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.

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!

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).

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!

Updated for 2022 YHEC: Following a prescribed course, and escorted by a Safety Escort, participants will shoot at five life size, 3D (three dimensional) animal targets. You will shoot a total of four arrows at each animal’s kill zone from two different yardage positions. Distances may be from 10 to 40 yards. You will also have to demonstrate your knowledge of bowhunter safety, Alaska F&G bowhunting regulations, and of course, the equipment you are using by answering questions along the course. Field points only! (No broadheads or judo points) Archery equipment and arrows provided if needed. Remember to bring and use an arm guard and safety glasses.

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!)

Updated for 2022 YHEC: Ask yourself what you would bring with you if you were hunting in the Alaska bush on foot? Are you prepared for things to not go as planned? Demonstrate your knowledge of safe hunting practices and be prepared to be challenged on your first aid and survival/preparedness skills by answering a multitude of questions and demonstrating your capabilities. Be ready to apply your knowledge of Alaska's hunting 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)?

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.

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).