Civilian Marksmanship Program

CAMP PERRY, OHIO – -(AmmoLand.com)- This year the CMP has implemented several changes to the Sanctioned Match/Clinic program. The first change is the addition of a $5.00 shipping and handling fee.

If you are requesting scorecards, certificates and/or catalogs, you will be required to pay the $5.00 shipping and handling fee. If you are not requesting match materials, the shipping and handling fee will be waived.

The ammunition allocation process has also changed. The application form will no longer list the ammunition price or configuration. If you request ammunition for your event, an ammunition allocation form listing the price and quantity you are approved for will be sent to the event contact person six to eight weeks prior to the date of the match. If you apply for multiple events throughout the year, an ammunition allocation form will be sent six to eight week prior to the date of each event. The ammunition allocation form will be sent via email (hard copies will be sent to those not providing an email address). Once you receive the ammunition allocation form, please complete it and submit it to Mike Conrad, mconrad@odcmp.com, at the CMP North Store. If the ammunition allocation form is not received 30 days after the date of match, then the form is invalid.

Gold, silver and bronze CMP Achievement Pins may be purchased by sanctioned match sponsors to award to competitors in Garand, Springfield, Vintage Military, M1 Carbine and Rimfire Sporter Matches.

The Sanctioned Match/Clinic application form should be submitted six to eight weeks prior to the date of the event. This will allow ample time for the ammunition allocation form to be sent and processed. It is also helpful if the Sanctioned Match/Clinic application is submitted prior to the National Matches (July – August) if the event takes place in July or August as that is our busiest time of the year. Also, if you plan to purchase your allocated ammunition during the National Matches at Camp Perry, it is required you make prior arrangements with Mike Conrad at the CMP North Store.

We hope these changes will help the Sanctioned Match/Clinic Program and the ammunition allocation process. If you have any questions or would like a copy of the new application form, please visit http://www.odcmp.com/Competitions/Sanction.htm or contact me at croguski@odcmp.com or 419-635-2141 ext. 1114. I look forward to working with you in 2010.

Additional information is available at www.odcmp.com or by calling (419) 635-2141.

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New In 2010 – Sanctioned CMP Match or Clinic Shooting Program Changes

2010 Air Rifle Camp Registration Opens with a Flurry

Civilian Marksmanship Program

CAMP PERRY, OHIO – -(AmmoLand.com)-  On 25 January registration officially opened for the 2010 CMP Summer Air Rifle Camps, and parents and coaches began faxing in forms early that morning to ensure that their athletes had a slot in the camp of their choice.

No camps filled on the first day of registration, but all did receive registrations and early indications show that interest in the 2010 Camp season will be strong. Interested applicants are encouraged to send in registrations soon while ample slots are still available.

Those familiar with the CMP Summer Camps most likely have noticed the changes in the 2010 program from previous years. In accordance with new camp guidelines put in place by the CMP Board of Directors, all full-length three-position air rifle camps will be held at CMP Competition Centers in Anniston, Alabama, and Port Clinton, Ohio. This means that all campers will have the opportunity to shoot on state-of-the-art electronic ranges. Each CMP Competition Center features 80 electronic firing points that display shooters’ scores instantly on computer monitors. This system also allows CMP to post live scores on the internet, so anyone with access to the CMP website can track live feeds from competitions held at CMP venues.

Also for planning purposes, coaches and parents should note that all camps will now be commuter only, so participants attending camp from out of town will have to make their own housing plans. To assist with this process, links for housing options have been provided on the individual camp information pages on the Main Camp Information page.

Since all regular camps will be held at CMP facilities that are located in the Eastern United States, outreach clinics are being designed to deliver mini-camp experiences in the Western part of the country. This is an expansion of the CMP Clinic program that has been in place for several years. Three of these clinics will be held in the summer of 2010, utilizing the summer camp staff as instructors

The 2010 camp schedule will continue to include an advanced camp in the program. The CMP/AMU Advanced Smallbore Camp will take place at Fort Benning, which is home to the Army Marksmanship Unit. Like the CMP Competition Centers, the AMU ranges at Fort Benning, Georgia, are fully electronic

These are the primary changes for the 2010 camp season, but one thing that will remain the same is CMP’s commitment to the quality of instruction provided at the camps. We continue to recruit the top collegiate athletes for our counselor staff, and have Olympic and National Team members on-hand to share their expertise with the campers. We will also continue to fine-tune our instructional material so that participants receive the training they need to reach their shooting goals

Remember to register early and we will see you at camp! Additional information on all the programs listed above can be found on the Main Camp Information page at http://www.odcmp.com/Programs/camp.htm.

Additional information is available at www.odcmp.com or by calling (419) 635-2141.

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2010 Air Rifle Camp Registration Opens with a Flurry

The Outdoor Foundation

Boulder, CO – -(AmmoLand.com)- The Outdoor Foundation® today released a Special Report on Youth—a new research report detailing youth participation in outdoor recreation.

Focusing on youth ages 6–24, the report reveals, among other findings, the most popular outdoor activities among youth, the frequency of youth participation in outdoor activities, the motivations and barriers of young outdoor participants and the most underrepresented demographics in youth outdoor participation.

“Today’s young hikers, campers, climbers and paddlers are tomorrow’s adult outdoor enthusiasts and conservationists, but sadly fewer and fewer youth are heading outdoors each year,” said Christine Fanning, executive director of The Outdoor Foundation.

“The United States is now facing an unprecedented public health and conservation problem. Reconnecting youth with the outdoors has become critical to the health of future generations and the health of our natural landscapes.”

With the vital new information detailed within the Special Report on Youth, The Outdoor Foundation seeks to provide youth organizations, public agencies, businesses and non-profits with insights needed to get youth outside. The report dives deep into youth participation in outdoor activities—from detailing the demographics and geography of youth outdoor participation to reporting the youth participation rate and median age of over 30 different outdoor activities.

The Special Report on Youth is based on extended analysis of data collected for the foundation’s Outdoor Recreation Participation Report, produced annually by The Outdoor Foundation. The report draws on the responses of over 40,000 Americans ages 6 and older captured in an online survey covering 114 different activities. The survey is the largest of its type examining participation in sports and outdoor activities.

A few of the key findings in this report include:

• Total Participation — Nearly 60 percent of American youth ages 6–24 participate in outdoor recreation. In recent years, participation has fallen each year.
• Frequency of Participation — American youth made an estimated 4.26 billion outdoor excursions in 2008.
• Gender Disparities — Males of all ages participate at a higher rate than females. Fifty-six percent of youth outdoor participants ages 6–24 are male.
• Ethnic Participation — Minority populations are underrepresented in outdoor recreation. Seventy-nine percent of youth outdoor participants are Caucasian.
• Top Activities — Running, bicycling, fishing, camping and hiking are the most popular outdoor activities among youth.
• Youngest Activities — Skateboarding, BMX bicycling, snowboarding, climbing and triathlon have the highest percentage of youth participants and lowest percentage of adults.
• Motivations — Parents, friends and family introduce the most youth to the outdoors. Most youth enjoy the fun, relaxation and exercise of outdoor activities most.
• Barriers — A lack of interest and a lack of time are the top barriers keeping youth non-participants in outdoor recreation indoors.
• Adults with Children in Their Household — Adults 18 and older with children, s 1–17, in their household participate in outdoor recreation at higher levels than adults without children in their household.

To download a copy of the Special Report on Youth and other recent research reports from The Outdoor Foundation, visit www.outdoorfoundation.org/research.

About The Outdoor Foundation
The Outdoor Foundation® is a not-for-profit organization dedicated to inspiring and growing future generations of outdoor enthusiasts. Through ground-breaking research, action-oriented convening and outreach and education programs, The Foundation is working with partners to mobilize a major cultural shift that leads all Americans to the great outdoors. For more information visit www.outdoorfoundation.org.

®The Outdoor Foundation is a registered trademark of The Outdoor Foundation.

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Outdoor Foundation Examines Youth Participation in Outdoor Recreation

Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports Recognizes the Smith & Wesson Company

Smith & Wesson

Las Vegas, NC —-(AmmoLand.com)- Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports presented a recognition award to the Smith & Wesson Company, recognizing it’s contributions to the 2009 Ohio 4-H Summer Shooting Education Camp.

In July of 2009, 172 boys and girls from several states, participated in the 12th annual Ohio 4-H Summer Shooting Education Camp, held at the Canter’s Cave 4-H Camp in Jackson, Ohio.

Recognized nationally as one of the largest camps of its kind, the 6-day learning experience focuses on the safe, responsible and ethical use of firearms and archery equipment.

Smith & Wesson supported the camp by sending champion shooter B.J. Norris as a guest instructor working in the action pistol program. This was B.J.’s 2nd year working at the camp. He and Jerry Miculek instructed at the camp together in 2008. This program was started in 2008 with the assistance of Smith & Wesson. Smith donated several model 1911 and M&P pistols as well as model 686 revolvers.

Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports Recognizes the Smith & Wesson Company

“We couldn’t have done this without Smith & Wesson’s support and assistance. Their leadership and generous donations has taken our camp to a new level,” said Tom Johnston,Ohio’s Pistol Coordinator. “We hope to partner with them for many years to come. BJ and Jerry are truly thought of as family at our camp in southwest Ohio. The training they have provided to the children of our camp has created memories that will last a lifetime”.

The camp is held annually in July and is open to boys and girls ages 12-19. Campers are not required to be residents of Ohio and are not required to be members of 4-H. Shooting instruction is led by trained, experienced 4-H Shooting Sports Instructors. Campers specialize in the discipline of their choice such as Archery, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, or Living History, with all having multiple levels.

The main focus of the camp is shooting safety education and youth development, but campers obtain technical instruction from some of the best firearms instructors Ohio has to offer.

For more information on Ohio’s 4-H Shooting Education Camp, visit www.ohio4hshootingsports.org or call Ohio’s 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinator, Larry Harris at 740-286-4058.

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Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports Recognizes the Smith & Wesson Company

Civilian Marksmanship Program

CAMP PERRY, OHIO - -(AmmoLand.com)- Army, Marine Corps, Navy and Air Force JROTC rifle teams kicked off their 2009-2010 competition year as they competed in the 2009-2010 JROTC Air Rifle Postal Competitions.

For the past seven year, the Civilian Marksmanship Program has overseen the scoring of JROTC 3×10 three-position air rifle postal competitions. These annual postal matches determine which JROTC unit teams and individual cadets advance to compete in their respective service’s JROTC shoulder-to-shoulder Championship.

From those Championships, the best unit teams and individuals representing each service advance to the JROTC National Championship. Over 6,700 cadets participated in this year’s postal matches. Scores for the 2009 Air Force, Army, Marine Corps and Navy Postal Competitions can be found on the CMP web page at http://clubs.odcmp.com/cgi-bin/matchResultSearch.cgi?designation=AIR.

Postal targets were fired in October, November and early December, with a target mailing deadline of 4 December. In all, over 20,000 targets were scored between the 1st and 18th of December when all scores were posted on the CMP web site.

The printout for the top Precision Individual cadet, Aaron Pogorzelski, of Fabens High School NJROTC, is shown above.

To handle such a large number of targets, the CMP used its state-of-the-art electronic scoring system called Orion. This system uses Visual Imaging Scoring (VIS) technology to score the 10-bull paper targets that were scanned at 300dpi so that the Orion software could score them. This system has been used for the past three years. For more information on the Orion Scoring System, visit the Orion website is at www.orionscoringsystem.com.

The Orion software also allows competitors to not only see their scores on the CMP website, but also to see precise details about each shot, including its x/y coordinates, radial distance from the target center and tenth-ring score. Orion technology makes it possible to download printouts showing facsimiles of each shooter’s shot groups for the three positions. A major advantage of Orion is that all targets are scored according to the same standard to eliminate many scoring variations inherent in human scoring.

The top individual precision score in the 2009 JROTC postal was a 296-24X total fired by Aaron Pogorzelski of Fabens High School NJROTC in Fabens, Texas. The top sporter score was a 282-9X fired by Yvonne Swiontek of Zion Benton HS NJROTC in Illinois. The overall top team scores were an 1155-62X precision total fired by Chattahoochee County High School AJROTC in Cusseta, Georgia, and an 1112-33X sporter team score fired by Zion Benton High School NJROTC in Zion, Illinois. To see all of these scores including the top scores in each of the four service individual and team competitions, visit http://www.odcmp.com/3P/JROTC.htm.

Downloadable printouts like the one shown above for Yvonne Swiontek, the top Sporter Individual in the JROTC Postal, are available for all cadets. The Orion Scoring System offers precise details about each shot, including its x/y coordinates, radial distance from the target center and tenth-ring score.

Score data and shot group print-outs like the ones shown here for the top sporter and precision class shooters may be downloaded from the CMP website. To obtain a score data sheet, open an individual results list for one of the services and then click on the “Aggregate” total that is shown in red for the shooter whose scores you wish to see. A PDF file with the shot data and a facsimile of each position’s shot group will download.

The postal competitions will be followed by JROTC Service Air Rifle Championships. All Service Championships will be held at Camp Perry, Ohio. The Navy JROTC Service Championship will be on 11-13 February 2010. The Army JROTC Service Championship will be on 18-20 February 2010. The Marine Corps JROTC Service Championship will be on 25-27 February 2010. The Air Force JROTC Championship will also be on 25-27 February 2010.

Those championships will not only select the top teams in each JROTC command, but they will also identify the teams that will represent each service in the National JROTC Air Rifle Championship at Anniston, Alabama on 25-27 March 2010.

The initial list of qualifiers for the 2010 JROTC Service Championships is posted at http://www.odcmp.com/3P/JROTC.htm.

