The Idaho Department of Fish and Game is hosting an art contest for all Idahoans, and they need your help.
IDFG’s summer art contest, which began in early July, centers around designs for its 2027 hard card. Three winners will be chosen to have their art featured on hunting and fishing licenses next year.
Nicole Coleman, marketing manager for the bureau of communications at IDFG, says the goals of the art contest include connecting Idahoans to wild animals and conservation work, which is what hunting and fishing licenses help support.
“The artwork on these license carries big meaning and it tells a visible story of stewardship by highlighting native species that define Idaho’s outdoor heritage and the responsibility to conserve them for future generations,” Coleman said.
Coleman says it’s a statewide misconception that IDFG’s work is funded by state taxes. That’s part of what makes this contest so important.
“Our work is primarily supported by license, tag and permit sales along with federal excise taxes on hunting and fishing equipment and mitigation funds from hydroelectric development,” Coleman said.
There are a few specifications that each design must meet in order to be considered for the contest:
- Art must feature one of the following native Idaho species: Cutthroat trout, pronghorn, mule deer, steelhead, or Geronimo the parachuting beaver.
- The ‘Go Outdoors Idaho’ logo must be able to fit in the bottom right corner of the card design (see image below).
- Entries are due by midnight on Monday, Aug. 31. Any entries submitted after the deadline will not be considered.
People of all ages are welcome to submit art for the contest, and there is no limit to the number of submissions one person can do.
“I think there is some state pride in what Idaho stands for, specifically with fish and wildlife in the state,” Coleman said. “If you’re an artist that is super passionate about the wildlife in the state, I think this is a wonderful opportunity for them to, not only feature their work on a card that people are going to hold onto for a whole year, but also, just be a participant in conserving fish and wildlife for Idaho for the future. We’re just really excited to see the creativity that the public’s going to bring to the table.”
Winning artists will receive $1,000 for their art and will be highlighted in a news release from IDFG.
Any art submissions must be sent to idfgmarketing@idfg.idaho.gov. For more information, visit IDFG’s website.