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Five earned special recognition June 13 during the concluding banquet at OWAA’s 83nd Annual Conference in Rochester, Minn.

At its recent annual conference in Rochester, Minn., the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA), The Voice of the Outdoors, honored five with its most distinguished awards.

Michael Levy, of Williamsville, N.Y., received the 2010 J. Hammond Brown Memorial Award. The award is OWAA’s most prestigious recognition of a member “for devoted past service to the organization over a period of continuous years.” Freelance writer, editor and book author, Levy served as OWAA president in 1993-94 and is a Life Member, with his membership originating in 1982.

Glen Lau, of Ocala, Fla., received OWAA’s Excellence in Craft Award. The award honors an OWAA member “for outstanding effort in upholding the OWAA Creed and continued excellence in craft.” An OWAA member since 1969, Lau is a film maker and producer of several national TV series and documentaries. He is producer and host of “Quest For Adventure” TV series on TNN and also produces commercials and infomercials. Lau also has a still photography library specializing in underwater photos.

Terry Brady of Zieglerville, Penn., deputy press secretary for the Pennsylvania Department of Cnservation and Natural Resources, received OWAA’s top conservation award. The Jade of Chiefs award represents an affirmation of OWAA adherence to and support of the principles of conservation. An Active Member of OWAA since 1986, Brady is also a freelance saltwater fishing columnist. Prior to his current position with the Pennsylvania DCNR, Brady spent 28 years working for daily newspapers, writing outdoors columns.

The recipient of the 2009 Jackie Pfeiffer Memorial Award is Joan Turner of Columbia, Mo. “Joan Turner represents these qualities as a recipient of the Jackie Pfeiffer Memorial Award – genuine warmth, radiance, good will, helpfulness, generosity and kindness to others. She also has the rare quality of grace,” said last year’s recipient, Kay Richey, when presenting Turner with the award.

Mary Nickum of Fountain Hills, Ariz., received the Outstanding Board Member Award. A member since 2000, Nickum is a retired librarian who is now an editor and freelance writer. Her primary focus is on science for the public. Nickum is editor-in-chief of the Intermountain Journal of Science and currently edits World Aquaculture magazine.

Since its inception in 1927, OWAA has become the largest and oldest association of professional outdoor communicators in the United States. OWAA’s mission is to improve the professional skills 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. The national headquarters is located in Missoula, Mont.

For more information on the OWAA conference, these awards and award winners, visit the organization’s website at www.owaa.org.

Further information about the award recipients and conference will appear in the August issue of OU.

For a list of the 2010 Excellence in Craft contest winners, click here.

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At its recent annual conference in Rochester, Minn., the Outdoor Writers Association of America (OWAA), The Voice of the Outdoors, recognized winners of the 2010 OWAA Excellence in Craft contests.

Backcountry Sportsman Contest

Sponsored by Sierra Club

Art/Photo Category

3rd Place: Jack Ballard, Red Lodge, Mont., “Into the outback,” Montana Headwall, Oct.-Dec. 2010

2nd Place: Gene Hester, Springfield, VA., “Drake Wood Duck on log,” Wildlife in North Carolina, October 2009

1st Place: Tim Christie, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, “The last pack out,” Wyoming Wildlife, October 2009

Magazine Category

3rd Place: Chris Madson, Cheyenne, Wyo., “Give me a home,” Wyoming Wildlife, April 2009

2nd Place: Chris Madson, Cheyenne, Wyo., “Moonstruck,” Wyoming Wildlife, February 2009

1rd Place: Kirk Deeter, Pine, Col., “In search of the river gods,” Field & Stream, July 20099

TV Category

3rd Place: Kris Millgate, Idaho Falls, Idaho, “Fish packers” KPVI News 6

2nd Place: Dave Carlson, Eau Claire, Wis., “The big ‘W’,” WQOW

1st Place: Chris Dorsey, Littleton, Colo., “Pirates of the flats 101: The Cast,” ESPN2

Big Game Hunting

Sponsored by The Outdoor Channel

Art/Photo Category

3rd Place: Jack Ballard, Red Lodge, Mont., “Into the outback,” Montana Headwall, Oct.-Dec. 2010

2nd Place: Tim Christie, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, “The last pack out,” Wyoming Wildlife, October 2009

1st Place: Gary Kramer, Willows, Calif., “Success at last!” Gray’s Sporting Journal, September/October 2009

Magazine Category

3rd Place: P.J. Reilly, New Holland, PA., “Make mine a combo,” Sports Afield, November/December 2009

2nd Place: Tim Christie, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, “Trophy hunting,” Wyoming Wildlife, October 2009

1st Place: Chris Batin, Virginia Beach, Va., “Grizzly Country,” Outdoor Life, February 2009

Newspaper Category

3rd Place: Glenn Sapir, Putnam Valley, N.Y., “Big game hunting in Newfoundland yields wiser perspective,” The Journal News, November 24, 2009

2nd Place: Mark Freeman, Medford, Ore., “A memorable spot on the ‘bragging wall,’” Medford Mail Tribune, October 8, 2009

1st Place: Paul Smith, Wauwatosa, Wisc., “Teen was truly a dear,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, March 6, 2009

Radio Category

3rd Place: Jeff Kelm, Sheboygan, Wisc., “Super slam,” Dan Small Outdoors Radio Network

2nd Place: J.K. Ferguson, Colby, Kan., “Matea Huggins, Oregon mountain goat hunt,” Great American Outdoor Trails Radio Magazine

1st Place: J.K Ferguson, Colby, Kan., “Kelly Holmin, Minnesota moose hunting,” Great American Outdoor Trails Radio Magazine

TV Category

3rd Place: Jack Abrams and Dan Small, Milwaukee, Wis. and Belgium, Wis., respectively, “Handicapped deer hunt,” WMVS-TV, Miwaukee, Wis.

2nd Place: Chris Dorsey, Littleton, Colo., “John Paul – Morris, New Mexico,” Versus

1st Place: Dave Carlson, Eau Claire, Wis., “Bucking the trend,” WQOW

Boating/ Paddlesports

Magazine Category

3rd Place, Gregg Patterson, Little Rock, Ark., “John Ruskey’s Life on the Mississippi,” Front Porch, July – August 2009

2nd Place: Ryck Lydecker, Alexandria, Va., “Fast-water fly fishing,” BoatU.S. Magazine, January 2009

1st Place: Tom Watson, Appleton, Minn., “The light within the darkness,” Ocean Magazine, Vol. 6, Issue 23, 2009

Newspaper Category

3rd Place: Brent Frazee, Kansas City, Mo., “Paddling into autumn,” The Kansas City Star, Oct. 25, 2009

2nd Place: Howard Meyerson, Grand Rapids, Mich., “Clearing a happy trail,” Grand Rapids Press, July 18, 2009

1st Place: Rich Landers, Spokane, Wash., “Paddling Option,” The Spokesman – Review, Nov. 22, 2009

Camping/Backpacking/Outdoor Recreational Travel/Biking/ Climbing

Sponsored by Coleman Company Inc.

