RALEIGH, N.C. (May 1, 2023) – A high school team from Alamance County and a middle school team from Haywood County took top honors at the 2023 Youth Hunter Education Skills Tournament (YHEST) on April 29. Southern Alamance FFA team won overall senior division, scoring 3,623 points out of a possible 4,000. Bethel Middle team won the overall junior division with an overall score of 3,499. Students competed in rifle, shotgun and archery marksmanship, orienteering and a hunter responsibility exam.  

The championship was an opportunity for competitors who advanced from district events held in March to showcase shooting and outdoor skills, as well as knowledge learned through the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission’s Hunter Education Program.   

Sixty teams (32 from the senior division, 28 from the junior division), along with 15 individuals, participated in the state tournament. The teams were made up of participants from public and private schools, as well as homeschool associations and 4-H clubs. 

State tournament results are available on the Wildlife Commission’s YHEST webpage. Names of the individual district junior and senior winners were not released because they are minors.   

While the competition was for students 18 years and younger, the Wildlife Commission offers free hunter education courses and advanced hunter education on a regular schedule for all ages. For more information, go to ncwildlife.org/huntered or call 919-707-0031.