Writing Contest Prize Winners Announced — Round 123

We’ve announced the winners of Round 123 of the SurvivalBlog non-fiction writing contest, ^[1] which ended yesterday.

Note to the top three prize winners: Please contact me and let me know your UPS and USPS address(es), for your prizes. Thanks. – JWR

The top three prize winners will each receive some great prize packages. The winners for Round 123 are…

First Prize Winner:

First Prize goes to Lodge Pole, for Raising, Hunting, and Harvesting Animals. It was posted Feburary 11-16, 2026. See: (See: Part ^[2]1, Part 2 ^[3], Part 3 ^[4], Part 4 ^[5], Part 5 ^[6], and Part 6 ^[7].)  He will receive as prizes:

1. A Gunsite Academy ^[8]Three Day Course Certificate. This can be used for any of their one, two, or three-day course ^[9] (a $1,095 value),
2. A Peak Refuel “Wasatch Pack” ^[10] variety of 60 servings of premium freeze-dried breakfasts and dinners in individual meal pouches — a whopping 21,970 calories, all made and packaged in the USA — courtesy of Ready Made Resources ^[11] (a $350 value),
3. American Gunsmithing Institute (AGI) ^[12] is providing a $300 certificate good towards any of their DVD training courses ^[13]. Their course catalog now includes their latest Survival Gunsmithing course ^[14].
4. HSM Ammunition ^[15] in Montana is providing a $350 gift certificate. The certificate can be used for any of their products.

Second Prize Winner:

Second Prize goes to Hobbit Farmer for Beyond Organic: Biological Systems Gardening. It was posted March 19-23, 2026. (See: Part 1 ^[16], Part 2 ^[17], Part 3 ^[18], Part 4 ^[19], and Part 5 ^[20].)

He will receive:

1. A SIRT STIC AR-15/M4 Laser Training Package, courtesy of Next Level Training ^[21], that has a combined retail value of $679
2. Two 1,000-foot spools of full mil-spec U.S.-made 750 paracord ^[22] (in-stock colors only) from TOUGHGRID.com ^[23] (a $287 value).
3. Preparedness author Jennifer Rader ^[24] is providing a $200 purchase credit for any of her eight published food storage and medical preparedness books, including the Good Eats at the TEOTWAWKI Café series, the Armageddon Pharmacy series, and the Medicine Surrounds Us series.
4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company ^[25], toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun. There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns into most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

Third Prize Winner:

Third Prize goes to J.M., for Mobile Device Battery Management.  It was posted February 19-22, 2026. (See: Part 1 ^[26], Part 2 ^[27], Part 3 ^[28], and Part 4 ^[29].) He will receive:

1. A Berkey Light water filter, courtesy of USA Berkey Filters ^[30] (a $305 value),
2. Two sets of ^[31]The Civil Defense Manual, ^[32] (in two volumes) — a $193 value — kindly donated by the author, Jack Lawson.
3. A $200 credit from Military Surplus LLC ^[33] that can be applied to purchase and/or shipping costs for any of their in-stock merchandise, including full mil-spec ammo cans, Rothco clothing and field gear, backpacks, optics, compact solar panels, first aid kits, and more.
4. A transferable $150 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company ^[25], toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun.

Honorable Mention Prizes

The writers of the Round 123 Honorable Mention articles will each receive a transferable $100 FRN purchase credit from Elk Creek Company ^[25], toward the purchase of any pre-1899 antique gun, or any knife or bayonet.  There is no paperwork required for delivery of pre-1899 guns in most states, making them the last bastion of gun purchasing privacy!

There were six Honorable Mention prize-winning articles in Round 123. They are:

• How to Source “Real Food” if You Can’t Grow it Yourself ^[34], by SaraSue.
• Some Thoughts on Batteries and Flashlights ^[35], by Hoofer.
• What I’m Growing This Year, by SaraSue (See Part 1 ^[36] and Part 2 ^[37].)
• Some Extreme Cold Weather Advice ^[38], by Hollyberry
• Necessity is the Mother of Improvisation, by 3AD Scout.(See Part 1 ^[39] and Part 2 ^[40].)
• The AR Super Safety, by St. Leibowitz. (See Part 1 ^[41] and Part 2 ^[42].)

Get Busy Writing!

Round 124 begins today and runs for two months, so please get busy writing and e-mail ^[43] us your entry. More than $984,000 worth of prizes have been awarded since we started running this contest. In 2023, we polled blog readers, asking for suggested article topics ^[44]. Please refer to that poll if you haven’t yet chosen an article topic. Remember that there is a 1,500-word minimum, and that articles on practical “how-to” skills for survival have an advantage in the judging. Thanks, – JWR