Art/Photo Category

3rd Place: Bill Powell, Columbia, MO., “Serengeti sky,” Boone County Journal (Ashland, MO.), Dec. 3, 2009

2nd Place: Kent Dannen, Allenspark, Colo., “Samoyed pack dog,” Dogs USA, Oct. 2009

1st Place: Rich Landers, Spokane, Wash., “Backcountry base,” The Spokesman – Review, March 8, 2009

Magazine Category

3rd Place: Karen Hoffman Blizzard, Austin, Texas, “Dream ride,” Texas Parks & Wildlife Magazine, November 2009

2nd Place: Lee Allen, Tuscon, Ariz., “Pathway to paradise,” Arizona Wildlife Views, September/ October 2009

1st Place: Lisa Densmore, Hanover, N.H., “Early Highways in Peru,” Appalachia, Summer/Fall 2009

Newspaper Category

3rd Place: Risa Weinreb Wyatt, Seattle, Wash., “China’s middle class takes to the slopes,” Philadelphia Inquirer, Nov. 29, 2009,

2nd Place: Rich Landers, Spokane, Wash., “Senior Moment,” The Spokesman – Review, June 21, 2009

1st Place: Steve Pollick, Fremont, Ohio, “Going wild,” The Blade (Toledo, Ohio), March 1-3, 2009

Radio Category

3rd Place: Mike Walker, Phoenix, Ariz., “Outdoor Gear,” Toyota Outdoors Radio Network

2nd Place: Mike Walker, Phoenix, Ariz., “Take all of these,” Toyota Outdoors Radio Network

1st Place: Dan Small, Belgium, Wisc., “Sunflower trout,” Dan Small Outdoors Radio Network

TV Category

3rd Place: Grant McOmie, Forest Grove, Ore., “Black rock mountain biking,” KGW-TV

2nd Place: Bill Sherck, Minneapolis, Minn., “Nightfall,” Minnesota Bound/ NBC Minneapolis

1st Place: Bill Sherck, Minneapolis, Minn., “Mississippi River Dreams,” Minnesota Bound/ NBC Minneapolis

Conservation/Environment

Art/Photo Category

3rd Place: Eric Hansen, Corvallis, Ore., “Wood duckling,” Arkansas Wildlife, Sept. /Oct. 2009

2nd Place: Michael Furtman, Duluth, Minn., “Rooster pheasant in stubble,” Montana Outdoors, Sept. /Oct. 2009

1st Place: Michael Furtman, Duluth, Minn., “Flushing rooster pheasant,” Pheasants Forever, Spring 2009

Magazine Category

3rd Place: Craig Springer, Edgewood, NM, “Jurassic Park – no bones about it,” Eddies, Summer 2009

2nd Place: Chris Madson, Cheyenne, Wyo., “Coming of age,” Wyoming Wildlife, June 2009

1st Place: Ben Moyer, Farmington, PA, “Hugh Bennett: crusader for conservation,” Pheasants Forever Journal, Fall 2009

Newspaper Category

3rd Place: Richard Hall, Oshkosh, Wis., “Deer management politics get ugly,” The Country Today (Eau Claire, Wis.), May 6, 2009

2nd Place: John Tertuliani, Hilliard, Ohio, “Deer management 101: what does it take?” Ohio Outdoor News, Nov. 6, 2009

1st Place: Shauna Stephenson, Wheatland, Wyo., “Beetle impact: two part series,” Wyoming Tribune Eagle, Oct. 17-18, 2009

Radio Category

3rd Place: Dan Small, Belgium, Wis., “Gold mine threatens Bristol Bay,” Dan Small Outdoors Radio Network

2nd Place: Mike Walker, Phoenix, Ariz., “The Right Footwear,” Toyota Outdoors Radio Network

1st Place: Tom Stienstra, Weed, Calif., “Drought, or water heist?” KCBS (San Francisco, Calif.)

TV Category

3rd Place: Kris Millgate, Idaho Falls, Idaho, “Weed eaters,” KPVI News

2nd Place: Carol Lynde, Phoenix, Ariz., “Return of the black tailed prairie dog,” Phoenix II

1st Place: Grant McOmie, Forest Grove, Ore., “Bird island,” KGW-TV

Family Participation

Sponsored by RealTree

Art/Photo Category

3rd Place: Tim Christie, Couer D’Alene, Idaho, “A moment shared between father and son,” Wyoming Wildlife, Nov. 2009

2nd Place: James Smedley, Wawa, Ontario, “Family on a bluff,” Ontario Parks Guide, 2009

1st Place: Joe Byers, Hagerstown, Md., “Make your property family friendly,” Whitetails Unlimited, Summer 2009

Magazine Category

3rd Place: James Smedley, Wawa, Ontario, “Overnight on Nipissing Ice,” My Ontario, 2009

2nd Place: Ann Hirsch, Smithshire, Ill., “Dear mothers of hunting age children,” Arizona Wildlife Views, May-June 2009

1st Place: Bruce Ingram, Troutville, VA, “Time to take a kid hunting,” Virginia Wildlife, November 2009

Newspaper Category

3rd Place: Paul Smith, Wauwatosa, Wis., “The lessons of the hunt,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Dec. 20, 2009

2nd Place: Bob Lamb, La Crosse, Wis., “Little one,” La Crosse (Wis.) Tribube, Oct. 22, 2009

1st Place: Mark Folco, New Bedford, Mass., “Sun setting on family hunts?” The Standard times (New Bedford, Mass.), Feb. 15, 2009

Radio Category

3rd Place: Peter St. James, Warner, N.H., “Hawk watch,” Belgium, Wis., WTPL-FM (N.H.)

2nd Place: Dan Small, Belgium, Wis., “Gary and Carson Lenherr, muskie champs,” Dan Small Outdoors Radio Network

1st Place: Dan Small, Belgium, Wis., “Sophie’s first deer,” Dan Small Outdoors Radio Network

TV Category

3rd Place: Lawrence Pyne, Cornwall, VT., “Squirrel hunting with Grace,” WETK, Vermont Public Television

2nd Place: Karen Loke, Austin, Texas, “Life’s better outside experience,” News 8 Austin

1st Place: Lawrence Pyne, Cornwall, VT., “Green mountain conservation camp,” WETK, Vermont Public Television

Fishing

Art/Photo Category

3rd Place: Doug Stamm, Prairie du Sac, Wis., “Pumpkinseed on a popper,” New Hampshire Wildlife Journal, May/June 2009

2nd Place: Bill Watt, Flagstaff, Ariz., “Fly fishing still life,” Arizona Wildlife Views, March/April 2009

1st Place: Bill Lindner, Baxter, Minn., “Crankbait science,” North American Fisherman, Oct. / Nov. 2009

Magazine Category

3rd Place: Jeff Williams, Little Rock, Ark., “It’s all about the bugs,” Arkansas Wildlife, Jan ./Feb. 2009

2nd Place: Jeff Williams, Little Rock, Ark., “The Manistee’s big brown,” Arkansas Wildlife, Nov. /Dec. 2009

1st Place: Kirk Deeter, Pine, Colo. “In search of the river gods,” Field & Stream, July 2009

Newspaper Category

3rd Place: Brent Frazee, Kansas City, MO., “A reel birthday gift,” The Kansas City (MO.) Star, May 12, 2009

2nd Place: Tom Stienstra, Weed, Calif., “Hold, please, I’ve got a monster on the line,” San Francisco Chronicle, June 4, 2009

1st Place: Brett Prettyman, Salt Lake City, Utah, “Uintas cast a spell that is waterborne,” Salt Lake Tribune, August 16, 2009

Radio Category

3rd Place: Peter St. James, Warner, N.H., “Big kids,” WTPL-FM (N.H.)

