Congratulations go out to the 2001 International
YHEC Team Champions
1st Place Seniors - Cadde Bossier SR Red
of Louisiana
Tim Wynn, Josh Mars, Dustin Haggard, Taylor Gamel,
Colt Bothel
2nd Place Seniors - Pennsylvania Senior Sharpshooters
Josh Easter, Samuel Easter, Josh Petris, Jeremy Castle,
Garret Desmond
3rd Place Seniors - Missouri Magnums
Jacob Crismon, Kevin Uballez, Nick Muckerman, Franklin
Clayton, Will Hemeyer
*****************************
1st Place Juniors - DYST Gold of Louisiana
Nathan Mitchell, Nicolas Rains, Sean Altman, Daniel
Cobb, Charlie Edwards
2nd Place Juniors - Pennsylvania Junior Blue
Jarrod Chandler, Devon Babcock, Lynsey Arnold, Issac
Stoll, Benjamin Green
3rd Place Juniors - Colorado Allstars
Chase Bianchi, Alan Miller, Brandon Luter, Joseph
LaVenture, Todd Williams
Pennsylvanians Take Top Spots at YHEC
For the fourth straight year, young hunters from Pennsylvania have
dominated the NRA's International Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC)
– the 16th annual event – held this year in Raton, New Mexico, from July
30 to August 3.
The YHEC program is designed to encourage young hunters to build
upon the basic skills they learn in state-level hunter education courses.
After completing a state course, and competing in a state or local YHEC,
youngsters are eligible to compete in the annual international event. The
international event concludes with four overall awards: individual junior
(ages 14 and under) and senior (ages 15-19), and team junior and senior.
Over 300 young hunters from close to 20 states and Saskatchewan chose
to compete in this year's hunter challenge, facing eight events: .22 rifle,
shotgun, muzzleloader, archery, orienteering, hunter safety trail, wildlife
identification, and a written hunter safety exam.
Jeremy Castle, 19, of Troy, Pennsylvania, took top honors in the
senior individual category. Jeremy has been competing in NRA's YHEC for
the past seven years; last year he finished in third place. "Hunting is
a great sport, and it's a lot of fun," said a grinning Jeremy. "YHEC teaches
you how to be a respectful and ethical hunter in the woods. It goes beyond
just knowing how to shoot well," Jeremy said, adding that he's been hunting
with his family and friends for as long as he can remember.
Devon Babcock, 14, of Rome, Pennsylvania – who last year took second
place and finished third two years ago – ended up as the junior champion
of the 2001 event. "I practiced quite a bit," said Devon. "I was working
towards this win almost every day for the last several months," he added.
More importantly, Devon said he enjoyed every minute of the hunting challenge.
"Shooting the field archery course was great; it was my favorite event.
Orienteering was tough for everyone, as usual," Devon added. Additionally,
in keeping with their now four-year tradition of success, teams from Pennsylvania
finished in second place in both junior and senior team age categories.
Competitors from Louisiana also did themselves proud – the Mansfield-based
DeSoto Youth Sportsmen claimed first place in the junior team category
while the Caddo Bossier team, hailing from Shreveport, took first in the
senior team category.
Next year's International Youth Hunter Education Challenge will take
place July 22-26, 2002, in Mansfield, Pennsylvania. Call 800-492-HUNT for
more information.
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