NC State Wildlife Students Participate in 2025 Southeastern Wildlife Conclave

Contributed by Jennifer MacLellan, FWCB undergraduate student

Early in the morning on March 27th, 18 students and 2 faculty co-advisors of the NC State Student Chapter of The Wildlife Society (aka, Leopold Wildlife Club) initiated the long van ride to the University of Tennessee-Martin for the annual Southeastern Wildlife Conclave. Over 3 days, 20 schools with wildlife management programs engaged in competitions ranging from wildlife and plant identification to riflery and archery. The NC State team placed 4^th overall in the Team Field Competition, which is a rigorous test of a school’s overall training related to wildlife conservation. All 18 NC State students worked together to answer a wide variety of questions at 20 stations. Station topics included fish taxonomy, bird and frog vocalizations, wildlife necropsy, forest measurements, and natural resources policy. The hard work paid off to achieve 2nd place at the Plant ID station, 2nd at the Quail/Seed ID station, 3rd at the Traps station, 3rd at the Arthropods/Mussels ID station, 3rd at the Fire Tools station, and tying for 3rd at the Maps station.

Individual competitions also saw impressive results. Both Liz Stern and Jennifer MacLellan won 1^st place in their respective Painting and Drawing competitions, with the former submitting a gorgeous depiction of red wolves and the latter a striking red fox illustration. Jeremy Byrne received several awards for his photograph entries, achieving 3^rd Place for Trail Cam Photography and 2^nd Place for Landscape Photography. Jess Maier ranked first in the Plant Taxonomy competition, and Leopold Wildlife Club president Marley Kelly placed 3^rd in Trap Setting. Liz Stern also received 3^rd place in Wildlife Calling (Other) with her impression of a red-tailed hawk and American alligator juvenile.

Not only was Conclave an opportunity to practice skills, but it was also a chance to learn new ones. Students embarked on wildlife-related field trips and workshops covering a variety of subjects. Some students went herping in the rain at a local park, discovering salamanders, snakes, and other critters. Others rolled up their sleeves to perform wildlife necropsies, examining specimens for disease. With students from 20 schools mixed among those attending field trips, everyone had the chance to forge new connections in the wildlife community. In 2026, the Leopold Wildlife Club will travel to the University of Florida for the next Southeastern Wildlife Conclave. Even now, members are sharpening their skills in preparation for that competition.