Youth Hunter Education Challenge

[CrackStock]

For those of you unfamiliar with YHEC, it is a hunting and outdoors oriented training group set up by the NRA which spends the year preparing for a large state competition in MLs, .22s, skeet, archery, orienteering, game identification and lore, hunting safety trail and emphasises sportsmanship. Many states use Pittman Robertson money to further this program as it is instructional for sure. The NRA also helps with some grant money at times.

A few years ago, my ML club was very involved with handling the ML event in support of the NRA's state YHEC competition. I had become an NMLRA instructor and became one of the event helpers. When my son got older, I helped coach his YHEC team in preparing for the ML events and helped with a few others as well. Now that we have moved, I see no YHEC events here at all and was wondering if Louisiana was unusual in having such a strong program.

What say all of you -- are you involved with YHEC?

What can we do to support such a great program?

YMHS,
CrackStock

 

CrackStock,

Matter of fact, a few of us here in Michigan will be participating in MYHEC August 27&28 in Lansing. We'll set up a few lodges, do some display stuff, a little bit of yacking with the kids, then help out at the ML range. The coordinator here in Michigan just got back from the nationals in Raton, New Mexico.

Can't wait, I'll give you a report.

Chris

 

[arcticap]

I've never heard that YHEC exists here probably because there are only a few small m.l. clubs statewide. I belong to one that's NMLRA affiliated but most events are informal and low key. I've been involved in another junior shooting program as an NRA Rifle Instructor and from my experience, most youth programs offered here are more focused on Camp Perry junior events. This YHEC program sounds great for where it receives adequate support.

 

[CrackStock]

Glad to see that a couple of us are involved in youth shooting activities.

I also worked with the Boy Scouts in doing some demos and also helped the Cubs with shooting BB guns, but they showed no real interest in MLs.

The 4H were involved in some shooting, but they had a program which emphasized cartridge guns and had some ML exposure almost as an afterthought. They did not seem to want any help from the serious ML types.

I just think that these programs are how we can bring those kids that see the Patriot, Captain and Commander, Last of the Mohicans... into the sport.

CS

 

[3 stinky dogs]

just wondering,do they do hunter ed in high school still ?

 

[CrackStock]

Sadly, not. In many states the very topic of guns or hunting is not allowed in the schools. Must be kind of hard to explain all those wars during histroy class!

On the other hand, I did work with the NJROTC air rifle team last year and we had some good results. Pretty impressive activity. I would have mentioned it above, but then it is a rear stuffer.

CS

 

[arcticap]

The hunter safety ed. certification courses that I've been involved with generally only gloss over the muzzle loading chapter of the NRA guidebook and don't provide any opportunity for hands on experience. If more people were given an opportunity to shoot BP when taking this course it could make a big difference, especially toward the recruitment of more roundball shooters. But usually, the practical range component of the course uses cf shotguns or .22's since that is what what the wildlife dept. has the most of to loan out for use by the instructors. :shake:

 

[Griz]

A couple of us help the Pa. Game Commission out with an event they call Youth Field Day, It is similar to Hunters education but with out the test and allows some hands on for the kids. We did this one in June of this year. Here are a few pics.

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[scott fellows]

i had the opportunity to go down to the myhec event friday night and saturday. if any of you folks get a chance to help out at one of these events, DO IT!!!. it was a blast being able to work with so many of the kids in such a wide range of ages. i think they said that they had 164 registered kids for the event. i was able to help out on the ML range. each kid was able to take 12 shots with a cap lock .50 rifle. some of the kids had their own guns as well. it was quite a thrill for me when i watched one young gentleman pick up a gun off the rack,load it from the patches and powder they had available and proceed to shoot a perfect score. the targets were all knock-downs or swingers at varying ranges. every one of the kids who i had a chance to score were very polite and courteous. all around it was a great event and i hope to see more like it.
pieman

 

[oomcurt]

Hmm...years back I was a NRA instructor for hunter safety as well as other areas...the student was expected to bring thier own gun. True, most was done with a shotgun...but while it never happened if a student did bring a .22 the only thing different would have been they could not have used it with the rest of the class using shotguns...reason being the way the range was laid out. Still....there would have been no reason that the student with the rifle would not have been checked out on that also. This was in the middle seventies and where I lived only a very few folks used black powder that I knew personally. I belonged to a rather large gun club and my guess is perhaps maybe out of say...200 members only about 10 were into muzzleloading if that.

 

[Puffer]

As most of already know, I am a WA ST. Hunter Ed. Inst.(WDFW) & ML is a VERY MINOR part of the classes :cry: (30 min out of 10 - 12 hr.s ) Even on the "range day" no ML. :curse:
But BSA is offering a Hunter Merit badge & a "Ranger" Hunter badge. I recently had the op. to do a traing session W/ 50+ adult Ranger leaders on Hunter Ed. & all learned ML + shot on the range. Also a couple of the camps have full time "primative" conculars & teach ML (they use caplocks :front

NRA HE is not reconized in WA for meeting the req. for Lic.

KEEP up the GOOD work :front: :front:

Puffer

 

[vradin]

I also worked with the Boy Scouts in doing some demos and also helped the Cubs with shooting BB guns, but they showed no real interest in MLs.

CS

I've had the opposite experience. I run Shooting Sports for a Scout Camp, and with very few exceptions EVERYONE wants to try the ML at least once, some keep coming back for more. Haven't had anyone willing to try the Rifle Merit Badge with the ML yet, but I'm still hoping. Had one young lady who was working on her Ranger Award elective in shooting with the ML.

We add new ML challenges each year- this was the 4th year, and starting from one plastic CVA Bobcat and one [expletive deleted] inline 4 years ago, we're now up to 4 wood-stocked .50 Hawkin clones, a borrowed .54 Hawkins, and a .45 flinter. From shooting at a single sheet of paper, we now use 3x5 cards, necco wafers, axe blades, and dining hall reject apples.

There's hope the the youth programs. It needs an instructor with a love for the traditional (preaching to the choir), and support from the camp. Let the kids get their dirty little paws on the MLs, let them shoulder it, feel the heft, roll a few roundballs in their hands, then demo it by letting one of the dads take a shot.

Vic

 

[CrackStock]

Griz,

Those pictures say it all.

That is so close to my memories.

Thanks,

CS