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Go on. Take your best shot. Take it at a national wildlife refuge national wildlife refuge
A national wildlife refuge is typically a contiguous area of land and water managed by the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service for the conservation and, where appropriate, restoration of fish, wildlife and plant resources and their habitats for the benefit of present and future generations of Americans.
Learn more about national wildlife refuge . Then enter it in the refuge’s annual photo contest and see what happens.
Annual refuge photo contests celebrate individual national wildlife refuges and let amateur photographers compete in categories such as wildlife, scenery and recreation. Many wildlife refuges have a separate category for young photographers. Friends groups manage many of the contests. For rules and deadlines, consult individual refuges.
Some Winning Shots
Spring Break, 2013 Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge contest. By Jim Sinclair
Spring ice breakup at Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge in Minnesota, Weasel with Young, 2013 Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge contest. By Wayne Watson
A weasel holds its kit by the scruff of the neck at Bear River Migratory Bird Refuge. Creatures Big and Small. 2018 Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge contest. By Kristie Burns
A bison and calf stand nose to nose at Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge in Iowa.
Share the Experience
The annual Share the Experience photo contest captures visitors’ favorite views, moments and adventures in public lands. Open to amateur photographers, the contest is hosted by the National Park Foundation in partnership with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and five other federal agencies. Enter the latest contest and see winning images from past years here.
- Night skies, Oregon Islands National Wildlife Refuge. Honorable mention, 2016 Share the Experience contest. By Matthew Hanna
More Winning Photos
Mother’s Goodness, 2016 Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge contest. By Victoria Samuel
A tree swallow in flight feeds a chick at Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge in Colorado. Photographers. 2018 Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge contest. By Michael Hamilton
Photographers with tripods and telephoto lenses at Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge in New Mexico.
Some Contest Sites
Anahuac National Wildlife Refuge, TX
Arthur R. Marshall Loxahatchee National Wildlife Refuge, FL
Black Bayou Lake National Wildlife Lake Refuge, LA
Bosque del Apache National Wildlife Refuge, NM
Camas National Wildlife Refuge, ID
Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge, IL
Hagerman National Wildlife Refuge, TX
Little Pend Oreille National Wildlife Refuge, WA
Neal Smith National Wildlife Refuge, IA (pdf)
Okefenokee National Wildlife Refuge, GA (pdf)
Prime Hook National Wildlife Refuge, DE
Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge, WA
Rocky Mountain Arsenal National Wildlife Refuge, CO
Savannah National Wildlife Refuge, GA and SC
Rachel Carson National Wildlife Refuge, ME
Seney National Wildlife Refuge, MI
Tamarac National Wildlife Refuge, MN
Turnbull National Wildlife Refuge, WA
Valle de Oro National Wildlife Refuge, NM
Find a Refuge
Search by state or by refuge name.
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