About:
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is a national organization dedicated to training and educating U. S. citizens in responsible uses of firearms and airguns through gun safety training, marksmanship training and competitions. The CMP is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) corporation that places its highest priority on serving youth through gun safety and marksmanship activities that encourage personal growth and build life skills. Links on this page will lead you to more detailed information about the CMP and its programs.

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Cadets and Teams Advancing to the JROTC Service Air Rifle Championships Announced

Scholastic Steel Challenge

SEDRO-WOOLLEY, Wash. —-(AmmoLand.com)- The Scholastic Steel Challenge (SSC) has picked up another prominent industry partner who will be supporting the program though an exclusive product discount for SSC shooters. Precision Delta Corporation has announced it will provide SSC teams with a 20% discount on new or reloaded 9mm ammunition.

“We are proud to be an SSC industry partner,” said Joe Tranum, president of Precision Delta. “Since our founding in 1982, we have grown to become one of the largest manufacturers of remanufactured pistol ammunition and we recognize how important it is for companies like ours to give back to the shooting sports. That’s why we are thrilled to provide SSC teams with a 20% discount on the ammunition they’ll need, not just to train and compete, but to win.”

The Scholastic Steel Challenge is a national team-oriented youth shooting program developed by the Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA) and funded in part by a grant from the National Shooting Sports Foundation. The program is open to young men and women ages 12 to 20 and offers them the opportunity to compete as a four person team for a national title in the action pistol discipline of speed shooting.

Already the program has received support from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Smith & Wesson, the Outdoor Wire Digital Network, Glock, Action Target and EOTAC which have committed over $150,000 in funding and product.

“I appreciate Precision Delta coming on board with SSC in these trying times for ammo buyers” said Scott Moore, director for the Scholastic Steel Challenge. “Giving teams ready access to high-quality ammunition at a special discounted price will be a big boost to the SSC program and help insure the growth of the sport of Speed Shooting.”

For more information on the Scholastic Steel Challenge and the Steel Challenge Shooting Association please visit www.SteelChallenge.com.

About the SCSA:
The Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA) is the governing body of the sport of Speed Shooting and organizer of the Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships. To learn more about the Steel Challenge Shooting Association and the Steel Challenge visit the Web site at www.steelchallenge.com. There you will find diagrams of the stages of fire, complete listing of past results, a list of past champions, world record times and more.

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Precision Delta Backs Youth Shooting Program with 20% Discount on Ammunition

National Rifle Association

FAIRFAX, Va. –-(AmmoLand.com)- The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program, NRA’s groundbreaking gun accident prevention course for children, has surpassed yet another milestone by reaching its 23 millionth child.

Created in 1988 by past NRA President Marion P. Hammer, in consultation with law enforcement officers, elementary school teachers, and child psychologists, the program provides pre-K through the third grade children with simple, effective rules to follow should they encounter a firearm in an unsupervised setting: “If you see a gun: STOP! Don’t Touch. Leave the Area. Tell an Adult.”

“The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program has been a tremendous success,” said Kayne Robinson, Executive Director of NRA General Operations. “Twenty-three million young people have received Eddie’s lifesaving message, and the future of the program is bright.”

Volunteers for the Eddie Eagle program might come from diverse backgrounds, but they share a commitment to protecting children from gun accidents. Those involved include teachers, NRA members, law enforcement officers, and community activists who teach the program, as well as private donors and Friends of NRA participants who raise funds to pay for the program’s educational materials.

More than 26,000 educators, law enforcement agencies, and civic organizations have taught the program since 1988.

Law enforcement’s partnership with Eddie Eagle has proven to be very effective. Along with schools and libraries, law enforcement agencies are one of the few groups allowed to purchase an Eddie Eagle mascot costume. NRA also offers free Eddie Eagle materials to any law enforcement agency, hospital, or educational facility across the nation. To receive these free materials, or to purchase an Eddie Eagle costume, please contact the Eddie Eagle Department at 800-231-0752.

The Eddie Eagle program has been praised by numerous groups and elected officials, including the Association of American Educators, the Youth Activities Division of the National Safety Council, the National Sheriffs’ Association, the U.S. Department of Justice (through its Office of Juvenile Justice and Delinquency), and 26 state governors.

Funds raised through Friends of NRA and distributed through The NRA Foundation (www.nrafoundation.org) enable budget-strapped schools and police departments to teach the program at minimal or no cost. The NRA encourages citizens nationwide to participate in heightening gun accident prevention awareness within their local communities. Schools, law enforcement agencies, civic groups, and others interested in more information about The Eddie Eagle GunSafe® Program, or persons who wish to see if free materials are available in their communities, should call the Eddie Eagle® Department at (800) 231-0752 or visit www.nrahq.org/safety/eddie/.

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NRA’s Eddie Eagle GunSafe Program Reaches 23 Millionth Child

Steel Challenge Shooting Association

SEDRO-WOOLLEY, Wash. —-(AmmoLand.com)- The Scholastic Steel Challenge (SSC) has partnered with tactical apparel manufacturer EOTAC to offer SSC participants SSC branded clothing at a substantial savings. EOTAC is the latest company to sign on to support the new youth shooting program.

As an SSC partner, EOTAC will offer a wide range of its popular shooting attire embroidered with the SSC which SSC competitors and coaches can purchase direct from the EOTAC online store at a 40% discount. Additionally EOTAC will donate 10% of the yearly SSC related sales back to the program to help continue the program’s expansion.

The Scholastic Steel Challenge is a national team-oriented youth shooting program developed by the Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA) and funded in part by a grant from the National Shooting Sports Foundation. The program is open to young men and women ages 12 to 20 and offers them the opportunity to compete as a four person team for a national title in the action pistol discipline of speed shooting.

Already the program has received support from the National Shooting Sports Foundation, Smith & Wesson, the Outdoor Wire Digital Network, Glock and Action Target which have committed over $150,000 in funding and product.

“EOTAC is deeply committed to growing the shooting sports. Our gear is worn by our own shooting team and widely used by competitive shooters across a variety of shooting sports. We’re pleased to support this important shooting program and look forward to bringing into the EOTAC shooting fraternity an SSC team,” said Fernando Coelho, president of EOTAC.

“We’re very pleased to have EOTAC join us as we bring the sport of Scholastic Steel Challenge to the youth of America,” said Scott Moore, director of SSC. “And as with all sports they must look the part; with this line of professional clothing our competitors will let everyone know they’re part of SSC”.

For more information on the Scholastic Steel Challenge and the Steel Challenge Shooting Association please visit www.SteelChallenge.com.

About the SCSA:
The Steel Challenge Shooting Association (SCSA) is the governing body of the sport of Speed Shooting and organizer of the Steel Challenge World Speed Shooting Championships. To learn more about the Steel Challenge Shooting Association and the Steel Challenge visit the Web site at www.steelchallenge.com. There you will find diagrams of the stages of fire, complete listing of past results, a list of past champions, world record times and more.

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EOTAC Offers Young Shooters Big Discount on Branded Clothing

Bass Pro Shop's Christmas Tradition Continues

Bass Pro Shops

Springfield, Missouri --(AmmoLand.com)- For generations, to help pass the time between Thanksgiving and Christmas, kids and their parents have made holiday ornaments and done other fun crafts. Now you can introduce your child to these time-honored traditions every weekend at Bass Pro Shops Santa’s Wonderland.

Each Saturday and Sunday from 12 noon to 5pm (while supplies last) November 28th and continuing through December 20th, bring the kids to the Santa’s Wonderland at your local Bass Pro Shops and enjoy a different craft activity.

Saturday and Sunday, November 28th and 29th, create a unique Santa ornament out of a fishing bobber, December 5th and 6th construct a fun reindeer hat fit for Rudolph himself, December 12th and 13th change a candy cane into a reindeer and December 19th and 20th decorate cookies for Santa.

These are just some of the fun events going on at the Santa’s Wonderland at Bass Pro Shops this season. You can also enjoy old-time model trains, slot car racing, remote control cars, a Red Ryder® laser arcade, a Nerf-type soft gun range, The Strike bass fishing game and activity tables where you can color and write a letter to Santa. It’s all absolutely free.

Santa will be in residence there throughout the season so you can get a free 4 x 6 photo with him and his reindeer from 5pm to 8pm Monday through Friday, Saturday’s 10am to 9pm and Sunday’s noon to 5pm. Don’t forget to grab your Bass Pass if the line is long, and your appointment with Santa is set.

Remember Christmas as it used to be when you were a child and enjoy the season again with your children at Bass Pro Shops Outdoor World. For more information visit www.basspro.com/santa and click on the store site.

About Bass Pro Shops Group:
Bass Pro Shops -56 retail stores in 26 states and Canada visited by over 100 million people annually, international catalog and internet retailing, American Rod & Gun wholesale division selling to over 7,000 independently owned retail stores worldwide, Outdoor World Incentives also selling Bass Pro Shops gift cards through over 132,000 retail outlets across America and a restaurant division with 26 locations. For more information regarding Bass Pro Shops store locations, products or special events, please visit www.basspro.com. To request a free catalog call 1-800-BASS PRO. Follow us on Twitter @ bass_pro_shops.

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Bass Pro Shops Offers Free Christmas Activities For the Kids

FORT BENNING, Ga. -- Staff Sgt. Travis Tomasie, U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, displays the correct way of transitioning a shooters body through a course of fire Nov. 7 at Krilling Range. Tomasie and the rest of the USAMU's Action Shooting team held a camp for junior action pistol shooters from all over the country, as kids from California, Idaho, Arizona, and North Carolina, among others, descended on Fort Benning to learn from the best in the world and meet new friends. (Photo by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO)

United States Army Marksmanship Unit

FORT BENNING, Ga. —-(AmmoLand.com)- Junior shooters from across the country descended on Fort Benning Nov. 6-8 as the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit’s Action Shooting team hosted a junior camp at Krilling Range.

With two national champions, a two-time international sniper champion and a previous attendee at the camp among the instructors, the opportunity to learn from the best was a chance 48 of the top up-and-comers in the growing sport of action shooting couldn’t pass up.

“I needed more training, and my Mom thought if I came here I would meet new friends and have a lot fun,” said nine-year-old Lee Wills, the camp’s youngest participant and a native of Gainesville, Va.. “She was really right.”

The kids were picked to attend the camp after a thorough selection process, said Sgt. 1st Class Aaron Hampton, the camp director. Each junior had to meet certain criteria such as being a ranked U.S. Practical Shooting Association competitor or able to show that you have a good deal of shooting experience.

“This isn’t a beginner’s class,” Hampton said. “By no means is it geared to teach you the fundamentals. Our goal is to help grow the sport.”

FORT BENNING, Ga. -- Pvt. Shane Coley, U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, instructs juniors on the proper techniques of reloading the weapon Nov. 7 at Krilling Range. Coley and the USAMU Action Shooting team held a junior camp for 48 juniors Nov. 6-8. Coley himself was an attendee just last year and joined the Army after his positive experience at the camp.

Once the juniors met the criteria, they had to submit an essay on what they wanted to gain from coming to the camp and also what the second amendment means to them. Many submissions included a fondness for the Army and desires to one day join the ranks.

“I wanted it to be something that was personal and heartfelt but also something that they’d have to spend a little bit of time to research and understand,” Hampton said. “If you have nine-year olds who can write you a two-page essay on the second amendment, they probably want to show up. It was designed to be a litmus test on how dedicated they were.”

The attendees had the opportunity to learn from the best. Sgt. Daniel Horner, who recently won the Multi-Gun National championship in Boulder City, Nev., worked with the juniors on drawing and accuracy. Sgt. 1st Class Robby Johnson, a two-time International Sniper Competition champion, gave a block of instruction on the introduction to the rifle. The attendees also learned movement techniques, transitions, and reloads.

“I was here last year and had lots of fun,” said Mark Saffery, a 13-year-old from Jacksonville, Fla. “I’ve been competing for three years now. This camp is the best part of the year. We get to learn something from every AMU mentor. They are so awesome and really great guys.”

FORT BENNING, Ga. -- 13-year-old Justin Saffery of Jacksonville, Fla. makes his way through a course of fire while being followed by Sgt. 1st Class Robby Johnson of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit Nov. 8 at Krilling Range. The USAMU hosted a junior camp for 48 of the top action shooting youths in the nation, instructing them on a variety of techniques and concluding with a competitive match. (Photo by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO)

Instructing them on reloads was a familiar face. Pvt. Shane Coley, the newest member of the USAMU, attended the camp in its inaugural year last fall. Before attending the camp, he had no plans on joining the Army. That all changed rather quickly.

“It helped me so much when I came here,” Coley remarked, who arrived at the USAMU after completing basic and advanced individual training a mere three weeks ago. “I got to meet a bunch of new people in the sport, but I also had great mentors and great teachers in the Soldiers on the team.

“I really wanted to prove to them that I could be here. After the world championships last year Sgt. 1st Class Hampton came up to me and we talked. And now I’m here. It is a little weird because a lot of these guys are my friends, but I have to set boundaries. I want to teach them and instruct them. This is a great camp and these kids realize how valuable it is.”

This is a tricky time of year for the Action Shooting team to hold the camp. Soldiers compete in their national championships in late October, and the Fort Benning Three-Gun challenge, which they host, is held the first weekend of December. But it’s a no-brainier for Hampton and his Soldiers to continue bringing the kids back to Krilling Range and keep growing the sport that they all cherish.

“I believe in two things: one, if you’re going to do something you need to go ahead and do it and, two, if you got momentum keep it going because it’s hard to get it started again,” he concluded.

