Geocaching Challenge, Photo Contest Celebrate FWC 75th Anniversary

TALAHASSEE, FL – The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has kicked off two events to celebrate its 75th Anniversary, both of which will send people to the state’s various Wildlife Management Areas.

The two contests, which are both underway, are the Geocaching Challenge and the 75 Years Wild Photo Contest.

The FWC oversees more than 5.8 million acres of land established as wildlife management areas and environmental areas. Wildlife management lead areas are solely owned and/or managed by FWC, while the FWC works in partnership with other governmental or private landowners in its cooperative areas.

Both designated areas, managed for both conservation and recreation, are more rugged than parks and have fewer developed amenities.

FWC Geocaching Challenge

Geocaching is a modern-day treasure hunt that has gained in popularity over the past 15 years, especially as GPS technology has become standard in most cell phones.

With that in mind, the FWC is hosting its Geocaching Challenge, which invites people of all ages to find 49 geocaches hidden on the state’s lead Wildlife Management Areas.

“While you are out geocaching, you also get the chance to explore our WMAs and all the outdoor recreational opportunities they provide, from wildlife viewing to fishing, hiking, paddling and hunting,” said Jerrie Lindsey, the director of the FWC Public Access and Wildlife Viewing Services Office.

To enter the contest, which runs until Dec. 31, visit http://myfwc.com/viewing/recreation/celebrate75/challenge/ and click on the link “How do I Participate.”

The FWC also recommends to visit http://myfwc.com/license/public-land-use/geocaching/ for tips on how to participate in geocaching and also regulations about geocaching on public lands. According to FWC staff, the GPS signal on a cell phone should still work in remote areas, even when a cell signal is unavailable.

The caches in the Geocaching Challenge range in size and contain a logbook and tradeable items such as coins and other trinkets. As a bonus, there are two 75th WMA Anniversary Geocoins somewhere among all the items.

“The Geocoin Journey is part of the fun,” Lindsey said. “The goal is to get the two trackable Geocoins to all of the 49 geocache locations, with your help of course.”

The first five people to log all 49 geocaches will receive a copy of the book “Planting a Refuge for Wildlife” and a Geocache Challenge prize pack. The next five people to log all of the geocaches will also receive the prize pack.

75 Years Wild Photo Contest

For people looking to capture nature instead, the FWC is also hosting its 75 Years Wild Photo Contest. The contest invites residents to submit photos in four different themes, one for each season of the year, starting with winter.

The photos must be taken at a Florida Wildlife Management area or Wildlife and Environmental Area and submitted before Dec. 1. Contestants must submit their own original photos, and contestants younger than 18 must be submitted by their parent or legal guardian.

There are no limits to the number of photo submissions, but the FWC will allow for only one winning photo per person. Photos may be submitted via Facebook or Instagram, or e-mailed to sharevisit@myfwc.com.

After the initial judging, the FWC will feature 12 finalist photos on the MyFWC Facebook page in January. The photo with the most likes will be the contest winner.

The grand prize winner will receive a GoPro Hero camera or similar. Prizes for second and third place have yet to be announced. All finalists will receive a 75 Years Wild prize pack.

For more information, visit http://myfwc.com/viewing/recreation/celebrate75/photo-contest/.

Image via Florida Fish and Wildlife, Flickr, used under Creative Commons