CARROLL COUNTY

4-H SHOOTING SPORTS

2015-2016

HANDBOOK

The Carroll County 4-H program including the Shooting Sports project is administered through the:

Carroll County University of Missouri Office 111 North Mason St. Carrollton, Mo 64633

660-542-1792 http://extension.missouri.edu/carroll

An equal opportunity/access/affirmative action/pro-disabled and veteran employer

Your Certified 4-H Shooting Sports Volunteer Leaders in Carroll County:

Jan Leakey - Coordinator & Air Pistol/.22 Pistol

Jerome Miller - Archery & Air Pistol/ .22 Pistol

Brian Sweeney - Archery

Pat Hollowell - Archery

Daniel Stanley - Muzzle Loading

Melissa Eiserer - Shotgun

Jeff Adams - Shotgun

Wade Davis - Air Rifle / .22 Rifle

Rev. James Lee - Air Rifle / .22 Rifle

Three Cardinal Rules of Gun Safety - M.A.T.

Muzzle - Always keep muzzle pointed in a safe direction. Action - Always keep the firearm UNLOADED and the action open until ready to fire. Trigger - Keep you finger OFF the trigger until you are ready to fire.

AND Be sure of your target AND beyond.

Program Objectives To enhance the physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of youth through

safe, educational, and socially acceptable involvement in a shooting related activity.

To teach safe and responsible use of firearms and archery equipment including sound decision-making, self-discipline, and concentration.

To promote the highest standards of safety, sportsmanship, and ethical behavior.

To encourage understanding of our natural resources and the development of a personal environmental stewardship ethic by young people through participation in shooting, hunting, and related activities.

To strengthen families through life-long recreational activities.

To expose participants to the broad array of vocational and lifelong vocational activities related to the shooting sports.

To complement and enhance the impact of existing safety and hunter education programs.

GOALS

Teach and practice the safe handling of firearms and archery equipment

Teach sound fundamentals of shooting

Given the opportunity to enhance self-confidence, personal development, responsibility, and sportsmanship, through the fundamentals of shooting

Develop leadership within 4-H parameters for youth and adults

Encourage responsible and socially acceptable use of firearms and archery equipment

Provide opportunity for a variety of shooting experiences

Provide opportunity to excel and compete

Provide opportunity to enjoy a lifetime sport

Expand 4-H membership and involve more volunteer leaders

REQUIREMENTS

Enrolled as an Approved 4-H member on 4HOnline

Each member must have a copy of their signed Health Form and Waiver of Liability with them every time they shoot.

o These autocompleted forms can be printed from 4-HOnline. o This may be in the possession of the project leader, but each child is

still responsible for such paper work.

Provide own equipment and ammunition/supplies o Limited loaner equipment may be available.

Completed the safety requirement (SS Safety Project 740) o HUNTERS EDUCATION IS NOT ACCEPTED

Attend 75% of, or a minimum of 10 hours of project instruction/practice.

Demonstrate skill and knowledge by participating in county or regional shooting match.

o Must complete the attendance requirement in order to participate in the county or regional match

Must keep a complete Shooting Sports Record Form and Shooters Log prior to county match.

A parent/guardian will need to attend with the youth at all meetings and matches

A 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor of a discipline has the right to refuse any participant and parent for the shooting sports activity in the interest of safety of the participant and others in the class.

Other Expectations

Exhibit willingness to learn

Practice Safety at all times

Participate with a positive attitude

Exhibit at the County Achievement Day

Participate in the County Shoot

Age Divisions

Junior – Ages 8-10 years old Intermediate – Ages 11-13 years old Senior – Ages 14- 18 years old

Safety Training Pre-requisite

4-H members are required to complete a minimum of 6 hours of firearm and archery safety in the 740 Safety Class. This requirement cannot be waived! Carroll County 4-H volunteer instructors will conduct the 6 –hour safety course. Please give attendance your highest priority. Two years participation in safety training is recommended for younger members 8-10 year olds. First year shooting members taking the safety training should enroll in the project 740 shooting Sports Safety, as well as their shooting project. The 740 does not count against you in the number of projects taken as it is a requirement for shooting sports enrollment.

