South Carolina FFA Association State Wildlife Contest
Purpose
To foster a better understanding wildlife and natural resources systems, wildlife habitat management, and wildlife management principles in the South Carolina and throughout the United States.
Eligibility
This event is open to all chapters. Team members must be active, dues paid members. Please see General SC FFA CDE/LDE Guidelines for more information.
Event Rules
1. A team will consist of four (4) members, with the lowest score being dropped 2. The use of any unauthorized electronic device (including but not limited to cell phones, tablets, laptop computers, smart watches, etc.) by contestants may be result in disqualification. 3. The use of any outside reference source (electronic or print) during the event is prohibited. 4. Students may not communicate with advisors or other students during this event, unless instructed otherwise (i.e. Team Activity). 5. Students should provide their own sharpened, No. 2 pencils and clean clipboards. 6. All participating members should dress appropriately for the weather and conditions.
Event Format
The SC FFA Wildlife CDE consists of the following: 1. Individual Activity – Each team member will complete the following activities individually. Team members are not allowed to collaborate with each other during any of these sections.
a. Written Test i. Each contestant will complete a fifty (50) question, multiple choice written exam. This exam will be completed using a provided scantron form. ii. Written test questions will be prepared using the following resources: 1. MyCAERT a. Wildlife Management Units: WM:C, WM:D, WM:E, WM:F, WM:G, WM:H and WM:I
2. SC DNR a. Educator Resources (http://www.dnr.sc.gov/education/tr.html) b. Species Guides/Profiles (http://dnr.sc.gov/wildlife/species.html) c. Wildlife Resources (http://dnr.sc.gov/wildlife.html) ***Check Wildlife CDE Webpage for Links to Resources*** b. Plant Identification i. Each contestant will complete a sixty (60) question, plant identification test. This test will be completed using a provided scantron form. ii. Thirty (30) questions will consist of plant ID and thirty (30) questions will be follow-up questions to each ID.
Example Identification Question: Answer: Clover
Follow-Up Question: This plant is known as a legume, which means it ______. A. Is a grass. B. Grows well in wetlands. C. Is also a conifer. D. Fixes nitrogen.
iii. Plant Identification List can be found on the Wildlife CDE webpage at scaged.org
2. Team Activity – Each team will complete the team activity collectively. Team members are allowed to collaborate to complete this section. The team activity will consist of six (6) sections. Each section will consist of 10-20 questions with no more than 100 total questions for the entire team activity. The team activity will be completed using the provided scantron(s) and according to the directions provided by the event superintendent. Each category will have a minimum of one question about a tool used for management within that particular category. The six (6) team activity categories and potential subjects are found below (additionally a sample management tool questions is provided for each category).
a. White-Tail Deer i. Potential Activities/Subjects 1. Jawbone Aging 2. Antler Scoring 3. Deer Health 4. Species Management ii. Potential Tool List 1. Jawbone Extractor/Spreader 2. Scale 3. Spotlight 4. Thermal Imaging Camera iii. Sample Tool Question
‘Sample Tool: Jawbone Spreader/Extractor’
How is this tool used to manage deer? a. To determine the health of a deer b. To extract a jawbone and/or spread a jaw c. To drag a harvested deer out of the woods d. To use as a boomerang to harvest deer
b. Eastern Wild Turkey i. Potential Activities/Subjects 1. Determining Age 2. Determining Sex 3. Species Management ii. Potential Tool List 1. Calls (various) 2. Guns (various) 3. Rocket Net iii. Sample Tool Question
‘Sample Tool: Box Call’
How is this tool used in management of wild turkeys? a. To measure the density of trees b. To evaluate and change the habitat c. To harvest wild turkeys d. To attract only hens for reproduction c. Furbearers i. Potential Activities/Subjects 1. Pelt Identification (Full or Partial) 2. Track Identification 3. Skull Identification 4. Species Management ii. Potential Tool List 1. 110 Conibear Trap 2. 330 Conibear Trap 3. Leg-hold Trap 4. Scent Tablet
iii. Potential Species List 1. The following species may potentially be used during this portion of the team activity. Potential Furbearer List Species Common Name Species Scientific Name Potential Potential Potential Pelt ID Track ID Skull ID Beaver Castor canadensis X X X Black Bear Ursus americanus X X X Bobcat Lynx rufus X X X Coyote Canis latrans X X X Gray Fox Urocyon cinereoargenteus X X X Mink Neovison vison X X X Muskrat Ondatra zibethicus X X X Opossum Didelphis virginiana X X X Otter Lontra canadensis X X X Raccoon Procyon lotor X X X Red Fox Vulpes vulpes X X X Spotted Skunk Spilogale putorius X X X Striped Skunk Mephitis mephitis X X X
iv. Sample Tool Question
‘Sample Tool: 110 Conibear Trap’
This tool is most likely used to catch a ______. a. Beaver b. Raccoon c. Rabbit d. Muskrat
