The Winners of the YHEC National Championship

It was an exciting week at the 2016 NRA Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC) National Championship! 

Last week, over 300 youth from 15 states headed to Mansfield, PA to compete in eight hunting related events.

The events consisted of four shooting events: rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader, and archery; along with four responsibility events: wildlife identification, orienteering, hunter safety, and a hunter responsibility exam.

All competitors were 18 years old and younger and could compete as an individual and/or a team at the junior or senior level. Scores from all eight events are taken to determine winners for each category. The coaches even had a chance to show off their skills and compete against one another.

Congratulations to this year’s winners!

• Junior Individual Winner: Joel Freese of the Cumberland Outdoor Club Junior Team 1
• Senior Individual Winner: Mitchell Robson of the Pennsylvania Senior Gold Team
• Junior Team Winner: Pennsylvania Junior Gold Team
• Senior Team Winner: Pennsylvania  Senior Gold Team
• Coach Winner: Steven Bassett of the Utah Junior Team

Click here to view all the results

A separate competition called the Cherokee Run was also held throughout the week. This event was held simply for fun and consisted of running through different stages like bow and arrow, horseshoes, sling shot, and starting your own fire. Drew Bargesser, a junior from North Carolina, took home first with the highest score and fastest time.

Competitions ran throughout the day, leaving the evenings open to additional activities! Youth, parents, and coaches were all invited to participate in events like a 3-gun shoot, a flu flu archery shoot, swap meet, and demonstrations by the Pennsylvania Game Commission.

YHEC is a great opportunity for youth to demonstrate their skills, make friends from all over the country, bond with their families, and learn what it means to be a responsible and ethical hunter. 

Check out the pictures below from the 2016 YHEC National Championship!

Gallery

Interested in YHEC? Click here to learn more about YHEC and find your local/state event today!