{"id":16380,"date":"2024-11-20T21:04:30","date_gmt":"2024-11-21T04:04:30","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.azgfd.com\/?p=16380"},"modified":"2025-10-29T11:15:25","modified_gmt":"2025-10-29T18:15:25","slug":"wildlife-photo-contest-winners-announced-2","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.azgfd.com\/2024\/11\/20\/wildlife-photo-contest-winners-announced-2\/","title":{"rendered":"2024 wildlife photo contest winners announced"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<p class=\"has-text-align-left\"><em>A photo of a desert spiny lizard (above), taken by Randi Najac of Chandler, was awarded best in show and is showcased on both the cover and in the calendar.\u00a0<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><strong>NEWS RELEASE<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Nov. 20, 2024<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The Arizona Game and Fish Department is excited to announce the winners of its annual wildlife photo contest.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 12 winning photographs are included in the full-size 2025 wildlife calendar that is published in the November-December 2024 issue of&nbsp;<em>Arizona Wildlife Views<\/em>&nbsp;magazine.&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/store.azgfd.com\/product\/subscribe-to-arizona-wildlife-views\/\"><strong>Subscriptions ordered through Dec. 31, 2024<\/strong><\/a>, will receive the calendar issue, while supplies last, and also get free issue(s) added to the order. The calendar also will be sold at all Arizona Game and Fish offices for $3 starting in mid-November.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>Randi Najac\u2019s photo of a desert spiny lizard was awarded best in show and is showcased on both the cover and in the calendar.&nbsp;<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>The 12 winning photographers are:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Dennis A. Boyd, Tucson: Western tanager<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mike Henry, Tucson: Crested caracaras<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Marti Huzarski, Chino Valley: American pronghorn<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Anne James, Payson: Abert\u2019s squirrel<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jackie Klieger, Sedona: Wood duck<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lisa Manifold, Gold Canyon: White-nosed coatis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Randi Najac, Chandler: Desert spiny lizard<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Kathy Ritter, Happy Jack: Long-tailed weasel<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>David Swanson, Prescott: Bald eagle<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>David C. Vincent, Tucson: Western diamondback rattlesnake<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Sean Wickenheisser, Lake Havasu City: Desert bighorn sheep<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Lisa C. Wood, Tucson: Elk<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Given the strength and diversity of this year\u2019s more than 800 entries, the judges singled out 20 images from talented photographers for honorable mention. These photos also are featured in the calendar issue:<\/p>\n\n\n\n<ul class=\"wp-block-list\">\n<li>Misty Briggs, Surprise: Western screech owl<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jenny L. Clark, Fountain Hills: Chiricahua leopard frog<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Randy Dean, Gilbert: Mule deer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Bill Ferris, Flagstaff: Bull elk with mule deer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Cheryl Gross, Sun City West: White-nosed coati<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Jane Hale, Hereford: Gould\u2019s turkey<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Christopher M. Hall, Mesa: Mule deer<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Prestley Howard, Vail: Myotis<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Don Irwin, Fountain Hills: Back-tailed jackrabbit<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Peggy Kniffin, Chandler: Black-necked stilt<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mike Krock, Prescott: Canyon treefrog<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Leslie Leathers, Tucson: Great-tailed grackles<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Gene Lewis, Phoenix: Anna\u2019s hummingbird<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Melody Mellinger, Myerstown, Pa: Gambel\u2019s quail<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Mandy Montooth, Flagstaff: Greater short-horned lizard<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Paul Reap, San Tan Valley: Razorback sucker<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>David C. Ring, Tucson: Gila woodpecker<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Boyd Robinson, Mesa: Great horned owl<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>George Valladares, Phoenix: Ringtail<\/li>\n\n\n\n<li>Ken Wilcox, Tucson: Costa\u2019s hummingbird&nbsp;<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n\n\n\n<p>Thank you to everyone who submitted photographs, and thank you to&nbsp;<em>Arizona Highways&nbsp;<\/em>for its partnership in hosting the photo contest.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p>View the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/azgfd-portal-wordpress-pantheon.s3.us-west-2.amazonaws.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2024\/06\/17143342\/Photo-contest-past-winners_updated-2023.pdf\"><strong>list of past wildlife photo contest winners<\/strong><\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/store.azgfd.com\/product\/subscribe-to-arizona-wildlife-views\/\"><strong>Subscribe today<\/strong><\/a>&nbsp;to bring Arizona\u2019s wildlife and wild places into your home! View the&nbsp;<a href=\"https:\/\/live-azgfd-main.pantheonsite.io\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/06\/Arizona-Wildlife-Views-photo-contest-rules_2023.pdf\"><strong>Official Rules<\/strong><\/a>. Entrants are responsible for complying with the Official Rules or may result in disqualification. This contest is for images of Arizona wildlife. All photos must depict wildlife native to and found in Arizona, and all photos must have been taken in Arizona settings.<\/p>\n\n\n\n<p><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Winners of the 18th annual contest will be featured in Arizona Wildlife View&#8217;s 2025 calendar.  <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":18,"featured_media":16383,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[92],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-16380","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-main-site"],"yoast_head":"<!-- This site is optimized with the Yoast SEO plugin v25.0 - https:\/\/yoast.com\/wordpress\/plugins\/seo\/ -->\n<title>2024 wildlife photo contest winners announced - Arizona Game &amp; Fish Department<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.azgfd.com\/2024\/11\/20\/wildlife-photo-contest-winners-announced-2\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"2024 wildlife photo contest winners announced - Arizona Game &amp; 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