RALEIGH ó Participants at this year’s nine district Youth Hunter Safety Tournaments across North Carolina have been asked to wear something pink during competition to promote Breast Cancer Awareness.
“This is another way to salute the late Coach Kay Yow and bring more attention and support for battling this disease,” said Travis Casper, the state’s assistant hunter education coordinator. “Considering the involvement we get across the state with these tournaments, it seems fitting.”
Yow, beloved coach of N.C. State University women’s basketball team, died Jan. 24. Since being diagnosed with breast cancer in 1987, Yow had been active in efforts to raise breast cancer awareness.
Presented by the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission as an opportunity to showcase outdoor skills and demonstrate safety, the district tournaments test teams and individuals in rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader and archery marksmanship, as well as an orienteering challenge and wildlife knowledge and hunter safety skills.
The 2009 District Tournament schedule:
– District 1 (north coastal) ń Saturday, March 28 at Eastern 4-H Center, Columbia
– District 2 (mid-coastal) ń Thursday, March 12 at Pitt County Wildlife Club, Falkland
– District 3 (eastern Piedmont) ń Saturday, March 14 at Camp Tuscarora near Bentonville
– District 4 (south coastal) ń Wednesday, March 4 at Coharie Shooting Range near Clinton
– District 5 (central Piedmont) ń Saturday, March 21 at Alamance Wildlife Club, Graham
– District 6 (western Piedmont) ń Saturday, March 28 at Camp John J. Barnhardt near Badin
– District 7 (north mountain) ń Saturday, March 28 at Hunting Creek Preserve, Harmony
– District 8 (central mountain) ń Saturday, March 21 at Catawba Valley Wildlife Club, Vale
– District 9 (western mountain) ń Saturday, March 21 at Polk County Gun Club, Columbus
A component of the Hunter Education Program of the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission, competition is open to teams from middle and high schools, both public and private. Home-schooled students and teams representing organizations such as 4-H or FFA also can compete, provided they meet eligibility requirements.
Competitors and coaches will also be asked to wear pink at the finals tournament in April.
While the Youth Hunter Safety Tournament is for students 18 and younger, the N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission offers free hunter education to all ages in every county. Successful completion of the course is required for all first-time hunting license buyers in North Carolina. For more information, go to www.ncwildlife.org or call 919-707-0031.
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Becoming an Outdoors-Woman (BOW), the international program of hands-on learning and outdoors experience, schedule of events starts in April.
Instruction and participation offered through Becoming an Outdoors-Woman can include bird watching, camping and backpacking, canoe and kayaking, nature photography, wilderness survival, outdoor cooking, stream ecology, rock climbing, shotgun and rifle marksmanship, and fishing, fly-tying and fly-fishing.
“The Becoming an Outdoors-Woman program is all about discovery,” said BB Gillen, outdoor skills coordinator for N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission. “It’s a chance to discover outdoor adventure, fun and friendship and to discover yourself.”
Events for 2009 include:
– April 4 ń A Fly-Fishing Experience at the Pisgah Center for Wildlife Education near Brevard.
– April 17-18 ń Game and Outdoor Cooking at Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center in Johnston County.
– May 1-3 ń A Full BOW Weekend at Camp Rockmont near Asheville.
– May 16-17 ń Outdoor Skills Session at McDowell Nature Preserve in Charlotte.
– June 12-14 ń Hunter Education and Archery at Howell Woods Environmental Learning Center in Johnston County.
Participation is open to women ages 18 and older. Registration is on a first-come, first-served basis, with a fee covering cost of materials and accommodations. Contact BB Gillen at 919-218-3638 or bb.gillen@ncwildlife.org for more information or to register for any event.