FORT BENNING, Ga. -- 13-year-old James Wall of Parma, Idaho fires on a target under the watchful eye of Sgt. Lee Dimaculangan, U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit. Wall and 47 other children attended the USAMU Action Pistol junior camp Nov. 6-8 at Krilling Range, receiving instruction on reloads, transitioning, draw and accuracy, movement, and an introduction to the rifle. (Photo by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO)

About USAMU:
The USAMU’s mission is to raise the standard of marksmanship proficiency and combat readiness throughout the Army by sharing knowledge gained from competing and winning in national/ international competitions, research and development and advanced training programs while enhancing the Army’s recruiting effort through an active public information and public relations program. For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436, Michael.Molinaro@usaac.army.mil or www.USAMU.com . The U.S. Practical Shooting Association is a nonprofit membership association affiliated with the International Practical Shooting Confederation, which is comprised of approximately 67 nations.

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USAMU Holds Action-Packed Junior Shooter Camp

Nebraska Game and Parks Commission

LINCOLN, Neb. –-(AmmoLand.com)- There has been a national trend of declining participation in hunting for years. The Nebraska Game and Parks Commission took a step Thursday to attract more young big game hunters.

The Board of Commissioners approved youth deer, turkey and antelope permits that cost $5 each. The board held its regular meeting at Pheasant Bonanza, northwest of Tekamah.

The current prices for selected permits are, excluding agent fees: resident deer ($29), nonresident deer ($208), resident antelope ($29), nonresident antelope ($149.50), resident turkey ($23), and nonresident turkey ($90). All hunters, including youth, pay those prices. Now, youth under age 16 may purchase those permits for $5 each.

Other permits were created and fees amended by the board.

In an effort to raise funds that will do such things as acquire land, support public access programs and improve habitat, the board raised the cost of an annual Nebraska Habitat Stamp by $4 to $20. It also raised the annual Nebraska Aquatic Habitat Stamp by $2.50 to $10.

New permits that were created include nonresident paddlefish, nonresident combination hunt/fish permit, lifetime fur harvest, nonresident elk, and nonresident landowner elk.

The board also raised the cost of a lifetime habitat stamp by $80 to $400 and created agent fees of $1 (purchased through Commission) and $2 (purchased through an agent other than Commission) for most hunting, fishing and fur harvest permits.

Changes to the 2010 fishing and turkey hunting regulations also were approved.

Changes to turkey regulations include a spring turkey permit that may be used in either the shotgun or archery season. In the past, spring turkey hunters were required to purchase either a shotgun permit or archery permit to hunt with those respective weapons during designated seasons.

The board made the following changes to other wildlife regulations:

• Suspended the bighorn sheep harvest in 2010. A pneumonia outbreak has reduced the population of the Fort Robinson herd, where sheep are hunted.
• A limited landowner applicant may be a spouse or child of the owner or leaseholder of qualifying land or a sibling sharing ownership of the qualifying land. The spouse or child need not be residing in the same household of the owner or leaseholder.
• Added landowner bull elk to the list of permit applicants who receive preference points if denied a permit and who lose all preference points if granted a permit. It also removes language that states all preference points will be lost if a person does not apply at least once for five consecutive years.
• Removed all restrictions on draw weight and draw length of archery equipment used to take deer, antelope, turkey, elk, and bighorn sheep.
• Removed all restrictions on how long deer, antelope, turkey, elk, and bighorn sheep meat may be possessed.
• Added a regulation that archers hunting deer, antelope, elk, or bighorn sheep are not required to wear hunter orange during the firearm seasons for antelope, elk or bighorn sheep.
• Removed all restrictions on how long game birds or game animals may be possessed and added language that states that it is unlawful to possess more than a possession limit of game birds or game animals.

The board also:

• Entered into an agreement with the Platte River Basin Environments (PRBE) to provide public access and conservation management on two tracts of land in the Wildcat Hills. The Carter Canyon Ranch Tract (7,870 acres) and the Montz Point Tract (1,430 acres) are owned by PRBE.
• Amended a lease with the Bureau of Reclamation to include a mitigation tract in Webster County in which the Commission will provide public access and conservation management. The 475-acre tract will be designated as Guide Rock Diversion Wildlife Management Area (WMA).
• Acquired a 13.31-acre tract of land at U.S. Highway 77 and Bluff Road in Lancaster County. It will be used to consolidate Commission operations and maintenance staff and replace sites that are being leased.
• Acquired a 156-acre tract of land in Stanton County that will be an extension of Wood Duck WMA.

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Commissioners Approve Low-Cost Youth Hunting Permits

1st NASP World Archery Tournament

National Archery in the Schools Program

Sparta, WI --(AmmoLand.com)- In 2001, during the 6-month planning phase of the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) one of the items on our wish list was to attract “Disney” as a partner. We felt if NASP could attract the interest of Disney that would be a sign of the program’s success.

During the winter of 2008 Kevin Stay at Mathews was contacted by a Disney official, Greg Waldron with a question about his hunting bow. Of course no one can talk to Kevin, our NASP Vice-President for more than a few minutes before they will hear about the program. Greg was impressed with NASP®’s popularity and it’s Mission to help student.

A few months later this encounter resulted in a meeting at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports.

During our first planning meeting we agreed to design a NASP range at Disney’s Wilderness Resort, train Disney cast members to present NASP-style archery lessons, and develop a 100 minute archery lesson for resort guests. We also began discussions about establishing a NASP® tournament at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports® complex.

A bit more than a year later we announced, at the 2009 NASP® National tournament in Louisville, Kentucky, that Disney and NASP would join forces to conduct NASP®’s first world tournament. This was only 5 months notice for schools that might like to participate and only weeks remained in most states’ school year to make plans, raise travel money, and keep teams practicing over the summer. NASP® also had to develop an on-line registration system to allow teams to register, select flight times, and pay registration fees. Registration for the tournament opened two days after Labor Day in September and closed on September 23. NASP® offered partial travel grants to teams in South Africa, Australia, New Zealand, and Canada to help them make the trip.

The first NASP® World Tournament was conducted indoors at the new Josten’s Center on October 9th and 10th at Disney’s ESPN Wide World of Sports® complex. A total of 609 archery students from 18 states and Saskatchewan participated in the 2-day event. The most heavily represented grade levels at the tournament were grades 5th and 6th. There were even 3, 3rd grade students competing, with special written permission from their Principals to “shoot up”. Proving once again that NASP® is an important co-gender activity, 44% of the participants were female.

Many of the student archers, coaches, teachers, and parents reported having a terrific time at this first NASP® World Tournament. Carly Hedden, an 8th grade participant said, “It was an honor to be invited to compete with top Archers around the world. She said that participating in such a hi-profile event and visiting Disney were “…dreams come true for me.” Carly’s mother, Susan commented that, “NASP® Archery teaches discipline and sportsmanship in a positive environment which are principles that I want my child to learn and live by.”

Disney was a terrific host of the event helping to set-up and tear down, providing a facility coordinator, first aid, and ushers throughout the tournament. Of course the first aid station was the least active place in the building because of archery’s terrific safety record! Nearly all the young archers were among the 4,565 students that participated in the 2009 NASP® National Tournament held in May, 2009. Several of the students and their parents including Kevin, Cindy, and Cody Able from Lawrenceburg, KY were very impressed with the quality of the Disney facilities and the “niceness” of the Disney cast members. It was obvious this tournament-inspired trip to Disney World® was a huge hit with many of the students, many of which had never been out-of-state, on an airplane, visited Disney before, and for those who drove over to Daytona Beach, had never seen the ocean. Teacher, Eric Sowers at the Providence School in Nicholasville, KY reported, “Our kids loved the shooting facility and the professionalism. The tournament site had them in awe. You should have seen their faces when they saw the Atlantic Ocean for the first time. They truly had a once in a lifetime experience.” Nathan Parcell of Brandenburg, Kentucky enjoyed meeting archers from around the country he has become acquainted with and to make new archer friends.

As is NASP®’s norm awards were presented to the top three teams in the elementary, middle, and high school divisions. Again, as is NASP®’s standard, every archer used the same bow (without sights, stabilizers, or release aids), the same arrow, and shot 15 arrows at both 10 and 15 meters. Individual awards were presented to 1st-5th placing boys AND girls in 4, 5, and 6th grades and the middle school and high school divisions. The overall boy and girl champions posted identical scores of 293 (out of 300). The young lady World Champion was Kentucky’s Danielle Reddick from Trigg county High School. Two young men achieved identical scores of 293. However, Alabama’s Joshua Clarke was beat out by Michigan’s Steven Schram for overall top male archer in the World, based upon a higher number of “bulls-eyes”. Six young archers were involved in a fast-paced, tie-breaking “shoot-off” immediately preceding the awards ceremony. The 1st placing teams in each division and individual winners are listed below.

• 1st Place Elementary Team – Eagle Mountain Magnet – Batesville, AR
• 1st Place Middle School Team – Anderson County Middle School – Lawrenceburg, KY
• 1st Place High School Team – Meade County High School – Brandenburg, KY
• 1st Place 4th Grade Female – Riley Patton, Loganville, GA
• 1st Place 4th Grade Male – Jonathan Gallagher, Nancy, KY
• 1st Place 5th Grade Female – Kattie Raphun, Irvington, AL
• 1st Place 5th Grade Male – Jordan Campbell, Adairville, KY
• 1st Place 6th Grade Female – Sarah Shipley, Cadiz, KY
• 1st Place 6th Grade Male – Cameron Peyton, Lawrenceburg, KY
• 1st Place Middle School Female – Shaye Patterson, Cadiz, KY
• 1st Place Middle School Male – Steven Schram, Bark River, MI
• 1st Place High School Female – Danielle Reddick, Cadiz, KY
• 1st Place High School Male – Joshua Clarke, Irvington, AL

1st NASP World Archery Tournament (Photo-by-Charlie-Baglan)

More than 300 trophies, plaques, and medals were awarded to the students. Additionally, thanks to the generosity of several NASP® supporters, some winners received bows from Mathews Archery, arrows and repair kits from Easton Technical Products, targets from Morrell Manufacturing, and bow cases from the Genesis Outlet. One of the most hotly contested awards at NASP® tournaments are the “Spirit Awards” presented to one school in each of the three divisions. This award, a resin Bald Eagle, is presented to teams judged by a committee of volunteers for showing terrific enthusiasm, sportsmanship, and school spirit. Teams that win these awards usually dress in special archery “uniforms”, sing, change, and carry their school’s banner. It is always fun to see how the kids “spirit-up” whenever an official-looking NASP® person walks by their team carrying a clipboard! One of most spirited teams wore the new NASP® uniform shirt made by EOTAC. The elementary division was won by Indiana’s Hayden Elementary, their 2nd year to take home the eagle. Kentucky’s Anderson County Middle and Meade County High Schools were spirited, great sports, and colorful enough to also win Spirit Awards.

Nearly forty states and provinces will conduct annual tournaments among their NASP® schools this coming January-April in 2010. While vying for terrific prizes and notoriety among their peers, they also will be competing to see who will be among nearly 6,000 students at the NASP® national tournament scheduled for May 7th & 8th in Louisville, Kentucky. See you there!

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1st NASP World Archery Tournament is History

National Shooting Sports Foundation

NEWTOWN, Conn.—-(AmmoLand.com)- Fall is a time of year parents and their children enjoy doing things together—attending soccer matches, carving scary jack-o’-lanterns, raking leaves (OK, maybe that one’s not so much fun) and gathering around the table for Thanksgiving dinner.

It’s also a great time of year to introduce a young person to hunting.

Hunting seasons are open across the country. From deer to upland birds, waterfowl, wild turkey, squirrel and rabbits, hunters have their choice of game to pursue. When the time is right for an adult mentor to introduce a youth to hunting, the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s STEP OUTSIDE program helps make that introduction fun.

You can start by sending your son or daughter an electronic postcard with a colorful photo of the game animal or hunting scene of your choice. This helps youth visualize the experience, and it’s a nice surprise when the e-postcard pops up in their inbox.

Enjoy the hunt:
Remember the sights, sounds and smells. Then when you’re back home, take a moment and together enter the STEP OUTSIDE Sweepstakes and earn a chance to win one of five $1,000 gift certificates at Bass Pro Shops. It’s easy. Tell NSSF about your experience by taking a short survey. Maybe you were successful in harvesting your game, or maybe not. It doesn’t really matter because, as all hunters know, it’s the experience afield with family and friends that counts.

Not a hunter? That’s OK. Introduce a youngster to target shooting and you can still enter. Just take the survey by the deadline of Jan. 1, 2010. Winners will be selected in a random drawing on Jan. 19.

The valuable survey information helps NSSF design programs like STEP OUTSIDE and other initiatives that encourage youth to enjoy the outdoors.

As a hunter and a target shooter, you’re in a unique position to share your knowledge of the outdoors and pass on a great tradition. Many states are making it easier to do this by offering apprentice hunting licenses that allow youth to join a licensed adult mentor on hunt.

Keep in mind that autumn is a time of year when we harvest many things that began as a seed in the spring. Yet it’s also a time of year when we can plant a seed that just may turn a youngster into a lifelong hunter, target shooter and conservationist.

Learn more at www.stepoutside.org today.

About NSSF
The National Shooting Sports Foundation is the trade association for the firearms industry. Its mission is to promote, protect and preserve hunting and the shooting sports. Formed in 1961, NSSF has a membership of more than 4,000 manufacturers, distributors, firearms retailers, shooting ranges, sportsmen’s organizations and publishers. For more information, log on to www.nssf.org.

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Hunting Season Is the Perfect Time to Mentor a New Hunter

FORT BENNING, Ga.--Staff Sgt. Armando Ayala, U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, gives instructions to members of the Fort Benning Junior Rifle Club at Pool Indoor Range. Ayala and his teammates run the program, providing instruction and guidance that the juniors carry with them into the future. (Photo by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO)

United States Army Marksmanship Unit

FORT BENNING, Ga.—-(AmmoLand.com)- After spending all day in school, learning about math and social studies, most children can’t wait to get home and start playing with their friends. Two days a week, however, some kids from the area descend on Fort Benning to continue their education from the best in the business with an eye to towards their future.