2nd Place: Mike Walker, Phoenix, Ariz., “Trout tips,” Toyota Outdoors Radio Network

1st Place: Peter St. James, Warner, N.H., “Fishing memories,” WTPL-FM (N.H.)

TV Category

3rd Place: David Carlson, Eau Claire, Wis., “Whitefish daze,” WQOW-TV (Eau Claire, Wis.)

2nd Place: Carol Lynde, Phoenix, Ariz., “Casting for recovery,” Phoenix II

1st Place: Bill Sherck, Minneapolis, Minn., “False casts and brush strokes,” Minnesota Bound/NBC

Humor

Magazine Category

3rd Place: Bruce Cochran, Prairie Village, Kan., “Duck blind gourmet,” Wyoming Wildlife, September 2009

2nd Place: Joel Vance, Russelville, MO.,”Hurricane Jim,” Delta Waterfowl, Fall 2009

1st Place: Bruce Cochran, Prairie Village, Kan., “No river for old men,” Wyoming Wildlife, August 2009

Newspaper Category

3rd Place: Shauna Stephenson, Wheatland, Wyo., “When the fish don’t bite,” Wyoming Tribune Eagle, Aug. 16, 2009

2nd Place: Mark Freeman, Medford, Ore, “Best and worst of 2009 outdoors,” Medford Mail Tribune, Dec. 31, 2009

1st Place: Shauna Stephenson, Wheatland, Wyo., “The language of a fisherman,” Wyoming Tribune Eagle, Aug. 16, 2009

Radio Category

3rd Place: Dan Small, Belgium, Wis., “Miss largemouth bass,” Dan Small Outdoors Radio Network

2nd Place: Peter St. James, Warner, N.H., “Bucky awards,” WTPL-FM (N.H.)

1st Place: Dan Small, Belgium, Wis., “Bananas at large,” Dan Small Outdoors Radio Network

Natural History

Art/Photo Category

3rd Place: Gary Kramer, Willows, Calif., “Snowy owl,” Silver Creek Press Wildlife Calendar, 2009

2nd Place: Michael Furtman, Duluth, Minn., “Eye of the Goshawk,” Minnesota Conservation Volunteer, March-April 2009

1st Place: Gary Kramer, Willows, Calif., “Lesser prairie chicken,” Texas Parks and Wildlife, October 2009

Magazine Category

3rd Place: Jack Ballard, Red Lodge, Mont., “Calving time,” Wyoming Wildlife, June 2009

2nd Place: Bruce Ingram, Troutville, VA., “The Truthiness,” Wildlife in North Carolina, December 2009

1st Place: Joel Vance, Russelville, MO., “A good problem to have,” Wildlife in Noth Carolina, August 2009

Newspaper Category

3rd Place: Brett Prettyman, Salt Lake City, Utah, “These monsters are misunderstood,” Salt Lake Tribune, June 14, 2009

2nd Place: Paul Smith, Wauwatosa, Wis., “Wisconsin fauna season’s true survivors,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Jan. 18, 2009

1st Place: Steve Pollick, Freemont, Ohio, “Young bucks strut their stuff, study shows,” The Blade (Toledo, Ohio), Sept. 6, 2009

TV Category

3rd Place: Jack Abrams, Milwaukee, Wis., “Wisconsin black bears,” WMVS-TV (Milwaukee, Wis.)

2nd Place: Dave Carlson, Eau Claire, Wis., “The wolf whisperer,” WQOW (Eau Claire, Wis.)

1st Place: Jack Abrams, Milwaukee, Wis., “White pelicans,” WMVS-TV (Milwaukee, Wis.)

Outdoor Ethics/ Take Pride in America

Magazine Category

3rd Place: Chris Madson, Cheyenne, Wyo., “A look ahead,” Wyom ing Wildlife, July 2009

2nd Place: Kirk Deeter, Pine, Colo., “Camo conservation,” Trout, Spring 2009

1st Place: Chris Madson, Cheyenne, Wyo., “Give me a home,” Wyoming Wildlife, April 2009

Newspaper Category

3rd Place: Brett Prettyman, Salt Lake City, Utah, “Let’s keep it clean – for everyone’s sake,” Salt Lake Tribune, Aug. 9, 2009

2nd Place: Bill Sherwonit, Anchorage, Alaska, “The bears of Katmai,” Anchorage Press, Feb. 19-25, 2009

1st Place: Shauna Stephenson, Wheatland, Wyo.., “Trapping bears,” Wyoming Tribune Eagle, July 12

TV Category

3rd Place: Bill Sherck, Minneapolis, Minn., “Rush River cleanup,” MN Bound, Minneapolis/ NBC

2nd Place: Karen Loke, Austin, Texas, “Bamberger legacy,” News 8 Austin

1st Place: Dan Small, Belgium, Wis., “National Parks: Wisconsin,” WMVS-TV (Milwaukee, Wis.)

