YHEC 8 Events:
- 4 Shooting Events (Shotgun, Muzzleloader, Light .22 Rifle, Archery)

- 4 Responsibility Events (Wildlife ID, Orienteering, Hunter Safety Trail, Hunter Responsibility Test)

This is one of the four shooting events. Targets are typically 3D silhouettes of game animals placed in a natural settings at various distances. The Hunting Archery Challenge has the maximum possibility of 300 points.

Key Points for Archery
The Hunting Archery Challenge will be conducted with participants taking shots at targets varying in distance from 10 to 40 yards. Targets will be either NRA Life-size Game Targets or 3-D game targets with scoring areas directly over the vital areas of the animal. NOTE: A time limit of 45 seconds will be applied at each station.
Participants will move through a 15 to 30 point field archery course in a natural setting. The course is designed to simulate shooting situations encountered while bow hunting.
Each participant will shoot a total of 30 shots, each worth 10 points if inside the inner most scoring ring, 5 points for the outer most scoring ring (vital area), and 3 points for outside the vital area. All shots breaking or touching the vital area will be counted as a "hit." Challenges must be made on the range before the next arrow is pulled. All arrows must have either glue on or screw in target or field points.
All bows allowed but compounds will deliver best accuracy
Use flashcards to learn hitting areas
Broad-heads prohibited in the YHEC program.
Shooters may use only one bow for this activity (exception - bow malfunction).

... a word of wisdom
Practice, practice, practice. Archery is the most technical of all shooting events. You must have a properly tuned up bow and a lot of arrows in your quiver.
Assessing the distance of your target is essential. Practice.

This is one of the 4 responsibility events. The kids will be tested in their ability to identify birds, and mammals (at times even reptiles). Participants will walk through a thirty (30) station field and/or woodland course in a natural setting. The course is designed to simulate actual wildlife sign encountered while outdoors.

The Hunting Wildlife Identification Challenge has a maximum possibility of 300 points.

Key Points for Wildlife ID
Most of I.D. test and questions are taken from the NRA's The Hunter's Guide (see Section V, E. 2 for ordering information), Field Guide to Eastern Birds, Field Guide to Western Birds and Field Guide to Mammals. These books may be purchased through Houghton Mifflin Company, Wayside Road, Burlington, MA 01803, or by calling 1-800-225-3362.)
Please check with our Baker Club for we can order some of the above and other wildlife books with a substantial discount.

... a word of wisdom
Know your tracks!
Learn about animal skulls (yes even turtles).
Learn about pelts and furs.
Learn different animal calls.
Learn animal habits and natural history.
Know hunting regulations, as set by your State Fish and Wildlife Dept.
...is this enough? Piece of cake!

This is one of the four shooting events. Participants will move through a multiple station Hunter's Clays course. This course is not patterned after conventional skeet and trap shooting, but is designed to simulate hunting conditions and situations. The layout will vary depending on the available topography. Shooting stations could make use of available cover to best depict running animals, bird flight and shooting obstacles.

The Hunting Shotgun Challenge has a maximum possibility of 300 points.

Key Points for Shotgun
Each participant will shoot a total of 30 shots, each worth 10 points for a hit (broken target) and zero points for a miss (lost target).
Participants may only use one shotgun throughout the activity, (exception - gun malfunction).
Any 12- or 20- gauge shotgun will be permitted.
Only factory-loaded target shells with shot size between 7.5 and 9 (inclusive) will be permitted.

... a word of wisdom
Double targets are used in competition, so we encourage you to use a shotgun holding 2 shells.
Practice, practice.

This is one of the four responsibility filed events. Participants will be challenged on a trail course. Their safety practices in handling a firearm in the field, their ethical hunting conduct and good judgment will be put to a serious test. This is one of the events that can be very hard to master.

The Hunter Safety Trail has the maximum possibility of 300 points.

Key Points for Hunter Safety Trail
The Hunter Safety Trail Challenge will be conducted with participants moving from station to station with each situation varying greatly.
Participants may be tested and scored on the "do's" and "don'ts" of firearms safety and "shoot/don't shoot situations" encountered in a hunting environment.
Stations may include, but are not limited to, hunter game situations, target identification, landowner relationships, and safe gun handling in the field.
Participants may receive a "YHEC hunting license and regulations" at event check-in.
Participants may be required to be knowledgeable of game laws and bag limits. Know the difference between a safe shot and an ethical shot.
What is the first thing you should do when you encounter a Game Officer in the field?

... a word of wisdom
So, you think you know how to handle a rifle?.... we will see...
Lets have fun together. There is much more to learn.

This is one of the four shooting events. Targets are either paper NRA Animal targets or metal silhouette targets set at short, medium and long range. Targets varying in distance from 20 to 75 yards, with scoring areas determined based upon type of target (s) used. Participants will shoot from three positions. A participant will be allowed fifteen minutes per position with the complete course to be fired in 45 minutes.

