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LOWA Youth Contests: Youth Journalism, Youth Hunter and Youth Angler Awards

Young writers, photographers, hunters and fishermen have a June 30 deadline to enter two of three contests sponsored by the Louisiana Outdoor Writers Association and a handful of Louisiana outdoors ups.

There will be three cash awards each in three divisions of the LOWA’s Youth Journalism Contest, co-sponsored by Louisiana’s members of the Safari Club International.

The same deadline applies to for youngsters in the third year of the Youth Angler of the Year Awards program.

For young hunters, there will be boy and girl winners in the Youth Hunter Awards. This contest has a May 31 deadline.

All winners will be announced during the LOWA’s annual banquet in August at a site in Louisiana to be determined later this month.

The Youth Journalism Contest is the oldest of the three programs.

There are three YJC divisions, all open to boys and girls. Junior Essay is open to ages 7-13;

Senior Essay is for ages 14-18; and the Photography Division takes in all aspiring shutterbugs ages 7-18.

Winners will be notified in early July and invited to attend the LOWA’s annual banquet.

Writers should submit 300-1,000 word essays. You’re limited to one entry; it must be an original, unpublished writing about a personal hunting, fishing, boating, camping, hiking or other outdoor activity experience. The entry must be typed and double-spaced.

Photos must be original, unpublished black-and-white or color, 4×6 inches, 5×7 or 8×10, and center-mounted on an 8×10 board. All entries must have name, age, school, home address, home telephone number and, if possible, email address attached at the top of the essay or photo.

Send Youth Journalism Contest entries to: Joe Macaluso, c/oAdvocate Outdoors, P.O. Box 588, Baton Rouge, LA 70821. ATTN: LOWA. Writers can submit their entries, complete with the above information via email: [email protected].

The South Louisiana Branch of Quality Deer Management Association, the Louisiana Wildlife & Fisheries Foundation, the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries, and Bowie Outfitters, among others, sponsor the Youth Hunter and Angler programs.

Youngsters 15 and younger can submit their stories and photographs for the Youth Hunter (YHA) and the Youth Angler (YAA) programs. The guidelines are easy: Write an essay and enclose photos to go along with your essay.

Entries must be original. Typed, double-spaced entries are preferred, but handwritten entries will be accepted.

YHA entries should be about a memorable hunting trip. The quarry doesn’t matter. It can be about a hunt for any legal species, preferably in Louisiana.

“The goal of this program is to collect stories and photos of young hunting activities,” YHA chairman David Moreland said. “All hunting activities qualify, and participating youths will receive a certificate recognizing their hunting achievement and efforts to keep the hunting tradition alive in the Bayou State.”

For more information on the YHA, call Moreland at (225) 978-6552 or email: [email protected].

The Youth Angler Program is looking for stories about memorable fishing trips in Louisiana. Essays could include, but are not limited to, the who, when, where, how and why of the trip.

Send YAA entries to: LOWA Youth Angler Registry Program, c/o Capt. Wendy Billiot, 2715 Bayou Dularge Road, Theriot, LA 70397. For more information, email: [email protected]