Alaska NRA Youth Hunter Education Challenge
The 2021 Alaska Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC) State Championship concluded Sunday, June 6. 40 youth competed in eight challenge events over three days. Dozens of volunteers spent many hours before, during, and after the event, to make it all possible. THANK YOU to all the youth competitors, parents, coaches, event coordinators, volunteers, sponsors and supporters! We've added the complete results (all eight challenge events, team and individual, and overall team and individual) to the YHEC files! A summary of the results is below. We hope to continue with YHEC for 2022 but it will depend on whether or not we can confirm enough volunteers to carry the program forward.
| EVENT/PLACE | WINNER(S) | SCORE |
| SPORTSMANSHIP - JUNIOR | Josiah Ruse | n/a |
| SPORTSMANSHIP - SENIOR | Andrew Smoot | n/a |
| 1st PLACE JUNIOR - OVERALL - INDIVIDUAL (all 8 challenge events) | Gideon Behr | 1,762.0 |
| 2nd PLACE JUNIOR - OVERALL - INDIVIDUAL (all 8 challenge events) | Davis Payton | 1,613.3 |
| 3rd PLACE JUNIOR - OVERALL - INDIVIDUAL (all 8 challenge events) | Nathaniel McNabb | 1,578.5 |
| 1st PLACE SENIOR - OVERALL - INDIVIDUAL (all 8 challenge events) | Brody McEwen | 2,000.8 |
| 2nd PLACE SENIOR - OVERALL - INDIVIDUAL (all 8 challenge events) | Rachael Hausmann | 1,916.5 |
| 3rd PLACE SENIOR - OVERALL - INDIVIDUAL (all 8 challenge events) | Judah Pernell | 1,883.9 |
| 1st PLACE JUNIOR - OVERALL - TEAM (all 8 challenge events) (Liam Hutchinson, Zea May, Zoe May, Noah Meierotto, Lily Ann Reece) |
Wolverines | 6,696.9 |
| 1st PLACE SENIOR - OVERALL - TEAM (all 8 challenge events) (Isaac Hausmann, Rachael Hausmann, Brody McEwen, Judah Pernell, Paris Pernell) |
Brown Bears | 9,061.6 |
YHEC IS FOR YOUTH! The Alaska YHEC state championship is for youth (under age 19, or 19 and enrolled in high school for part of the year) who have completed Basic Hunter Education. Alaska Hunter Education certification is preferred but Basic Hunter Education certification from another state is acceptable. Additionally, Basic Hunter Education certification accepted by Alaska or another state is acceptable including the NRA's online Hunter Education Course. There are two age categories (or divisions), Junior (ages 14 and younger) and Senior (ages 15-19). Youth often compete as part of a team of five (plus one adult coach), but compete as individuals, as well.
Fun, friendly, competition with eight challenge events (four shooting and four hunter responsibility) related to hunter education! Lunch (on Saturday), BBQ lunch on Sunday, Awards, and participation certificate included.
- Archery
- Rifle Shooting
- Muzzleloader Shooting
- Shotgun Shooting
- Hunter Responsibility Exam
- Hunter Safety Trail
- Orienteering
- Wildlife Identification
Visit the NRA's website with more information about the YHEC program.
Check out folder YHEC Documents (scores, results from past YHEC events and current year as available)
Email AIM-COMM YHEC Coordinator Grace Nelson at This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it. with questions.
