FRIDAY, AUGUST 7, 2015
Outdoor Rec / Sports
NRA competition
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The location of the event
alternates in even and odd
years between New Mexi-
co and Pennsylvania. The
facility in Pennsylvania is
near the New York boarder
and the participants settle
in at nearby Mansfi eld Col-
lege where they stay in the
college dorms and eat in
the cafeteria.
Individuals and teams
from all over the United
States compete at these
National events.
To participate in the
challenge the participants
must fi rst complete hunter
education at the state level.
The YHEC participants
get hands-on training giv-
ing them different areas
expertise.
There are several
categories of competi-
tion including shooting
categories like rifl e, bow
and muzzleloader, shoot-
ing at life-sized targets and
choosing the best option
(type of weapon to use) for
the shot, wildlife identifi -
cation and map-and-com-
pass orienteering.
The YHEC challenge
is hosted by volunteer
instructors and is estimated
to draw approximately
10,000 youths each year.
The YHEC Challenge
began in 1985 and it is
estimated that YHEC has
reached more than a mil-
lion young sportsmen and
women.
This year youth from
around Oregon came
together to form one team,
both with junior level and
senior level participants
that represented the entire
state. The team consisted
of fi ve on the junior team,
ages 14 and under and fi ve
on the senior team, ages
15-18.
In total three were
from Baker City, Gauge
Bloomer on the Junior
Team and Braden Staebler-
Siewell and Ben Spaugh
on the Senior Team.
Other members of the
team were juniors Kristy
Morris of Coburg, Austin
McCurdy of Roseburg,
Emily Leavitt of Redmond,
Logan Francis of Dexter
and seniors Justin Smith of
Prineville, Karinda Pierin
of Prineville and Christo-
pher Leavitt of Redmond.
The competition con-
sisted not only of shooting
events but “our respon-
sibility events,” said to
Buckner.
Participants must com-
plete a written exam on the
NRA hunters guide, “It is
about an inch and a half
thick and covers every-
thing from overseeing an
event to wildlife identifi ca-
tion. It involves hunting
ethics and sportsmanship
to principals of wildlife
management includ-
ing identifi cation,” said
Buckner.
The wildlife identifi ca-
tion may contain pelts,
skulls, tracks, scat or any
combination and consists
of 30 specimens. For Iden-
tifi cation of water fowl,
wings must be identifi ed
by species.
Orienteering is another
one of the events. Learning
to read topographical maps
and reading a compass
including written and prac-
tical exam learning to help
get your bearings and step
off distances.
“It’s practical informa-
tion that can help you from
getting lost and help you
fi nd your way out if you do
get misguided,” Buckner
said.
The hunter’s safety trail
event is one in which they
carry a gun loaded with
prime shells (blanks). The
participants have to decide
their best course of action
and they are judged on the
scenario and choices they
make. This event takes the
better part of an hour to
complete with the judges
going along the course
with them. They encounter
3D targets and they have to
decide whether the season
is open on that animal
according to a simulated
big game regulation book
provided. They have they
decide whether it is a
safe shot to take based on
background, if it is a shoot
or don’t shoot situation
and demonstrate safe gun
handling including whether
it was a good shot tech-
nically as far as type of
weapon used and place-
ment of a shot.
“You don’t want to
shoot a deer in the chest
with an arrow for example,
too much bone, etc.,”
Buckner explained.
“It’s very detailed
information, the regular
hunter’s education courses
they go through isn’t even
a primer for this really,” he
added.
The team saw an
individual win from junior
team captain Emily Leavitt
who was awarded 2nd
place in the muzzle loading
event and the team earned
2nd in archery.
The senior’s team saw
individual wins by Chris-
topher Leavitt with 1st in
the .22 rifl e event and 2nd
in the hunter responsibility
exam.
The team as a whole was
1st in the muzzle loading
event, 1st in Orienteering,
2nd in Wildlife Identifi ca-
tion, 2nd in .22 rifl e and
3rd in the hunter respon-
sibility exam. The Oregon
team placed 2nd overall.
