Congratulations to all 2019 YHEC participants on your accomplishments and welcome back! To those just joining the program, welcome!
We will once again be conducting the 5 events during our practice. Below are a few changes, reminders, and guidelines for the 2020 season.
More information on the program can also be found here
Participation
This program cannot function without the support from the club, the NRA, donors, and parents.
If you are asked to purchase a gun raffle ticket from the Friends of the NRA, please consider it because it directly benefits your child in the YHEC program, the club, and other programs and clubs in the area.
We offer an invitation for you and your child to become members of the club because they allow this program to exist. Membership meetings are the second Wednesday of each month and start at 7PM (for new applicants) and usually last less than 1 hour. Parents are not required to be members.
Each participant must arrive at 12:30 so they can attend to meeting and help setup each station. It is also required that each shooter participates in the dismantling and storage of the equipment at the end of each practice. When dismantling and storing the equipment, especially the archery targets, treat them as if they are yours. We want to eliminate the damage caused by throwing the targets in the back of pickup trucks and in the storage area.
Practice starts at 1:00 PM and the meeting begins at 12:30 PM.
First year parents are encouraged to go from station to station with your child so they learn how everything works and can see their child shoot. If a station is short-handed on help, please volunteer your assistance. The coaches will welcome the help. All other parents are encouraged to help at the various stations.
Parent Participation
This program cannot function without parent participation. With accepting more participants into the program this year, we really need to have some parents step up and help at each station.
Shotgun – on practice Sundays, it takes a minimum of 3 individuals to operate the station. On scoring Sundays, it takes a minimum of 4 individuals to operate the station. With the increased number of participants this year it may take as many as 6 individuals on practice Sundays and 8 on scoring Sundays.
Muzzleloader – Each Sunday it takes a minimum of 3 individuals to operate the station.
Archery – Each Sunday it takes a minimum of 2 individuals to operate the station.
22 Rifle – Each Sunday it takes a minimum of 3 individuals to operate the station.
Wildlife ID and Hunter Responsibility – We need at least two volunteers to make a test for each scoring week and to also administer and score the test. Most of the participants do not take this
serious even though it accounts for 33% of their overall score at the competitions. The Wildlife ID and Hunter Responsibility will take place in the club house.
Attendance
Participants are expected to make the practices, not just scoring weeks. If a participant is showing up for just the scoring weeks, the coaches will determine that participants placing on a team. Remember, your score determines which team you are on at the state competition.
Preparation
Equipment it is your responsibility to take care of. We will not be cleaning shotguns, mounting scopes, etc. during practice time. We will help the kids sight in their guns and practice in weeks leading up to scoring.
Requirements
To participate you must be a youth between the ages of 11 and 18.Individuals turning 19 years of age on or before December 31st are eligible to participate in the PAYHEC during that current calendar year.
All participants need to provide a photocopy of their birth certificate and Hunter Trapper Identification Card. These documents are required to compete in competitions as well as in the program.
The registration form for the regional and state competitions must be completed and turned in even if you are not sure if you will be attending these events.
All above mentioned forms must be turned in and/or completed prior to the second week of practice. If the required documentation is not turned in, you cannot participate in any practices until these requirements are met. No exceptions, except for the Hunter Trapper Identification Card. This give our new participants who may not have taken the course yet time to schedule and take the course.
Fundraising
We will be selling several raffle tickets that will go off throughout the program.
All participants are expected to sell raffle tickets. The funds raised will be used to purchase equipment and offset costs for the club.
Behavior
All participants are to be on their best behavior while at the club, shooting events, or off-site practice. Any participant who behaves in an unsafe manor or is disrespectful to the coaches or chaperones could be suspended.
Safety
· Every gun must be treated as if it were loaded
· Muzzles must always be pointed in a safe direction
· All actions must be open until ready to fire
· Use the alarm/light system on the 22 and muzzle loader ranges
· Eye and ear protection must be worn on all ranges except archery
· No arrows shall be knocked until ready to fire
· No running with firearms or weapons
Team Selection
Teams for the State competitions will be based on individual scores from our 4 scoring weeks. We will average the three best scores for each participant and teams will be based on the scores. If unable to shoot on any given scoring week a score of zero is used for that week.