Outdoor-Related Essays

Magazine Category

3rd Place: Chris Madson, Cheyenne, Wyo., “Give me a home,” Wyoming Wildlife, April 2009

2nd Place: Craig Springer, Edgewood, N.M., “Aesthetic exercise – where hunting and singing meet,” Inside Outside Southwest, October 2009

1st Place: Steve Griffin, Midland, Mich., “Blueberries are good for memories,” Michigan Outdoor New, Aug. 14, 2009

Newspaper Category

3rd Place: Brett Prettyman, Salt Lake City, Utah, “Going to the mountains for answers,” Salt Lake Tribune, Jan. 4, 2009

2nd Place: Steve Pollick, Freemont, Ohio, “Winter solitude,” The Blade (Toledo, Ohio), March 1, 2009

1st Place: Mark Folco, New Bedford, Mass., “A whale of a time at the beach,” The Standard-Times (New Bedford, Mass.), Aug. 30, 2009

Shooting Sports

Sponsored by Ducks Unlimited

Art/Photo Category

3rd Place: Gary Kramer. Willows, Calif., “Incoming pigeons,” Shooting Sportsman, January/February 2009

2nd Place: Tim Christie, Coeur d’Alene, Idaho, “Dad’s coaching,” Predator Hunting, Winter 2009

1st Place: Gary Kramer, Willows, Calif., “Sea ducks over decoys,” WILDFOWL Magazine, April/May 2009

Magazine Category

3rd Place: Dennis Neely, Brooklyn, Mich., “New life for old guns,” Woods-N-Water News, October, 2009

2nd Place: Ed Schmidt, Grand Rapids, Minn., “Minnesota 4-H shooting sports and wildlife invitational,” Whitetales, Winter 2010

1st Place: Dennis Neely, Brooklyn, Mich., “Chasing ‘Spiders,’” Woods-N-Water News, August 2009

Newspaper Category

3rd Place: George Ingram, Ocean City, N.J., “For local archer, it takes only one arm to win,” The Press of Atlantic City (N.J.), Aug. 22, 2009

2nd Place: Paul Smith, Wauwatosa, Wis., “Sharpening their aim,” Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Aug. 16, 2009

1st Place: Mark Folco, New Bedford, Mass., “A natural riflewoman,” The Standard-Times (New Bedford, Mass.), Sept. 27, 2009

TV Category

3rd Place: Grant McOmie, Forest Grove, Ore., “Women who hunt,” KGW-TV

2nd Place: Kris Millgate, Idaho Falls, Idaho, “Shootout,” KPVI News 6

1st Place: Karen Loke, Austin, Texas, “School shooting sports,” News 8 Austin

Small Game Hunting

Art/Photo Category

3rd Place: P.J. Reilly, New Holland, PA., “Blizzard bounty,” WILDFOWL Magazine, December 2009

2nd Place: Michael Furtman, Duluth, Minn., “Rooster pheasant in stubble,” Montana Outdoors, September/October 2009

1st Place: Michael Furtman, Duluth, Minn., “Flushing rooster pheasant,” Pheasants Forever, Spring 2009

Magazine Category

3rd Place: W.H. “Chip” Gross, Fredericktown, Ohio, “Hunting a legend…,” Delta Waterfowl, Summer 2009

2nd Place: Joel Vance, Russelville, Mo., “Hurricane Jim,” Delta Waterfowl, Fall 2009

1st Place: Dave Books, Helena, Mont., “Rite of passage,” Ducks Unlimited, January/February 2009

Newspaper Category

3rd Place: P.J. Reilly, New Holland, Pa., “Hunters prove their point,” Sunday News (Lancaster, PA.), March 1, 2009

2nd Place: Brent Frazee, Kansas City, Mo., “Beau’s legacy,” The Kansas City Star, Jan. 18, 2009

1st Place: Mark Freeman, Medford, Ore., “Hunting with the hawk,” Medford Mail Tribune, March 5, 2009

TV Category

3rd Place: Dave Carlson, Eau Claire, Wis., “Hare camp,” WQOW

2nd Place: Dave Carlson, Eau Claire, Wis., “Birds and buddies,” WQOW

1st Place: Gary Schafer, Peoria, Ariz., “Cibola youth goose hunt,” Phoenix TV 11

Technical

Magazine Category

3rd Place: Tom Watson, Appleton, Minn., “Reading the weather,” Paddling.net, Summer 2009

2nd Place: Chris Madson, Cheyenne, Wyo., “The last hurrah,” Wyoming Wildlife, October 2009

1st Place: Michael Furtman, Duluth, Minn., “Photographing the hunt,” Ducks Unlimited, November/December 2009

Newspaper Category

3rd Place: Shauna Stephenson, Wheatland, Wyo., “Fishing 101: four part series,” Wyoming Tribune Eagle, June 1-4, 2009

2nd Place: Rich Landers, Spokane, Wash., “That nothing look,” The Spokesman – Review, Oct. 11, 2009

1st Place: Shauna Stephenson, Wheatland, Wyo., “Beetle impact: two part series,” Wyoming Tribune Eagle, Oct. 17-18, 2009

Radio Category

3rd Place: Jeff Kelm, Sheboygan, Wis., “Food plots for wildlife with Tim Bauer,” Dan Small Outdoors Radio Network

2nd Place: Dan Small, Belgium, Wis., “Chill killer,” Dan Small Outdoors Radio Network

1st Place: Dan Small, Belgium, Wis., “Lip grip dangerous for bass,” Dan Small Outdoors Radio Network

Value of Wilderness to the Outdoor Experience

Magazine Category

3rd Place: Lee Allen, Tucson, Ariz., “Watchable wildlife,” The Desert Leaf, July/August 2009

2nd Place: Chris Batin, Virginia Beach, Va., “Grizzly country,” Outdoor Life, February 2009

1st Place: Lee Allen, Tucson, Ariz., “Pathway to paradise,” Arizona Wildlife Views, September/October 2009

Newspaper Category

3rd Place: Rich Landers, Spokane, Wash., “Wilderness one step at a time,” The Spokesman – Review,” Jan. 18, 2009

2nd Place: Tom Stienstra, Weed, Calif., “Thousands of miles of ‘working things out,’” The San Francisco Chronicle, June 28, 2009

1st Place: Shauna Stephenson, Wheatland, Wyo., “Goodbye modern world. Hello solitude,” Wyoming Tribune Eagle, Aug. 9, 2009

Book Contest

3rd Place: W.H. “Chip” Gross, Fredericktown, Ohio, Young Beginner’s Guide to Shooting and Archery

2nd Place: Dennis Dunn, Kirkland, Wash., BAREBOW! An Archer’s Fair-Chase Taking of North America’s Big Game

1st Place: W.H. “Chip” Gross, Fredericktown, Ohio, Pro Tactics: Steelhead and Salmon

Newspaper Outdoor Page/Section

Outdoor Section Contest

3rd Place: Terry Tomalin, St. Petersburg, Fla., “The St. Petersburg (Fla.) Times”

2nd Place: Brett Prettyman, Salt Lake City, Utah, “The Salt Lake Tribune”

1st Place: Mark Freeman, Medford, Ore., “Medford (Ore.) Mail Tribune”

Photo Contest

Color Division

Scenic Category

3rd place: Doug Stamm, Prairie du Sac, Wis., “Fly fishing the Grand Canyon”

2nd place: Henry Zeman, Grand Rapids, Mich., “Light house and great wave”

1st place: Tom Ulrich, West Glacier, Mont., “Horses and Rocky Butte”

Flora Category

3rd place: William Mullins, Boise, Idaho, “Lupine”

2nd place: Michael Furtman, Duluth, Minn., “Icy Aspen leaf”

1st place: William Mullins, Boise, Idaho, “California False Hellebore”

Action Category

3rd place: Dan Cook, Ringgolde, Ga., “Splashy suspense”

