HELENA — Gov. Greg Gianforte recognized ten young hunters from across the Treasure State as winners of the state's youth hunting story contest.
“It was a great experience. My dad and I were hiking up the mountain, and we saw those elk, and it was just like awesome, so I’m thankful that we were able to harvest one of those,” Leyton Arnold told MTN
Arnold was among the ten hunters who submitted a winning story to Montana governor Greg Gianforte's third annual youth hunting story contest.
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He's been hunting for three years and saved money from 4-H projects to pay for the equipment he used to bag his first bull elk. Arnold enjoys hunting, a passion he shares with and learned from his dad. He hopes to pass this activity on to the next generation.
“I just love the experience and every new adventure I get when I go out there," said Arnold.
Two raffles were up for grabs, including a more than one-thousand-dollar gift certificate to Murdoch's for a rifle, which Arnold won.
Malena Altschwager, a winner from Corvallis, described what it was like hunting the deer she wrote about in her story.
“I was thinking about it that whole morning. And how when we got there that afternoon, it happened really quickly. I almost wish it had taken a little longer so I had more time to be out there," said Altschwager.
While addressing the hunters and their families, Gov. Gianforte emphasized the importance of hunting in the treasure state.
“Our goal in this is really to encourage the next generation to get involved with hunting,” said Gianforte.
Eligible entries had to be at least 500 words and could be about the harvest of any legal game, furbearer animals, or birds in the state.
Winners in attendance received hunting gear from the event's prize partners as well as a meal featuring meat from the governor's own harvests.
