Resources

1. What do participants do in the Contest?

First, read about the 4-H Wildlife Judging Contest itself in this document. Note, however, that this section describes the National WHEP contest for senior high students. The Regional 4-H Wildlife Judging Contests will not have all of the activities described in this contest description.

Pages 10 and 11 describe Activities I and II in the Contest, so be sure you understand these pages. The Regional 4-H Wildlife Judging Contest will only include Activity I (Wildlife Challenge) and Activity II (Onsite Recommendation of Wildlife Management Practices - WMPs). Only senior high contest participants at the state and national contests will do Activity III (Written Wildlife Management Plan and Oral Reasons for this Plan).

2. What is Wildlife Management?

Next, learn the wildlife management concepts and terms in this section. Plant succession (also called seral stages) and nonnative/invasive species are frequently mentioned in the contest materials, so be sure you understand these concepts. All of this section is important to understand in order to do well in the 4-H Wildlife Judging contests.

3. What Ecoregions are included in the contest?

Learn about the ecoregions in this section of the WHEP manual. The Regional contest will focus on the Eastern Deciduous Forest, Urban, and Wetlands ecoregions, which are excerpted here. High school students preparing for the State and National Contests will need to learn additional ecoregions. Download the entire Ecoregions section of the WHEP manual online at https://www.whep.org/national-whep-manual/ 

4. What Wildlife Species are Included in the Contest?

The Regional contest include the Eastern, Urban and Wetlands species. The 55 species listed in the WHEP manual for these ecoregions are included in this excerpt from the WHEP manual.  Learn about these species and try to memorize the general information and habitat requirements listed in the manual for each. 

Senior high students participating in the State and National contests will need to learn additional species. Download the entire Wildlife Species section of the WHEP manual at https://www.whep.org/national-whep-manual/

5. What Wildlife Management Practices are Included in the Contest?

This excerpt from the WHEP manual explains the Wildlife Management Practices (WMPs) that may be recommended for each species you are studying. Study the entire section, but focus on the WMPs frequently recommended for the Eastern, Urban and Wetlands species included in the Regional Contest when preparing. These will include conservation easement, control nonnative invasive vegetation, edge feathering, set-back succession, and others. 

In the contest, Do not stack practices. Remember that incorrect WMPs checked on the answer sheet will mean points are deducted. For example, if you find that controlling nonnative invasive vegetation is necessary for the particular site under consideration in the contest, you might check "Control Nonnative Invasive Vegetation" on the answer sheet for Activity II. If you also check "Plant Native Grasses and Forbs," however, that would be stacking practices (because controlling the nonnative invasive vegetation is usually all that is needed to encourage native vegetation to grow). You would lose points if you check both WMPs.  Choose your WMPs carefully!

6. What additional material should I study to be ready for the contest?

Review the WHEP manual appendices/glossary (excepted here) to be sure you understand the terms used in the manual. 

Learn common plants that provide food for wildlife and also the plants that are considered nonnative invasive vegetation. You will need to be able to identify good food sources for wildlife, as well as invasive vegetation, in Activity II (onsite recommendation of WMPs). 

One good source in identifying trees is PB 1756-The All Season Pocket Guide to Identifying Common Tennessee Trees, which is handed out at wildlife judging group meetings.  Which trees are important for wildlife? Read more about managing hardwood forests, including managing them for wildlife, in Dr. Harper's publication on Forest Stand Improvement (pay special attention to page 8, "Which tree species should be retained?" and pages 33-35, which contain a table of hardwood trees and their value to wildlife).  Some takeaways - oaks are great trees for wildlife. Deer and wild turkeys need some beech trees; squirrels benefit from hickories. Yellow-poplar, blackgum and black cherry benefit many birds and also deer.  Learn to identify these trees from PB 1756 . 

Other great trees for wildlife are persimmon, red mulberry and serviceberry.  Learn to identify these fruit trees at the website of Oklahoma Wildcrafting.   Snags are also important for many wildlife, but don't keep them on the edge of forests managed by prescribed fire, for obvious reasons.  

7. Be able to identify non-native and Invasive Plants that should be removed

This publication from UT Extension identifies important non-native invasives. If you see these in the land that is the subject of the 4-H wildlife judging competition, be sure to evaluate whether they should be removed in order to benefit wildlife species.