SPALDING COUNTY 4-H WILDLIFE JUDGING TEAM COMPETES IN STATE COMPETITION

October 31st, 2018

The Spalding County 4-H Wildlife Judging Team competed in the State Wildlife Judging Contest on October 20th at Camp Fortson. Coach Alexa Robinson and four senior 4-H’ers, Bailey Champion, Jacob Hayes, Hope Stewart and Elyce Wages, competed as a team and won 2nd place. Alyssa Laud competed as an individual and won highest individual, which means that she has earned her second Master status in 4-H! She had the highest overall score of the entire contest. Sarah Martin competed as an individual Junior in her first state contest and scored in the top 4 in Wildlife Identification and 13th highest individual out of 50.

Wildlife Judging is a team competition offered by 4-H. 4-H’ers learn all about habitats, ecosystems, wildlife management practices and animal facts in practice and then must use their knowledge to identify wildlife species, apply wildlife management practices to a given scenario for a given animal, write a full Wildlife Management Plan for a set of animals and complete a wildlife knowledge test. It is a very difficult contest and challenges students to not only have knowledge about the animals needs and habitat but how to change that habitat to better support a healthy wildlife population. The team that wins first place will go on to compete in the National Wildlife Habitat Education Program. www.whep.org

For more information contact Spalding County Extension
at 770-467-4225 or Email: uge2255@uga.edu

The front row from left to right is Sarah Martin, a Junior 4-H’er, Jacob Hayes, Alyssa Laud and Bailey Champion, all Senior 4- H’ers. Back row is Matthew Barron, he is coaching support. Not pictured but on the team are Hope Stewart and Elyce Wages.

This shows Jacob, Hope and Sarah as they wait to go into the Little Red Schoolhouse at Camp Fortson. This part of the contest is called Oral reasons, where each team member or individual has to defend their group Wildlife Management Plan to a group of judges.

This photo shows the team working together to produce their Wildlife Management Plan. Pictured are Jacob and Elyce, then Bailey and Hope. The plan is based on a given scenario, which features a land owner, their property and what kind of animal species and habitat they wish to have on their property. The team has to design a plan that would achieve the landowner’s wishes.

PR State Wildlife Judging Download