Participants will shoot the muzzleloader course in a natural setting. The course is designed to simulate shooting situations encountered while hunting.

Key Points for Muzzleloader
Participants will shoot a total of 12 shots, 4 at each position worth 25 points each if touching the line or inside the vital area.
Shooters may use only one muzzleloader rifle throughout this activity (exception - muzzleloader malfunction).
Any flintlock, disk, percussion, or musket cap type muzzleloading rifles .54 caliber or smaller will be permitted. Accessories for .45 and .50 caliber muzzleloaders will be available for use during the event. Participants choosing to use another caliber (i.e. .54) are required to furnish their own accessories.
No scopes or peep sights.
In line percussion OK.

...a word of wisdom
remember the fundamentals of good shooting
this is one competitions where a 300 point score is possible, take advantage of it

This is one of the responsibility events. Kids will be tested in their orienteering skills. This is a field event where the participants are provided with a bearing and a distance and they need to navigate following a set of instructions which will test their knowledge on a wide variety of orienteering techniques.

The Hunting Archery Challenge has the maximum possibility of 300 points.

Key Points for Orienteering
Challenge will be conducted with participants taking bearings with their compass. Participants may also be asked to close a triangle, identify map symbols, or define words (i.e. contour lines, scale, or declination).
Participants may be asked to describe how nature provides individuals with different directions of travel (north, south, east and west, etc.). These situations, as well as others, may be used in the Hunting Orienteering Skills Challenge (not to be announced before the program).
Time limits may be applied to each task.
Only compasses may be used on the Hunting Orienteering Skills Challenge course.
The information for this event has been taken from NRA's The Hunter's Guide (see Section V, E. 2 for ordering information), the U.S. Department of the Interior - U.S. Geological Survey Topographic Map Symbols publication - ISBN 0-607- 84384-5 (contact 1-800-USA-MAPS for ordering information), The Backcountry Classroom by Jack Drury and Bruce F. Bonney, Compass and Map Navigator Book - The Complete Guide to Staying Found by Michael Hodgson. (These Nexus publications as well as other orienteering resource materials, may be purchased through The Brunton Co., 620 East Monroe Avenue, Riverton, WY 82501 800- 443-4871), Be An Expert With Map And Compass Orienteering Handbook by Bjorn Kjellstrom, and Your Way With Map and Compass Orienteering by John Disley. (These Silva Compass publications may be purchased through Johnson Camping, P.O. Box 966, Binghamton, NY 13902, or by calling 1-800 847-1460.)

... a word of wisdom
Know how many steps do you need to cover a 100 feet or 100 yards.
Trust your compass, not your eyes.
Become familiar with map symbols.
Practice, practice.

This is one of the four shooting events. Targets are either paper NRA Animal targets or metal silhouette targets set at short, medium and long range. The Light Hunting Rifle Challenge will be conducted with participants shooting at targets varying in distance from 15 to 75 yards, with scoring areas determined based upon type of target (s) used. Participants will shoot from three positions.

The Hunting Rifle Challenge has a maximum possibility of 300 points.

Key Points for .22 Light Rifle
Each participant will shoot a total of 30 shots, 10 at each position worth 10 points each if inside the vital area, zero points if outside the vital area. All shots breaking or touching the vital area will counted as "hit".
participant will be allowed seven minutes per position with the complete course to be fired in 21 minutes.
All action types, excluding fully-automatic, will be permitted. The rifle may not exceed 8.5 pounds in weight without a sling and must have a minimum trigger pull of two pounds (907 grams).
Scope can be up to a 9 Power - open sights OK.
Participants may only use one rifle throughout the activity, (exception - gun malfunction).

... a word of wisdom
remember the shooting fundamentals.
This is another event where the competition is fierce. Practice, practice, and practice.

This is one of the four Responsibility events. It is a written test based on a book. Amazingly enough a perfect score is extremely rare even for those Senior Participants that have been very competitive for years at international level. The moral of the story is:

This is the most important one of the 8 YHEC Events! So... study, study, study.

Key Points for the Hunter Responsibility Test
Participants will complete a written examination that includes 60 objective questions (multiple choice, true or false or fill-in-the-blank).
The NRA's The Hunter's Guide will serve as a reference for this event.
Participants will have 60 minutes (one hour) to complete the test.
The Hunter Responsibility Exam will consist of 60 questions, with a maximum possibility of 300 points. Correct answers are worth five points; incorrect answers are worth zero points
Practice, practice and practice.

... a word of wisdom
Perfect score is 300. Do you think you can do it?

You can score a maximum of 300 each event for a grand total of 2400 points - as a perfect score ...... never yet achieved.

To read the updated YHEC Official Rules - click here