The Fort Benning Junior Rifle club, started in the 1970s, was formed to help junior shooters raise their level in competitive shooting and assist them in getting recognized by college coaches. It is organized and run by members of the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit’s International Rifle team, whose roster includes Olympians and national champions.

“The kids are extremely motivated,” said Staff Sgt. Armando Ayala, the club’s head coach. “These shooters are exposed to the USAMU work ethic and our accomplishments, and it really motivates them.”

FORT BENNING, Ga.--Spc. David Sprecher, U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, monitors a group of young boys as they take part in a practice session at the Fort Benning Junior Rifle Club at Pool Indoor Range. (Photo by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO)

There are 52 kids in the club this year, Ayala said, which is almost double the number of shooters from last year. There are two training sessions a week during the school year with a break during the winter holidays. Besides Ayala, who attends every training session, two of his teammates rotate from week-to-week, allowing the students a chance to work with the entire IR team.

“We teach shooters from beginners all the way to advance levels,” he remarked. “We essentially take them from never shooting to the U.S. National junior team-level.”

The biggest reward for the juniors is that they have been able to take the skills and lessons learned as members of the club and translate that into success geared toward their futures, Ayala remarked. The West Point Academy has tapped into the program and recruited future officers through the academy’s shooting team, and many former and future members made the military their career choice after being tutored within the military environment.

FORT BENNING, Ga.--Spc. David Sprecher, U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, answers questions from Mackenzy Crawford (right), 14, Columbus, Ga. as Glenn Fausti (left), 13, Columbus, fires his rifle at Pool Indoor Range. The two youngsters are among 52 kids who make up the Fort Benning Junior Rifle Club, instructed by members of the USAMU International Rifle team. (Photo by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO)

Coaches from Columbus State, University of Kentucky, Memphis University, Texas Christian University, Nebraska and others have scouted the club’s members and brought scholarship offers with them.

“This is a ton of fun,” said Mackenzy Crawford, 14, of Columbus. “I started shooting when I was six and wanted to join the school’s rifle team, so I needed to get practice and coaching here.”

Crawford said he has improved tremendously in a short amount of time. He has gotten a lot more comfortable in his stance and has learned how to sight his target more properly. This is his first year in the club.

The club members compete in a number of matches year-round. The biggest matches are sanctioned by USA Shooting, including the national championships and spring and fall selection matches for juniors. They also travel to Camp Perry, Ohio each summer to compete in the Smallbore National Championships and compete in regional postal and invitational matches.

“To see our juniors develop into motivated young citizens and accomplish great things is very rewarding,” Ayala said. “I know what they learn here they carry into all aspects of their lives because the examples set for them affect their lives. What we do here really inspires and motivates young people.”

FORT BENNING, Ga.--Staff Sgt. Armando Ayala, U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, shows the proper positioning to Breanna Kasl, a member of the Fort Benning Junior Rifle Club, at Pool Indoor Range. Kasl hopes to attend the West Point Academy after high school and compete on its shooting team. (Photo by Michael Molinaro, USAMU PAO)

About USAMU:
The USAMU’s mission is to raise the standard of marksmanship proficiency and combat readiness throughout the Army by sharing knowledge gained from competing and winning in national/ international competitions, research and development and advanced training programs while enhancing the Army’s recruiting effort through an active public information and public relations program. For more information on the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit, contact the Public Affairs Office at (706) 545-5436, Michael.Molinaro@usaac.army.mil or www.USAMU.com . The U.S. Practical Shooting Association is a nonprofit membership association affiliated with the International Practical Shooting Confederation, which is comprised of approximately 67 nations.

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Junior Shooters Learn From The USAMU’s Best

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

STERLING, KS —-(AmmoLand.com)- On Nov. 7, the Heartland Pioneer Chapter of Quail Forever will sponsor a youth hunt at Dr. Jack Mull’s wildlife preserve, approximately 12 miles east of Sterling.

Experienced instructors and bird dogs will safely guide young hunters on a pheasant and quail hunt.

The event will reinforce hunter education concepts, and participants will learn how to hunt in a line and behind trained bird dogs.

This mentor/youth hunt will include a morning session and an afternoon session.

Each session will be limited to 10 students. Participation is limited to youngsters in grades 6 through 12.

Students must possess a hunter education certificate and a hunting license if they are 16 or older. (Because the hunt will be conducted on a controlled shooting area, youth older than 16 may participate.)

Food and fellowship at Dr. Mull’s cabin will cap off the day.

The registration deadline is Oct. 31. Contact Nolan Fisher at 620-242-3700 for more information.

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Quail Forever Chapter To Conduct Youth Pheasant And Quail Hunt

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

GLEN ELDER, KS —-(AmmoLand.com)- On Saturday, Nov. 7, the Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks will conduct an event designed to lure more youth and novice hunters into the field.

The Glen Elder Youth Shooting Challenge will begin at 1 p.m. and run through 4:30 p.m. at the Glen Elder Wildlife Area Office, just south of the US. Highway 24 and Kansas Highway 128 junction, approximately 1 mile west of Glen Elder.

Although designed for youth and beginners, everyone is welcome to participate regardless of age or experience.

Shotshells and targets will be provided. Shooters may use their own shotguns but youth model shotguns will be available for those who don’t have a shotgun.

Young hunters and their mentors participating in the youth pheasant and quail hunting season, Nov. 7-8, are encouraged to participate, and adults who bring youth may shoot, too.

Young hunters lucky enough to bag a rooster that morning before the trap shoot may enter the long tail feather contest to win prizes.

Prizes will also be awarded for the biggest quail by weight. Bring the birds (pheasant tail and spur or entire quail) any time from 1 p.m. to 4 pm. Prizes will be awarded at 4:10 pm.

For more information, phone 785-545-3345

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Free Trap Shooting At Glen Elder, KS

Arkansas Game & Fish Commission

Cache River, Arkansas --(AmmoLand.com)- Click here to go to the Cache River NWR web site. AUGUSTA – The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service has announced that the Cache River National Wildlife Refuge will be holding a special youth only waterfowl hunt and program. The refuge recently acquired 1,180 acres along Bayou DeView in Woodruff County and will designate this area as a Special Youth Only Waterfowl Hunt Area.

Arkansas Special Youth Waterfowl Hunts

Youth (ages 15 and younger) can apply for permits to occupy one of five designated blinds. The will be allowed to hunt waterfowl on drawn weekend dates during the regular duck season. A successfully drawn hunter will also be allowed to invite one youth (age 15 or younger) as a guest to participate in the hunt. At least one adult, not less than 21 years old, must supervise the youth hunters, but will not be allowed to hunt.

Volunteer mentors will be available (with advanced notice) to supervise any youths that may need assistance to participate in the hunt.

Cache River NWR to hold special youth waterfowl hunt Permits will be selected by random drawing. To apply, submit an index card or postcard with the full name (first, middle, last), mailing address and telephone number of the youth hunter. The drawing will take place on Monday, Nov. 2. The entry must be mailed early enough so that it is received before Nov. 2. Duplicate, unclear or incomplete entries will not be accepted. Send the cards to:

U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service
Central Arkansas Refuges
26320 Hwy 33 South
Augusta, AR 72006

Drawn hunters will be placed in the first available weekend dates as drawn.

Persons selected will be notified by mail and provided a blind permit (no fee) with a full list of refuge regulations and a map identifying the blind/hunt area.

Blind permits are non-transferable and valid only for the youth whose name appears on the permit and their guest. For more information, go to: http://www.fws.gov/cacheriver/youthwaterfowl.html or call Karen Graves at (870) 347-2614 or email at: karen_graves@fws.gov.

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Cache River NWR To Hold Special Youth Waterfowl Hunt

A ribbon cutting ceremony was held at Noon during the Open House to commemorate the new Antolik Mural. In attendance was (left to right) Gary Anderson, Director of Civilian Marksmanship, Orest Michaels, CMP Chief Operating Officer, COL Barb Herrington-Clemens, Garrison Commander, COL Dean Brown, Camp Perry Commander, Jerry Antolik and his wife, Sherry, Gino Barna, Wildlife Supervisor, ODNR, and Ralph Reichman, President, Friends of Camp Perry.

Civilian Marksmanship Program

CAMP PERRY, OHIO –-(AmmoLand.com)- More than 300 shooters and guests attended the second annual Camp Perry Marksmanship Center Open House on Saturday, 19 September, commemorating the center’s second year of operations and a new shooter’s mural.

Visitors were treated to several activities including the dedication of the unique Antolik Mural, all-day turkey shoots on the world-class airgun range and live participation on the Ohio Army National Guard’s Engagement Skills Trainer (EST).

The Antolik Mural, a 100-foot-long by 20-foot-high handcrafted wall painting, honors current and past Camp Perry competitors, but most importantly recognizes the development of the nation’s young shooters. The mural was painted by Jerry Antolik of Hudson, Wyoming and is perhaps the largest painting of its kind dedicated to shooting sports, according to Gary Anderson, Director of Civilian Marksmanship.

At the mid-day mural dedication ceremony, Anderson praised Antolik’s work and provided a brief history of shooting sports art around the world. In traveling the sports shooting world Anderson compared the new mural to ancient archery tomb paintings in Egypt, centuries-old German murals and art he saw in China during the 2008 Olympic Games.

“To my knowledge, there is no larger mural dedicated to shooting sports in the world than the Antolik Mural,” Anderson said. “It is truly one of a kind.”

The mural depicts indoor and outdoor shooting scenes from Camp Perry and features many familiar sights including the camp’s water tower, a tractor pulling a shooter shuttle, a bald eagle and the ever-present seagulls.

But the centerpiece of the mural is a display of shooters past and present, including a row of precision air rifle shooters which dominates the center of the 100-foot-long wall at the range’s entrance.

In his remarks Antolik told the audience that the three-month project was a labor of love and he thanked the CMP for its commitment to, and vision for the development of shooting sports in the U.S.

“I’ve been coming here a long time. It’s a great place that has a special quality unlike any other,” Antolik said. “It is an honor to display my artwork here.”

“I think the sweetest thing of all is that they dedicated my mural during a turkey shoot,” he said with tongue in cheek.

Visitors who fired on the airgun range were first given a safety briefing and sporter air rifle instruction and then an opportunity to win a turkey with the best center shot in groups of 10 shooters, firing 10 shots each with sporter air rifles. In all, 30 turkeys were awarded to participants. All equipment and pellets were provided by CMP.

Austin Jess, 15 and his grandfather Ron, 68 of Fremont, Ohio participated in the open house festivities for the second year. The St. Joseph Central Catholic High School student said he’s never shot competitively but enjoys coming to the marksmanship center.

“If I had more time I’d be interested in shooting competitively,” he said. Golf, basketball and his favorite sport of baseball keep him busy though.

“Actually, it’s really relaxing, but you need a lot of focus,” he said.

Bill Keaton, 53, of Grafton, Ohio visited the center for the first time and said he was surprised by the size of the facility. Keaton is a Cleveland Center air traffic controller for the Federal Aviation Administration.

“I plan to shoot a whole lot more when I retire, but I’m not sure yet when that’s going to happen,” Keaton said. He is a 25-year veteran controller and helped work air traffic on September 11, 2001.

Keaton shoots regularly in a 12-week handgun league near home, but caught the air rifle bug at the open house. He later purchased a reconditioned Daisy sporter rifle at the CMP store and plans to practice at home.

Jake Gladwell, 12 and his father Tim, 45, of Sandusky, Ohio also visited Camp Perry for the first time. Jake said he heard about the open at school, researched it on the Internet and convinced his dad to participate.

“He told me about it last night,” Tim said, so the Gladwells took the opportunity to shoot the turkey match and visit the National Guard’s EST adjacent to the airgun range later.

The Gladwells shoot a number of rifles and shotguns at home and said they enjoyed shooting at the CMP’s new indoor range. They said they are likely to take advantage of the weekly public practice sessions on Tuesday evenings.

“We’ve always enjoyed target shooting and this was a lot of fun,” Tim said.

Several guests visited and “shot” on the National Guard’s EST simulator with converted A4 service rifles. Participants were given the opportunity to fire in an industrial scenario on a massive video screen. The objective was to shoot oncoming enemy soldiers who ran for cover between buildings, ore piles and other structures.

Each shooter was given 30-round magazines and could fire semi-auto or in three-shot bursts. Firing in unlimited mode, participants could change out empty magazines and continue firing until time elapsed. Other than firing lasers at interactive targets and air-driven bolt actuators, the rifles function exactly like combat weapons, which saves a significant amount of ammunition for training purposes.

If you missed the open house but are still interested in visiting the CMP Camp Perry Marksmanship Center or shooting on the Air Gun Range, the CMP offers open public shooting on Tuesday evenings, from 5:30PM to 8:00PM. For more information about the Camp Perry Marksmanship Center and upcoming events, log onto http://www.odcmp.com/MarksmanshipCenters.htm.

For more information about the creation of the Antolik Mural, log onto http://www.odcmp.org/0909/default.asp?page=ANTOLIKMURAL.

More pictures from the Fall Open House and Turkey Shoot are posted at

http://www.odcmp.com/Photos/09/CPOpenHouse/index.htm.

About:
The Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) is a national organization dedicated to training and educating U. S. citizens in responsible uses of firearms and airguns through gun safety training, marksmanship training and competitions. The CMP is a federally chartered 501 (c) (3) corporation that places its highest priority on serving youth through gun safety and marksmanship activities that encourage personal growth and build life skills. Links on this page will lead you to more detailed information about the CMP and its programs.

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100-foot Antolik Mural Commemorated During CMP’s Fall Open House

Michigan Gun Owners

Michigan --(AmmoLand.com)-Michigan Gun Owners was established in 2002 with the mission to educate the public and encourage grass roots activism on a state-wide level through various outreach programs and a popular community forum on the internet. Michigan Gun Owners has become Michigan’s fastest growing, grass roots gun rights advocacy organization.

