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North Dakota Game and Fish Department Calendar Photo Contest

We invite you to submit photographs to be considered for the 2026 OUTDOORS calendar published as the December 2025 issue of North Dakota Outdoors.

(2025 Calendar)

Contest Information

Please review contest requirements and guidelines prior to selecting photos to submit.

  Prizes

  • Grand Prize (cover + inside image): $350
  • Runner Up (inside images): $200

  Categories

  • Big Game
  • Upland Game
  • Waterfowl
  • Hunting and Fishing
  • Furbearers
  • Habitat
  • Nongame Species

  How to Enter

  • Enter Online: Entrants should submit digital images using the online form on this page.
  • Entry Deadline: October 6, 2025.
  • Submission Limit Per Photographer: 20 images.

  Guidelines

  • Images must be photographed in North Dakota.
  • Capture Date: Photos must be taken within the last two years (2024 and newer).
  • Technical Requirements
    • Format: Images must be uploaded as .tiff, .jpg, or .jpeg.
    • Dimensions: Photos must be horizontal and at least 3499 pixels wide by 2762 pixels tall at 300ppi. Larger images are acceptable and may improve quality.
    • Aspect Ratio: Images should maintain an aspect ratio of 11.663 inches by 9.206 inches.
    • File Size: Maximum file size is 50 megabytes per image.
    • Color: Images should be in RGB or sRGB format.
    • Naming Convention: Images should follow a naming convention of Lastname-Firstname-Photo-Title. Example: Smith-Sally-Mule-Deer-Fawn.
    • Post-processing: All photos should accurately reflect the subject matter and scene as it appeared. Photos that have been digitally altered beyond standard optimization will not be considered.
  • Disqualifying Factors:
    • Subjects - Images of domestic animals, livestock, feral horses or captive wildlife will be disqualified.
    • Use of Generative AI - If the Department determines that generative AI was used in the creation or processing of an image, the image will be disqualified.
    • Ethics – If the Department determines that an image was created unethically (ex. by disturbing a nest, harassing wildlife, causing harm to an animal in the course of capturing an image, etc.), the image will be disqualified.

  User Agreement

By submitting an entry, photographers grant permission to the North Dakota Game and Fish Department to publish winning photographs in North Dakota OUTDOORS calendar, on the Department’s website, gf.nd.gov (in the online version of the calendar), as well as the agency social media channels (in posts related to the calendar).

The entrant also certifies that the images submitted were photographed in North Dakota, in an ethical matter and without the use of generative AI in processing.

  Department Contact

If you have any questions, please contact Ron Wilson at 701-328-6315. We look forward to seeing your photos.

(Note: If you have trouble accessing the form above use the direct link here.)