Wildlife Judging gives youth the opportunity to learn about various native species of wildlife in Georgia including mammals, birds, fish, reptiles, and insects and best management practices for different habitat scenarios. More importantly, it allows young people to connect with caring adults in the great outdoors through site evaluation practices, hikes, recreational fishing, and more!
Gordon County 4-H would love to field a team in this contest. However, all teams must be prepared by a Certified Coach, and we are currently seeking an adult leader willing to become a certified volunteer and coach the team. This year, we are offering two opportunities for adults to attend our Certified Wildlife Judging Coaches Training: Thursday, September 26, 2024, in Athens and Saturday, December 14, 2024, at Rock Eagle 4-H Center.
Youth in grades 4-12 for the 2024-25 year are able to participate in the 2025 state contest, which will be held Saturday, April 26, 2025, at Fortson 4-H Center.
The contest content is coordinated at the national level by the Wildlife Habitat and Education Program (WHEP) committee, and Georgia is within the Southeast Mixed and Outer Coastal Plain Forest. The national WHEP committee recently updated the study manual, which will be put into effect for the 2025 contest. You can find this manual and an overview of the Georgia contest on our website: https://georgia4h.org/programs/focus-areas/agriculture-stem/natural-resources/wildlife/ .
If you, or someone you know, may be interested in coaching this team, please contact Ms. Allie at allie.griner@uga.edu for more information and further discussion of requirements and expectations.