Carroll County 4-H Shooting Sports Rules

Attendance of meetings

Project members must attend a majority of meetings (75%) to complete project and be able to participate in competitions, with a minimum of 10 hours.

Orientation

All members must attend the orientation meeting, before starting the project. A parent or designated adult must attend all meetings with their child.

Range Meetings

Parents may not drop off members unless approved by the project leader. Members 16 and over may come alone unless it creates a problem then the parent must attend. Please follow project leader’s instructions. No Horseplay! If a member receives a 2nd warning, they are out of the project. Parents are encouraged to help out and may be asked to help, but must leave the instruction to the certified leaders.

Program Administration

The program is administered by the county 4-H shooting sports committee. The committee includes the county youth specialist, youth associate, certified leaders, and volunteers. The Committee will: Administer the program and develop a risk management outline for each project group to follow

Safety ~ Safety ~ Safety

Eyes and Ears

Youth involved in shooting activities need to understand the importance of protecting their eyes and ears. Approved eye and ear protection is required when participating in any 4-H Shooting Sports practice or competition.

Range Safety

Members, parents/guardians, and leaders should be aware that safe use of the range is critical for everyone to have a fun learning experience. Here are a few safety rules to follow (check with your range officer for more instruction):

Dogs and other pets are not allowed on the range.

No climbing or playing on the berms or hills.

All spectators are to remain in designated areas.

All plants and wildlife are to be left undisturbed.

Participants and spectators are encouraged to bring their own shade, water, sunscreen, and insect repellant as needed.

Upon arrival at the range, shooters are to leave their firearms in their vehicle. Shooters will bring their firearms to the firing line only when instructed by their range instructor.

Shooters are responsible to bring their own firearms, ammo, ear and eye protection and appropriate equipment and supplies.

Equipment

Equipment (bows, rifles, shotguns, etc.) used in the shooting sports program are critical in the success of the youth. Nearly any kind of equipment “can” be used… as long as it is safe. However, some equipment will make the teaching/learning process easier and can help the 4-H member become successful; and some can actually make the task much more difficult. Below are some “recommendations” for equipment - not all are requirements. We will work with the individual 4-H member with whatever equipment he/she brings to the project training providing it is safe. But if you are going to buy equipment please pay close attention to the recommendations below.

Project Recommendations

Archery - SS741

Open to any youth 8-18 year old. Recommended equipment for beginners is a nice recurve bow or the Genesis Bow from Matthews. Expensive “compound” bows are not recommended for the beginning archer, though older experienced youth may want to utilize compound bows. Please check with the archery instructors about the best size and draw weight. Bow cases are required with the bow. Arrows that are made of Carbon or Aluminum are the best for target shooting with target points. Shooters will need at least 5 arrows. It’s always good to have an extra because we have seen cases of missing or breaking of an arrow. Quivers that stand alone on the ground or attach to the side of the shooter are allowed and highly encouraged. Finger protection (Tab, glove, or release) and arm guard protection is required. The basic 4-H archery NFAA 300 contest is shooting 14 rounds of (5). Two of those rounds will be for practice and the other 12 will be for score for a total of 300 points. Please do not waste money on the little “cheapy” kid’s compound bow kits available at discount stores. Bows may be available at a reduced price through your instructor.

Air Rifle - SS742

BB gun and/or pellet rifle. Open to any youth of 4-H age. If the youth already has a BB gun or pellet rifle available, it may be used. However, if you must purchase a gun, please think about the following recommendations. BB guns - The best and most highly recommended is the Daisy Model 499. It is not usually found at Wal-Mart. 4-H instructors can order directly from Daisy at a special price. We recommend at least a year of BB gun before going to pellet rifle or .22. BB gun shooters will shoot from a distance of 5 meters. Pellet guns - When shopping for a pellet rifle, please do not get one that requires MULTIPLE pumps. A single pump or a CO2 rifle is the way to go. Also, look for a pellet rifle that has adjustable rear sights. There are many pellet rifles available in many price ranges. Beginners should not invest in the expensive models. After a year of shooting, if the youth wants to get serious about shooting and scores, your instructor can then recommend better models. Pellet rifle shooters will shoot from a distance of 10 meters (twice as far as BB).

