Frequently Asked Questions

Local and State YHEC events are open to anyone 18 years of age and under. Some local YHEC events do not require participants to complete a Hunter Education course as a prerequisite, however, all state events do. 

Visit the Local and State Events Page for a list of all upcoming events, or contact your State Coordinator for more information. If your state does not have an upcoming event or State Coordinator, contact us at (800) 492-4868 opt. 3 or [email protected]

If there is no YHEC near you, you can email [email protected] or call (800) 492-4868 option 3 for more information. The NRA is always looking to recruit new clubs and ranges to host their own YHEC event. You can also attend a local or state event in a neighboring state if the event organizer allows it. 

YHEC events are conducted in a variety of locations - from farm fields to large gun clubs. It is up to the event organizers, and also dependent on the limitations of the event facility, as to what activities you can expect. The only requirement is all events must have at least one shooting and one responsibility event. 

There are eight official YHEC events that can be conducted at the local and state level. The shooting events are .22 Rifle, Shotgun, Muzzleloader and Archery. The responsibility events are Wildlife Identification, Hunter Responsibility Exam, Hunter Safety Trail and Orienteering.

It is at the discretion of the event organizer whether to allow equipment to be brought or whether they will supply the equipment.  

In most cases, parents do not participate in YHEC activities but are encouraged to support the local and state events as a spectator or volunteer. 

NRA’s Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC) provides a fun and practical environment for kids to develop and improve their hunting, marksmanship and safety skills. Through its simulated hunting situations, live fire exercises and responsibility events, YHEC builds upon skills learned in basic hunter education courses and encourages safer, lifelong hunting habits.

YHEC event prices differ depending on the host. Please contact your local or state event for costs.

To participate in a YHEC event, you must be 18 years of age or under. If a Hunter Education course is required, you must follow your state's age requirements.

Any club, group, organization or individual that has access to a location that can safely host shooting events, resources to recruit volunteers and participants, and a passion for promoting youth involvement in the hunting and shooting sports can host an event. Download the YHEC Guidebook for a complete guide on starting your own YHEC. 

A complete list of basic equipment requirements can be found on page 12 of the How to Conduct a YHEC Guidebook, available for download here.

The NRA does not charge a fee for hosting a YHEC event. Event organizers have the option to charge participants a registration fee. Funding sources are available from the NRA in the form of grants. More information can be found here. 

Per request, the NRA will provide insurance for the day of the YHEC event at no charge. Insurance DOES NOT cover practices or any other activities that occur outside the official YHEC event dates. 

It is the responsibility of the event organizers to promote your YHEC event. Some suggested promotional outlets include: local sporting goods stores, local papers, Hunter Education Classes, shooting and range clubs, community bulletin boards and social media. 

Once your event has been registered with the NRA, it will be listed under the Local and State Events Page.

Yes. We require all hosts to submit a post-event report. You can complete the post-event report here.