Young Hunters

Where do young hunters and young shooters go to learn the craft? Where will the shooters and hunters of tomorrow come from?

It’s easy to believe there are no places that kids can learn these sports. Sure, each of the formal shooting disciplines has a youth division. And the NRA has a youth program. And the Scouts give at least lip service to the idea of shooting sports. But is there anyplace where young hunters and shooters in numbers can learn to shoot?

Fact is, there is such a program. Chances are you never heard of it. But each year, more than 100,000 boys and girls and 10,000 certified adult volunteers---supported by about 80 manufacturers---take park in the 4-H Youth Shooting Program.

Don’t feel badly if you’re unaware of this program for young hunters and shooters. Most outdoor writers, people who cover the shooting sports for a living, don’t know about it either. That’s because it’s a true grass-roots organization, starting on the county level in each of the 34 states that take part, and progressing upwards from there. So, unless you happen to have a kid in the program, or know somebody who does, you don’t hear about it because there’s nobody doing promotion and publicity on the national---or even state---level.

In short, despite the influence it has on a large number of people, it’s treated like any other 4-H program.

Although it is based around competing in various disciplines (including trap shooting, rifle and airgun shooting, pistol shooting, muzzleloading shooting, and archery), it is not billed as a competitive shooting program. Rather, as one leader stressed, it’s a youth development project that uses the fun of shooting to hook children into a broader program. “The way it’s structured,” a 4-H youth development specialist told me, “gun education is part of the natural resource program. We can’t say that we’re out there doing a shooting program. We’re doing a natural resources program, with shooting as the recreational activity that brings in children.”

Indeed, in some states a youngster must take part in another 4-H project in order to enroll in the shooting sports program. In others, they can get involved with the shooting program on its own.

In all cases, however, it’s the 4-H that takes precedence, not the specific program. When I was certified as a black-powder instructor, for instance, I had to go through a three-day instructional course. Only about a day of it involved learning how to teach shooting sports. The rest had to do with the structure and purposes and traditions of the 4-H.

It’s easy to get involved in this great program, though. They’re always looking for adult volunteers. If you’re interested, contact your local county extension agent, who can provide all the details.