4-H Introduction

Shooting Sports: Part of Young people in many new clubs and activities have American Life a time of enthusiasm followed by a certain amount of play major parts on achievement and satisfaction—then they lose interest and television programs featuring move on to the next activity. is not such an cowboys or law enforcement officers. activity. The knowledge and interest acquired often enrich Unfortunately, the news is filled an entire lifetime. daily with crimes committed by those carrying guns. Because of this, guns can be perceived as What’s Your Favorite Shooting ? scary, but with proper instruction they can be understood 8 —Since the beginning of time, the bow and and respected. have helped shape the history of the world. Early man provided for his family with the skills Shooting Sports: Are They Safe? gained in the search for food. Hundreds of years later, You bet shooting sports are safe—safer than football, the challenge and fun of archery continues. Viewed , fishing, and many other sports. Of course, not only as a way to provide table fare, archery is now improperly handled and bows are dangerous, a competitive sport. Patience, skill, repetition, and so learning to handle a or archery equipment attention to detail are just a few of the added benefits. is integrated into the 4-H Shooting Sports Program. 8 Muzzleloading—Smokepole and frontstuffer are just Education is the key in helping to reduce firearms a couple of the names used to describe this fun and accidents. exciting discipline. You will learn how to use this firearm, as well as how to clean and care for it. Who Enjoys Shooting Sports? 8 — have been a controversial subject Shooting sports can appeal to almost every person. in recent years. Through the 4-H Shooting Sports Many participants will want to learn the entire program; Program, you will learn the safe and correct way to use others may be interested in only one area. Students and these firearms. historians can have hours of enjoyment off the range 8 —Keep your eye on that target, control your reading references on firearms and archery history. breathing, and squeeze the trigger. These are just some of the commands you will hear in this discipline. In Why Shooting Sports? this sport, you learn how to use your body to steady The rewards of shooting sports are varied. There your shooting form and improve marksmanship. is action for the active. Accuracy is a pleasant reward 8 —Pull! Few things can compare to the feeling for nearly everyone. Achievement soon follows the of watching a clay target flying through the air to be development of skills, no matter how basic. Adventure broken by a well-placed . The shotgun discipline and suspense are the byproducts of some shooting helps develop hand-eye coordination. sports, while for others relaxation is reason enough for being outside with or bow. No matter what your rewards, shooting sports is a source of satisfaction for all participants. Where and When to Start? The interest in shooting sports has never been higher. The time to get involved in shooting sports is now. Contact your local 4-H agent and get started! You have heard “anything is easy if you know how” and “anything worth doing is worth doing well.” These statements are especially true of shooting sports. So from us to you—good shooting and good luck!

Information Sheet 1353 (POD-01-16) Revised by Dr. John L. Long, Assistant Extension Professor, 4-H Youth Development. Prepared by the National 4-H Shooting Sports Development Com- mittee. Adapted for Mississippi by Will Cohen, former Extension wildlife specialist, and Jim Yonge, former 4-H youth development specialist.

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