d. Habitat Identification i. Potential Activities/Subjects 1. Matching habitat to appropriate animals ii. Potential Tool List 1. Drip Torch 2. Artificial Nesting Cavity 3. Herbicides 4. Agricultural Equipment (Various) 5. Soil Probe 6. Diameter Tape (D-Tape) 7. Clinometer 8. Rangefinder 9. Prism 10. Angle Gauge iii. Potential Habitat List 1. The following habitat types/components may be used during this section: a. Dense Pine b. Open Pine c. Hardwood Bottom d. Mixed Pine/Hardwood Upland e. Hardwood Upland f. Wetland g. Grassland h. Agricultural Land i. Food Types j. Water (sources and habitats) k. Cover Types l. Space m. Arrangement n. Interspersion o. Vegetative Successional Stages p. Non-native Species Ecology iv. Sample Tool Question
‘Sample Tool: Drip Torch’
What vegetative succession level is expected after use of this tool? a. Climax b. Mid c. Early d. Back e. Game & Non-Game Birds i. Potential Activities/Subjects 1. Species Identification 2. Determining Sex 3. Species Management ii. Potential Tool List 1. Water Control Structure 2. Refractometer 3. Steel Shot 4. Tractor & Bush Hog 5. Grain Drill 6. Silage Chopper 7. Lead Shot 8. Pointing Dog 9. Guns (various) 10. Hunting Hack Horse 11. Telemetry Collar iii. Potential Game Bird List 1. The following species may potentially be used during this portion of the activity: Possible Game & Non-Game Bird List Species Common Species Scientific Name Sex Mount/Picture Wing Head/Neck Call Name Determination ID ID ID ID Bobwhite Quail Colinus virginianus X X X X X Mourning Dove Zenaida macroura X X X Mallard Anas platyrhynchos X X X X Wood Duck Aix sponsa X X X X X American Wigeon Anas americana X X X Blue-Winged Teal Anas discors X X X Green-Winged Teal Anas carolinensis X X X Northern Shoveler Anas clypeata X X X X Northern Pintail Anas acuta X X X X Canada Goose Branta canadensis X X X American Scolopax minor X X X Woodcock Wilson’s Snipe Gallinago delicata X X X American Crow Corvus brachyrhynchos X X Ruffed Grouse Bonasa umbellus X X X Wood Stork Mycteria americana X Red-Cockaded Leuconotopicus borealis X Woodpecker White Pelican Pelecanus X X erythrorhynchos Tufted Titmouse Baeolophus bicolor X X Painted Bunting Passerina ciris X Northern Cardinal Cardinalis cardinalis X X X
iv. Sample Tool Question
‘Sample Tool: Water Control Structure’
What does this do to help provide waterfowl access to food? a. It stores food b. It maintains the water level at a preferred depth c. It is used to harvest seeds d. All of the above
f. Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish i. Potential Activities/Subjects 1. Identification ii. Potential Tool List 1. Snake Hook 2. Drift Fence 3. Pitfall Trap 4. Seine Net 5. Boat 6. Secchi Disk 7. Canepole iii. Potential Species List 1. The following species may potentially be used during this portion of the event: Potential Reptiles, Amphibians, and Fish Species
Reptiles Species Common Name Species Scientific Name Diamondback Rattlesnake Crotalus atrox Timber/Canebrake Rattlesnake Crotalus horridus Hognose Snake Heterodon platirhinos Corn Snake Pantherophis guttatus Cottonmouth Agkistrodon piscivorus King Snake Lampropeltis getula (Common) Lampropeltis elapsoides (Scarlet) Copperhead Agkistrodon contortrix Yellow Rat Snake Pantherophis alleghaniensis Black Rat Snake Pantherophis obsoletus Yellow Bellied Slider Trachemys scripta scripta Alligator Snapping Turtle Macrochelys temminckii
Fish Species Common Name Species Scientific Name Largemouth Bass Micropterus salmoides Small Mouth Bass Micropterus dolomieu Striped Bass Morone saxatilis White Bass Morone chrysops Bluegill Lepomis macrochirus Carp Cyprinus carpio Channel Catfish Ictalurus punctatus Blue Catfish Ictalurus furcatus Flathead Catfish Pylodictis olivaris Black Crappie Pomoxis nigromaculatus White Crappie Pomoxis annularis Shad Alosa sapidissima
Amphibians Species Common Name Species Scientific Name American Bullfrog Lithobates catesbeianus Green Tree Frog Hyla cinerea Eastern Hellbender Cryptobranchus alleganiensis American Toad Anaxyrus americanus Spring Peeper Pseudacris crucifer Marbled Salamander Ambystoma opacum
iv. Sample Tool Question
‘Sample Tool: Aerator’
This tool is used to help supply ______to water, which is usually needed in the summer. a. Food b. Warm Water c. Cover d. Dissolved Oxygen
Scoring
The total team score for this event will be the sum of the three highest individual scores (with the lowest or “fourth” score not being counted) and all team activity scores. The complete score breakdown is as follows:
SC FFA Wildlife CDE Scoring Activity/Component Maximum Individual Score Maximum Team Score Individual, Written Test 100 points 300 points Individual, Plant Identification 100 points 300 points Team, White Tail Deer n/a 100 points Team, Wild Turkey n/a 100 points Team, Furbearer n/a 100 points Team, Habitat n/a 100 points Team, Game/Nongame Birds n/a 100 points Team, n/a 100 points Reptiles/Fish/Amphibians Total Possible Team Score 1200 points
Tie Breakers
In the event of a tie, the following procedures will be used until the tie is broken:
Individual Tie (Award Purposes Only) 1. Plant Identification Score 2. Written Test Score
Team Tie 1. Addition of Low (“Fourth”) Score to Total Team Score 2. Sum of all Team Activities 3. Sum of all Plant Identification Scores 4. Sum of all Written Test Scores
Awards
The three highest scoring teams and individuals will be recognized. This event will serve as the SC FFA Association Qualifying Event for the National FFA Environmental/Natural Resources Career Development Event. The highest scoring team will represent South Carolina in this event at the following National FFA Convention, and will receive funds from the SC FFA Association to help defray the cost of attendance.