Teams from Faulkner and Benton counties, respectively, took top honors June 7-9 at the 22nd annual Arkansas Youth Hunter Education Challenge at the C.A. Vines Center near Little Rock.
The Faulkner County “Guns and Roses” team won the senior division. Team members were, from left, Jesse McClellan, Tommy Newsom, Julie Newsom, Ali Verkler and Nick Massey.
The Benton County “Junior Ozark Youth Shooting Team 1” won the junior division. Team members, from left, were Hunter Stover, Annie Downum, Jessica Hope, Hattie Bittle and Courtney Stephens.
The Youth Hunter Education Challenge includes events for shooting a .22 rifle, shotgun, muzzleloading rifle and bow. Participants are also taught outdoors skills such as how to use a compass and map, identifying wildlife, gun and outdoor safety, state hunting rules, first aid and survival skills.
Finishing second in the senior division were the Benton County “Ozark Youth Shooting Team 1,” consisting of Austin Abercrombie, Dustin Morris, Hayden Bowen, Ryan Lane and Spencer Bittle. Finishing third was the “Ozark Youth Shooting Team 2,” which consists of Morgan Puryear, Faith Fritch, Chris Abel, Calvin Snyder and Alyssa Alberson.
Finishing second in the junior division was the Faulkner County “Young Guns,” which consists of Aaron Bickford, Anna Brock, Jude Harrell, Lawson Casey and Logan Tucker. Union County Team 1, consisting of Cash Moffett, Grace Reed, Haydon Walker, Landon Langston and Nolan Williams, finished third. These six teams will compete in the National YHEC Championship July 22-27 in Mansfield, Pa.