Small-bore Rifle –SS743/ (.22)

This project is open to any youth 8-18 years old, however it is highly recommended that young and inexperienced shooters have at least one year of Air Rifle before signing up for .22. Recommended equipment is a single shot (bolt or break action) rifle with an adjustable rear sight. Scopes are not permitted. If a youth has a repeater they will be required to load and fire one shell at a time. So be sure that is possible and easily done. Any rifle can be made to work but some make it a lot easier on the youth. Please before buying a .22 rife check with the instructor. Shooter is required to have a case, Open Barrel Indicator (which we supply the first one for you), Eye protection, ear protection, and ammo. If you choose to buy ammo else where it is recommended that you use 40 grain round nose. Shooting Mats, Kneeling Rolls, and Targets have been provided for us to use by the Quails Forever Group. Ammo blocks are also a good idea to have. This is will be covered and made at one of the project meetings. Shooting positions are Prone, Standing, and Kneeling. Jr. Shooters (8-10) shoot prone only. The basic 4-H small bore contest is shot at a distance of 50 feet. Shooters will shoot 3 rounds of (13). One round of 3 on each target will be for practice the other 10 rounds per target will be for score for a total of 100 per target/300 per contest.

Pellet Pistol - SS744

Now open to all ages. The 8-10 year olds will shoot from a seated and supported Position. The most commonly used equipment for the pellet pistol project is the Daisy 717 or Daisy 747 (the 747 has as adjustable trigger). Instructors may order direct from Daisy at a reduced price. Again, be sure not to buy an air pistol that requires multiple pumps. Youth shoot pellet pistols at targets spaced at 10 meters. They will learn both two-handed and one-handed holds.

Small Bore Pistol - SS747 (.22)

The small bore pistol project is relatively new to the 4-H shooting program. There are some prerequisites that must be met, before a youth can participate.

Open only to 4-H members 14 years of age or older (4-H age, as of Jan 1).

4-H member has successfully completed the 4-H pellet pistol program prior to instruction in small-bore.

If a member is at least 16 years of age (4-H age), air pistol requirement May be waived by the pistol instructor, if the student passes a pistol competency test, written test, and skill demonstration.

The pellet pistol leader must approve the member for enrollment in the small bore pistol project.

Missouri law says that the pistol and ammunition cannot be transported from home to range by a youth - transportation requires an adult (18 or older).

Member is to participate in a minimum of 10 hours of instruction by a “small bore” qualified 4-H certified pistol instructor.

ALL 4-H YOUTH (REGUARDLESS OF AGE) MUST HAVE A PERMISSION SLIP SIGNED BY PARENT ON HIS/HER PERSON AT ALL TIMES WHEN IN POSSESSION OF THE PISTOL.

The course of fire will require a pistol or revolver with at least a 5-shot capacity. The barrel length - including the chamber - cannot exceed 10 inches. Open sights only.

Muzzle Loading Rifle - SS748

Open to youth 11 years of age and older that have previous rifle-shooting experience. Any muzzle loading rifle is permitted, but only round ball will be used. Traditional style muzzleloaders work best. A barrel with a slow twist (such as 1 in 60) is preferred - but will be difficult to find. We recommend a barrel with at least a 1:48 twist. Many in-line models are 1:32 - not recommended. The muzzle loader must also be ignited with a No. 11 percussion cap. 209 primers are NOT permitted.

