ONLY 1 ENTRY PER CLASS NUMBER PER 4-H MEMBER.
NO FIREARMS, ITEMS WITH A BLADE (broad heads, knives, saws, etc.) or related items of any other kinds, may be exhibited. This applies to actual items, replicated items and item parts. Photos are a suitable substitution for actual items.
“Animal” or “wildlife” in the following classes includes wild fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds or mammals. Domestic animals (i.e. domestic livestock or house pets) and insect exhibits are not appropriate for this area. 4-H members must comply with current state and federal laws. It is illegal to possess threatened, endangered or protected wildlife or the feathers, nests or eggs of non-game birds. These items cannot be part of an exhibit. Game birds and game animals taken legally during an open season may be used.
Mount all board and poster exhibits on 1/4-inch plywood, masonite or similar panel no larger than 24 inches high x 24 inches wide. Poster exhibits should be on regular poster sheets, no larger than standard size (22 inches x 28 inches) but half size (22 inches x 14 inches) is recommended. Exhibits other than poster/display board should not exceed 48 inches x 48 inches and be able to be easily moved by 2 people.
Required information for each Conservation & Wildlife exhibit:
All 4-H members must show evidence of their personal field experiences, study or observations that relate to their exhibit. This helps judges understand what the 4-H member did and learned in the process that led to the exhibit. Show proper credit by listing the sources of plans or other supporting information used in exhibits.
EXAMPLE TO ATTACH TO YOUR EXHIBIT:
Name: Chris Clover County: Clover County Age: 10
Field Experience, Study or Observations: I attended a 4-H workshop where we put out a food plot and then made turkey calls. We played a game about attracting turkeys. Sometimes we acted like a female to draw in a tom turkey. Sometimes we acted like a lost baby turkey to call in a whole flock. I was able to use my turkey call and play the game successfully.While I’ve never turkey hunted in person, I went online to research more turkey calls. I hope to turkey hunt someday and I want to use a box call to hunt fall turkeys.
Credits/Source: Information was obtained from Nebraska Game & Parks website.
- Premiums: Purple $3; Blue $2; Red $1; White $0
- Special Award to Top Conservation & Wildlife Exhibit
D340001 Mammal Display — board or poster exhibit. Choose 1 mammal from the wild and share on your display about the mammal. Examples: life history, behavior, habitat or other interesting facts.
D340002 Bird Display — board or poster exhibit. Choose 1 bird from the wild and share on your display about the bird. Examples: life history, behavior, habitat or other interesting facts.
D340003 Fish Display — board or poster exhibit. Choose 1 fish from the wild and share on your display about the fish. Examples: life history, behavior, habitat or other interesting facts.
D340004 Reptile or Amphibian Display — board or poster exhibit. Choose 1 reptile or amphibian from the wild and share on your display about the animal. Examples: 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 2 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, insecteaters or others in nature. 3) Show how wildlife numbers (populations) change through the year. 4) Show predation, competition or other behavioral interactions of wildlife. 5) Choose 1 kind of wildlife and make observations through a season or year, keep notes of interactions, then make a display of what you saw.
D340006 Wildlife Tracks — board or diorama-type box exhibit. Make a display of animal tracks using casting plaster. There are 3 options. For all options, include a brief description of your experiences in making the tracks so the judges better understand what you did and learned. Positive casts (impressions as they would be in nature) are preferred, but not required. Option 1) Show plaster tracks of 5 or more kinds of wildlife along with a picture or illustration of each kind of animal OR Option 2) Show 2 or more plaster tracks of 1 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 OR Option 3) Show 2 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 related knowledge. Plan size and shape to fit transportation and display; maximum size 24 inches x 24 inches.
D340008 Wildlife Diorama — exhibit must be no larger than 24 inches x 24 inches. The exhibit might show a 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 fields, woods, waste areas, ditches and pastures for edge-adapted species such as White-Tailed Deer, Northern Bobwhite, Mourning Doves, Cottontail Rabbits, Fox Squirrels, Northern Cardinals or Blue Jays. Label the habitats displayed and show at least 5 kinds of wildlife 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 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 on a farm, in town, in a backyard, at a backyard feeder or at other places. You might write about hunting or fishing. The essay is 100–1,000 words long and is typed, double spaced on 8.5-inch x 11-inch paper. 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 value of wildlife. Value could include aesthetic, scientific, commercial, game, genetic and/or ecological.