Owning a gun is a serious responsibility. Using guns safely and keeping them out of the hands of individuals who should not have access to them are the two main priorities of Michigan Gun Owner. If you handle guns safely and responsibly and then project that onto the people around you, they will do the same. Make sure that if you let someone handle or use your guns, they use them in a safe and responsible manner. If that is in doubt, then you should not let that person use or handle your guns.

Get Trained!
If you are going to own a gun, for whatever reason, you should take a class from a certified instructor on how to safely operate and shoot the gun. There are a lot of schools and independent instructors out there who can train you; and in most cases for not a lot of money. Getting professionally trained is worth it.

Children and what to teach them about Guns
Every parent, whether you have guns in your home or not, will have a different opinion on when they feel is the best time to teach their children about guns and how much to teach them. Below is some advice that we hope will help everyone on this issue.

Young Children
Young Children are curious and will certainly pick up a gun as if it was a toy because they don’t know any better. They should to be taught what guns look like, that they are dangerous, and that they should not be touched. If they find one, they should be taught to not touch it and to come and tell you immediately. They should be taught the difference between toy guns and real guns and the differences between movies and TV as compared to real life.

Adolescents
When children get older and are able to play independently outside of your watchful eye, they should be taught not to be around or accept a gun from anyone without your consent. If one is offered or shown to them they should come home immediately and tell you or tell the closest adult or Policeman. Only if you hand them a gun or with your approval should they touch one.

How to use a gun
At what age should you teach your children how to use a gun? That is a question only you as their parent can answer. You might start by remembering what age you learned to shoot; but the best advice we can give you is to ask yourself these questions. Do they understand what a gun is and what is it used for? Do they understand the difference between a real gun and a toy gun? Can they hold the gun up and shoot it safely? Do they understand the safety rules? If you can answer yes to these questions they are probably ready. Keep in mind that children learn from watching their parents. So if you handle guns safely and take it seriously, they will too.

About:
Michigan Gun Owners is a not-for-profit, all volunteer organization committed to educating the public and engaging in grass roots activism. Visit MiGunOwners.org

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Michigan Gun Owners – What We Do

Arizona Game and Fish Department

Arizona --(AmmoLand.com)- Students, are you looking for fun, competition, and the chance to meet new friends and be part of a team?

The Arizona Game and Fish Department’s 2009-10 Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) season is ready to get underway, and students interested in learning about and competing in skeet, trap and sporting clays shotgun shooting are encouraged to find a club in their community.

The program is open to boys and girls from age 9 through 12th grades.

“Our SCTP is one of the best in the nation and we continue to see students become great athletes of clay target shooting through this team-based youth development program,” said Statewide Shooting Sports Coordinator, Ashley Lynch. “The mentoring, instruction, safety, and teamwork instilled by our certified coaches are second to none.”

The program is run similar to other youth-based athletics. The season runs from Oct 1, 2009 – May 1, 2010. Athletes can join at anytime depending on club availability. All of the SCTP clubs in Arizona are run 100 percent by volunteers. These dedicated volunteers are committed to teaching today’s youth to carry on the American tradition of shooting sports recreation.

“Shooting sports are an activity that any person with the desire can participate in. The structure of this program allows kids to have fun, compete, and learn safety and discipline skills,” said Lynch.

Currently, there were 20 active clubs across the state; below is a list by region with contact information to get you started.

Central region:
• Chandler area – Arizona Dust Devils (480) 628-9977
• North Phoenix – Ben Avery Clay Crushers (602) 920-5465
• Buckeye – Buckeye Buckshots (623) 869-9050
• Phantom / West Valley – Phantom Sure Shots (623) 925-9549
• East Valley – Rio Salado Target Terminators (480) 510-5604

Northern region:
• Cottonwood / Verde Valley – American Heritage Academy (enrollment to AHA students only)
• Prescott – Prescott (928) 636-4709
• Williams/Flagstaff – Williams Bird Busters (928) 635-4330
• Wickenburg – Wickenburg (928) 231-7644

Northeastern region:
• St. Johns – Leading Edge Shooters (928) 337-4955
• Springerville / Round Valley – White Mountain Rod & Gun Club (928) 333-5692
• Show Low – White Mountain Clay Busters (928) 369-1155

Northwestern region:
• Kingman – Mohave Top Guns (928) 753-5274
• Lake Havasu – Havasu SCTP (928) 486-8607

Southern region:
• Casa Grande – Central Arizona Target Shooters (CATS) (520) 251-2024
• Tucson – Tucson Shooting Stars (520) 780-0715
• Globe – Globe SCTP (602) 542-2785

Southeastern region:
• Double Adobe / McNeal – Double Adobe Young Guns (520) 364-4000
• Sierra Vista – Huachuca Hot Shots (520) 266-1078

Southwestern region:
• Yuma – Yuma Young Guns (928) 246-7157

To learn more about the department’s SCTP program, maps of participating teams, or how to get involved, visit www.azgfd.gov/sctp.

SCTP is a youth development program that teaches trap, skeet and sporting clays to students in grades 12 and under. The program uses a competitive, team-based format and has been called the “Little League” of shooting sports. More than 600 kids compete in Arizona’s SCTP. Nationally, about 10,000 youngsters compete in 40 states.

To learn more about the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation national SCTP program, visit www.sssfonline.org.

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Join A Youth Shotgun Shooting Team This Fall

Arizona Game and Fish Department

Pheonix, Az --(AmmoLand.com)-Parents, do you want to see your kids take a break from playing video games all day and get outdoors for some healthy activity?

Then check out the Arizona Game and Fish Department, your outdoor recreation resource. The department has partnered with dedicated sportsmen groups to offer first-time hunters dozens of mentored, hands-on, how-to hunting and shooting opportunities this fall.

For the majority of these events, all the participant has to do is show up and the mentors take care of the rest, including food and equipment. For others, participants must bring basic outdoor camping gear, and some hunts may require a hunting license and appropriate tags or stamps.

“Hunting in Arizona is very safe and it provides a healthy experience for the body, the mind and the soul,” said Arizona Game and Fish Director Larry Voyles. “Not only is it fun and challenging, but hunters play a critical role in modern wildlife conservation through harvest, funding, habitat restoration, advocacy and more.

A national survey in 2008 reports there is overwhelming public support for hunting. One method identified by the study to increase hunting participation is to provide new hunters with a mentored experience to teach them the skills needed to foster their self-interest.

Therefore, in teaching this valuable tradition in the 21st century, the department is taking on an approach like that of organized sports. The department’s Mentored Hunting Camp Project connects experienced sportsmen organizations with interested new hunters into a setting that teaches them the basic skills, ethics, and how-to’s in a safe and positive environment to foster those who have an interest in hunting but have no means with which to get started.

“Hunting is an American tradition that historically has been passed down from generation to generation, much like a skilled trade. However, as Arizona continues to transform from a rural- to an urban-based society, these traditions are not fostered like in years past, resulting in hunter participation rates not keeping pace in comparison to rising population levels,” added Voyles

Funded by the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s (NSSF) Hunter Heritage Grant Program, the Arizona Game and Fish Department created a pass-through grant program to local nonprofit organizations for the Mentored Hunting Camp Project.

“Arizona Game and Fish’s mentor program is an excellent example of thinking outside the box to put new hunters in the field,” said Melissa Schilling, National Shooting Sports Foundation, recruitment and retention manager. “This proposal is a ‘model’ program for other agencies to roll into their hunter recruitment and retention efforts.”

Voyles noted, “The NSSF Hunter Heritage Grant Program provided our agency an invaluable opportunity to develop a new program with our sportsmen’s groups for recruiting the hunter-conservationists of the future.”

Hunters are the original wildlife conservationists. Dating back more than 100 years ago, forward thinkers like President Theodore Roosevelt, John Muir, Aldo Leopold, and others began to establish laws and management practices that would assure the sustainability of wildlife and their habitats for future generations. These mentored hunting camps are a way for today’s youth to become a part of this ongoing tradition and play a role in wildlife conservation.

The types of hunts, time of year and location can accommodate nearly any schedule, and include:

• Sept. 26, 5-Stand and Sporting Clays Camp – Hosted by Mohave SCTP at Seven Mile Hill Shooting Range in Kingman. To register, call (928) 758-2355.
• Fall 2009 (date pending), Small Game Hunting Camp – Hosted by Northeastern Arizona Sportsman’s Association, at Vernon. To register, contact (928) 337-3768.
• Oct. 3-4, Trophy Squirrel Camp – Hosted by Chandler Rod and Gun Club at Forest Lakes east of Payson on the Mogollon Rim. To register, e-mail info@chandlerrodandgunclub.com.
• Oct. 8-11, Antlerless Elk Camp – Hosted by Outdoor Experience 4 All at Mormon Lake, south of Flagstaff, in unit 6A. Special hunt for children with a life-threatening illness (Open to those already issued an elk tag). For information, contact (480) 529-8340.
• Oct. 8-12, Junior Deer Hunting Camp – Hosted by Arizona Deer Association at the Colcord Ridge Campground for units 3A, 3C, 22, and 23 (Open to those already issued a deer tag). For information, call (623) 866-8919 or azace@cox.net.
• Oct. 15-18, Juniors Elk Hunt Camp – Hosted by Arizona Elk Society at Bear Springs, near Overgaard, for units 3C and 4A (Open to those already issued an elk tag). For information, call (480) 720-2393.
• Oct. 15-18, Junior Elk Hunt Camp – Hosted by Arizona Elk Society at Happy Jack Lodge for unit 6A (Open to those already issued an elk tag). For information, call (623) 594-7074.
• Oct. 15-19, Junior Elk Hunt Camp – Hosted by Arizona Deer Association, location to be determined, for unit 3A and 3C (Open to those already issued an elk tag). For information, call (623) 866-8919 or azace@cox.net.
• Nov. 19-22, Junior Deer & Javelina Hunt Camp – Hosted by Arizona chapter of the Safari Club International at Marley Ranch south of Tucson for units 36A and 36B (Limited javelina tags still available, deer tags already issued). For information, call (520) 490-8367.
• Nov. 19-22, Junior Deer Hunt Camp – Hosted by Arizona Deer Association, location to be determined, for unit 20C (Open to those already issued a deer tag). For information, call (623) 866-8919 or azace@cox.net.
• Nov. 26-29, Bull Elk Hunt Camp – Hosted by Arizona Deer Association at Bar D Ranch for unit 6A (Open to those already issued an elk tag). For information, call (623) 866-8919 or azace@cox.net.
• Dec. 5-6, Predator Hunting Seminar and Camp – Hosted by Huachuca Gould’s chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation, at Rose Tree Museum in Sierra Vista. To register, contact (520) 508-4272.
• Dec. 5-6, Small Game Hunting Camp – Hosted by Chandler Rod and Gun Club, at Gold Canyon. To register, e-mail info@chandlerrodandgunclub.com.
• Dec. 11-13, Junior Waterfowl Hunting Camp – Hosted by Southwest Habitat Partnership, at Cibola National Wildlife Refuge. To register, e-mail getoutsideaz@gmail.com.
• Dec. 18-21, Junior Muzzleloader Deer Hunting Camp – Hosted by Mohave Sportsman Club, at Cain Springs in unit 16A (Open to those already issued a deer tag). For information, call (928) 758-2355.
• December (date pending), Shotgun Shooting Camp – Hosted by Northeastern Arizona Sportsman’s Association in St. Johns. To register, call (928) 337-3768.
• Jan. 16-17, Quail Hunting Camp – Hosted by Cochise Bird Dog Club at Empire Ranch near Sonoita. To register, call (520) 458-1584.
• Jan. 21-24, Juniors Javelina Hunting Camp – Hosted by Arizona Deer Association, location to be determined, in unit 20C (Apply for javelina tag before Oct. 13, Hunt No. 5039). For information, call (623) 866-8919 or azace@cox.net.
• Jan. 21-24, Javelina Hunting Camp – Hosted by Arizona Deer Association, location to be determined, in unit 23 (Apply for javelina tag before Oct. 13, Hunt No. 5040). For information, call (623) 866-8919 or azace@cox.net.
• Jan. 22-24, Junior Jack Rabbit Hunting Camp – Host by Arizona chapter of the Safari Club International, at Altar Valley. To register, contact (520) 490-8367.
• April 15-18, Youth Turkey Hunting Camp – Hosted by National Wild Turkey Federation, location to be determined, in Unit 6A near Flagstaff (Turkey tag required, available at any license dealer). For information, call (928) 848-4549.
• April 15-18, Youth Turkey Hunting Camp – Hosted by National Wild Turkey Federation at Colcord Ridge Campground for units 3, 4, and 23 (Turkey tag required, available at any license dealer). For information, call (928) 848-4549.
• April 15-18, Youth Turkey Hunting Camp – Hosted by National Wild Turkey Federation at Alpine for units 1 and 27 (Turkey tag required, available at any license dealer). For information, call (928) 848-4549.

Several other events made available by the grant program have already occurred (see list below). However, many of these are annual events and are worth noting in your calendar:

• August, Christian Hunting and Shooting Camp – Hosted by Grace Community Church Group at Nowell Tree Farm.
• September, Junior Dove Hunt – Hosted by Chandler Rod and Gun Club and Arizona Game and Fish Department at department’s Robbins Butte Wildlife Area.
• September, Junior’s Fall Turkey Hunting Seminar – Hosted by Huachuca Gould’s chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation in Sierra Vista.
• September, Beginner’s Dove Hunt – Hosted by Chandler Rod and Gun Club and Arizona Game and Fish Department in the East Valley.
• September, Trap Shooting Camp – Hosted by Mohave SCTP at Seven Mile Hill Shooting Range in Kingman. To register, call (928) 758-2355.