2nd place: Mark Harlow, Walker, Minn., “Side winder”

1st place: Eric Hansen, Corvallis, Ore., “Fighting elk”

People Category

3rd place: Jacob Vanhouten, Midland, Mich., “Bogie and his girl”

2nd place: Bill Lindner, Baxter, Minn., “Boy, this is fun”

1st place: Gary Zahm, Los Banos, Calif., “Passing down tradition”

Fauna Category

3rd place: Art Weber, Whitehouse, Ohio, “Fox kits”

2nd place: Gary Kramer, Willows, Calif., “Mountain Lion with kill in snow”

1st place: Michael Furtman, Duluth, Minn., “My favorite Marten”

Black & White Division

Scenic Category

3rd Place: Mark Harlow, Walker, Minn., “Superior sunrise”

2nd Place: Mark Harlow, Walker, Minn., “A new beginning”

1st Place: James Smedley, Wawa, Ontario, “Ice berg and mountain”

Action Category

3rd Place: Jon Blumb, Lawrence, Kan., “Brought to hand”

2nd Place: Mark Harlow, Walker, Minn., “Kickin’ it”

1st Place: Michael Furtman, Duluth, Minn., “Mallard Duck flying in snow”

Fauna Category

3rd place:, Mark Harlow, Walker, Minn., “Nap time”

2nd place: Lisa Densmore, Hanover, N.H., “Osprey takes off”

1st place: James Smedley, Wawa, Ontario, “Morning Loons”

About OWAA’s EIC contests: Annually, OWAA’s Contest Committee administers the Excellence In Craft Awards program. OWAA media members may enter their best works from the previous year in the competition. Seventeen competition categories are available.

The judging for each category is conducted by an independent panel of judges who are experts in the category field they are judging. The winners of the competition are announced at a special event held during the annual conference. Certificates and cash prizes are awarded.

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ROCHESTER, Minn. – The variety of hunting and fishing opportunities in Rochester is unique. With a diverse topography – from plains to bluffs – the region offers fantastic goose, turkey, deer and upland bird hunting, as well as world-class trout fishing. With such an active outdoors community, the area provides its share of compelling stories, from many outdoor manufacturers and museums to some truly skilled hunters.

Home to the world-renowned Mayo Clinic and IBM, Rochester’s innovative health and technology industries are well known. Many don’t realize Rochester is also home to manufacturers and businesses that serve hunting and fishing enthusiasts.

Big boat makers Crestliner and Lund are located in northern Minnesota. Closer to Rochester, Federal Premium Ammunition manufactures bullets and shells for all shooting disciplines on its 175-acre facility northwest of the Twin Cities. The brand is also known for its premium factory-loaded rifle rounds and Fusion whitetail rifle bullets.

Minnetonka is the United States home of international fishing lure company, Rapala. Originally invented and carved from wood by a Finnish fisherman, Rapala lures have been preferred by anglers worldwide since they were featured in a 1962 issue of Life magazine.

“What’s interesting is that Minnesota’s weather, terrain and fishing is exactly like Finland’s,” said Kelly Brockpahler, marketing manager for Rapala. “It’s the perfect fit.”

The list of world record-sized fish caught with Rapala lures is incredible. From barracuda and snapper to bass and trout, more record fish have been caught using Rapala lures than any other.

Other regional outdoors companies include Robinson Outdoor Products, makers of sprays that shield human scent, scent-control clothing, footwear and accessories. German Ridge, Inc. is an innovative maker of bow hunting products, from quivers and bags to hunting logs, scent clips and trail markers.

In Rochester, Illusion Game Call Systems specializes in calls for geese, deer and other wildlife. Owner Mike Dukart’s first call system was developed after spending hundreds of hours with more than 20,000 giant Canada geese that call Rochester’s Silver Lake Park their year-round home. Illusion calls are now poised for national.

Rochester is home to plenty of museums and points of interest. The Pope and Young Club, recognized as the official keeper of world records for bow-harvest North American big game, is also home to the Pope and Young Club/St. Charles Museum of Bowhunting. The museum offers exhibits on bowhunting heritage and its place in wildlife conservation. Handcrafted bows, arrows and points, as well as record archery kills, are among the museum’s highlights.

South of Rochester, in Harmony, Slim’s Woodshed is the largest woodcarving museum in the U.S., boasting a collection including amazing wildlife pieces collected for more than 50 years by Slim Maroushek. The museum offers classes and demonstrations throughout the year.

The Rochester area is also home to many celebrated hunters and fishermen. Scott Threinen, for example, has won the World Live Goose Calling Championship at the Waterfowl Festival in Easton, Md. for the past three years. Jim Kostroski holds the Pope and Young Club’s record for a 17-point deer, the archery world’s highest-scoring velvet whitetail of all time. Miles Keller is a well-known white-tailed deer hunter and has killed many trophy bucks.

Rochester’s famous outdoorswoman is Michelle Leqve, a big game bowhunter who has killed 15 Pope and Young class animals. Despite a late start to the sport of bowhunting – her first hunt was in 1996, after marrying an avid hunter – her most beloved trophy is a 9 1/2-foot polar bear she shot in Canada in 2006. Leqve is the only woman in history to take a polar bear with a bow.

Whether it’s touring the facilities of one of the world’s leading hunting ammunition makers or chatting with the only woman to kill a polar bear by archery, unique story angles can be found in Rochester. It’s a place where hunting and fishing meet unparalleled innovation and topography. In other words, Rochester is not to be missed.

– Courtesy Rochester CVB

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ROCHESTER, Minn. – Organizations and individuals are working to maintain habitat quality and balanced species populations. By doing so, they help conserve Rochester’s rare mix of geography and native wildlife for today’s outdoorspeople and future generations.

“Land of 10,000 Lakes” makes water quality top priority

Rivers, creeks and coldwater trout streams surround Rochester. A city flood control project recently improved fishing opportunities and created access via an extensive new trail system along the entire Rochester river corridor. The $96 million project widened and deepened the Zumbro River channel and the second phase created seven floodwater reservoirs, five of which are stocked by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) and are among the top sites for wildlife and bird watching in Olmsted County.

Working toward improved water quality, Justin Watkins with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency’s Rochester office studies impaired waters and oversee new buffers along streams, acquisition of land near waterways and wetland restoration.

“We are partially funded by a landmark Minnesota state constitutional amendment, which earmarks sales tax dollars for use on clean water projects,” Watkins said. “The Clean Water Legacy Act is pioneering state policy.”

The Cascade Meadow Wetlands & Environmental Science Center is another groundbreaking Rochester clearwater project. The Center restored 50 acres of wetland behind the Rochester Athletic Club and conducts programs aimed at studying and educating about energy and water resource systems.

Just south of Rochester are 700 miles of trout streams.

“These streams are truly world class,” said Tom Dornack, past president and stream restoration officer of the Hiawatha Chapter of Trout Unlimited. “We have more than 100 limestone spring trout streams with excellent fly fishing. Our goal is to return these already great streams to their natural state.”

