Area students recently competed the District 7 NC Wildlife Youth Hunter Education Skills Tournament. District 7 includes Ashe, Alleghany, Watauga, Wilkes, Surry, Stokes, Yadkin, Iredell, Alexander, Davie, and Forsyth. The event was hosted by Hunting Creek Preserve and led by NC Wildlife Officers.
The competition is conducted on Senior (High School) and Junior (Middle School) divisional levels, with overall team and overall individual awards based on aggregate scores in all events. Home-schooled students and teams representing 4-H or FFA also competed, explained parent Melissa Long.
Sixty teams will move on to compete at the State tournament in April at the Lentz Hunter Education Complex in Ellerbe. First and second place in Senior and Junior from each district are awarded a slot at State. The remaining 24 slots will be chosen after all District events conclude and will be awarded on highest team scores.
Events in the competition include: Trap (Shotgun), Rifle (50feet, 4 positions), Archery (10, 15, 20, 25 yards), Hunter Safety Skills (detailed 100 question test covering NC Hunter Education Manual and the current NC Regulations Digest that teaches annual hunting laws and limits, which changes each year. This has proven to be the toughest event and students study all year to compete in this event and help improve and inform themselves as hunters, said Long.
The day started with families arriving as early as 4:30 a.m. to wait for the gate to open. Once the gate opened it was to smiling faces from the Wildlife Officers and Lone Hickory Fire Department keeping all the trucks organized and parked. Everyone unloaded their heavy equipment into carts and headed for their safety inspections. Any participant bringing unapproved items to the event meant disqualification and their team was deducted 50 points. This is an important safety precaution. Everyone respects the rules and the level of sportsmanship is unmatched in other youth sports, said Long.
Each team rotated throughout the events until all tie breakers were finished and families gathered at the Lodge for the awards just before dark. It was a day of focus, maneuvering through the mud from the earlier rains, and transitioning to the heat and blinding sun. The youth had an extremely challenging day. With guidance and encouragement throughout the day from the coaches and Wildlife Officers they all persevered and made it with their heavy carts back up for the last challenge of the day — the muddy district hill, said Long.
The Elkin Senior Elks team includes Luke Burchette, Riley Hagwood, Jonas Johnson, Reece Long, Rowan Robinson, Reagan Whitley. This team will compete at the State Tournament in April. The Elkin Senior Blue team includes Jocelyn Johnson, Joseph Johnson, Braden Oliver, Avett Simmons, Webb Snyder, Brayson Tatum, and Wade Thompson. This team will learn later this month if they make it to State.
Tournament results:
Senior Teams
36 Teams with 269 Individuals
Overall
1st Elkin Senior Elks
2nd Reagan Shooting Team-Black
3rd Elkin Senior Blue
Individual 1st place — Reece Long (Elkin Senior Elks)
Archery
1st Elkin Senior Elks
2nd Elkin Senior Blue
3rd Soggy Bottom Sr. Gold
Individual 1st Place — Clara Brooks (Soggy Bottom) (200 perfect score)
Hunter Safety Skills
1st Elkin Senior Elks
2nd Elkin Senior Blue
3rd Reagan Shooting Team-Black
Individual 1st place — Reece Long (Elkin Senior Elks) & Rowan Robinson (Elkin Senior Elks) (tied) (178/200)
Rifle
1st Elkin Senior Elks
2nd Elkin Senior Blue
3rd Forbush Red Sr
Individual 1st place -Jesse Walker (Starmount) (196/200)
Shotgun
1st Watauga Sr 1
2nd Davie County War Eagles
3rd Soggy Bottom Sr. Gold
Individual 1st place — Riley Hagwood (Elkin Senior Elks) (200 and won the shootoff)
Junior Teams
26 Teams with 158 Individuals
Overall
1st Forbush Clay Busters
2nd East Forsyth JV Eagles
3rd William Ellis Jaguars
Individual 1st place — Conner Mathis (William Ellis Jaguars)
Archery
1st East Forsyth JV Eagles
2nd Forbush Clay Busters
3rd East Forsyth JV Blue
Individual 1st Place — Kolby Nelson (East Forsyth JV Eagles)
Hunter Safety Skills
1st Forbush Clay Busters
2nd Forbush Gray Eagles
3rd North Stokes Junior Green
Individual 1st place — Ryan Prichard (Forbush Clay Busters)
Rifle
1st East Forsyth JV Eagles
2nd Forbush Clay Busters
3rd William Ellis Jaguars
Individual 1st place — Makenzie Taylor (Forbush Clay Busters)
Shotgun
1st Forbush Clay Busters
2nd Watauga Jr 1
3rd Soggy Bottom Jr.
Individual 1st place — Tytus Wilson (Watauga Jr 1)
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