Syracuse.com - Figura wins two awards at annual state outdoors writers conference

[HuntingNY-News]

He won awards for his story about a licensed falconer hunting squirrels with Harris's hawks, and his column about getting his first deer with his father's shotgun.

Lake Placid, N.Y.--The New York State Outdoor Writers Association presented the winners of its annual writing and photography recognition program with carved duck decoy first-place awards and second- and third-place certificates and cash awards at the annual meeting of the organization at its joint conference with the Outdoor Writers Association of America on Monday.

David Figura, outdoors writer for syracuse.com/The Post-Standard, won two awards: a second place in the newspaper feature category for his story, "Airborne Hunter" about an Auburn man who is licensed falconer and uses Harris's hawks to hunt squirrels; third place in the newspaper column category for "First Deer Was Shot with Dad's Old Gun," a column about how he got a buck with his deceased father's Ithaca Deerslayer shotgun.

The organization of 100 active members--professional communicators--and several dozen supporting members from the outdoor and travel industry--gathered in Lake Placid Friday through Monday for its annual conference. The Excellence in Craft writing competition and Janice M. Keesler Memorial Photo Contest, co-sponsored by Ducks Unlimited, The Sportsman Channel and Redding Reloading Equipment, were judged by respected professionals of national repute from outside the organization.

Figura with his first deer, a 4-point buck shot with his deceased father's Ithaca Deerslayer.Nancy Neiley photo 

"Our judges commented on the professionalism of the entries," said Glenn Sapir, chair and administrator of the Excellence in Craft program. "It was gratifying that such seasoned professionals thought so highly of our members' work."

The photo competition was administered by Bridget Keesler, daughter of the namesake of the photo competition, who played a major role in initiating and administering the photo awards program in its earliest days.

First-place winners in the writing competition for articles published in 2012 were:

Newspaper Feature--Steve Piatt, Elizabethtown, for "Perfect Game Plan: Baseball and Fishing Combos," in the Aug. 10 Outdoor News;

Magazine Feature--Joe Hackett, Lake Placid, for "Mystery of the Monument in the Marsh," in the Summer Central New York Sports;

Magazine Column--Angelo Peluso, Port Jefferson, "Hallowed Ground," in the Sept.-Oct. Tide Magazine;

Newspaper Column--Joe Hackett, Lake Placid, for "A Mountain Pond Matter," in the April 7 Adirondack Daily Enterprise

Online Publication--Angelo Peluso, for "Santee's Last Woodcock," in the May 17 northshoreoflongisland.com.

In the photo competition, first-place winners were:

Hunting and Fishing--Steve Piatt, Elizabethtown;

Outdoor Recreation--Mike Lynch, Saranac Lake;

Outdoor Scenic--Chris Kenyon, Wolcott;

Published Photograph--Angelo Peluso, Port Jefferson

Wildlife - , Angelo Peluso, Jefferson Station.

The judges, from all over the country, were all well respected professionals with long, prominent careers in outdoor communication and photography. Six of the 17 judges are past presidents of the Outdoor Writers Association of America.

The New York State Outdoor Writers Association is made up of more than 100 individual members and more than 60 supporting members in the outdoor industry. The organization was formed with several goals, two of which, relevant to this awards program, are o improve the art and media of expression relative to the out-of-doors and its enjoyment and to keep the public informed on matters relating to the earth's natural resources.

View the full article on The Syracuse Outdoors Blog