Certainly the 31 youth who partook in the 2017 Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC) are all very successful individuals; however in June, Libby Logan of Guernsey and Style Thurston of Afton came out on top. 

Wyoming’s YHEC program celebrated its 10 year anniversary at the Upton Gun Club. The event was driven by volunteers who come together to offer youth the chance to put their hunting skills to the test. Youth competed in shooting and responsibility competitions including archery, 5-stand shotgun shooting, muzzleloading, .22 rifle, orienteering with a compass, wildlife identification, hunter skills trail, and a hunter education test. 

“The Wyoming Game and Fish Department would like to thank Rick Rothleutner, Brady and Becky Morris, James Dawson, Cliff Abbott and Heather Dawson for working year-round to plan this great event and to work with the over 20 volunteers who make the event possible,” said Tristanna Bickford, Game and Fish hunter education coordinator.  

Participants receive awards for the top three competitors in each event, overall shooting, overall responsibility, and the grand champion for both the Junior and Senior Division. Champions included:
 

Wyoming’s two teams and three independent competitors represented the Cowboy State well at the National YHEC event in Raton, New Mexico July 23 to July 28. Adam Christensen of Upton placed second in the Cherokee Run, a special event consisting of 12 stations that include spear throwing, sling shot, archery, building a fire, and other activities. All of Wyoming’s 11 representatives worked together and were recognized with the Sportsmanship Award. 

Keep an eye on the Game and Fish social media and webpage for next year’s YHEC events.