Teaching youth to hunt responsibly, recognize wildlife, and preserve the environment.

Raton, New Mexico - On July 21st, boys and girls from across North America will gather a the Whittington Center in Raton to compete for the 2013 NRA International Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC) title. Made up of eight separate events (Rifle, Shotgun, Muzzleloader, Archery, Orienteering, Wildlife Identification, Hunter Safety & Hunter Responsibility), YHEC teaches the young the basics of hunting. At International YHEC, kids from all over the United States and Canada will put their skills in each of those events to the test.

Those making their way out to New Mexico are the boys and girls who performed well at their state YHEC competitions. In July, they'll discover who has what it takes to bring home the Junior or Senior Grand Champion title.

More on NRA's International YHEC in New Mexico ...

Two sessions of wilderness shooting, hunting and survival lessons in New Mexico

That's the opportunity the NRA is offering this September in Raton, New Mexico. We only have one stipulation ... ladies only.

More on the NRA's Women's Wilderness Escape in New Mexico ...

New Mexico's 2012 NRA Y.E.S. participant reflects on last year's summit

Emily Allen, who attended the 2012 Youth Education Summit on behalf of her home state of New Mexico, recently sent us an essay she'd written on how the weeklong trip to D.C. has influenced her life. Read on to have Emily share the knowledge she gained at Y.E.S.

I will never forget the excitement that ran through me as I opened the packet with trembling hands that told me I had been chosen as the 2012 Youth Education Summit representative for New Mexico. I originally applied for the trip because of my love of history and Y.E.S. sounded like a great way to get to enjoy some history in our nation’s capital. Little did I know that this trip would open my horizons and help me become the person I am today.

Through the Youth Education Summit, I have become the civically active person I have always dreamed of being. The Eddie Eagle Gunsafe Program was one of the many excellent programs I learned about while on the trip. I absolutely love this program and I have gained many opportunities to teach and hand it out as a volunteer of the program. Through outdoor and gun shows, along with scouting and church groups, I have had the opportunity to affect over 650 kids in my local area! It is so incredibly rewarding to have little kids run out of the classroom to tell their parents about what Eddie just taught them, knowing that it could save these little guys’ lives.

More on New Mexico's Youth Education Summit thank you ...

International Youth Hunter Education Challenge ready for competitors in New Mexico

Fairfax, Virginia - More than 50,000 kids throughout the United States and Canada participate in NRA's Youth Hunter Education Challenge (YHEC) each year. Two things come from these regional, state and provincial challenges; knowledge of the outdoors and the chance to compete in the International YHEC competition this July.

That competition will take place this year at the NRA Whittington Center in Raton, New Mexico. Despite local reports to the contrary, there will be plenty of ammunition on hand for the .22 rifle portion of the challenge.

More on the supply of .22 ammunition for NRA's International YHEC ...

Matt and Jessie Duff get the full NRA Whittington Center experience

Fairfax, Virginia - This Sunday you can catch the second to last episode of Friends of NRA on Outdoor Channel. Although the dynamic third season is winding down (we don't want to think about it either), hosts Matt and Jessie Duff are enthusiastic as ever to bring you more great tales of NRA supporters from all over the planet.

More on Friends of NRA's 2013 Gun of the Year...

First time use of Remington 11-87 Police Shotgun keeps straight for the win

Albuquerque, New Mexico - The shotgun can be an intimidating firearm. When used by Law Enforcement, that's part of the point. When used at the National Police Shooting Championships at Albuquerque's Shooting Range Park, there better be a little bit of accuracy thrown in there too. If you want to win the Grand Championship that is.

That's why Patrolman Charles "Chase" Blohm, Jr. of the Shelby County Sheriff's Office in Memphis, Tennessee (who finished the 2012 National Police Shooting Championships ranked as the High Sheriff) went with a Remington 11-87.

More on the High Sheriff's 11-87 Remington Police Shotgun ...

Winning four title in five years is Border Patrol's Robert Vadasz

Fairfax, Virginia - In four out of the last five years, U.S. Border Patrol Agent Robert Vadasz has departed from the Albuquerque International Airport to his home in Florida as a National Champion. This was one of those years.

Every year, during the third week of September, Law Enforcement Officers from around the globe come to the Shooting Range Park in Albuquerque, New Mexico for NRA's National Police Shooting Championship. It is there that Vadasz lays claim to those National Championship titles. There that he fights his way through hundreds of top marksmen. Local, state, federal ... they all came again to push him off the mountain top. And this year, only he succeeded.

After finishing first in the Open Class 3000 Pistol Championship, Vadasz powered through the remaining competitions to win the 2012 Grand Aggregate title by a whopping 16 points.

More on the Best of 2012 - #4 National Police Shooting Champ Robert Vadasz ...

A sibling rivalry at the NRA Whittington Center starts Kyle's Top Ten list for 2012

2012 has been quite the year for NRAblog and selecting just 10 stories for my 'Best Of' list was no easy task. Some hard decisions were made on what to include, but from the moment I began conjuring up this list I knew I had to include the Wallinger brothers.

Story #10: The Wallingers at NRA BPTR Championships ...

Rifles from Brazil, Sweden & Soviet Union take aim in New Mexico

While we weather out the winter winds here in the DC Metro area, Patrick Hernandez and his colleagues from the New Mexico Military Surplus Rifles & Pistols Shooters (NMMSRPS) are taking to the sands of Albuquerque. Though their temperature isn't all that more welcoming then ours, they braved the conditions for a chance to take part in their Mid-Range High Power Shooting Match.

What makes this match so special? Sure, the NMMSRPS is an NRA Club, but there are thousands of those. What makes this match special, and what makes all the matches of the NMMSRPS so special, is that they are all shot with Military Surplus Firearms.

More on the New Mexico Military Surplus Mid-Range Rifle Match ...