To learn more about hunting, how to get a big game tag and other programs, visit the Arizona Game and Fish Department’s Web site at www.azgfd.gov/hunting under “Mentored Hunting.”

About:
The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Deputy Director, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Deputy Director as listed above.

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Learn How To Hunt In A Safe Mentored Environment

American Deer & Wildlife Alliance

AUSTIN, Texas —-(AmmoLand.com)- In recognition of National Hunting & Fishing Day on September 26, 2009, the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance (ADWA) invites families to come out for the Second Annual ADWA Bow Hunting & Archery Clinic in Austin, Texas.

The event will be held at Archery Country, the oldest archery store in Austin, Texas, from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., and will provide introductory archery instruction to kids, ages six to 15. All equipment will be provided.

“The ADWA Youth Bow Hunting Clinic was a huge success last year, and we’re very excited to return to Archery Country,” say Alicia Clements, operations manager for ADWA. “ADWA’s primary mission is to promote and introduce outdoor activities and wildlife-related issues to our children. At no time in our history have our youth been so disconnected from nature and we feel it’s critically important to preserve an outdoor heritage which is so uniquely American.”

The ADWA Bow Hunting & Archery Clinic includes two hours of personal archery instruction and generous raffle items. Attendees will also receive goody bags containing the highly acclaimed youth publication, SPIKES Magazine, and various other goodies donated by corporate members of ADWA.

Price for attending the event is $5 per participant. Space is limited, so please call ADWA to reserve space today at 877.331.8600.

On May 2, 1972, President Nixon signed the first proclamation of National Hunting and Fishing Day, writing, “I urge all citizens to join with outdoor sportsmen in the wise use of our natural resources and in insuring their proper management for the benefit of future generations.” By late summer, all 50 governors and over 600 mayors had joined in by proclaiming state and local versions of National Hunting and Fishing Day.

The American Deer & Wildlife Alliance is a national non-profit organization comprised of companies, associations and individual sportsmen dedicated to promoting wildlife, land stewardship and America’s outdoor traditions.

To learn more about the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance or for membership information, visit www.deerwildlifealliance.org or call 877.528.7100.

About:
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to the growth of the deer and wildlife industry, and to help educate consumers and the youth on the conservation issues that affect deer and wildlife as well as the industry. For more information on the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance, call 877.528.7100 or visit www.deerwildlifealliance.org.

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ADWA Holds Youth Archery Clinic on National Hunting & Fishing Day

Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife

Washington --(AmmoLand.com)- Young hunters will take to the field Sept. 26- 27 for a special game-bird season that traditionally marks the start of hunting opportunities for waterfowl, pheasant, quail and partridge around the state.

Now in its eleventh year, the special youth-only season is open to hunters under age 16 who are accompanied by an adult. The adult is not allowed to hunt during the special youth season.

“The special youth season was created to give young people a chance to develop their hunting skills under the supervision of an adult,” said Mick Cope, upland game manager for the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW). “That experience is invaluable both for new hunters and for the future of hunting in our state.”

To support those goals, WDFW has joined forces with the Washington Waterfowl Association, Pheasants Forever and other hunting organizations to arrange adult mentors for young people who want to hunt but don’t have anyone to teach them. Young people 16 or under, or their parents, can get more information about this program by calling WDFW at (360) 902-2515.

Other key dates for hunters in the days ahead include:

• Sept. 20: Early archery season for elk ends statewide.
• Sept. 20 or 25: Early archery seasons for deer end around the state, varying by management area.
• Sept. 26: Early muzzleloader season for deer begins in selected game management units statewide.
• Sept. 28: Special pheasant hunt begins for hunters 65 and older in western Washington.
• Oct. 3: Early muzzleloader season for elk begins in selected game management units statewide.
• Oct. 3: General hunting seasons begin for pheasant and quail in western Washington, and for quail, chukar and gray partridge in eastern Washington.
• Oct. 17: General hunting seasons for ducks and geese get under way (except in specific areas of southwest Washington).
• Oct. 17: Deer-hunting season with modern firearms begins in selected game management units statewide.
• Oct. 24: General hunting season begins for pheasant in eastern Washington.

Before heading out, hunters are advised to check WDFW’s Migratory Waterfowl and Upland Game pamphlet ( http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/water.htm ) or the Big Game Hunting pamphlet ( http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm ) for area-specific regulations.

The first day of the youth-only hunting season coincides with National Hunting and Fishing Day, celebrated the fourth Saturday of September since 1973 to promote the conservation efforts of hunters and fishers. Events, including a booth at the Puyallup Fair, are listed on a national website at http://www.nhfday.org .

Meanwhile, anglers are reminded that Oct. 1 marks a change in seasons for many salmon fisheries around the state. On the Olympic Peninsula, more than a dozen rivers will open to fall salmon fishing that day, while several tributaries to the Columbia River will close to retention of adult chinook salmon. Trout fishing on a number of eastern Washington lakes is also scheduled to close Oct. 1.

For more information about fishing, hunting and wildlife-viewing opportunities available throughout the state, see the regional reports below:

North Puget Sound

Fishing: The bulk of the pink salmon run has moved into the rivers, where anglers have had success hooking humpies. Meanwhile, catch rates for coho salmon are starting to improve, likely signaling the arrival of ocean silvers into Puget Sound.

Some of the best coho harvest numbers were seen at fish checks in central Puget Sound. For example, 214 anglers were checked with 137 coho Sept. 12 at the Shilshole Ramp, while 423 anglers brought home 295 at the Everett Ramp. The following day, 221 anglers were checked with 172 silvers at Shilshole, while 214 anglers were checked with 163 coho at Everett.

Point No Point, Jefferson Head, Possession Bar and Shipwreck should be good spots to hook ocean coho, said John Long, statewide salmon manager for WDFW. Anglers fishing those areas, or other waters of marine areas 9 (Admiralty Inlet) and 10 (Seattle/Bremerton), have a daily limit of two salmon, plus two additional pink salmon, but must release chinook. In Marine Area 9, anglers also must release chum through Sept. 30.

Marine areas 8-1 (Deception Pass, Hope Island and Skagit Bay) and 8-2 (Port Susan and Port Gardner) are also open for salmon. Anglers fishing those two marine areas have a two-salmon daily limit, plus two additional pink salmon. All chinook salmon must released.

Another option is Marine Area 7 (San Juan Islands), where anglers have a daily limit of two salmon, plus two additional pink salmon, but can only keep one chinook. Anglers in Marine Area 7 must release wild coho and chum.

Meanwhile, there’s still time to catch crab but the opportunity is limited. In northern Puget Sound, only Marine Area 7 remains open for crab. Marine Area 7 is open Wednesdays through Saturdays each week through Sept. 30. The region’s other marine areas are closed for a catch assessment.

The daily catch limit in Puget Sound is five Dungeness crab, males only, in hard-shell condition with a minimum carapace width of 6¼ inches. Fishers may catch six red rock crab of either sex per day, provided those crab measure at least 5 inches across. See WDFW’s sport-crabbing website ( http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crab ) for more information.

Crabbers are reminded that their summer catch record cards are due to WDFW by Sept. 21 and must be returned whether or not the cardholder caught or fished for crab during the season. Crabbers who fail to file catch reports for 2009 will face a $10 fine, which will be imposed when they apply for a 2010 fishing license. Completed cards can be mailed in or recorded online. Additional information is available on the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crab . Crabbers who continue to fish in an open area after Sept. 7 should record their catch on their winter catch card which is valid from Sept. 8 through Jan. 2.

In the freshwater, anglers are hooking pink salmon on several rivers, including the Stillaguamish, Snohomish, Skagit and Green.

Elsewhere, Lake Sammamish is open for salmon fishing, with a daily limit of four salmon, up to two chinook may be retained. All sockeye must be released, and fishing is closed within 100 yards of the mouth of Issaquah Creek.

Lake Washington opens today (Sept. 16) to coho fishing. Anglers are allowed four coho per day (minimum size 12 inches) from waters north of the Highway 520 Bridge and east of the Montlake Bridge.

Before heading out, anglers should check the rules and regulations for all freshwater and saltwater fisheries in WDFW’s Fishing in Washington pamphlet ( http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm ).

Hunting: Hunters under the age of 16 will go afield for ducks, geese, coots and pheasants during a special youth hunt Sept. 26-27. Youth hunters must be accompanied by an adult – at least 18 years old – who is not hunting.

Hunters 65 years or older will have the opportunity to go afield for pheasants during a special senior hunt Sept. 28-Oct. 2. Hunters of all ages can hunt pheasants beginning Oct. 3.

Pheasant hunters should note that the department will release pheasants this fall at the Skagit Wildlife Area’s Samish Unit rather than the Headquarters Unit, where a substantial portion of land is no longer suitable for pheasant hunting. WDFW is temporarily moving its pheasant release program to the Samish Unit because an estuary restoration project has returned portions of recreational land on the Headquarters Unit to intertidal habitat for fish and wildlife.

“This is a stopgap solution for this year to address the loss of suitable pheasant release sites at Headquarters,” said Lora Leschner, regional wildlife program manager for WDFW. “We will continue to work toward securing alternative sites in the region where we can permanently relocate our pheasant release operations.”

Pheasants will be released several days a week on the Samish Unit from Sept. 25 to Nov. 7.

Meanwhile, the early archery season for elk in select western Washington Game Management Units remains open through Sept. 20, while the region’s early archery seasons for deer and cougar run through Sept. 25. However, early muzzleloader seasons in select units are just around the corner. Muzzleloader hunts for deer and cougar get started Sept. 26, and elk hunts get under way Oct. 3.

Bear hunts also continue in the region. Hunters are allowed two bear during the general season, which is open through Nov. 15, but only one bear can be taken in eastern Washington.

The statewide forest grouse and dove hunting seasons also are in full swing. The dove hunt lasts through Sept. 30, while the season for forest grouse runs through Dec. 31.

Before going afield, hunters should check the Big Game Hunting pamphlet ( http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm ) and the Waterfowl and Upland Game pamphlet ( http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/water.htm ) for details.

Wildlife viewing: Numerous birders throughout the region are reporting sightings of nighthawks . One birder spotted some hawks circling her home in Bellingham before dark, while another saw a lone nighthawk in a sky full of bats at Camp Long in west Seattle at dusk. The “bat/nighthawk flight” lasted about 10 to 20 minutes, and then they were all gone, according to the report on Tweeters birding website ( http://www.scn.org/earth/tweeters ). Small numbers of nighthawks breed in western Washington and can be found from Puget Sound out to Ocean Shores from early June into September.

Elsewhere, a group of birders at Marymoor Park spotted a number of interesting species including a few green herons , a western tanager , a barn owl , an evening grosbeak , several warbling vireos , numerous orange-crowned warblers and three Wilson’s warblers .

South Sound/Olympic Peninsula

Fishing: With the ocean salmon season coming to a close, anglers are focusing on the coho fishery heating up along the Strait of Juan de Fuca. In addition, more area rivers are now open to salmon fishing, although anglers are reminded of a partial closure on the Puyallup River.

Salmon fishing at Westport, (Marine Area 2), La Push (Marine Area 3) and Neah Bay (Marine Area 4) closes Sept. 20, while Ilwaco (Marine Area 1) will remain open through Sept. 30.

However, a portion of Marine Area 3 will reopen Sept. 26 – Oct. 11 for a late-season fishery targeting coho and chinook salmon returning to the Quillayute River system. “The La Push fishery is very popular,” said Wendy Beeghley, WDFW fish biologist. “There’s still fish out there and judging from this year’s overall results, anglers should be successful.”

Anglers heading to the area may want to take part in the La Push Last Chance Salmon derby, scheduled Sept. 26 and 27. For more information, call the Forks Chamber of Commerce at 1-800-443-6757, or send an email to chambers@forkswa.com

Other coastal areas open to fishing include the salmon fishery east of Buoy 13 in Grays Harbor (Marine Area 2-2), which is open daily through Nov. 30, while Willapa Bay is open daily until Jan. 31.

Beeghley advises anglers to check the 2009-2010 Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm for specific retention rules, limits and boundary guidelines. Anglers are also advised to check the Fishing Hotline at (360) 902-2500 for updated information on changes in coastal fisheries.

On the Strait of Juan de Fuca, anglers fishing in Marine Area 5 (Sekiu) will be able to retain two wild coho as part of their two-fish daily limit when the non-selective coho fishery opens Sept. 19-30. All chinook and chum must be released. Starting Oct. 1, anglers in the area may retain one chinook salmon as part of their two-fish daily limit.

Meanwhile, a non-selective fishery for coho and chinook gets under way Oct. 1 in Marine Area 6 (Port Angeles), where anglers will be able to retain one chinook as part of their two-fish daily limit. Through Sept. 30, all chinook, wild coho and chum must be released.

In south Puget Sound, anglers fishing in Marine Area 11 (Tacoma/Vashon Island) will be allowed to retain wild chinook as part of their two-fish daily limit beginning Oct. 1. Anglers fishing in Marine Area 13 may also retain wild chinook, but must release all wild coho.

In Hood Canal (Marine Area 12), the daily limit is four coho only. All other salmon species must be released. The same rules apply to Dabob and Quilcene bays in northern Hood Canal.

Anglers are reminded that recreational fishing on the Puyallup River is closed from noon Sundays to noon Tuesdays, Sept. 20-22 and Sept. 27-29 due to public safety concerns and to reduce gear conflicts between sport anglers and tribal fishers. The section closed extends from the 11th Street Bridge in Tacoma to the City of Puyallup Outfall Structure across the river from the junction of Freeman Road and North Levee Road. Recreational fishing will remain open seven days a week upstream of the closed section. The lower section will reopen seven days a week beginning at noon Sept. 29.

Salmon fishing is now under way on the Chehalis River, which opened Sept. 16 from the Hwy 101 Bridge in Aberdeen to the Porter Bridge. The daily limit is six fish. Up to two adults may be retained, but only one may be a wild adult coho . Adult chinook and chum must be released.

