Elk may not currently roam Georgia, but that doesn’t stop RMEF from supporting conservation education and hunting heritage programs in the Peach State. Take the Southeastern Wildlife Society Conclave, an annual event for college students pursuing careers in wildlife management and conservation, for example.
An RMEF grant helped send 20 University of Georgia (UGA) students—19 of them being first-time participants—to the 2026 event. Hosted by the University of Florida, the conclave gives students the opportunity to receive hands-on training in wildlife management and conservation while building networking opportunities with wildlife professionals.
Nearly 350 students from more than 20 wildlife programs participated in academic, physical and artistic competitions, game-calling contests, field trips and the Quiz Bowl competition. UGA took home 1st place in the Quiz Bowl, generally considered the most prestigious competition of the event. This four-person team activity is a fast-paced, trivia-style competition where students can demonstrate their knowledge of topics including skull and taxonomy identification, ecology and conservation techniques, and wildlife history and management. UGA students performed well in individual-based events, too, earning 1st place in radio telemetry, 2nd place in field measurements and 3rd place in wildlife drawing.