D340011 Wildlife Arts — the purpose of this class is to allow artistic exhibits containing educational information about conservation and wildlife. Examples: paintings, photographs, wood carvings, painted duck decoys or songs or poems written by the 4-H member. Entries must be appropriate for fair display and no larger than 24 inches x 24 inches. 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?). Important points for judging include: 1) clarity of the purpose/message in relation to conservation and wildlife (20%); 2) accuracy of information (30%); 3) educational value of exhibit to viewers (20%); and 4) evidence of the 4-H member’s personal field experiences, study or observations related to the exhibit (30%).
D342001 Houses — make a house for wildlife. Examples: bird house (bluebird, purple martin, wood duck, kestrel, barn owl, etc.) or bat house; no insect houses. Make the house functional so dimensions, hole 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 and 4) any evidence of your personal observations experiences. Tips: check UNL Extension NebGuide “Backyard Wildlife Birdhouses and Shelves.”
D342002 Feeders/Waters — make a bird bath or feeder. Examples: seed, suet or nectar feeders. Squirrel feeder acceptable; no insect feeders. Include the following information: 1) The kinds of animal(s) for which the water/feeder is intended, 2) Where are 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: check UNL Extension NebGuide “Backyard Wildlife: Feeding Birds.”
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 3 kinds of animals you would like to attract. Draw an outline of the area and show what plants or other habitat 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.
D343001 Fish Harvesting Equipment — display of equipment used in fish harvesting. Examples: fishing knots, hooks (with corks over ends for safety), lures. Label all items displayed. Include the following information: 1) The purpose of each item, 2) When or where each item is used and 3) Any personal experiences you’ve had with the item(s).
D343002 Build a Fishing Rod — rod building kits with instructions are available for this purpose. A fishing rod educational exhibit may not exceed 96 inches in length. Exhibit must be mounted on a board. Include with the exhibit: explanation of cost of materials/ components, where materials/components were purchased and how many number of hours required for construction. Label all parts. Necessary components which must be included are grip, line guides (based on manufacturers specifications), guide wraps and hook keeper. Reel seat needs to be aligned with guides and guides aligned accurately down rod. Guide wraps of size A to D, nylon or silk thread. Exhibit will be judged on: workmanship, labeling of parts, information and neatness.
D343003 Casting Target — make a casting target for exhibit and use. Target must be under 48 inches x 48 inches. The bullseyes must be 2 feet, outer band must be 1 foot in diameter and can have up to 3 rings. They must be easy to store, durable and weather resistant. The exhibit must be easy to store, durable and weather resistant. Include the purpose and rules of using your casting target.
D343004 Wildlife Harvesting Equipment — board exhibit. Display of equipment used in harvesting wildlife. Examples: expended ammunition casings (no live ammunition permitted), steel traps, hide stretchers, fleshers, etc. For displays of shotguns, rifles or bows, use drawings or pictures. Label all items displayed: the purpose of each item, when or where it is used and any personal experiences you’ve had with the item(s).
D343005 Inventing Wildlife/Fish Harvesting Equipment, Aid or Accessory — use engineering principles to invent or adapt equipment that helps you harvest fish or wildlife. This could include wildlife calls, adapted fishing pole for shallow water, a blind, decoys, etc. Share your drawing (or adapted plans), how the equipment works, how you tested it, the results of testing your prototype and any adjustments you made.
D346001 Tanned Hides — exhibit of any legal fish, bird or other wild animal properly processed by the member. No requirement as to size or mounting, but must meet the size requirement listed under General Rules. Must include the animal’s name and information about the 4-H member’s personal field experiences, study OR observation that relate to the exhibit.
D346002 Taxidermy — any legal fish, bird or other wild animal properly processed by the member. No requirement as to size or mounting but must meet the size requirement listed under General Rules. Must include the animal’s name and information about the 4-H member’s personal field experiences, study OR observations that relate to the exhibit.
D361001 Design your own Exhibit in Natural Resources, Conservation or Ecology — this class is for educational exhibits relating to natural resources, conservation, geology or ecology only. Entries must be appropriate for fair display and no larger than 24 inches x 24 inches. All entries must include a title and should be clear (a brief explanation or other method) about the intended purpose or message — what the exhibit is meant to show. Think about accuracy, creativity, educational value for viewers and evidence of 4-H member’s personal experiences and learning.