CONSERVATION & WILDLIFE

Content

AWARDS:

Purple - $3.00 Blue -$2.50    

Red - $2.00 White - $1.50

GENERAL INFORMATION 

  1. SHOW WHAT YOU DID & LEARNED. All exhibitors are encouraged to show evidence of their personal field experiences, study, or observations that relate to their exhibit. This helps the judge understand what the 4-H’er did and learned about conservation and wildlife through the process that led to the exhibit. 
  2. PROPER CREDIT. Show proper credit by listing for the sources of plans or other supporting information used in exhibits. 
  3. WHOSE EXHIBIT? The exhibitor's name, county, age must be on the back or bottom of all displays so that the owner can be identified even if the entry tag becomes separated from the exhibit. 
  4. WILDLIFE & WILDLIFE LAWS. "Animal" or "wildlife" in the following instructions includes wild fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, or mammals. Follow all wildlife laws; example: wildlife laws do not allow collection of bird nests, eggs, or parts. Domestic animal (i.e. domestic livestock or house pets) and insect exhibits are not appropriate for this area.
  5. ENTRIES PER INDIVIDUAL. Each individual is limited to a total of four (4) exhibits, each in a different class. Maximum of 4 entries per county in each class. All static exhibits must have received a purple ribbon at the county fair to advance to the State Fair. 
  6. PROJECT MATERIALS. Related project booklets include Exploring Your Environment Series, 4-H Shooting Sports, Amphibians, Bird Behavior (EC 59381), Fishing for Adventure Project Manuals, Wildlife Conservation (4-H 125), Outdoor Skills: Learning Science in the Outdoors series (Science Signature Outcome Program) Program) www.outdoornebraska.gov/afterschool/ and www.whep.org.
  7. BOARD & POSTER EXHIBITS Mount all board exhibits on ¼” inches plywood, Masonite, or similar panel no larger than 24” high by 24” wide. Poster exhibits should be on regular poster sheets, no larger than standard size (22” x 28”) but half size, 22” x 14”, is recommended.
  8. Exhibit Size: Exhibits other than poster/display board should not exceed 48” x 48” and be able to be moved by two people.

An explanation of projects and curriculum resources can be found at https://4h.unl.edu/resources/projects/.

Wildlife and How They Live

CLASSES 

Classes 1-4 are board or poster exhibits. Display may show any aspect of wildlife, wildlife habitat, or related conservation. No domestic livestock, pets, or insects allowed. For more ideas, refer to project booklets. Remember to look at General Rules for this area.

D340001       Mammal Display - Choose one mammal from the wild and share on your display about the mammal. Examples include life history, behavior, habitat or other interesting facts.

D340002       Bird Display - Choose one bird from the wild and share on your display about the bird. Examples include life history, behavior, habitat or other interesting facts. 

D340003        Fish Display - Choose one fish from the wild and share on your display about the fish. Examples include life history, behavior, habitat or other interesting facts.

D340004       Reptile or Amphibian Display - Choose one reptile or amphibian and share on your display about the reptile or amphibian. Examples include life history, behavior, habitat or other interesting facts.

D340005       Wildlife Connections - Board or poster exhibit. The purpose of this display is to show interconnections and related aspects among animals, plants, and other habitat components. All displays should show two or more interactions (connections) that occur between/among animals or between animals and their habitat. Displays might show how animals interact with other animals, with people, or with their habitat. Examples: 1) Food chain display. Use pictures, drawings, or other items to illustrate the source of food energy and where it goes - who eats whom or what. Use arrows to show the direction of the energy (food) flow. 2) Show the role of predators, scavengers, insect eaters, or others in nature. 3) Show how wildlife numbers (populations) change through the year or with their habitat. 4) Show predation, competition, or other behavior interactions of wildlife. 5) Choose one kind of wildlife and make observations through a season or year, keep notes of interactions, then make a display of what you saw. 6) For more ideas, refer to project booklets. 

