Promise
*Sponsor: LA Charter Boat Association

Newspaper Article

1st Lyle Johnson: Getting Ready
2nd Glynn Harris: White River Smacks of March Madness
3rd Chris Holmes: Razorbacks and Diamondbacks
*Sponsor: Louisiana Sportsman Magazine

Broadcast (radio or television)

1st John Jackson: Louisiana Outdoor Adventures – Louisiana Oysters
2nd John Jackson: Louisiana Outdoor Adventures – Capt. Wendy Billiot
3rd Gary Krouse: Sola TV – Saline Lake
*Sponsor: National Wild Turkey Federation – LA Chapter

Electronic Media

1st Wendy Billiot: Plastic Bottles and Prehistoric Fish
2nd John Flores: The Cherubim of Grosse Savanne
3rd Lyle Johnson: Choot Em!
*Sponsor: CCA Louisiana

Black and White Still Photograph

1st Glynn Harris: Cautious Optimism
2nd John Flores: Close Encounter of the Bear Kind
3rd John Flores: The Blind View
*Sponsor: General Motors

Color Still Photograph

1st John Flores: Roseatte Spoonbills
2nd Butch Thurmond: Girl and Bream
3rd John Flores: Diligence and Honor
*Sponsor: Louisiana Wildlife and Fisheries Foundation

For more information, contact Chris Holmes at 504-495-8189 or cholmes@att.net, or Helmut Ermlich at 504-837-2165 or helmut1600@yahoo.com .

Louisiana Dept. of Wildlife and Fisheries

The Louisiana Department of Wildlife & Fisheries – Enforcement Division(LDWF) is the fish & game regulatory agency of Louisiana. It has jurisdictionanywhere in the state, and in state territorial waters. The agency enforces both state and federal laws dealing with hunting, fishing, and boating safety. The agency also enforces criminal laws in rural areas including DWI enforcement both on highways and waterways. Most of the Department’s Wildlife Agents also carry Federal law enforcement commissions issued from the United States Department of the Interior - U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, and United States Department of Commerce - U.S. National Marine Fisheries Service (NMFS). These federal commissions allow these state officers to enforce federal migratory waterfowl laws and federal marine fisheries laws in state and federal waters off the coast of Louisiana. Besides their traditional role as a “game warden”, Louisiana Wildlife Enforcement Agents also have a number of other responsibilities, including conducting board of health inspections on some portions of the state’s commercial fishing industry. Agents are trained in and conduct numerous search and rescue operations, both in remote land areas and on the state’s waterways. Agents ensure that hunters, anglers, boaters, dealers, breeders, farmers, and transporters are in compliance with regulations governing equipment, quotas, licenses, and registrations. Agents also assist other State departments and law enforcement agencies in the coordination of educational and professional endeavors, as well as national and state emergency alerts by the Federal Office of Emergency Preparedness. In addition, agents perform search and rescue missions alone or in conjunction with other local, state, and federal agencies.