Efforts have made the streams deeper and narrower.  The project slopes severely eroded banks and connects them to the floodplain to reduce sources of sediment, increase velocities and create cleaner substrates, said Steve Klotz, area fisheries supervisor for the Minnesota DNR’s Lanesboro office.

“There is more stream restoration going on than ever before,” Klotz said. “We have put in overhead cover to increase numbers of adult trout, invertebrates and non-game fish. Trout populations are the best they’ve ever been.”

Wild brown trout now reproduce without assistance. The Minnesota DNR and Trout Unlimited are set on bringing brook and rainbow trout to the same success with the assistance of the three coldwater hatcheries east of Rochester.

Along the Mississippi River, the Minnesota DNR is improving already superior backwater hunting and fishing. Dams along the river contributed the filling of some backwaters, reducing water flow and the river’s ability to move sedimentation. The DNR helps maintain panfish fishing opportunities, improve mussel and vegetation prevalence, and reduce pollutants. Still, the Mississippi River just east of Rochester is perhaps the cleanest part of the river, due to its sandier substrates and coldwater tributaries.

The Minnesota DNR’s long-term resource and monitoring program operates stations along the Mississippi River to report trends regarding water quality, fish and vegetation. This program will be on the lookout for Asian carp, being the first to report and react to their presence.

The Federal Fish & Wildlife Service operates the Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge east of Rochester. This refuge not only provides plentiful hunting, fishing and bird watching opportunities, but also builds islands, other habitat improvements and observation areas for waterfowl. The Mississippi River floodplain was recently named a wetland of international importance!

Beloved animals maintained through pioneering programs

While many work to preserve and maintain animal species in the Rochester area, a few stand out.

Michael Pappas, a popular Rochester restaurant owner, has a unique passion: preserving native turtles. While Pappas welcomes celebrities and royalty from around the world at his restaurant during the evenings, he spends his days studying, tracking and advocating on behalf of Minnesota turtles. Pappas discovered a population of Blanding’s turtles, which may be the largest in the world, and works to preserve the six out of 10 Minnesota turtle species that are on the endangered species list.

The Blufflands Whitetails Association works with the Minnesota DNR to achieve better management of the regional whitetail buck herd. One of its founders, Jim Vagts, noticed yearling bucks harvested in disproportionate numbers near his 1,500-acre, 125-year-old family farm. Having protected buck maturity on his own herd for 20 years, he and others thought it time to push for antler point restrictions and the outlawing of cross-tagging, where hunters assign kills to others. The Blufflands Whitetails Association will see its legislation in effect this year.

The upper Mississippi River is known for its bald eagle population, and the National Eagle Center in Wabasha works to keep it that way. The Center’s 14,000-square-foot education center tells visitors how the species was brought back from near extinction and allows them to view the 200 to 300 bald eagles living adjacent to the center. It also studies golden eagles, which winter in the area, even tracking one above the Arctic Circle.

Another concern is deforestation in the summer habitats of neo-tropical migrants such as warblers and tanagers that use the Mississippi Flyway.

From waterway improvements to efforts to improve and preserve wildlife, Rochester is a community committed to maintaining its extraordinary hunting and fishing prowess well into the future.

–Courtesy Rochester CVB

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ROCHESTER, Minn. – It’s been well documented nationwide that participation in fishing, hunting and recreational shooting is declining. However, in the Rochester area, recruiting, educating and mentoring young people is a priority in order to connect them with their hunting heritage.

“There are many children that are not exposed to the outdoors and we aim to change that,” said Mike Kurre, mentoring program administrator for the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. “With so many distractions and activities in youths’ lives now – the Internet, organized sports, video games – if we don’t start giving our kids experiences at a young age, we lose them. Studies have shown by age 12 they’ve chosen the activities they are going to participate in.”

The Minnesota DNR partners with organizations for camps and workshops throughout the year.

“We have been doing lots of one-time events, but it really takes multiple opportunities. That’s the key to participation,” Kurre said.

The Minnesota DNR promotes wild turkey, deer, pheasant and big game hunts for youths accompanied by adults. These hunts are on private land with excellent mentor partners.

The Minnesota Deer Hunters Association promotes youth education about natural resources through its Forkhorn Youth Summer Camps. The camps focus on Minnesota’s outdoor heritage and instill in children a greater appreciation for natural resources. Camps range from beginner programs with basic firearms safety, hunting tips, wildlife ecology education and outdoor survival skills, to experienced camps for advanced marksmanship, big and small game biology, tree stand safety and hunter ethics and responsibilities. MDHA collaborates with seven facilities around the state to offer camp sessions.

In addition to hosting camps, area environmental learning centers in Lanesboro and Red Wing offer youth programs that cover ecology, outdoor skills, archery, bowhunting, trout fishing, beaver trapping and more.

The Upper Mississippi River National Wildlife and Fish Refuge introduces children to its plentiful opportunities for fishing, bird watching and deer and waterfowl hunting. The Refuge is a waterfowl flyway that welcomes 50,000 swans and 306 species of birds every year. From digital photo workshops to cell phone tours, the Refuge focuses on youth instruction.

The Quarry Hill Nature Center in Rochester also works to expose children to the outdoors with classes about fishing, bird trapping and banding, geo-caching, canoeing and more. The Quarry Hill facility is 320 acres featuring paved and unpaved trails, historical man-made sandstone cave, education center, two-acre fishing pond, fossil beds in a prehistoric limestone quarry and a 20-acre restored oak savanna.

Based in Minnesota, the School of Outdoor Sports is a new initiative aimed at inspiring youth to pursue hunting and fishing as pastimes. The organization provides detailed outdoor skills instruction via Web content, videos and instruction. It also helps provide mentors to allow youths to put their learning to use. Its Web site answers questions and provides youths with a place to share stories and pictures. Founder Mark Strand grew up fishing, hunting and shooting, worked as a salesman in a hunting and fishing store, a manufacturer’s representative in the outdoor industry and has been an outdoor writer, photographer and filmmaker since 1977.

Southeastern Minnesota’s archery heritage is well-known. It’s only natural that the area is active in providing archery instruction and mentorship for young people. The National Archery in Schools Program, which introduces students to archery by providing schools with grants for the best equipment, training and curriculum available, is strong in the area thanks to equipment manufacturer Matthews Archery, which is based in nearby Sparta, Wisc. Matthews Archery has provided almost $2 million in sport over the past six years.

Part of the Matthews Pro Staff team, Ray Howell is a world-renowned bow hunter who created the Kicking Bear Foundation and Kicking Bear One-On-One mentoring program, which encourages today’s sportsmen and women to get involved with youth. The organizations team up with clubs to organize campouts and hunts, working to get kids off the streets and into the outdoors.