D340006       Wildlife Tracks - Board or diorama-type box exhibit. Make a display of animal tracks using plaster-of-paris casts. For both options, include a brief description of your experiences in making the tracks so the judges better understand what you did and learned. Two options: 1) Option one should show plaster-of-paris tracks of five or more kinds of wildlife along with a picture or illustration of each kind of animal. 2) Option two should show more than one plaster-of-paris track of one specific kind of wildlife and should include a picture or illustration of the animal, what the animal may eat, and what may eat the animal. Positive casts (impressions as they would be in nature) are preferred. 3) Option three should show two tracks and include the animal’s habitat needs including preferred food, shelter, water, and space in addition to picture or illustration of the animal. 

D340007       Wildlife Knowledge Check - Use electrical circuits, pictures, or other methods of teaching wildlife identification or other wildlife conservation or shooting sports related knowledge. Plan size and shape to fit transportation and display; maximum size 24 x 24 inches. Example: prepare a list of animals and questions about where each would most likely live. (Rabbits - brushy areas along field borders; ducks - marshes, etc. 

D340008       Wildlife Diorama - Exhibit must be no larger than 24" by 24". The exhibit might show grassland, prairie, agricultural, woodland, riparian (stream or river corridor), wetland, and/or other area with wildlife habitat. Example: show an area interspersed with several habitats such as windbreaks, farm field, woods, waste area, ditches, and pastures for edge-adapted species such as white-tailed deer, Northern bobwhite, ring-necked pheasants, mourning doves, cottontail rabbits, fox squirrels, Northern cardinals, or blue jays. Label the habitats displayed and show at least five kinds of wild animals in their proper habitats. Remember to include supporting information about the wildlife and habitat that is on display.

D340009       Wildlife Essay - Learn how to share educational information by writing. Choose a conservation or wildlife topic that interests you and write an essay about it. For example, write about a particular species of wildlife that you have observed or about the values of wildlife (commercial value, game value, genetic value, aesthetic value, ecological value, scientific value). You might write about wildlife on a farm, in town, in a backyard, at a backyard feeder, or at other places. You might write about ethics, proper behavior in the outdoors, hunting, or fishing. For other ideas, refer to project booklets. The essay should be between 100 and 1,000 words long and should be typed, double spaced, or written so that it can be easily read. Standard size paper (8 ½" x 11") format is preferred. You might use books, magazines, or personal interviews as resources, but you must give credit to all sources by listing them. 

D340010       Wildlife Values Scrapbook - Make a scrapbook about the various values of wildlife This would include aesthetic, scientific, commercial, game, genetic, and/or ecological. One resource would be the Wildlife Conservation project booklet (4-H 125). 

D340011       Wildlife Arts - The purpose of this class is to allow artistic exhibits that contain educational information about conservation and wildlife. Examples might include paintings, photographs, and wood carvings, painted duck decoys or songs or poems written by the exhibitor. Entries must be appropriate for fair display and no larger than 24" x 24". For example, paintings or photographs should be displayed in notebook format or mounted on a sturdy display panel. All entries must include a title and brief explanation of the purpose or message (what is the exhibit meant to show). 

WILDLIFE HABITAT

Classes

D342001       Houses - Make a house for wildlife. Examples: bird houses (wren, bluebird, purple martin, wood duck, kestrel, barn owl, etc.) or bat house. No insect houses. Make the house functional so that the dimensions, whole size etc. are appropriate to fit the intended species’ needs. Include the following information: 1) the kinds of animal(s) for which the house is intended, 2) where and how the house should be located for best use, 3) any seasonal maintenance needed. (Tips: Check NebGuide on bird houses and shelves http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1063&context=extensionhist)

D342002       Feeders/Waters - Make a bird feeder or bird bath. Examples: seed, suet, or nectar feeders. Squirrel feeder okay; no insect feeders. Include the following information: 1) the kinds of animal(s) for which the water/feeder is intended, 2) where or how the water/feeder should be located for best use, 3) any seasonal maintenance needed, and 4) any evidence of your personal observations or experiences. (Tips: NebGuide, Feeding Birds, http://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=2514&context=extensionhist).

D342003       Wildlife Habitat Design - Board or poster exhibit. Choose a backyard, acreage, or farm, and design a habitat plan to meet the food, water, shelter, and space needs of at least three kinds of animals you would like to attract. Draw an outline of the area and show what plants or other habitat that will be provided. Indicate how the various parts of your plan provide the desired habitat needs. You might include an aerial photo of the area if you have one. For ideas, check the Wildlife Habitat Evaluation Handbook, Participant’s Manual (4H4300).