Western PA Regional Competition
This year Youngwood Sportsman’s will be hosting the regional event. This is a big undertaking and we will need many volunteers to pull this off.
State Competition
The State shoot will be held at Scotia Range State College Pa. We will be planning on getting a block of motel rooms at the Sleep Inn at State College. This is the same place we stayed last year.
National Competition
There will not be a National event this year as of now.
Muzzle Loader
The club will again be providing the black powder this year, but you will still need to bring your own sabots or round balls. It has been mentioned that the most accurate sabot used by YHEC participants, is the TC Cheap Shot brand. All bullets must be pure soft lead. NO JACKETED BULLETS!
The club will also be providing cleaning patches, bore butter, moose milk, and primers and caps.
The club has several muzzle loaders that may be used by participants who do not have a muzzle loader. If borrowing a club muzzle loader, it must be cleaned by the participant at the end of each practice session and state/regional events. We will try to have the participants using a club gun to shoot Muzzle Loader as one of their first three practice stations. The reason for this is if the parent chooses to do so they can clean the gun for their child, this will speed things up for everyone once practice is done.
All club guns must stay at the club and cannot be taken home by any participant under any circumstances. We will transport the clubs muzzle loaders to and from the state competition.
Open sights or peep sights only, NO Scopes. Peep sights work the best.
Archery
All participants must use their own bow for the archery event. Bows cannot be shared among individuals as they are tuned fit every individual. Bows and arrows will not be provided by the club and every individual is responsible for their own.
We will be helping the participants sight in their bows during the weeks leading up to scoring. Once scoring weeks begin, we will be shooting 3D targets for score. Individuals are encouraged to practice on their own outside of YHEC.
Shotgun
It is recommended that each participant use a 12 or 20 gauge. Single shot shotguns are not recommended due to shooting true pairs and report pairs. Shells are provided by the club. The club has one 20-gauge youth shotgun that may be used by those who do not have their own shotgun.
All club shotguns must stay at the club and cannot be taken home by any participant under any circumstances. We will transport the club’s shotguns to and from the state/regional competition.
22 Rifle
Semi-automatic 22s can be used. All 22s must be long rifle. Shells are normally provided by the club. Participants can use their own ammo. Ammo must be given to the adult coaches upon entering the range.
We will be using 3 knockdown target sets; these are the same targets that were used at the state event. We are planning to have the same targets as states, which are similar to the ones we shoot at the club.
Tube fed or clip feed guns are recommended. Scopes are limited to 3×9 power.
Guns cannot weight more than eight and a half pounds and have less than two-and-a-half-pound trigger pull.
Wildlife ID and Hunter Safety
The Wildlife I.D. and Hunter Responsibility tests will be two separate events. Participants will be given study guides and told what chapters the tests will cover in the weeks following. All questions will be pulled from Today’s Hunter and Trapper in Pennsylvania book. Participants will also be given the Wildlife I.D test that covers wildlife tracks, furs, scat, wings, sounds, and skulls.
The Hunter Responsibility exam will consist of 24 questions (5 points per question) that are multiple-choice, matching, true/false, and completion. The Wildlife I.D. test will consist of 12 tracks, furs, scat, wings, sounds, and skulls (10 points each) that the participant must identify.
Schedule
For the 2020 season, we are going to meet on the following dates. These items will also be added to the Club’s Calendar.
February
Orientation meeting, where we will meet the new participants and discuss rules for the coming year, complete registration forms and answer questions.
March
Possible gathering of new participants
Practice and sight in
Practice and sight in
Practice and sight in
Practice and sight in
April
Practice and sight in
Practice with scoring
Easter Sunday; NO YHEC
Practice with scoring
May
Practice with scoring
Regional shoot held at Youngwood Sportsmen’s
Mother’s Day NO YHEC
Practice with scoring
Memorial Day Weekend NO YHEC
June
Practice with team
Practice with team
This is the state event. Details will be provided closer to the actual event.
Contact Information
I can be reached at the following phone number
Mike Drog – 724-321-7192
