Outdoor Canada editors earn six Outdoor Writers of Canada awards

What a great way to wrap up Canada’s journalism awards season! Last night we received word that Outdoor Canada’s fishing and hunting editors swept the Outdoor Writers of Canada’s annual National Communication Awards—including the prestigious Pete McGillen Award for Hunting Editor Ken Bailey.

Honouring the memory of famed outdoor writer Pete McGillen, the award is presented annually, when warranted, to a member of the Outdoor Writers of Canada who best reflects the aims and objectives of the organization. Huge congratulations, Ken!

In a bit of a role reversal, Ken also earned the first-place prize for Magazine Feature Fishing with his piece “Put an outrageous outdoor claim to the test.” The article, which appeared in our Summer 2013 issue, recounts Ken’s adventure on northern Ontario’s Sutton River, putting to the test the claim that it’s the world’s best brook trout river. (Ken also took the third-place honour in the same category for his story “Spin city” in the Alberta Fishing Guide.

As for second place in the Magazine Feature Fishing category, that honour went to our fishing editor, Gord Pyzer, for his article “Trade secrets.” A look at the hottest fish-catching tactics the top pros never wanted you to know, the feature appeared in our Fishing 2013 issue. Gord also took home second-place honours in the Magazine Column category with “Made in Canada,” which also appeared in Fishing 2013.  The column provided an insightful overview of the many impressive new baits developed and made right here in Canada.

Back to Ken Bailey. In keeping with his title at Outdoor Canada, he also won first place in the Magazine Feature Hunting category. That was for the Hunting 2013 issue’s “King cans,” an article about gunning for canvasback ducks. And second place in the same category went to Field Editor Alan Davy for his article “On target,” which appeared in our Spring 2013 issue. The piece provided a comprehensive look at sighting-in and patterning shotguns for turkey season. Incidentally, that same article earned an honourable mention at the June 6 National Magazine Awards, in the How-to category.

I should note that both Ken and Gord received a number of other awards for several other media outlets, as did regular Outdoor Canada contributors Brad Fenson, Gord Nuttall, Duane Radford and T.J. Schwanky. Take a bow, everyone, and congratulations! You do us proud.

Here’s a complete list of this year’s National Communications Awards winners, courtesy of the Outdoor Writers of Canada.

MAGAZINE COLUMN:

1st- Gord Ellis
Title: Moose Hunting: Understanding the Insanity
Publication: Ontario Out of Doors

2nd- Gord Pyzer
Title: Team Canada
Publication: Outdoor Canada

3rd- Garry Moore
Title: Maturity and Guns
Publication: Northwoods Sporting Journal

MAGAZINE FEATURE FISHING:

1st- Ken Bailey
Title: Is the Sutton the World’s Best Brook Trout River?
Publication: Outdoor Canada

2nd Gord Pyzer
Title: The Secrets the Pros Never Wanted You to Know
Publication: Outdoor Canada

3rd Ken Bailey
Title: Spin City
Publication: Alberta Fishing Guide

MAGAZINE FEATURE HUNTING

1st- Ken Bailey
Title: King Can
Publication: Outdoor Canada

2nd- Alan Davy
Title: Never Miss a Turkey Again
Publication: Outdoor Canada

3rd- TJ Schwanky
Title: Grizzly Encounter
Publication: Western Sportsmen

MAGAZINE FEATURE OTHER

1st TJ Schwanky
Title: Grizzly Attack
Publication: Alberta Outdoorsmen

2nd- Duane Radford
Title: Alberta’s War on Wolves
Publication: Alberta Outdoorsmen

3rd Don Meredith
Title: The Demise of Woodland Caribou in Alberta
Publication: Alberta Outdoorsmen

NEWSPAPER/INTERNET COLUMN

1st Ken Bailey
Title: Versatility the Key to Success
Publication: The Fishin’ Hole’s Anglers Post

2nd Don McLean
Title: It’s Time to Introduce Kids to the Wonderful World of Fishing
Publication: Cape Breton Post

3rd Gord Pyzer
Title: Getting the Most from Your Guide
Publication: Northern Ontario Travel – Canada’s Great Outdoors

NEWSPAPER/INTERNET FEATURE

1st- Gord Nuttall
Title: Avoid Elk Hunting Agony
Publication: Western Sportsmen

2nd Gord Pyzer
Title: Fish Talk with the Docs
Publication: Just Fishing!

3rd- Wes David
Title: Winged Predators
Publication: Canadian Outdoorsman

PHOTOGRAPHY

1st- James Smedley
Title: Missinaibi River
Publication: Ontario Out of Doors Magazine

2nd James Markou
Title: Hummingbird
Publication: Ontario Wildlife Federation

3rd- Mick Bohonis
Title: Hill Top Paradise
Publication: The Chronicle’s Journal “Outdoors Guide”

TELEVISION/VIDEO

1st- Dave Mercer
Title: Ragetail Smallmouth

2nd- Dave Mercer
Title: Punching Largemouth

3rd- Bob Izumi
Title: One Stop Spot Fishing

CANADIAN SPORTFISHING INDUSTRY ASSOCIATION – NATIONAL FISHING WEEK WRITING AWARDS

1st- James Smedley
Title: Successful Family Ice Fishing
Publication: The Outdoors Guide

2nd- Duane Radford
Title: “Y.O.L.O”
Publication: Alberta Outdoorsmen

3rd- Brad Fenson
Title: “West Coast Fishing Adventure”
Publication: Alberta Outdoorsmen

DELTA WATERFOWL -THE FUTURE OF HUNTING IN CANADA AWARD

1st- Judie Steeves
Title: New Interest in an Old Sport
Publication: Kelowna Capital News

THE DUCKS UNLIMITED CANADA -WETLANDS APPRECIATION AWARD

1st- Duane Radford
Title: Alberta’s Wetlands going to Hell
Publication: Alberta Outdoorsmen

2nd- Brad Fenson
Title: Wall to Wall Gadwall
Publication: Wildfowl

3rd- Judie Steeves
Title: Do Your Bit to Protect Valuable Wetlands
Publication: Kelowna Capital News

THE BROCK MCRITCHIE WRITING AWARD – SPONSORED BY LEN MCRITCHIE

1st- Kevin Wilson
Title: Hunting: a Family Affair
Publication: The Outdoor Edge

2nd- James Smedley
Title: Fishing with the Next Generation
Publication: Canoe Roots Magazine

3rd- Kevin Wilson
Title: Kids and Bow Hunting
Publication: Western Sportsmen

PETE MCGILLEN AWARD

Ken Bailey