Every year, Louisiana Youth, boys and girls between the ages of 10-18, in seven organizations practice for months before taking their skills and knowledge to the Louisiana State Youth Hunter Education Challenge in a bid to, hopefully, qualify for NRA Central Regional Youth Hunter Education Challenge. This "YHEC" Challenge is hosted by The Terrebonne Sheriffs office in Houma, Louisiana, And is coordinated by The Louisiana Hunter Education Instructors Association, The Louisiana Dept of Wildlife and Fisheries and a host of volunteers from our communities. Our goal is provide a fun friendly competition in a safe and supervised environment.
At the Louisiana Youth Hunter Education Challenge the youths will be able to enhance their knowledge of hunter education and marksmanship skills. Bringing together YHEC clubs from across Louisiana is an excellent chance for these club members to meet youths from different backgrounds that share their interest. The activities will help this group of youths to develop friendships and skills that will stay with them and enhance their ability to deal with future hunting and survival situations, ensuring a safer future in outdoor activities for everyone.
The youths compete in the following eight categories ,
Archery - Trained on safety and marksmanship of compound bows, targets are typically 3D silhouettes of game animals placed in a natural settings at various distances·
Shotgun Shooting –Trained on safety and marksmanship of 12 or 20 gauge Shotguns, targets are clay pigeons in a "Sporting Clay" setup
Muzzleloader - Trained on safety and marksmanship of muzzleloader. Metal silhouettes targets vary distance from 20 to 75 yards Participants will shoot from three positions (prone, sitting and standing)
.22 Light Rifle -Trained on safety and marksmanship of muzzleloader. Metal silhouettes targets vary in distance from 20 to 75 yards Participants will shoot from three positions (prone, sitting and standing)
Wildlife Identification-ability to identify birds, and mammals (at times even reptiles) by their furs, features, skulls, tracks, scat and sound
Orienteering- trained in how to use a compass and read a topographical map and use the two together participants may be asked to describe how nature provides individuals with different directions of travel (north, south, east and west, etc.)
Hunter Responsibility Test- is a written test based on a book (the Hunter’s Guide) provided by the National Rifle Association Hunter Services Departments
Hunter Safety Trail- training in safe handling of a firearm in the field, ethical hunting conduct and good judgment
Our History Our journey began in 1985 where as Jonathon Glasscock, Louisiana Department of Wildlife and Fisheries Hunter Education Regional Coordinator, attended the predecessor to the present-day Youth Hunter Education Challenge held at Remington Farms, Maryland.
In the year following, 1986, Louisiana held its first event at the KOA campground at Simsboro, Louisiana. There were 30 participants from two groups, one from Lincoln Parish coached by Mike Burns and one from Jeanerette, La, coached by John Landry. A number went on to participate in the national event held at Camp LeJeune, North Carolina.
In 1987 the same groups participated, and some went to the Hardware Ranch in Utah.
In 1988 a mini-event was set up at the annual Louisiana Hunter Education Instructors Workshop where instructors were the participants and learning about YHEC. That year teams went to Pennsylvania to compete.
In 1989 teams from Louisiana participated in International event in Alberta, Canada. Since then, Louisiana teams have participated in events in Virginia, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, New Mexico and Arkansas where they have distinguished themselves by winning numerous teams and individual awards.
Louisiana YHEC has steadily grown from the original 30 participants in 1986 to the present 100+ participants in 2024. Clubs from Caddo-Bossier, Desoto, Sabine Parish, Rapides, Terrebonne Parishes, Acadiana (St Mary Parish), Jeanerette (Iberia Parish) and Greater New Orleans have participants at the yearly LYHEC Challenge. The clubs are sponsored by local sportsman’s clubs, ranges local businesses, raffles, etc. Several clubs have gotten grants from NRA. The Louisiana YHEC is cosponsored by the Louisiana Department of Wildlife and the Louisiana Hunter Education Instructors Association. The staff consists of the Challenge Director, Event Directors and a board of volunteers who come from all over the state. Some are instructors and others are associated with clubs.