A student shows off the bass he caught during the fish survey, shock boat, small group rotation.
In his keynote address delivered to campers attending the 2025 North Carolina FFA Wildlife Camp held Sept. 19-21, 2025, Deet James said, “Wildlife teaches us how to live.” James also encouraged attendees to step outside of their comfort zone by reaching out and exploring the unknown. This message was evident during the time students spent learning about conservation and wildlife.
The first week of Wildlife Camp at the North Carolina FFA Center in White Lake dates to 2014. Held in partnership with the North Carolina Wildlife Resources Commission and Ducks Unlimited, this annual weekend event leaves an impact on the lives of students who attend.
Students gather and wait for the dining hall doors to open for lunch.
“I had so much fun and learned a lot at wildlife camp these past few days,” says South Johnston FFA member Jarrett Allen. “I got to learn different techniques and strategies related to waterfowl conservation, shotgun, fish surveying and more. This camp has really prepared us to succeed in the future.”
Students prep hash brown casserole during the outdoor cooking small group breakout session.
Throughout the weekend, small group breakout sessions were held and experts in different fields shared their knowledge. More than 15 different topics were covered, ranging from fish surveying to deer necropsy, decoy carving and more.
Students fish off the dock early in the morning at Wildlife Camp.
Aside from the small group breakouts, in their free time students played ping pong, volleyball or fished off the piers.
At the end of the day, this weekend was filled with creating connections with other FFA members from across the state and understanding the important role wildlife plays in the future of agriculture.