But perhaps the most inspiring organization working to link children with the outdoors is the Hunt of a Lifetime organization and its Minnesota chapter in Anoka. The nonprofit grants hunting and fishing dreams to kids with life-threatening illnesses. David and Lois McHugh lead the Minnesota chapter. They became involved with the organization after their son, Wayne, was granted his wish to go on a caribou hunt in Canada and died 10 days after returning. Wayne told his father it was one of the best weeks of his life and wished other kids could have the same experience. Since then, the chapter has fulfilled the wishes of more than 22 children from Minnesota.

–Courtesy Rochester CVB

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By H. Ted Upgren Jr.

A toiling procession scuds through a December snowfall like lightly penciled lines on drab paper. The large geese are looking for open ground and food. Despite the weather, they like it here, and we can’t resist pausing to watch them wing confidently through a sullen sky.

I can’t watch long before I think of Forrest Lee, a humble man who played a leading role in the restoration of this grand goose, Branta canadensis maxima. Long retired as a biologist with the United States Fish and Wildlife Service, Lee sat atop a one-horse cultivator on his father’s North Dakota farm in the 1920s, marveling at the flights of geese even then absent of many giant Canadas.

Forrest B. Lee

Educated at St. Cloud State University in the 1940s, Forrest went on to teach in Guckeen, Minn. A World War II veteran, the GI Bill funded his master’s degree at the University of Minnesota. Later, in the 1950s, as waterfowl research director for the Minnesota Conservation Department, he strived to re-establish the Canada goose as a resident breeder. He worked with large geese (some he suspected were B. c. maxima). Although the existence of the giant Canada had not been re-established, its extinction was widely accepted.

“The giant goose appears to be extinct,” said Dr. Jean T. Delacour in his 1954 work, “Waterfowl of the World.”

The American Ornithologists Union stated such in 1957.

In 1961, Wilbur Boldt, deputy commissioner of the North Dakota Game and Fish Department, said, “The extinct giant Canada goose which sometimes weighed over 20 pounds was a prize”

A Missouri observer also lamented, “There can be no memorial to Missouri’s goose [B. c. maxima], hypocritically dating the passing of the ‘last’ of the race. We do not know when the last one fell.”

In 1962, geese at Silver Lake in Rochester, Minn., caught Forrest’s eye. He invited employees of the Illinois Natural History Survey, Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and USFWS to meet at Silver Lake on a cold January day to trap, band and weigh a sample of that flock.

Harold Hanson of the INHS didn’t believe the scales; they were recording some “impossible weights.” The inventive team checked the scales by purchasing packages of flour and sugar, verifying their weights on a commercial grocer’s scale before comparing the results to the weight of the items on the goose scales. The goose scales were correct. They were dealing with a very large race of goose. But what race? After further taxonomic scrutiny Hanson concluded the Rochester flock had to be B. c. maxima.

In 1965, Harvey Nelson, first director of the Northern Prairie Wildlife Research Center in Jamestown, N.D., convinced Forrest to leave Minnesota to head up the giant Canada restoration program at the Center. Breeding stock was obtained from noted propagator, Carl E. Strut, of Jamestown. Lyle Schoonover, manager of Sand Lake National Wildlife Refuge, provided eggs from a flock he started in 1963.

Soon Forrest had 64 breeding pairs of Canadas. Progeny wild releases were supervised by the late NDGFD waterfowl biologist, Charles Schroeder, and later by current NDGFD waterfowl biologist Mike Johnson. By 1981, more than 6,000 geese had been released at 83 sites in 26 counties. The giant Canada blossomed in North Dakota and other parts of the nation. The restoration ranks as a classic wildlife management success.

In 1982, Forrest assisted with restoration efforts of the Aleutian Canada goose, spearheaded by the Japanese Association for Wild Geese Protection in cooperation with the Russian Institute of Biological Problems of the North, which prompted the creation of a USFWS Aleutian Canada Goose Recovery Team, in which Forrest was immersed up to his neck.

In 1983, members of the Japanese association, including Masayuki Kurechi, frequent communicators with Forrest, visited him in Jamestown. A colleague of Forrest’s said, “Oh, you’re the people here to visit Father Goose.”

Whereupon Kurechi replied, “If that is so, then I must be Son Goose.”

Henceforth, the affectionate titles appeared in all their correspondence.

But international bureaucracy ran wild, and it wasn’t until 1992 that Forrest was airborne with 19 captive-reared Aleutians on a long flight to an original breeding habitat on the Russian peninsula of Kamchatka. In 1998, far to the south, Kurechi reported that 13 Aleutian Canada geese were observed in a rice paddy near the city of Furukawa, Japan. Production and migration had succeeded.

At 90 years old, Forrest still lives in Jamestown with his wife, Janet. We exchange Christmas cards, his handwriting unchanged over the years. But changed forever, because of his efforts, is the promise of giant Canadas in December Dakota skies.

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Conference Program Chair Mike Walker has put together an outstanding meeting agenda. Highlights include the annual Becoming an Outdoors Communicator workshop. If you’re new to outdoor communications, this session on the first morning of conference is a must-attend event.  Also on opening day, meet face to face with acquisitions editors at the annual “Meet the Editors” event. This is a tremendous opportunity to build relationships and sell yourself to prospective buyers.

The conference agenda will explore opportunities with technology, including social networking 101; finding sponsors for blogs; how to edit photos, video and text and quickly upload to YouTube; radio syndication and networking; what to expect from a professional Web site designer; and Internet marketing. Sessions are also planned on the sport utility rifle, philosophy of outdoor writing, floating the Driftless Area of Minnesota, and much more. The second day of the conference, Friday, June 11, will combine the Shooting Program and Breakout Day into an all-day affair at Gamehaven Scout Camp. Lunch will be provided courtesy of the National Shooting Sports Foundation. See the complete meeting agenda at http://owaa.org/2010conference/agenda/june10.

Local Conference Chair Tim Lesmeister has organized several pre- and post-conference trips. Bass and trout fishing are the emphasis. Find details and contact information at http://owaa.org/2010conference/trips. Lesmeister also recommends touring the nearby national headquarters and museum of the Pope and Young Club, where you can take in the Pope and Young Club’s plethora of artifacts and history. If you’re a bowhunter and/or are interested in learning more about their conversation program, it’s only a few minutes drive from OWAA’s conference site.

LINKS: Read more articles about Rochester. Check out more information about the 2010 conference.

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Rochester is more than just a hunting and fishing destination.

By Tim Lesmeister

Turkey hunters in Minnesota consider the southeastern part of the state the Promised Land. Trout anglers drool harder than Pavlov’s dog a week before the stream trout opener as they consider their options around Rochester. River rats go year-round jigging the rip-rap or rigging the backwaters of the Mississippi, even chipping ice at the boat landings in the cold-weather months. Hunting and fishing around Rochester is considered by many to be some of the finest in the state, yet there is so much more for the active outdoor person when it comes to the resources in the southeast.