Area rivers opening Oct. 1 for fall salmon fishing include the Elk, Hoquiam, Humptulips, Johns, Satsop, Wishkah and Wynoochee in Grays Harbor County; Kennedy Creek (upriver to the Hwy 101 bridge) in Thurston County; the Nemah River in Pacific County; and the Skokomish River in Mason County.

Before heading out, anglers are advised to check the 2009-2010 Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm for specific regulations.

Anglers fishing in the Quillayute system – which includes the Bogachiel, Sol Duc, Calawah and Dickey rivers – can keep two adult salmon, plus two additional adult hatchery coho as part of the six-fish daily limit.

Recreational crabbers are reminded that their summer catch record cards are due to WDFW by Sept. 21 and must be returned whether or not the cardholder caught or fished for crab during the season. Crabbers who fail to file catch reports for 2009 will face a $10 fine, which will be imposed when they apply for a 2010 fishing license. Completed cards can be mailed in or recorded online. Additional information is available on the WDFW website at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/shelfish/crab .

Those who file their catch reports by the deadline will be entered in a drawing for one of 10 free 2010 combination fishing licenses, which allow the holder to fish for a variety of freshwater and saltwater species.

Hunting: Hunters under the age of 16 will go afield for ducks, geese, coots and pheasants during a special youth hunt Sept. 26-27. Young hunters must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years old who is not hunting. Goose Management Area 2B (Pacific County) is not open for Canada geese during the youth hunt.

A special pheasant hunt for hunters 65 years or older is scheduled Sept. 28-Oct. 2 in all areas of western Washington, followed by a general pheasant hunt for all ages beginning Oct. 3.

Early archery deer season concludes in certain western Washington Game Management Units (GMU) on Sept. 20 or Sept. 25, depending on the GMU. These areas are listed on page 18 of the 2009 Big Game Hunting pamphlet at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm .

The modern firearm and muzzleloader seasons for high buck hunts in Olympic Peninsula wilderness areas are currently under way and will continue through Sept. 25, followed by an early muzzleloader general deer season that runs Sept. 26 through Oct. 4 in western Washington. The general deer season for modern firearms is scheduled Oct. 17-31.

The statewide early archery season for elk wraps up Sept. 20, followed by the early muzzleloader season that runs Oct. 3-9.

Meanwhile, the archery-only general hunting season for cougar , which runs through Sept. 25, will be followed by a muzzleloader-only season Sept. 26-Oct. 16. Beginning Oct. 17, hunters may use any legal weapon to target cougars in most areas of the state. Hunters are allowed to harvest one cougar per license year.

Bear hunts are also an option in most areas of the state. Hunters are allowed two bear during the season (Aug. 1-Nov. 15), but only one bear can be taken in eastern Washington.

The statewide forest grouse and dove hunting seasons are in full swing. The dove hunt lasts through Sept. 30, while the season for forest grouse runs through Dec. 31.

Before heading out, hunters should check the Big Game Hunting pamphlet at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm , and the Waterfowl and Upland Game pamphlet at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/water.htm for details.

Wildlife viewing: From the San Juan Islands to south Puget Sound, orca whales have been putting on a show for boaters, residents and shoreline observers. According to reports on the whale-watching site http://www.orcanetwork.org/sightings/map.html , at least five orca whales were recently seen traveling north to south through Case Inlet between the Key Peninsula and Harstine Island.

A three-day festival celebrating wildlife and the environment will be held Sept. 25-27 at Dungeness River Audubon Center at Railroad Bridge Park, 2151 W. Hendrickson Road in Sequim. The Dungeness River Festival features presentations, events and hands-on environmental activities offered by local, state, federal, tribal and nonprofit groups.

For sheer numbers, the Washington coast between Ocean Shores and Tokeland is still offering sightings of many shorebirds and other migrants. Birders reporting on the Tweeter bird watching website ( http://birdingonthe.net/mailinglists/TWET.html ) noted approximately 4,000 western sandpipers at Bottle Beach State Park, located in southern Grays Harbor a few miles east of Westport.

Southwest Washington

Fishing: Anglers are still averaging a coho per boat most days in the Buoy 10 fishery at the mouth of the Columbia River, but the action is shifting to the Cowlitz River and other tributaries below Bonneville Dam. Several rivers will close to chinook retention Oct. 1, but new fishing opportunities – including a catch-and-keep sturgeon season above the Wauna powerlines – are also on the horizon.

Starting Oct. 1, anglers will be able to catch and keep white sturgeon Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays from the Wauna powerlines upriver to Bonneville Dam.

“Fishing opportunities in the Columbia River Basin are again in flux,” said Joe Hymer, a WDFW fish biologist. “The chinook catch is tapering off, but we now have coho salmon in all of the major tributaries. “That fishery will continue to build through the end of the month, as the sturgeon fishery gets under way above Wauna.”

Best bets for hatchery coho in the coming weeks are the Cowlitz, Lewis, Kalama, Toutle, Elochoman and Grays rivers, Hymer said. Anglers have been catching both hatchery coho and chinook salmon at the confluence of the Cowlitz and Toutle rivers and where the Green River flows into the North Toutle.

Anglers may retain up to six hatchery-reared adult coho on all lower Columbia tributaries with hatchery programs, including the Cowlitz, Deep, Elochoman, Grays (including West Fork), Kalama, Klickitat, Lewis (including North Fork), Toutle (including Green and North Fork) and Washougal rivers. Except on the Klickitat River, only those fish with a clipped adipose fin and healed scar may be retained.

While coho are expected to be abundant this year, Hymer acknowledges that they can be reluctant to bite. The best time to catch them is after a heavy rain, or when water levels rise, he said. “Nothing cures lockjaw as well as a good hard rain,” he said. “The action should also pick up when the late-run fish move into these river systems.”

Meanwhile, after a record catch in August, the fall chinook fishery below Bonneville Dam has tapered off in recent days. Although fisheries for hatchery coho and steelhead remain open, anglers fishing the mainstem Columbia River must now release any chinook they intercept from the Lewis River downstream (see boundary map at http://bit.ly/AF4Qt ).

However, anglers still have an opportunity to harvest fall chinook on the mainstem Columbia from the Lewis River upstream. One of the best spots should be in Bonneville Pool at the mouths of the tributaries plus in Drano Lake and the Klickitat River, Hymer said.

The Lewis is scheduled to close to chinook retention to protect wild fish, which are expected to return in numbers just above the minimum escapement goals. Effective Oct. 1, anglers will be required to release all chinook salmon on the Lewis River including the North Fork. In addition, fishing from any floating device will be prohibited on the North Fork Lewis from Johnson Creek to Colvin Creek. Also effective Oct. 1, Colvin Creek will be closed to all fishing upstream to Merwin Dam to protect naturally spawning fish.

Several other regulations also come into play Oct. 1 to protect naturally spawning fish. All chinook must be released on the North Fork Toutle River from the Kidd Valley Bridge near Highway 504 upstream. Adult chinook – but not hatchery jacks – must be released on the Green, Washougal (from Little Washougal River upstream) and the White Salmon River (from ½ mile above the Hwy. 14 Bridge upstream). Marked, hatchery fall chinook – both adults and jacks – may still be retained on the Grays, Elochoman and Kalama rivers.

“This is one of the benefits of moving toward selective fisheries for fall chinook salmon,” Hymer said. “We need to protect naturally spawning fish, but anglers can continue to catch abundant hatchery salmon throughout the season.”

Looking for something a little different? Anglers should try fishing for hatchery sea-run cutthroats on the lower Cowlitz River. Bank and boat anglers stand a good chance to catch these aggressive foot-long fish on bait, lures, or flies.

While fishing opportunities routinely change with the seasons, Hymer admits that a recent influx of mackerel into the lower Columbia River caught him by surprise. “First Humboldt squid off Sekiu and now this,” he said. “Mackerel seldom come this far north and this is the first time I can remember fish reported in the lower river. Ocean conditions are clearly topsy-turvy this year.”

Hunting: Hunters under the age of 16 will go afield for ducks, geese, coots and pheasants during a special youth hunt Sept. 26-27. Young hunters must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years old who is not hunting. Goose Management Area 2A in Clark, Cowlitz and Wahkiakum counties is not open for Canada geese during the youth hunt.

A special pheasant hunt for hunters 65 years or older is scheduled Sept. 28-Oct. 2 in all areas of western Washington, followed by a general pheasant hunt for all ages beginning Oct. 3.

Early archery seasons for elk and deer will wrap up in late September, with muzzleloaders next scheduled to take the field. For elk , the early archery season ends Sept. 20, followed by an early muzzleloader season that runs Oct. 3-9 in selected Game Management Units (GMU). The early archery season for deer ends Sept. 20 or Sept. 25, depending on the GMU, followed by an early muzzleloader season Sept. 26 through Oct. 4.

Hunters should note that the Weyerhaeuser Company has closed the St. Helens Tree Farm to motorized access due to ongoing concerns about wildfires. Archers and muzzleloaders planning to hunt in the Tree Farm can check Weyerhaeuser’s toll-free hotline at 1-866-636-6531 for updated information on access to the area.

General hunting seasons for cougar is also about to change. The archery-only season for cougar will run through Sept. 25, followed by a muzzleloader-only season Sept. 26-Oct. 16. Bear hunting with any weapon remains an option through Nov. 15 in selected GMUs throughout the state. Hunters are allowed two bear during the season, but only one bear can be taken in eastern Washington.

The statewide forest grouse and dove hunting seasons also are in full swing. The dove hunt lasts through Sept. 30, while the season for forest grouse runs through Dec. 31.

Before going afield, hunters should check the Big Game Hunting pamphlet ( http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/hunter/hunter.htm ) and the Waterfowl and Upland Game pamphlet ( http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/water.htm ) for details.

Wildlife viewing: In a recent trip to Vancouver Lake, a local birder reported seeing 20 great egrets , four greater yellowlegs , two lesser yellowlegs , a large flock of western sandpipers , a Pacific-slope flycatcher and a Baird’s sandpiper .

All but one of those species are common to Clark County, according to a new County Checklist recently posted on the Washington Birder website at http://wabirder.com . The Baird’s sandpiper is identified as a rare visitor to Clark County, according to the latest compilation of sightings throughout the state.

“The idea behind this project is to step away from individual year lists and see what it would look like to track combined lists,” writes Washington birder Matt Bartels. “While mostly done for enjoyment, it can be interesting to see which species are being found everywhere, and which are proving harder to find around the state this year.”

A total of 375 species are represented on the County Checklist for 2009. An updated list of “county-firsts” is also available on the site, noting a vesper sparrow made its first appearance in Cowlitz County and a parasitic jaeger was reported in Skamania County this year.

Maybe a new bird will be spotted at the BirdFest and Bluegrass festival, scheduled Oct. 10-11 in Ridgefield. As its name suggests, the two-day festival includes events celebrating avian life and music at and near the Ridgefield National Wildlife Refuge. For more information, call (360) 887-9495 or check the website for the event at http://www.RidgefieldFriends.org .

Eastern Washington

Fishing: Snake River steelhead and chinook salmon fishing is slowly picking up. Catch rates are still very low for chinook in the only two open sections for that species – from the Highway 12 Bridge (near the mouth of the Snake River) upstream to the no-fishing zone below Ice Harbor Dam, and from Highway 261 Bridge crossing the Snake River (about one half mile upstream from Lyons Ferry Hatchery) upstream to the no-fishing zone below Little Goose Dam.

Steelhead catches are increasing in the upper river near the Idaho border, and along the “wall” and walkway area upstream of the juvenile fish bypass return pipe below Little Goose Dam.

Glen Mendel, WDFW southeast district fish biologist, reminds anglers that in the “wall” area below Little Goose Dam, the daily chinook catch limit is just one hatchery (adipose-fin-clipped) adult (24 inches or greater) chinook and up to two jack (less than 24 inches) chinook. In the rest of the two sections open for chinook, the daily catch limit is two marked hatchery adult chinook and four chinook jacks either wild or hatchery-marked.

WDFW Enforcement Sgt. Jim Nelson said that some anglers believe they can legally fish with two poles for steelhead and salmon in the Snake River reservoirs behind dams. Washington’s new two-pole option went into effect last month, but waters with anadramous and/or ESA-listed species are excluded from two-pole fishing, as described at http://wdfw.wa.gov/licensing/twopole .

“I think since these reservoirs all carry names like Lake Bryan, Lake Sacajawea, Lake Wallula, some people are confused by the two-pole option, which is available at most of our lakes, ponds and reservoirs,” Nelson said. “Adding to the confusion is the fact that the state of Idaho allows two-pole fishing in anadramous-species waters.”

In Washington, the two pole endorsement is not valid on the Columbia or Snake rivers mainstem, except Rufus Woods Reservoir and Lake Roosevelt.

Whether with one or two poles, Lake Roosevelt is currently producing good catches of big rainbow trout , according to Chris Donley, WDFW central district fish biologist.

“Sprague Lake is also really cooking, too,” Donley said. “But both Roosevelt and Sprague are open year round, so this might be the time to take advantage of the last couple weeks of fishing on trout lakes like Badger, Coffeepot, Fish, and Williams, which all close Sept. 30. Badger, in particular, has some nice carryover cutthroat trout .”

Donley noted September can be really good for yellow perch fishing at southwest Spokane County’s Downs Lake, which also closes Sept. 30. Clear Lake, near the town of Medical Lake, has brown trout biting now and usually produces good catches of crappie and largemouth bass in late fall. Clear Lake remains open through October.

“Amber Lake is taking off now for cutthroat and rainbow trout fly fishing,” Donley said. “It’s open through November, but the last two months are catch-and-release with selective gear rules.”

