Local teen receives high hunting honor
Sunday, July 04, 2004
West Bank bureau
A Gretna teenager is among several New Orleans area youth who recently earned top honors at the Louisiana Youth Hunter Education Challenge, held by the Department of Wildlife and Fisheries in Woodworth.

The challenge, which is open to outdoor enthusiasts ages 10 through 19, features competitions in eight hunting-related skills: rifle, muzzleloader, archery, shotgun, orienteering, wildlife identification, hunter safety and hunter responsibilities.


Advertisement




The Greater New Orleans Hunter Challenge Organization sponsored the local participants, who were divided into junior- and senior-level teams. The senior team from New Orleans placed fifth of seven teams, and the junior team placed fifth of 12 teams.

In his first year of competition, Josh Raley of Gretna, a junior-level participant, placed third overall in shotgun with a score of 210 points of a possible 300.

He had an overall score of 1,266 points in the eight events, placing 20th from among the 75 competitors.

Other team members who did well in the competitions included:

Senior level: Justin Wallick, New Orleans, first on the senior team, 20th of 54 competitors with an overall score of 1,480 points, achieved 270 points of 300 for wildlife identification, and 24th overall for light rifle; Brocke Marretta, Destrehan, second on the senior team, 22nd with an overall score of 1,429, seventh overall in orienteering and ninth in shotgun; Allen Knight, Metairie, third on senior team, 29th overall with a score of 1,369 points, 21st on hunter exam and 17th in archery.

Junior level: Andrew Donnelly of Metairie, first on the junior team, 13th among 75 competitors with a score of 1,380 points in eight events; qualified for NRA National competition, 15th on hunter exam, 11th in orienteering, sixth in wildlife identification and 12th in archery; Elliot Montgomery of Destrehan, second on junior team, 17th with 1,292 points, 49th on hunter exam, ninth on light rifle; Luke Gegenheimer, New Orleans, third on the junior team, 18th with 1,282 points, 18th on hunter exam and seventh on light rifle.

The New Orleans teams were coached by James Greene Jr., Ralph J. Rodriguez, Jerold DeMaso, Harold Herrmann Jr., Thomas Mount, Jon S. Hill, Louis Thibodeaux, Royce Donnelly, Linda Dugas and David Marretta.

For details about the competition or the program, call Jerold DeMaso at (504) 831-1184 or Harold Hermann at (985) 893-2946.