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Utah Hunting Skills Challenge
Contact Troy Anderson (This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.) for more information.
The Utah Hunting Skills Challenge, previously part of the NRA's Youth Hunter Education Challenge, is a competition for individuals of all ages who have completed Hunter Education. During the challenge, participants demonstrate their hunting, marksmanship and safety skills.
The 2025 Utah Hunting Skills Challenge state competition will be held June 20-21 at the Lee Kay Public Shooting Range at 6000 W. 2100 South in Salt Lake City. Registration is $35 per participant, and participants must register through the DWR's Eventbrite page by May 30 to compete. There are three participant divisions:
- Junior Division I (6-14 years old)
- Junior Division II (15-18 years old)
- Adult Division (19 years old and older)
The state competition offers a variety of events, including:
- Wildlife identification
- .22 long rifle
- Shotgun
- Archery
- Muzzleloader
- Orienteering
- Safety trail (which includes a variety of different scenarios to test ethics and safety when hunting)
- Written exam (which will test participants on hunting rules and regulations and information learned in Hunter Education)
Prizes will be awarded to the top five highest-scoring individuals in the two junior divisions, and to the three highest-scoring individuals in the adult division. Junior division prize winners will also have the opportunity to compete at the national Youth Hunter Education Challenge along with competitors from all over the United States and Canada.
Learn more about the NRA's YHEC program.
Resources
- Utah YHEC Basics – Equipment Rules — PDF
- Utah YHEC Basics – Events Breakdown — PDF
- Letters for parents and participants
- For beginners — PDF
- About the State Tournament — PDF
- Orienteering pace chart (fillable) — XLSX
- YHEC .22 target shots
