YHEC Wow what a YHEC!!!

The 2013 Arkansas Youth Hunter Education Challenge continues to get better each year. There are many reasons for the growth and success of YHEC in Arkansas. Arkansas.The Natural State has a tradition of hunting and being in the outdoors. Kids and Guns.every kid wants to learn how to shoot and hunt. NRA, our Nations leader in Shooting, Hunting and Education provide a the programs and support to grow shooting and hunting education. And finally but certainly not least is the role that Safari Club International, especially in Arkansas plays in supporting youth shooting and education. For the past five years SCI and ARYHEC have teamed together to sponsor and support youth hunter education. The 2013 ARYEC State Championship was once again one of the nations largest and most successful hunter education competitions. Over 350 youth from 40 counties/teams in Arkansas competed in this years event at the C. A. Vines 4-h Center near Little Rock. The program open to all boys and girls ages 9 to 18 allows youth to test their hunting and shooting abilities against other youth across the state. Each youth must compete in 4 shooting events and 4 outdoor responsibility events. These events include shooting a .22Rilfe, Shotgun, Muzzle Loader, and Bow as well as going thru a Compass and Orienteering Course, Wildlife Identification Course, a Safety( Shoot/Dont Shoot) Trail, and taking a Hunter Responsibility exam. Arkansas SCI is one of the major Sponsors of the ARYHEC Event. SCI provides funding for Team Sponsorship to the International YHEC competition. This year SCI is sponsoring the Cleburne County Sharp Shooters to attend the International YHEC event in New Mexico. The Team will compete for five days against several hundred youth from all across North America. For the past several years, not only has SCI sponsored and support a local Arkansas Team to attend the International competition, but SCI has provided equipment such as clay trap throwers to the State YHEC program. The Arkansas SCI chapter also has volunteers that cooks and provides lunch to the 100+ YHEC volunteers. According to Gary Jobe, State YHEC Director, The Arkansas SCI Chapter has provided some wonderful support to our program over the past five years. Our Mission, just like SCI is to provide a safe and ethical program for kids to learn how to shoot and hunt.

(YHEC continued) The SCI chapter has provided support for Arkansas youth to attend and compete in a shooting program at an International Level. SCI members are always there to provide support on a local basis. Without the support of our sponsors like SCI, the Arkansas YHEC program could not be as successful as we are. We are one of the nations largest YHEC programs thanks to SCI This year several SCI members such as Dennis Moore chapter president, and his wife Dawn, along with Board of Director Member John Carroll and his wife prepared lunch for the over 100 volunteers working at YHEC. YHEC volunteers spend long and hot days making the YHEC experience successful. The great food and support from SCI helps make their work appreciated. MEMBER HUNTTRENT PETTIS

In August 2013, members Trent Pe s, Tim Daugherty and Jason Phillips traveled to Canoe Canada Ou i ers in A kokan, Ontario, Canada. They travelled with two other non-chapter members to partake in a bear hunt and shing trip, which was donated by Shane Selman (Canoe Canada Ou i ers) and won by Trent Pe s at the Central Missouri Chapter SCI Banquet. They met with Shane at Canoe Canada where all the logis cs, licensing, and paperwork were completed. From there they were taken to fully furnished and equipped cabins at Lake Finlayson, which is about 15 miles outside of A kokan. A er ge ng se led in, the hunters were taken out and shown bait sites for the hunt. Each hunter was given two ac ve baits as well as advice on the best ways to hunt. From there on, we were on our own un l a bear was killed. Trent killed his chocolate color phase bear a er only two and a half hours in the stand. The bear was in great condi on and weighed 322 lbs. Darrell Cagle killed his black bear on the third day and it weighed 351 lbs. A er harves ng both bears, a phone call was all that was needed and the folks from Canoe Canada came to the rescue, cleaning the bears, ge ng them out and transpor ng them to their oce for skinning, processing and freezing. This hunt was semi-guided meaning we were responsible for ge ng ourselves to/from the bait sites, refreshing the baits and cooking/cleaning at the cabin. The sta were extremely helpful, checking in daily and oering ps and assistance as needed. They even oered up some extra bait sites when the weather turned hot and the bears werent very ac ve. Although only two of the four hunters were successful, it was not due to lack of bears or eort on the part of the guide sta. This group was plagued by record se ng high temperatures as well as a full moon, both of which reduced bear ac vity. There were numerous other bears photographed on trail cameras set on baits not hunted. The area holds a large number of color phase bears as well as big bears. Shane has been extremely generous in dona ng another hunt to the Arkansas Chapter. This hunt is for one hunter for 5 days and includes the cabin, ac ve bait sites, and a boat/motor/gas for shing. Shane also oers his stas assistance when a bear is killed in that they will clean, transport, skin and quarter the bear for transporta on back to the states. The value of the hunt is $1695. The only other costs associated with the hunt are License fees of approx.. $240 for the bear permit and $40 for the shing license. The cabins can accommodate between 2 and 12 hunters and its a great opportunity for a relaxing family or friends hunt. The hunt level is non-strenuous and the shing is very good. Trent and the