Once a year in May, the Pennsylvania Outdoor Writers Association holds its annual meeting and awards banquet. This takes place at a different location every year — the 2025 meeting was held in Erie.

Early birds arrive Thursday night and usually meet for an informal dinner at a restaurant recommended by a writer familiar with the area. Friday, the spouses visit areas of interest or shop while the men hunt gobblers, fish, visit wildlife sanctuaries or other natural curiosities specific to that geographical location. I almost always fish as well, how many local turkey hunters really want to take a stranger to their hotspot to shoot a hard-to-bag longbeard?

I don’t blame them at all, though the last two years writers have harvested a bird. Gerald Putt, a fantastic wildlife artist, seems strangely, unusually lucky in this regard.

Saturday, we arise early, enjoy a wonderful buffet breakfast and then move to conference rooms. Here we enjoy seminars on many interesting subjects. The Game Commission always hosts one such meeting. I truly enjoyed a well-documented study on antler growth and another of interest involved canine teams. These special dogs can track lost individuals or poachers, different species of game animals and can discover evidence such as shell casings or firearms themselves.

Other seminars may include shotgun technique, silencers, barrel manufactures and even the newest firearms emerging on the market. I especially enjoyed a session on photography. Proper framing, exposure, backlighting and construction, particularly placing the center of attention in a third of the photo.

Lunch is held in a place of local interest, usually a sportsmen’s club, shooting range or state park. This year the beef was wonderful, tender and tasty and the barbecued chicken moist. Perhaps I overindulged. There’s always dessert as well.

Dinners held in the hotel and sponsored by the National Sporting Sports Foundation, a solid supporter of our organization. Suits, ties and sports coats are required. As a youth I thought such attire to be foolish. However, I’ve come to recognize there is a very positive and important reason to do so. Dressing up, looking your best, shows respect for the organization, your craft and, most importantly, for yourself. I conducted a funeral recently and was saddened to see that myself and another attendee were the only ones wearing collared shirts and a tie.

After dinner is cleared away, the meeting isd called to order and the award ceremony begins. Since the outdoors experience covers so many varied and differing areas of interest, 28 different categories have been chosen, each of which is eligible for an award. Your article must have been published in a newspaper, magazine or regional newspaper or aired on TV or radio. Blogs published digitally, artwork publicly sold or previously received a state or national award. Payment must have been received for any and all of the above.

Judges include professors, editors, recognized writers not involved with the organization and outdoorsmen of reputation. Our organization’s president, Grey Berrier, informed us the judges were highly impressed with the quality and content. Judging between various articles was extremely difficult, the winner often chosen by the very smallest detail or overall impression. This makes you begin to doubt your chances of winning, I must tell you. Oh, if I can only win one award, how wonderful that would be, what a vindication of my efforts for my readers and attempts to capture their interests, touch their hearts or simply inform.

The first award was Best Newspaper Column. I tensed, holding my breath, hoping, hoping.

“The winner is …. His Words Remained, by Wade Robertson. Oh, the elation, the joy, the relief! I’d done it. Now I could lean back and enjoy the rest of the ceremony perfectly.

After a bit, the award for Best Conference Related Material came up. I paid a little more attention to this; felt I had some chance. And the winner is …. The Beautiful Susquehanna River by Wade Robertson. I couldn’t believe it. My face was splitting in a huge grin, the writers at my table congratulating me.

Eventually, the handloading category for print media came around. I sat a little straighter and was happy to receive an Excellent in Craft certificate, second place essentially. Almost, almost, but not quite there. Then the award for electronic media arose. I’d entered the same article in this category since you can read The Era or Olean Times Herald online but I wasn’t paying particular attention when the winner was announced. “And the winner is, Memories of Handloading with Dad … by Wade Robertson.”

What?! Three first-place awards and a runner up! It appeared the difference between the two winning handloading articles was so slight the judges gave one to each writer or one set of judges chose mine and the other my competition.

I sat back in my chair drained but brimming with delight. Could this really be happening?

At this time I wish to thank all of my readers from the bottom of my heart. Your thoughtful comments, encouragement and interest in my words are what keep me writing. You are the reason I continue, the awards and peer recognition a very sweet addition.