1st place went to a team
from North Carolina and
3rd to a team from Penn-
sylvania.
Buckner said, “We
started the program in
Oregon 16 years ago, I
try to promote other local
groups and this is primarily
an educational program.
To do well they really have
to study and there is no
different ion between the
boys and girls, they com-
pete on the same level.”
Buckner says he has
groups in Ontario, Prinev-
ille, Redmond, Springfi eld,
Roseburg and is trying to
get a dormant group in
Klamath Falls restarted.
“It takes parents and
those that really have some
authority in some of these
fi elds to teach, instruct
these kids,” he said.
Buckner often travels
within the state of Oregon
to any group that wants
a special presentation on
the program or expresses
interest in getting one
started. “It’s an ideal youth
program because it is so
well rounded and teaches
kids so much.”
Buckner was assisted
at the event by additional
coaches Angela Slabaugh
of Dexter and Carl Shaver
of Prineville.
Funding for the program
is made possible from a
friends of NRA grant.
Public use restrictions increase
Forest offi cials imple-
mented Phase B public use
restrictions on the Malheur,
Umatilla and Wallowa-
Whitman National Forests
due to extreme fi re danger,
the potential for human
caused fi res, and concern
for public safety. The in-
creased restrictions pertain
to the use of campfi res,
smoking, chainsaws, inter-
nal combustion engines,
and generators.
“The forest vegetation
has cured to a highly fl am-
mable condition and our
upper elevations are much
drier than usual due to the
lack of a winter snowpack.
Recent fi res in the area
have spread rapidly and are
requiring considerable ef-
fort to contain.” said Brian
Goff, Fire Staff Offi cer on
the Umatilla National For-
est. Roy Walker, Fire Staff
Offi cer on the Malheur Na-
tional Forest added, “We
all enjoy and appreciate
our forests and we need to
minimize the chance of an
accidental human-caused
fi re. It’s only early August
and we have several weeks
of fi re season ahead of us.
We all need to be aware of
these conditions, be cau-
tious when recreating in
the forest, and think about
fi re prevention.”
Beginning Thursday,
campfi res will only be al-
lowed in designated camp-
grounds and recreation
sites. Liquefi ed or bottled
gas stoves and heaters are
allowed for cooking and
heating.
Operating an internal
combustion engine, such
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as a chainsaw, is prohib-
ited. Firewood cutting is
not allowed. This restric-
tion applies to all internal
combustion engines except
motor vehicles.
Generators will only be
allowed in the center of
an area at least 10 feet in
diameter that is cleared
of all fl ammable material,
or; when fully contained
within a pickup truck
bed that is devoid of all
fl ammable material, or;
when factory installed
in a recreational vehicle
and the generator exhaust
discharge is located in the
center of an area at least
10 feet in diameter that is
cleared of all fl ammable
material.
Smoking is only allowed
within enclosed vehicles,
buildings, and developed
recreation sites or when
stopped in an area cleared
of all fl ammable material.
As a reminder, travel
restrictions prohibit motor
vehicles traveling off of
designated Forest roads
and trails, except for the
purposes of going to or
from campsites located
within 300 feet of an open
road. Motorized travel on
segments of road where
access is blocked by gate,
barricade, log, boulder
or earthen berm is also
prohibited. Vehicles must
still abide by all laws and
regulations pertaining to
the area of travel.
Regulated closures
are in effect on State and
private lands protected
by Oregon Department of
Forestry (ODF) in north-
east and central Oregon.
Please check with your lo-
cal Oregon Department of
Forestry offi ce for public
use restrictions on lands
protected by ODF.
THE BAKER COUNTY PRESS — 7
Shrine game
Submitted Photo.
Pine-Eagle Spartan Ray Denig, number 41, follows
a long family tradition of participating the Shrine East
West Football Game. His grandfather played the fi rst
Shrine summertime classic back in 1952.
CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
All joking aside, Cook explained a team that became
very solid in a short amount of time.
“We became a very good football team in a short
amount of time because we came together and because
we were so well prepared and targeted by the coaching
staff. We worked well together as a unit. Our coaches pre-
pared us and they knew exactly what the West was going
to do. We only ran 10 plays on offense,” said Cook.
Cook credited offensive line coach Steve Turner from
Cascade for helping prepare an impressive steel wall
offensive line. “I’ve played against him before and he
always has a good defensive line.”
The potent East offense was led by the one-two punch
of Austin Feist who played his high school schedule for
the Burns Highlanders (home of another pretty good
quarterback, NFL player Kellen Clemens who today plays
for the San Diego Chargers) and Jackson Cross form To-
ledo. Feist posed a dual threat through his ability to rush
and thrown well, and Cross, who Cook referred to as the
prototypical quarterback, stayed patient in the pocket and
picked the defense apart with his accurate passing.
Other local participants included Ray Denig from Pine-
Eagle High School and Baker High School cheerleaders
Taite Mendenhall and Caroline Dudley.
The victory by the East team brings even, 30-30-3, the
overall record between the East-West summertime Shrine
football all-stars. The annual contest, held in the Baker
Memorial Stadium, raises funds to benefi t the Portland
Shriners Hospital for Children.
The traditional halftime steer auction raised $15,250,
the Haines Stampede Association presented the Shriners a
check for $1,500 raised during the rodeo’s July 3rd Shri-
ner’s night, and another $1,150 was raised auctioning off
two footballs signed by every member of the two teams.
West Queen Skylar Mooneyham from Portland and
East Queen Cymbrie Lagoa from Sisters seemed to
become fast friends as each cheered on their teams. Both
Queens were joined by last years’ East Queen Mackenzie
Gray from Enterprise.
All three Shrine Game Queens received treatment from
the Shriners Hospital.
“I defi nitely benefi ted from the treatment I received
from the Shriners Hospital,” said West Queen Mooney-
ham. “I received orthopedic surgery that enables me to
stand and to walk without pain and fatigue.”
East Queen Lagoa credits the Shriners Hospital for
enabling her to write again.
Last years’ East Queen Gray thanks the Shriners for a
spinal fusion procedure to correct a case of scoliosis so
severe that it was closing off her lungs and affected her
ability to breathe.
Two new wolf
areas determined
ODFW has designated two new Areas of Known Wolf
Activity (AKWAs). The new areas are a result of two
dispersing radio-collared wolves. OR25, originally from
the Imnaha Pack, traveled through the Columbia Basin,
Southern Blue Mountains, and Northern and Central Cas-
cade Mountains and has been in the Klamath County area
(Sprague wildlife management unit) since May. OR30,
originally from the Mt. Emily pack, crossed I-84 and has
been resident in the Starkey and Ukiah wildlife manage-
ment units (Union County) since May.
AKWAs are created where and when wolves repeat-
edly use an area over time and become established. To
help minimize potential wolf-livestock confl ict, livestock
producers are encouraged to use preventive measures
within AKWAs.
Ladies bridge and
golf scores
The Quail Ridge Ladies Golf Club scores for July 22
are: Low Net: 1st fl ight 1st Judy Karstens, 2nd Lavelle
Woodcock; 2nd fl ight 1st Kathye Corn; 3rd Flight 1st
Nancy Buehler; Birdies: Myrna Evans: Lavelle Wood-
cock: Kathye Corn. Bridge Winners were: 1st Carol
Stephens, 2nd Della Steele, 3rd Margo Kenworthy.
Winners for the July 29th week were: Count Par 4s 1st
Flight 1st Linda Vore, 2nd Jennifer Godwin, 2nd fl ight
Tie for 1st: Margo Kenworthy and Virginia Babski:
3rd fl ight 1st Nancy Beuhler, BridgeWinners: 1st Della
Steele, 2nd Carol Stevens, 3rd Zena Edwards.