Hey, Challengers - we are trying to get a better handle on this year's YHEC event. As you may know, in 2008, we moved the state event to the newly-renovated Buffalo Boy Scout camp near Monticello, Indiana, It is a perfect facility for our competition - great layout, safe shooting ranges, brand new cafeteria, camping and housing available, and a wonderful supportive staff! We already singed up to return to Buffalo for 2009. All we need now is YOU, the challengers! We had less participation than we hoped for in 2008, and we're not sure why. If you missed last year's event, please leave a comment as to why you couldn't participate. As for this year's event, we hope to contact everyone who has ever participated in YHEC, from any where in the state, as well as 4-H shooters, and Boy Scout and Girl Scout shooters. We want to get the word out about our 2009 event. So, keep your eye out for the YHEC mailer and send in your registration as soon as you can. And spread the word about YHEC to your shooting and hunting friends. Don't forget to check out the links listed at the right. And keep visiting here for further updates, too.

New Location for the State YHEC Event

With appologies for the late notice, IndYHEC is happy to announce a new location for our 2008 YHEC event. Beautiful Camp Buffalo, a newly-renovated Boy Scout Camp, will be the site of this year's competition. with facilities for all EIGHT of our disciplines, the new site will bring the state YHEC to the northern half of the state. Camp Buffalo is located about 9 miles north of Monticello, Indiana. Don't let the new location discourage you from attending if you live in the southern part of the state!

We will be mailing out brochures with registration forms very soon. Watch your mailbox! If you don't receive a mailing, you can always print out a registration form from here. If you're in a real hurry to register, contact us by e-mail at indyhec@gmail.com, and we'll make arrangements to get you signed up at once!

Indiana Event Just Around the Corner!

Hey, the state event is just 7 days away...are you ready? Registration forms have been sent to all previous challengers. Remember, you can bring all your registration materials with you and sign in the morning of the event (July 21 - next Saturday!). If you haven't registered before this year, you'll need to have a copy of your birth certificate and a copy of your Hunter Ed. card. If you have competed in Indiana YHEC before, we already have that information on file. And don't forget, there's a $15 entry fee.

Registration will open at 9:00 am on Saturday, so try to arrive a little early. That will give you time to get familiar with the lay-out of the venues. You'll get your name tags and score sheet at the registration table, as well as a T-shirt. Things might be a little different this year, since we will be holding the YHEC event in conjunction with the NMLRA's Youth Shoot. There will be a lot more people, youth and adults, at the facility, as a result. Some of the events, such as Wildlife I.D. and the Written Test, may be in a different spot this year. Watch for signs, or ask a volunteer for directions.
The ranges and other venues will all open at 10:00 am and will stay open until 4:00 pm. That means you will have to complete all 8 events in that time frame - and no, you cannot begin an event at 3:58! It helps us tally scores if you would report your individual scores for each event as you complete it - don't make a special trip back to the scoring table; just let us know if you're passing by on your way to another event.
We'll award prizes for highest overall score in each division, highest team score in each division, and a prize for the highest score at each event. So, we hope you've been practicing! Every challenger will also receive a certificate of participation. The certificate will allow you to participate in the International YHEC event the following week , July 23-27 at the NRA Whittington Center near Raton, New Mexico. We hope you're fired up about YHEC - it should be a great event this year! And don't forget, you may also compete in the Youth Shoot during this weekend at Friendship. There will be all the information you need for that competition at the event. We'll see you soon!

Invitation to a Challenge

You are invited to attend the Indiana Youth Hunter Education Challenge, sponsored by the Indiana YHEC Association. This event will provide a broad spectrum of outdoor skills challenges. IndYHEC’s goals are: to provide youth with a fun, positive experience that encourages future involvement in the shooting sports; to encourage safety, responsibility, and skill development in all areas of the outdoor/hunting experience; to promote public awareness of hunter education; and to publicize the positive aspects of hunters and their sport - hunting!

IndYHEC is an event where young people ages 11 to 19 can try their hands at field archery using McKenzie 3-D targets, light hunting rifles and muzzleloaders, sporting clays, orienteering with a compass, wildlife identification, and other hunter safety events. All events are set up to approximate and reflect situations one might encounter in the field while hunting. All state YHEC participants qualify to participate in the International YHEC event. Are YOU up to the Challenge?

And the Challenges are...

This year, the YHEC shooting and outdoor skills events will include 8 challenges that will be scored for YHEC and for the Youth Shoot. Since this year's YHEC event is held jointly with the NMLRA Youth Shoot, there are 3 more challenges you may participate in, but they will not be scored for YHEC. These 3 additional challenges will ONLY be scored for the Youth Shoot. YHEC Participants are expected to compete and be scored in all eight YHEC challenges, but you are not REQUIRED to participate in the 3 additional Youth Shoot challenges. We encourage you to do them for fun and to keep your outdoor skills honed. Just make sure you have the required 8 completed by the time the YHEC venues close on Saturday afternoon!

The 2007 YHEC Challenges and Youth Shoot Challenges are as follows:

Archery: Shoot ten arrows at 3-D animal targets at different distances
Rifle: Shoot ten .22 rimfire rounds at paper and steel targets
Shotgun: Shoot a 12 or 20 gauge shotgun to disintegrate air-borne clays
Muzzle Loading: Aim for a steel gong & paper targets at different distances
Orienteering: Use a compass, find your bearings, walk a course
Wildlife Identification: Identify tracks, pelts, silhouettes, and sounds
Hunter's Safety Trail: Decide if that shot in the field safe...and ethical?
Hunter's Exam: Answer 50 written questions over all aspects of hunting safety

Additional Youth Shoot Challenges:
Pistol: Use .22 pistols to hit steel plate targets and paper targets
Tomahawk Throw: Stick the primitive hawk in a wooden target
Paint Ball Shoot: Paint paper targets at different distances

Welcome to the new Indiana YHEC blog!

We will be transferring more information here shortly. But for now, please make a note of the date change and plan on joining us in Friendship, Indiana in July for all the fun! Go here for even more information.
If you have questions or comments, be sure to use the comment feature below. We will respond to them here, as well, so visit this site often. Keep safe and keep shooting!