The National Rifle Association is now accepting entries for this year's George Montgomery/NRA Youth Wildlife Art Contest.

The contest is open to students in grades 1 through 12, including home-schooled children, and NRA membership is not required. This year's deadline for entries to be received by is November 1, 2011. Only one entry is allowed per contestant and may be done on any medium they choose.

Once received, entries are placed into one of four categories based on the contestant's school grade. Category I includes grades 1 through 3. Category II is for grades 4 through 6. Category III covers grades 7 through 9, and Category IV includes grades 10 through 12. The winners of each category will receive $750. Second-place finishers will receive $500 and the third-place award will be $250. The winner of the Best In Show award which spans all four categories will receive an additional award of $1,000.

Contest judges will evaluate entries based on effort, creativity, anatomical accuracy and composition. 

Entries may portray any North American game bird or animal that may be legally hunted or trapped. Endangered species and non-game animals, such as eagles and snakes, are not eligible subjects. Contestants may call (703) 267-1588 or email artcontest@nrahq.org to confirm whether a certain animal or bird is eligible. A complete list of eligible animals can be found athttp://www.nrahq.org/youth/wildlife.asp. 

Submissions should be on good quality bond or drawing paper, or illustration board. Preferred sizes for the image are 8-1/2” x 11” or 11” x 14”; matting is optional. Entries should not be framed. Composition must be original. Photographs may be used for reference, but artwork determined to have been traced or copied from an existing photograph or work of art will be disqualified.

Accompanied by the entry should be a brief statement signed by the student’s parent, guardian, or teacher attesting to the originality of the work and verifying the artist’s grade level as of November 1, 2011. In addition, the artist’s name, age, home address, phone number, and grade must be printed on the back of the entry or on a note attached to the back of the entry. An optional submission form can be found on the contest webpage here.

Please send entries to: George Montgomery/NRA Youth Wildlife Art Contest, 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030.

Entries will be returned only if accompanied by a self-addressed, stamped envelope. NRA assumes no responsibility for lost or damaged artwork and reserves all rights to reproduce entries. The immediate families of NRA staff members are not eligible to enter.