Seek state title

Teenagers John Marshall, Danielle Metzger and Cameron Hall started hunting when they were 10 and 11 years of age. 

This year, they’ve entered a Missouri tournament that tests their all-around outdoor  skills and understanding. 

The goal is to win the Missouri Youth Hunter Education Challenge championship. The competition tests seven different outdoor skills. 

The categories include shooting light hunting rifles, shotguns, muzzle-loading rifles and bow and arrow. Also there are tests on orienteering, wildlife identification and hunter responsibility. 

Danielle is 14 and a 9th grader at Parkway South High School. This will be her second try in the state competition. She said, “Last year, I scored pretty high in the rifle competition and did pretty well in orienteering.” 

Orienteering involves finding your way in the woods with only a compass and a topographical map. That’s a map with hills and valleys marked but no street or highway signs. 

John is 13 and an 8th grader who is home schooled. He said, “My godfather took me to an outdoor camp where I heard about the state competition. I applied when I got back.” 

Cameron is 14 and a 9th grader at Parkway South High School. He said he’s had experience with most of the categories in the competition. “But, archery will be new for me,” he said. 

The three are members of the first junior Youth Hunter Education team sponsored by the Jay Henges Range and Training Center near High Ridge. This is a Missouri Conservation Commission shooting range located off 1-44. 

The range also will sponsor a senior team. The junior team is for youth under 15 as of Dec. 1, 2000. The senior team will be for those under age 20 as of Dec. 1, 2000. 

Hentges Range officials have scheduled two or three formal practices every month until the state meet in Jefferson City, June 22-24. The teams started their practice schedules in December. 

Ralph Redstone is a conservation volunteer working with the Henges team. “We’ve scheduled some of the best outdoor trainers in their fields to make sure our kids are prepared for the competition,” he said. 

He said over 100 teams from across Missouri are expected at the state meet. The winning team will represent Missouri in a national meet later in the year. 

Danielle said, “My dad, grandfather and uncle are all hunters. I’ve been going hunting with my dad since I was 11. I started with duck hunting and have been deer hunting for the last two years.” However, she admits she hasn’t bagged a deer as yet. 

Since she is a left-hander, Redstone has reserved a special left-handed muzzle-loading rifle for her from equipment at the Hentges range. Team members either can use their own equipment or will be able to borrow equipment from the range. 

John said he has a 20-gauge shotgun and has been hunting for quail in South Dakota. “I also went duck hunting last November,” he said. He did bag a duck on that trip. 

Cameron said, “I started hunting about four years ago with a family friend.” His first hunting trip was for quail at a private club. “The latest trip was hunting for game birds in Illinois,” he added. 

Jim Engel is the range officer for the Hentges range. He will give the kids instruction in their light rifle and shotgun events. He told the team members the 22.caliber rifle shooting will be on a “field course” and not on a range. 

They fire from standing, sitting, kneeling and prone positions at distances of 30-, 50- and 75-yards. Their accuracy is judged in hitting pictures of squirrels, rabbits and ground hogs. 

He urged the team members to practice on their own in addition to the regular practices. “You should ‘dry fire’ your (empty) rifle every day at home. Also, you should ‘live fire’ on a range at least once every weekend until the state meet,” he said. 

All of the junior and senior team members have to have parental permission before they can participate in the Youth Hunter competition.