Alaska YHEC - Challenge Event Information
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Hunter Responsibility Exam - Alaska YHEC +
Test your knowledge of hunter safety, ethics, responsibility, and laws. To study for this exam, review your hunter education class material and the State of Alaska hunting regulations. -
Wildlife Identification - Alaska YHEC +
Test your wildlife identification skills. This challenge may ask you to identify tracks, hides, skulls, bones, feathers, and signs of North American wildlife. To prepare, read as much about local wildlife as possible, study wildlife guides and books, and information on the web such as the ADF&G species pages Alaska's Animals, Alaska Department of Fish and Game (https://www.adfg.alaska.gov/index.cfm?adfg=animals.main). Make flash cards and quiz your teammates. If possible, visit locations with wildlife displays to gain more knowledge. -
Rifle Shooting - Alaska YHEC +
Fire a .22 light rifle to shoot at metal clanger targets placed downrange. Bring your own rifle or arrange to use the equipment we will have available. Juniors and Seniors will shoot at different distances and a tie breaker shot will be sure to challenge your skills! Want to practice? Visit the Alaska Dept. of Fish and Game Hunter Education Indoor Shooting Range during walk-in public hours! -
Muzzleloader Shooting - Alaska YHEC +
At this event, you will fire at targets using a muzzleloading rifle. The targets will be small game animal standing targets, placed downrange, at about 7 yards. You will be allowed a sighting shot. Then, you will fire additional shots at the main target bull for score. The winner will be the highest score. In case of an exact tie, the competitors written test score will act as tie breaker. You may bring your own rifle and equipment or use one of ours (let us know in advance if you need to loan one from us). -
Shotgun Shooting - Alaska YHEC +
Demonstrate your shotgun shooting skills across multiple clay target stations. 12 and 20 gauge shotguns and ammo provided. To practice, visit the Fairbanks Trap Club (or another range for shotgun shooting), during open hours. For Fairbanks Trap Club hours of operation, please call 907-457-6116. Tell the head honchos out there you are practicing for YHEC and they will help you out! -
Archery - Alaska YHEC +
Plan to shoot at life size, dimensional animal targets with broadside vital zone areas, along with a bullseye target. Distances may be from 10 to 25 yards. Field points only! (Do not bring hunting points or judo points.) Archery equipment and arrows provided if needed (make sure to let us know in advance). Make sure to wear adequate footwear as conditions may be wet. Remember to bring and use an arm guard. To practice, visit a local archery shop and range, or local archery organization, or in a safe place near your home! (Make sure you have an adequate backstop and arrows won't go where they should not go!) -
Hunter Safety Trail - Alaska YHEC +
Demonstrate your knowledge of safe hunting practices in various hunting situations. Challenge your first aid and preparedness skills. Showcase your sportsmanship attitude. Answer "shoot or don't shoot" situations with hunting logic and by applying Alaska's regulations, ethics, and common sense. To prepare, study your hunter education material and the State of Alaska hunting regulations. Don't forget your "Hunter Orange," bug repellent, and water! What else would you bring with you, if you were out hunting (on foot)? -
Orienteering - Alaska YHEC +
NO COMMUNICATION DEVICES ARE ALLOWED AT THIS STATION. At this station you will be required to: Identify the five (5) major terrain features on a map. Know the four (4) cardinal directions. Read the scale of a map. Determine a Grid azimuth on a map. Determine field elevation using contour lines. Compute distance either straight line, or along a trail. Find your location using intersection. Convert a grid azimuth to a magnetic azimuth, or the other way around. Compute a back azimuth. Follow a magnetic azimuth for a given distance and locate a target. Add intersection and resection. -
Tie-Breaking - Alaska YHEC +
For the purpose of breaking tie scores in the final results for the Alaska NRA YHEC State Championship, the scoring database we use is designed to implement the following tie breaking criteria, as established by the national YHEC program: In the event of a tie, the individual/team with the highest level of achievement in the Hunter Responsibility Exam will be declared the winner(s). If a tie remains, the individual/team with the highest level of achievement on the Hunter Safety Trail Challenge will be declared the winner(s). Should a tie remain, the individual/team with the highest combined level of achievement in the four (4) responsibility events (Hunter Responsibility Exam, Hunting Orienteering Skills Challenge, Hunting Wildlife Identification Challenge, Hunter Safety Trail Challenge), will be declared the winner(s). The final tiebreaker will be based on a combined score of the four (4) shooting events (Hunting Shotgun Challenge, the Light Hunting Rifle Challenge, Hunting Archery Challenge and the Hunting Muzzleloader Challenge).Should individuals/teams tie in the Hunter Responsibility Exam, the tie breaking formula will start at the second criteria (Hunter Safety Trail Challenge).
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AIM-COMM is a proud supporter of many of the valuable educational programs of the National Rifle Association of America (NRA) and the NRA's defense of our Second Amendment rights. We thank the NRA, the NRA Foundation, and the Friends of NRA, for helping us with our mission to foster the development of marksmanship, the safe and ethical use of firearms and to support and promote use of the Alaska Department of Fish & Game Hunter Education Indoor Shooting Range, in Fairbanks, Alaska. AIM-COMM is Alaska's first NRA Gold Medal Club, and is an NRA Recruiter.
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AIM-COMM's purpose is to foster the development of marksmanship, the safe and ethical use of firearms and to support and promote use of the Alaska Department of Fish & Game Hunter Education Indoor Shooting Range. AIM-COMM is a volunteer-based, IRS 501(c)(3) Non-profit, and Alaska's first NRA Gold Medal Club.