Shotgun -SS745

The shotgun project is open to youth 11 years or older. It is not open to 8-10 year olds. Shooters will learn to shoot from an automatic thrower. Youth will learn the basics of trap shooting. Equipment recommendations depend on the age, size, and experience of each individual. Younger youth should give serious thought to a 20 gauge auto loader; second choice would be a 20 gauge pump. Over under shotguns are nice but not necessary. The 20 gauge is recommended because of recoil (less recoil) – and the auto is even better at absorbing recoil. Older and/or larger youth will find a 12 gauge is preferable – if they are not recoil sensitive. Again an auto 12 gauge will feel much less recoil than a pump or O/U. There are adequate (not great) auto loading shotguns available for less than $400.00. Bolt action and single shots break open shotguns are NOT recommended - in fact they are strongly discouraged. Shotgun participants will also need a shell bag. These go around the waste and hold a box of shells and empty hulls. Cost is $15.00 and up. Nail aprons or something similar will work if you choose not to purchase the shot shell bag. Ear and eye protection and a gun case are also needed. The basic 4-H contest is each Intermediate will shoot 50 rounds and senior will shoot 100 rounds. Shooters also have the chance to take part in a doubles round at state shoot in August. Shooters are responsible to bring their own AMMO to practice. Please make arrangements with the instructor if you need to have ammo and clays purchased.

List of Items that are good ideas to bring to practice/shoots: Water, Sunscreen, Chairs, Shade / Canopy, and Binoculars

Fair Exhibit and Demonstration Ideas: Shooting Sports members are encouraged to enter an exhibit on the county exhibit and achievement day.

Fair Exhibits

Educational posters about history of firearms

Firearm and archery safety chart

Pistol, Shotgun, or rifle parts identification chart

Powder horn and/ball bag (muzzleloader)

Wind indicator

Gun cleaning stand/vice

Ground quiver (archery)

Target holder

Pellet, BB, or Cartridge Holder

Demonstration Ideas:

Fletching an Arrow

How targets are scored

Basics of muzzle loading

The four position of competitive rifle shooting

Proper Cleaning of shotgun (or rifle or muzzleloader)

Selecting the right sights for the task

Ten Steps to the X Ring

Parents & Guardians! Parental support in 4-H is just as important as parental support in school. Friends and volunteer 4-H leaders get youth interested in joining 4-H; it is up to the parents to keep their children interested and encouraged. Parents and guardians of shooting sports members should attend practices. This helps ensure the safety of the child or children during a practice. It also helps keep parents and guardians involved in what their child is learning and doing, which is critical for your child’s development, self-esteem and educational experience.

Carroll County 4-H Shooting Sports Members Requirements (This is your copy)

When a member meets these requirements, members would be able continue in the next year in each discipline completed, but may not necessarily be eligible to compete in those disciplines.

1. I understand that I must meet all Project Completion guidelines in order to complete my 4-H Shooting Sports project(s) for the 4-H year, including: Attending 50% of Club Meetings, Giving a Demonstration, Participating in a Community Service Project, Exhibiting My Project and submitting a Project Record Book by the required date.

2. I understand to participate in the County Shoot and/ or the State Shoot; I must have attended and completed a 740 Safety class prior to the event.

3. I understand that Shooting Sports Leaders will conduct range safety meetings prior to the start of practices and that I am required to attend one of these safety meetings before I will be allowed to participate at any practice.

4. I understand that I will be required to Exhibit My Project via a stand-alone display or other demonstration of my learning at the 4-H General Project Judging event (Exhibit Day or Achievement Day) during the current year. Specifics about projects displays are available from project leader or Extension Office.

5. I understand that if I receive a White Ribbon on my Shooting Sports Record Book, I will not be eligible to participate at the State Shoot until I have revised my book to at least a Red Ribbon Quality.

6. I understand that practices are generally held on a weekly basis throughout the warm weather months and that I must communicate with my discipline Leader(s) in the event of bad weather, etc.

7. I understand that my Project Record Book (E-Record) is my responsibility to obtain and begin to work on my Record Books in a timely fashion. Printed copies may be obtained from the Extension Office if you do not have access to a printer. E-Records may be completed by hand or on the computer; there is no preference.

8. I understand that poor or unsafe behavior by myself will result in my removal from the shooting line and may restrict my activities in current and future shooting sports activities.

Our signatures indicate that we have read and understand the above statements. Exhibitor Signature _________________________________Date_________ Parent/Guardian Signature___________________________ Date ________