The Kentucky 4-H shooting sports program has grown tremendously in popularity over the past few years.

Participation in the 4-H shooting sports program teaches youth safe and responsible use of firearms and archery equipment and promotes high standards of safety, sportsmanship and ethical behavior. The shooting, hunting and related activities encourage youth to take part in and appreciate natural resources and related natural science programs.

Shooting sports experiences expose youth to related vocational activities and strengthen families through participation in recreational activities. Its activities compliment existing safety, shooting and hunter education programs. This program also teaches youth responsibility and self discipline and helps them develop skills such as decision making, concentration, teamwork and leadership.

Participating in the Shooting Sports Education Program helps youth master skills and develop a number of positive traits. Youth learn to safely handle and shoot firearms and archery equipment. Shooting sports is an effective tool for growth and development by teaching leadership, responsibility and teamwork in a fun, non-formal environment. The youth-volunteer involvement also strengthens relationships.

Competitive events offered at the state event are BB, air rifle (sport and target), 22 rifle (sport and target), 22 pistol and air pistol, black powder muzzle loader and pistol, and 12-gauge and 20-gauge trap. Also, the following archery classes: bow hunter, target, compound bar bow, and recurve/long bow. 4-H members will earn points based on accuracy. The youth with the highest number of points will win an event.

Winning a county or area event isn't a prerequisite to entering the state shooting contest. However, participants must be a member of a shooting club and have previous shooting experience at the county or area level.

All shooting sports events take place in a closely supervised environment. At the state shoot, specially trained personnel supervise and control shooting ranges during each event.

In addition to the competitive events, teenagers and adults receive instruction in various disciplines at shooting sports certification workshops in the fall and winter. These sessions “teach the teachers,” who then take this expertise back to their communities. Teenagers up to age 18 are coaches; adults are certified instructors.

More than two-thirds of Kentucky counties have certified shooting sports instructors.

Youth also receive experience in the various shooting sports disciplines at a camp each spring.

Logan County will offer our very first shooting sports club this year. Currently, Logan County will have one certified instructor for the 2007 season. She will be certified to coach and instruct in the air-pistol division. We are now accepting members for this exciting new club on a first come, first serve basis.

But I can tell you that space is very limited so if you are interested in joining the new shooting sports club, please contact the Extension Office ASAP.

We are also looking for adult volunteers interested in working with these young people in the shooting sports club. You can become a coach to assist the team in practicing and at competition, or you may want to become a certified instructor in any of the above mentioned disciplines. The more volunteers we have, the larger our club can be, and the more youth we can serve in the county.

For more information about 4-H shooting sports, contact the Logan County Cooperative Extension Service.