The senior 4-H team from Bleckley County took home first place at the Georgia 4-H State Wildlife Judging Contest held April 27 at Rock Eagle 4-H Center.
Team members Rebekah Crosby, Benjamin Agnew and Maggie Powell earned the prestigious title of Georgia Master 4-H’ers.
Wildlife judging encourages environmental stewardship
Wildlife judging takes 4-H’ers outdoors to foster a deeper appreciation for the natural world. The competition challenges participants to understand best practices for managing wildlife habitats, including strategies for preserving these critical resources.
Youth learn to interpret aerial photographs of wildlife habitats, make informed management decisions and defend their reasoning through oral presentations. Contestants also study wildlife food sources to aid in species identification.
The 2025 contest saw the largest turnout in event history, with 170 participants from 24 counties. Junior teams (grades four through eight) and senior teams (grades nine through 12) competed for top honors in the hands-on, science-based event.
Burke County claims junior division title
The first-place junior team hailed from Burke County and included Isabella Jenkins, Lucy Lane, Betsy Murry and Brayden Evans. Jenkins was also named the overall high-scoring junior individual.
Faculty from the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources, including UGA Cooperative Extension wildlife specialist Michel Kohl, helped develop the curriculum and judge the event. Support also came from undergraduate and graduate students, with the Oconee National Forest serving as a co-site for part of the contest.
Connecting youth with natural resources
“This contest is a huge success because of all the groups working together to make it happen,” said Kasey Bozeman, Georgia 4-H Extension specialist for STEM programs. “Connecting 4-H’ers with their environment and natural resources is invaluable as we mentor Georgia’s youth to be stewards of their world.”
Bleckley County 4-H will advance to represent Georgia this summer at the National Wildlife Habitat Education Program (WHEP) contest in Crossville, Tennessee.
Additional contest winners include:
- Second-place senior team: Gwinnett County
- Third-place senior team: Morgan County
- Second-place junior team: Burke County
- Third-place junior team: Cobb County
- First-place overall senior: Macy Doyen, Burke County
- First-place overall junior: Isabella Jenkins, Burke County
Georgia 4-H builds future leaders
Georgia 4-H empowers youth through hands-on learning, leadership development and community engagement. As the state’s premier youth development organization, Georgia 4-H reaches hundreds of thousands annually through UGA Extension offices and 4-H facilities.
To learn more about wildlife judging or to get involved with Georgia 4-H, contact your local UGA Extension office or visit georgia4h.org.
