At the Championships, all hunting skills events will be based on the content of the following resources:
- 4-H Shooting Sports Hunting Leader Manual, Revised April 2013
- 4-H Shooting Sports Member Manual, April 2013
- Contact your state 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinator to obtain a copy of these manuals.
- NRA Hunters Guide: NRA Program Materials Center (nrahq.org)
Federal Premium Ammunition wildlife guides: (View and download these wildlife guides from the Championships website.)
- Illustrated Guide to Upland Game Birds
- Illustrated Guide to Ducks, Geese and Swans
- Illustrated Guide to Small Game and Furbearers
- Illustrated Guide to Big Game Animals
Other helpful references:
- Public Land Survey System
- “Be Expert with Map and Compass” by Bjorn Kjellstrom
- “Animal Skulls” (North American) by Mark E. Broch
- “The Wild Mammals of Missouri” (2nd Edition or later) by Charles W. & Elizabeth R. Schwartz
- “Peterson Field Guides – A Field Guide to Mammals of North America” (4th Edition) by Fiona Reid
- Kentucky State Game Laws & Federal Laws – a specific scenario will be provided (see information below) and will concern multiple game species and will mainly be from the nonresident point of view. Only knowledge relevant to that scenario will be used for testing purposes and only information found in the following online/PDF resources will be utilized at the 2026 event: (Online & Downloadable)
2025-2026 Kentucky Hunting & Trapping Guide
2025-2026 Kentucky Guide for Migratory Birds & Waterfowl
This is a national hunting skills evaluation. Any species covered in the listed resources may be included in the contest, including any game or furbearing animal north of Mexico in North America. Competitors may expect some focus on species found in the host state, but events will only include North American legally harvested game species found in the listed resources.
Competitors must provide:
- Orienteering Compass
- Pens or pencils
- Eye and Ear Protection
- Suitable field clothing and footwear (No open-toed shoes)
- Protractor (optional)
- Clipboard (optional, clean/no writing)
- Sunscreen (recommended)
- Bug Spray (recommended)
- Water for drinking (recommended)
Prohibited items while competing: If found, competitor will be disqualified for that portion of the event:
- Radios
- Cell Phones
- Field Guides
- Electronic and/or digital compass
- Binoculars
- Range Finding Equipment
Shooting Equipment: Competitors must provide their own archery equipment, firearms, and ammunition for the live-fire events, but they must meet the restrictions listed below. No equipment is provided.
Shooting Equipment
(Necessary equipment and supplies required for the live-fire portions of this event must be provided by the competitors.)
Only in case of malfunction may a competitor change firearm or bow during the activity. No Rangefinders or binoculars permitted.
Shooting Equipment must meet the following guidelines:
Rifle: Any safe rifle meeting 4-H Minimum standards in .22 LR caliber; maximum weight including sights of 8.0pounds with safe hunting triggers(at least 2.5 pounds). Scopes no greater than 9X.If variable scopes with magnification power greater than 9X are used, they must be taped by the Range Officer before the beginning of the event at no greater than 9X. Electronic range finder scopes are NOT allowed.
Standard velocity .22 LR ammunition or high velocity .22 LR ammunition is
allowed… must be less than 1400fps. All smallbore rifles are required to use
an ECI (Empty Chamber Indicator).
A hunting-style sling no more than 1 ½ inches in width is permitted. This is the ONLY support item allowed. NO: Bipods, shooting sticks, Day packs, jackets, etc.
Shotgun: 12 gauge or smaller, capable of 2 shots without reloading. Standard factory target or factory field loads of no more than 1 1/8 ounces of shot and shot no larger than #7 1/2. No hand loads.
Archery: Recurve or compound suitable for hunting (no crossbows), drawing no more than 60 pounds and no less than 30 pounds with suitable arrows tipped with field points only (no broad head tips), are permitted. Hunting-style sights are allowed, to include single pin adjustable sights. Sights may only be adjusted when it’s the competitor’s turn to shoot and completed within the announced time frame. Arrows to be carried in a quiver. Stabilizers are limited to a maximum length of 12 inches. Side stabilizers are not allowed. All shooting will be at unmarked distances.
Maximum distance to target:
- Compound – 50 yards
- Recurve – 35 yards
Wildlife Identification and Management
Event Description: This event includes wildlife identification and management, and wildlife management techniques or problems. Competitors will be asked to identify specimens or parts of specimens including skulls, furs, wings, feathers, antlers/horns, tracks, scat, or other sign. Wildlife identification and management questions may consist of True/False, multiple choice, matching, short answer, fill-in the blank, ranking alternative choices or any other objective testing method the officials may choose.
GAME CALL IDENTIFICATION: 2025 will focus on Moose sounds. Competitors will identify different calls made by Moose.
COURSE: Twenty to 100 stations requiring identification, analysis, or interpretation with up to 100 additional written questions included in this event. Questions may include habitat, breeding seasons, and behavior, external identifying features, fundamental principles of wildlife management, calls (box, slate, diaphragm, etc.) and other characteristics.
TIME LIMITS: Competitors will move through the course expeditiously without undue delay. An appropriate time period will be determined by the officials and announced prior to the competition. The time limit will be enforced. For preparation purposes, a time limit of approximately 2 ½ hours will be implemented.
Reading assistance will be provided during testing, upon request prior to event.