Outdoor Writers Association of America Announces 2026 Excellence in Craft Award Winners

The EIC Contest honors the best-of-the-best in a variety of communications formats – Blog, Book, Column, Graphic/Illustration, Magazine, Newspaper, Photography, Photography Essay, Radio/Podcast, TV/Video/Webcast, and Other.

The President’s Choice Awards also were announced. The awards were selected by outgoing OWAA President Colleen Miniuk from among the first-place winners in the Blog, Magazine, Newspaper, Photography, Radio/Podcast, and TV/Video/Webcast contests.

The overall President’s Choice Award went to Kelly Jo McDonnell for Minnesota Bound’s “30 Years of Storytelling and Photojournalism” that aired on KARE-11 NBC, Twin Cities, MN.

In addition to “30 years of storytelling and photojournalism” being chosen for for the TV/Video/Webcast, other President’s Choice Awards went to:

• Blog: Matthew Miller, “Searching for Black-backed Woodpeckers After the Burn” (Cool Green Science)
• Magazine: Chris Madson,”Bellrose” (Ducks Unlimited)
• Newspaper: Roy Heilman “Limited Options” (Mankato Free Press)
• Photography: Derrick Z. Jackson “Haddock Haul II” (Union of Concerned Scientists)
• Radio/Podcast: Morgan O’Hanlon “The Devils You Know—and the Ones You Don’t” (Better Outside Podcast)
• TV/Video/Webcast: Kelly Jo McDonnell “30 years of storytelling and photojournalism” (Minnesota Bound, KARE-TV)

There were 591 entries, and a total of 135 EIC awards were presented to 65 OWAA members, totaling over $9,000 in prizes. The full list can be found on owaa.org.

This year’s contest was sponsored by Friesens Publishing and The Pew Charitable Trusts. This year’s contest also received a pledge from the Cochran family for the Humor categories in honor of the late Bruce Cochran, a long time OWAA member and multi-year EIC award winner.

About OWAA

Recognized as “The Voice of the Outdoors,” OWAA is the nation’s largest organization of professional outdoor journalists. Its membership includes writers, photographers, videographers, radio and TV personalities, digital storytellers and artists. Formed in 1927, the nonprofit association’s mission is to improve the professional skills and opportunities of its members, set the highest ethical and communications standards, encourage public enjoyment and conservation of natural resources, and mentor the next generation of professional outdoor communicators. https://owaa.org