Recognizing the best in outdoor journalism…

GOWA’s annual Excellence In Craft competition invites GOWA members to submit their best work in a variety of formats from magazine and newspaper to photography and rich media. The competition and awards were recently renamed to honor lifetime member, Dean Wohlgemuth. Dean’s dedication and service to the organization through the decades was instrumental in the success of GOWA, serving several terms as president and other offices. His newspaper articles positively impacted the lives of his readers every week, and he left an indelible impression of joy and friendship on everyone he met.

GOWA’s EIC competition is open to all active, current members. Members submit their content to be judged by peers in the industry. Entries must have been published, aired or posted during the previous calendar year, and the author must have received compensation for the entry.

Categories include: Ducks Unlimited and Corporate Sponsor stories, Magazine and Newspaper articles, Photography, Podcasts, Video & Audio.

A highlight of the Annual Spring Conference is the Awards Banquet where winners are presented cash prizes and certificates at the Annual Spring Conference.

Call for entries typically occurs in early January, with deadline for submissions the end of February. All entries are submitted digitally, and a separate form is required for each entry.

Rules and Entry Form links below.

2026 Rules (2025 calendar year):

2026 EIC Entry Form (word doc)

2026 EIC Entry Form (PDF)