Hunting, enjoying the “Great Outdoors” and shooting are definitely a “way of life” for many youth in Avoyelles and Louisiana (Sportsman’s Paradise). This interest creates a direct need to foster activities that help steer youth in the direction of their interest and at the same time teach them new skills to broaden their horizons along with making them SAFER hunters and shooters. Therefore, the main goals of the Shooting Sports Program will be:
-Education
-Safety, Safety, Safety!!!
If this project sounds like it will be beneficial to you, we certainly encourage your membership in the Avoyelles 4-H Shooting Sports Program. The membership fee is $25/4-H youth participant and is payable to Avoyelles 4-H. The membership fee will be used to purchase targets, eye/ear protection for use on the range. Parents and volunteers will not be assessed the membership fee, your help and time will be greatly appreciated!
The first shoot/training session was held Sunday, October 28, 2007, 3 pm till dark in Mansura at Mr. T.R. Roy’s shooting range. The range is located west of LA Hwy 1 approximately ¼ mile south of the overpass. There will be a 4-H sign placed along Hwy 1 designating the entrance to the location for this activity. Mr. T.R. Roy and his daughter Nichole Cardone Roy have agreed to allow us the use of their range for our training sessions when needed. Thank You Mr. T.R and Nichole!!! Please let me know if another range is available that is usable for safe rifle and shotgun shooting.
Archery (bow an arrow), rifle and shotgun disciplines will be offered this year. A youth may choose one, two or all three of the disciplines; however, each youth must earn a minimum of 8 hours range time in the presence of a certified shooting sports instructor to be eligible for parish/district/state competition. As of today, Avoyelles 4-H has one certified Level I Shotgun instructor, Mr. Burt Leonard; one Level I Rifle instructor, Mr. Lonnie Bordelon; one Level II Archery instructor, Mrs. Mary Leonard, one Level I Archery instructor, Alyssa Bordelon and two Shooting Sports Coordinators, Mrs. Carolyn Bordelon and Ms. Lisa Broussard. We will need more instructors, preferably three to four per discipline. Parents and Volunteers are encouraged to receive training (approximately 16 hours per discipline) offered through the LSU Ag Center to become certified in shooting sports disciplines. You will be informed of instructor trainings as they are scheduled.
Youth participating in the Shooting Sports project must receive their Hunter Education Certification as soon as possible. Youth must be at least 10 years old to be Hunter Ed. Certified. The 9 year old Shooting Sports participants will be able to participate in the project, but must receive their Hunter Ed. Certification when they pass their tenth birthday. Avoyelles 4-H will offer a Hunter Ed. Certification clinic on Saturday, December 15, 2007 (Part I) and Sunday, December 16, 2007 (Part II) to those youth ten years and over who need this certification. **Youth must attend Part I and II to receive certification. The entire course lasts 12 hours. This course will be advertised at the December 4-H club meeting along with a registration form to be returned to the 4-H Office.
**Youth may select one or all disciplines.
Shotgun Participants:
- 1 shotgun (any action, no larger than 12 ga., in good order)
- 50 shell cartridges ( NO reloads, NO heavier than #8 shot)
- 1 sharpened pencil and writing pad/notebook
Rifle Participants:
- 1 rimfire rifle (any action, must be .22 caliber-(either iron, peep or telescopic sights permitted)
- 50 short/long/long rifle bullets (NO reloads, No hollow- points)
- 1 sharpened pencil and writing pad/notebook
Archery Participants:
- 1 bow (recurve or compound)
- 5 aluminum arrows with field/target tips (NO broadheads)
- No mechanical releases
- 1 sharpened pencil and writing pad/notebook
*The 4-H office will furnish eye/ear protection, archery targets, paper targets (rifle), and clay targets (shotgun).
*Attention Parents-Please do not purchase your child a gun or bow before this meeting if your child does not own one. The instructors will give you information of what to buy and what not to buy.
A parent or adult guardian will be expected to remain with each 4-H shooting sports participant at their first meeting. Forms requiring parent and participant signatures will be completed at this meeting also.
Please remember SAFETY will be stressed in all aspects of this project.
*All Shooting Equipment (guns, ammunition, bows, arrows) should remain in vehicles until the command is given to retrieve shooting equipment.
Please call me at 253-7526 if you have any question concerning this project. The office mailing address is:
Avoyelles 4-H
Shooting Sports Project
136 South Lee St.
Marksville, LA 71351
Fax # - 318/253-5494 e-mail – tclark@agcenter.lsu.edu
Happy Hunting,
Trent Clark
Associate County Agent