Do you like to bicycle? In the city of Rochester there are 85 miles of paved trails with some beautiful scenery along the way. For a map check out www.ci.rochester.mn.us/departments/park/trails/index.asp. The Root River and Harmony-Preston Valley Trails are a great ride. This 60-mile paved trail network meanders along the Root River amid 300-foot bluffs, attracting thousands of outdoor enthusiasts each season. A map of that trail is available at www.rootrivertrail.org/map.php.

Hikers beware. You can wander for days in this river bluff country and never get the urge to head back into civilization. From short trails like the three-and-a-half mile path through the Dorer Forest to a 77-mile trek through Amish country, you can wear out a pair of hiking shoes traversing the bluffs around Rochester. A good trail map Web site is www.trails.com.

With the exception of the nearby Mississippi River the moving water around Rochester is best navigated with a canoe. A favorite of many is the 18-mile stretch from Preston to Whalen on the Root River. The Root River has fairly easy rapids even when the water is high. As the river winds through the countryside it cuts through deep wooded valleys and dense forests of hardwood and limestone cliffs. Figure on an entire day to get from Point A to Point B because of the great trout fishing on this waterway.

Spelunking anyone? At the Forestville Mystery Cave State Park, located about 30 miles southeast of Rochester, you can check out the longest public access cave in Minnesota. There are 12 miles of passages, loads of stalagmites, and stalactites and park naturalists offer tours of the cave throughout the summer. While at the park visit the historic village of Forestville, the restored pioneer town operated by the Minnesota Historical Society. Located about 50 miles southeast of Rochester, Niagara Cave is one of the Midwest’s largest limestone caverns. The cave was carved out by underground streams, its ceiling stands over 100 feet in height, with deep canyons below. During the one-hour guided tour visitors encounter fossils that have been dated to more than 400 million years old, a 60-foot waterfall, massive stalactites, calcite flowstone and much more.

Southeastern Minnesota is not one of those well-kept secrets. With so much to do there, this region of the state is more often the topic of conversation.

Tim Lesmeister chairs the Local Committee for OWAA’s 2010 conference in Rochester, Minn., June 10-13, 2010. Lesmeister is a full-time freelance outdoor communicator and photographer. Contact him at tim@lesmonster.com.

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Immediately following the Friday (June 11) evening dinner held outdoors in the Peace Plaza, the Riverbottom Ramblers bluegrass band will provide musical entertainment. The Riverbottom Ramblers are a touring bluegrass band from Swisher, Iowa, and welcome musically-inclined conference attendees to bring their guitars, banjos, mandolins, fiddles or any other instrument that fits into the country/bluegrass format and play along. Their first set will consist of only the Riverbottom Ramblers performing covers of popular bluegrass songs. From the second set until the last dog dies, members are invited to play and sing some of their favorite country and bluegrass songs with the band. Additional microphones will be set up for guest musicians. You will be required to bring your own instruments. For more information contact, Tim Lesmeister at tim@lesmonster.com.

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Minnesota fast facts and trivia

Hormel Company of Austin, Minn., marketed the first canned ham in 1926. Hormel introduced Spam in 1937.   The Spam museum is quickly becoming one of Minnesota’s favorite stops for tourists and especially group tours.

The Mall of America in Bloomington is the size of 78 football fields — 9.5 million square feet–and attracts 43-million visitors each year.

The climate-controlled Metrodome is the only facility in the country to host a Super Bowl, a World Series and a NCAA Final Four Basketball Championship.

Minnesota has 90,000 miles of shoreline, more than California, Florida and Hawaii combined.

The first practical water skis were invented in 1922 by Ralph W. Samuelson, who steam bent two 8-foot long pine boards into skies. He took his first ride behind a motorboat on a lake in Lake City, Minn.

Minnesota has one recreational boat per every six people, more than any other state.

There are 201 Mud Lakes, 154 Long Lakes, and 123 Rice Lakes in Minnesota.

Minnesota’s waters flow outward in three directions; north to Hudson Bay in Canada, east to the Atlantic Ocean, and south to the Gulf of Mexico.

Famous Minnesotans

• James Arness: Actor, “Gun Smoke,” from Minneapolis.
• Loni Anderson: Actress, “WKRP Cinncinati,” from St. Paul.
• Louie Anderson: Comedian.
• Jack Benny: Comedian and TV host.
• Bob Dylan: Folk singer, from Duluth. Formerly Robert Allen Zimmerman.
• F. Scott Fitzgerald: Novelist, from St. Paul.
• Judy Garland: Movie actress, from Grand Rapids. Formerly Frances Gummn.
• Hubert Humphrey: Vice president under Lyndon B. Johnson.
• Garrison Keillor: Humorist and author. Star of “Lake Woebegon” and “A Prairie Home Companion.”
• Sinclair Lewis: First American to win the Nobel Prize for literature.
• Charles A. Lindbergh Jr: The first man to fly solo nonstop across the Atlantic (New York to Paris in 1927), from Little Falls.
• William and Charles Mayo: Founders of the Mayo Clinic in Rochester.
• Walter F. Mondale: Vice president under Jimmy Carter.
• Prince: Singer, from Minneapolis. Formerly Prince Rogers Nelson.
• Jane Russell: Movie actress from Bemidji.
• Charles Schulz: “Peanuts” cartoonist, from Minneapolis.
• Will Steger: Led expeditions to the North and South Poles.

Tips for outdoors stories

Minnesota is home to the largest lake in the world, Lake Superior; America’s only million-acre canoe wilderness preserve, Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness (BWCAW); and the crystal-clear source of the great Mississippi River, Lake Itasca.

Minnesota is the “Land of 10,000 Lakes,” offering endless outdoor activities from prairies to waters and woods.  But, Minnesota is more! It is big city theater and arts, shopping and entertainment venues, and world-class medical facilities. Water and wildlife as well as culture and business combine to create a diverse environment offering something for everyone.

Environmental areas such as the BWCAW, Voyager National Park, and the Lake of the Woods area provide habitat for countless flora and fauna and activities ranging from canoeing and hiking to skiing and dog sledding. Wildlife such as deer, moose, and wolf abound.

Minnesota’s Native American heritage is evident in many ways, including its influence on names of locations, such as Minneapolis (City of Water), Minnehaha (Laughing Water) and Minnesota (Land of Sky Blue Water). Today, descendants of these native Minnesotans operate numerous casino resorts throughout the state.

In addition to more than 10,000 lakes, Minnesota is home to the Red, St. Croix, Minnesota and Mississippi rivers, and its northeast corner hugs the shores of Lake Superior. Lake Superior is the largest freshwater lake in the world.

Today, Minnesota’s ethnic, economic, and environmental diversity is its treasure. Here in a land where nature and wildlife meet urban arts and entertainment, there is truly something for everyone.

For more information about the 2010 OWAA Annual Conference, check out www.owaa.org/2010conference.

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