Hunting: Hunters under 16 years of age have a jump on both upland game birds and waterfowl with a special statewide two-day season, Sept. 26-27. Participating young hunters must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age who is not hunting.

About 1,200 rooster pheasants will be released on a couple dozen sites throughout the region for the special youth-only hunting season. Pheasants will be released at several Eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program sites, including Sherman Creek in Ferry County; Fishtrap Lake on the Lincoln-Spokane county line; John Henley in Whitman County; Willow Bar and Rice Bar in Garfield County; Hartsock in Columbia County; Chief Timothy in Asotin County; and Mill Creek, Wallula, Two Rivers Peninsula, Hollebeke and Lost Island in Walla Walla County. For information about these sites see http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/ewapheas.htm or call the WDFW Eastern Regional Office at 509-892-1001. Pheasants will also be released at some “Feel Free To Hunt” and “Register To Hunt” sites, mostly in the south half of the region, found on the WDFW mapping website GoHunt at http://wdfw.wa.gov/mapping/gohunt .

“Wild pheasants have been holding tight in cover with water due to the lack of rain in the past month,” said WDFW Upland Game Bird Specialist Joey McCanna. “After several pilot brood surveys north of the Snake River, pheasant broods appear to be up from previous years. We’re cautiously optimistic about the prospects for the season ahead.”

WDFW Waterfowl Specialist Mikal Moore suggests youth waterfowl hunters take time now to scout out hunting spots for the youth hunt.

“There are some good concentrations of mallards, northern pintail , and American green-winged teal throughout the state right now, particularly in the Columbia Basin and the Skagit,” she said. “White-fronted geese are also passing through.”

Moore recommends young hunters and their mentors brush up on duck identification, (use ‘Ducks at a Distance’ by Robert Hines, available on the Internet at http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/duckdist ), and review the species bag limits in the waterfowl pamphlet.

“Keep in mind that early season ducks have not achieved their breeding plumage yet and many drakes will have female-type coloration,” she said. “Also remember to report any banded ducks or geese you harvest by calling 1-800-327-BAND or report online at http://www.reportband.gov/ . The band is yours to keep and you will receive a certificate detailing the age, sex, and banding location of the bird.”

Wild turkey early fall general season (no special permit required) hunting is open Sept. 26-Oct. 9 in northeast and central district units in the region. Dana Base, WDFW northeast district wildlife biologist, said numerous “casual” observations of large turkey broods over the summer suggest this should be a good season. Special permit turkey hunting gets under way at the same time in southeast district units in the region where turkey numbers are also relatively good.

Wildlife viewing: Fall bird migrations are under way throughout the region, and one of the best spots to look for rare species this month and next is WDFW’s Reardan Audubon Lake Wildlife Area, 30 miles west of Spokane off Hwy. 2 on the edge of the town of Reardan in Lincoln County. Shorebirds, waterfowl, and other birds use this 277-acre site for feeding and resting stopovers on their way south to wintering grounds. Besides more common species, watch for snowy plover, upland sandpiper, short-billed dowitcher, red knot, American avocet, black-necked stilt , and Wilson’s, red , and red-necked phalaropes . You might also see sandhill cranes or trumpeter swans .

Fall migrations of Canada geese are making for great wildlife viewing in areas where big flocks of the big birds are stopping in to feed. Wheat and other grain crop stubble fields throughout the region, including north Spokane County’s Peone Prairie, for example, are hosting the transients.

Turkey vultures , distinguished from hawks by their more V-shaped wing position and separated primary feather tips, are also migrating. Noticeable, too, at this time is the nearly complete absence of so many common summer species, including hummingbirds, swallows , and bluebirds.

North Central Washington

Fishing: Bob Jateff, WDFW Okanogan District fish biologist from Twisp, reports chinook salmon are still being caught in the Brewster/Bridgeport area on the upper Columbia River. That salmon season is scheduled to close Oct. 15.

“The Methow River trout fishery is scheduled to close September 30th, but anglers should be aware that if incidental steelhead take limits are approached, sections of the river could close early,” Jateff said. “Anglers should avoid targeting steelhead during the trout fishery.”

Jateff also noted lowland lakes fishing in Okanogan County will pick up this month and next as water temperatures cool and trout become more active. Selective gear rule lakes, such as Blue Lake on the Sinlahekin Wildlife Area, and Big and Little Twin lakes near Winthrop, should all provide good fishing during the later part of September and through October.

Many Columbia Basin trout lakes close to fishing Sept. 30. Check the 2009-2010 Fishing in Washington rules pamphlet at http://wdfw.wa.gov/fish/regs/fishregs.htm for details.

The Columbia Basin’s year-round Moses Lake and Potholes Reservoir continue to provide fishing for trout, perch, crappie , and bluegill . Potholes’ annual MarDon Marathon Dock Tournament is Sept. 25-27; see http://www.mardonresort.com for details.

Hunting: Rich Finger, WDFW Columbia Basin district wildlife biologist from Moses Lake, says the basin is still holding a good number of doves , and depending on the weather, hunting could remain productive through the end of the season Sept. 30.

“Some dove hunters are having success around food plots planted by the Washington Waterfowl Association in the southeast corner of Section Four in the Gloyd Seeps area,” he said. “Hunters can also have success by focusing efforts on roost sites during the evening or harvested wheat fields during mornings and evenings.”

Hunters under 16 years of age have a jump on both upland game birds and waterfowl with a special statewide season Sept. 26-27. Participating young hunters must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age who is not hunting.

Mikal Moore, WDFW waterfowl specialist from Moses Lake, suggests youth waterfowl hunters take time now to scout out hunting spots for that special opportunity. “There are some good concentrations of mallards, northern pintail , and American green-winged teal throughout the state right now, particularly in the Columbia Basin and the Skagit,” she said. “White-fronted geese are also passing through.”

Moore recommends young hunters and their mentors brush up on duck identification, (see ‘Ducks at a Distance’ by Robert Hines, available on the Internet at http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/duckdist/index.htm ), and review the species bag limits in the waterfowl pamphlet available at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/water.htm .

“Keep in mind that early season ducks have not achieved their breeding plumage yet and many drakes will have female-type coloration,” she said. “Also remember to report any banded ducks or geese you harvest by calling 1-800-327-BAND or reporting online at http://www.reportband.gov . The band is yours to keep and you will receive a certificate detailing the age, sex, and banding location of the bird.”

Finger noted that in preparation for the youth hunt, WDFW will fill the northwest cell of the Winchester Regulated Access Area (WRAA) with water, starting the week of Sept. 21. “Our ability to completely fill the basin will depend on the water level in the Winchester Wasteway,” Finger said, “At full pool the non-reserve huntable portion is about 10 acres and can support two to three groups of hunters.”

Such management efforts and assistance by the Washington Waterfowl Association in the Regulated Access Areas have resulted in an increase in smartweed, millet, and other moist-soil vegetation preferred by dabbling ducks, Finger noted.

“We expect this area to attract large numbers of waterfowl this year,” he said. The Frenchmen Regulated Access Area will not be flooded for the youth hunt because of ongoing management activities, but water will be released prior to the October general season opener. “Desirable, moist-soil vegetation is increasing in this unit but it is not yet producing the abundance of forage resources that the Winchester area is producing,” Finger said. “The Gloyd Seeps area was not farmed this year but will be flooded in preparation for the October opener, as it has been in past years.”

Finger recommends that hunters contact the WDFW North Central Regional office in Ephrata (509) 754-4624) or see the Migratory Waterfowl rules pamphlet at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/water.htm for Regulated Access Area locations and restrictions.

About 1,000 rooster pheasants will be released on sites throughout the region for the special youth-only hunting season Sept. 26-27. Pheasants will be released at several eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program sites, including Sinlahekin and Chiliwist in Okanogan County, Chelan Butte and Swakane in Chelan County, and Banks Lake, Steamboat Rock, Gloyd Seeps, Quincy, Warden and Lower Crab Creek in Grant County.

For information about these sites, call WDFW’s North Central Regional Office at (509) 754-4624, or see http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/ewapheas.htm . Pheasants will also be released at some “Feel Free To Hunt” and “Register To Hunt” sites found on the WDFW mapping website GoHunt at http://wdfw.wa.gov/mapping/gohunt .

“Wild pheasants have been holding tight in cover with water due to the lack of rain in the past month,” said Joey McCanna, WDFW Upland Game Bird Specialist. “Biologists are reporting good pheasant broods in the Columbia Basin, so we’re cautiously optimistic about the prospects for the season ahead.”

Scott Fitkin, WDFW Okanogan District wildlife biologist from Winthrop, says forest grouse hunting should be fairly good in the Okanogan District based on the abundance of broods noted in the spring and early summer. Blue grouse in particular seem to be in good numbers and are now moving to higher elevations. Berry fields, meadow edges and forested ridges are good places to look, Fitkin says.

Higher elevations are also a good bet for early archery deer hunters. “Despite a meager snow pack, mild temperatures and summer rains have kept many high elevation meadows greener longer this year,” Fitkin said.

Wildlife viewing: The 19th annual, national-award-winning Wenatchee River Salmon Festival is Sept. 19-20 at the Leavenworth National Fish Hatchery. Salmon Fest is devoted to free, fun-filled “edu-tainment” to help families connect with nature and learn about salmon and other wildlife. For more information, see http://www.salmonfest.org .

The Columbia Basin is a sure bet for watching waterfowl and other bird migrations now and throughout the fall. Good destinations include WDFW’s many wildlife areas throughout Grant and Adams counties. For specific information on these areas, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/lands/wildlife_areas/columbia_basin . The Columbia National Wildlife Refuge (see http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=13510 ) is also a good bet. Just cruising the backroads with scopes and binoculars at the ready between these sites is bound to be productive at this time of year, especially when weather changes bring new birds into the area.

South Central Washington

Fishing: “This is a great time to fish for rainbow trout in the Yakima River upstream from Roza Dam and the Naches River,” said Jim Cummins, WDFW fish biologist from Yakima. “It’s catch-and-release in this stretch and the low flows and mild days make fishing this time of year a real pleasure.”

Cummins says the upper Yakima should produce rainbow trout for both boat and bank anglers. “Water is no longer being released from upper Yakima River reservoirs as the result of the annual ‘flip-flop’ designed to reduced flows where chinook salmon spawn in the upper Yakima,” he said. “Not only does this increase salmon spawning habitat and protect redds from winter low flows, but anglers can enjoy the increased fishing opportunity resulting from the low flows.”

Cummins also noted fishing success for rainbow, cutthroat , and eastern brook trout in high mountain lakes is generally best this time of year. “You can enjoy mild daytime temperatures, cool evenings, and colorful vegetation and most of the bugs found in July and August are gone,” he said. “Just be aware that some hunting seasons are in progress as you hike in and out of these lakes.”

Hunting: Dove hunting is reportedly excellent in the south end of the Columbia Basin around the Tri-Cities and could remain productive if warm weather holds birds in the area through the season’s end Sept. 30.

Hunters under 16 years of age have a jump on both upland game birds and waterfowl with a special statewide season, Sept. 26-27. Participating young hunters must be accompanied by an adult at least 18 years of age who is not hunting.

Mikal Moore, WDFW waterfowl specialist, suggests youth waterfowl hunters take time now to scout out hunting spots for that special opportunity.”There are some good concentrations of mallards, northern pintail , and American green-winged teal throughout the state right now, particularly in the Columbia Basin and the Skagit,” she said. “White-fronted geese are also passing through.”

Moore recommends young hunters and their mentors brush up on duck identification, (see ‘Ducks at a Distance’ by Robert Hines, available on the Internet at http://www.npwrc.usgs.gov/resource/birds/duckdist ), and review the species bag limits in the waterfowl pamphlet at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/water.htm .

“Keep in mind that early season ducks have not achieved their breeding plumage yet and many drakes will have female-type coloration,” she said. “Also remember to report any banded ducks or geese you harvest by calling 1-800-327-BAND or reporting online at http://www.reportband.gov . The band is yours to keep and you will receive a certificate detailing the age, sex, and banding location of the bird.”

About 700 rooster pheasants will be released on several sites throughout the region for the special youth-only hunting season Sept. 26-27. Pheasants will be released at several eastern Washington Pheasant Enhancement Program sites, including Colockum, Millerguard and Cottonwoods on Wenas/L.T. Murray in Kittitas County, Sunnyside in Yakima County, Big Flat and Ringold in Franklin County, and Hill Road in Klickitat County. For information about and maps of these sites, see http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/ewapheas.htm or call WDFW’s South Central Regional Office at (509) 575-2740.

Wildlife viewing: Fall bird migrations are underway and one of the best spots in the region to view waterfowl, shorebirds and other birds is McNary National Wildlife Refuge near the Tri-Cities. The refuge encompasses over 15,000 acres of backwater sloughs, shrub-steppe uplands, irrigated farmlands, river islands, delta mudflats, and riparian areas. Watch for Canada geese, mallards, wigeons, green-winged teal, shovelers, canvasbacks, ring-necked ducks, lesser scaup ducks , and other species. For more information on the refuge, see http://www.fws.gov/refuges/profiles/index.cfm?id=13520 .

Bull elk will continue their bugling well into October as they maintain breeding territories. Ted Clausing, WDFW regional wildlife program manager, says the break between early archery elk hunting season (which ends Sept. 20) and early muzzleloader elk hunting season (which starts Oct. 3) is a good time for non-hunters to be out in the woods listening and watching.

The Raven’s Roost area in the Little Naches River drainage in the far northwestern corner of Yakima County (follow Hwy. 410 northwest of Naches), is traditionally one of the best places to listen. For the best opportunities, arrive just before daylight (or plan to camp in one of the many forest service campgrounds in the area), and walk the Cougar Valley trail. Elk may be visible on the open hillsides until about 7 a.m., when they move down into timber. But their bugling might be heard throughout the day, particularly early and late.

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Young Hunters Will Get First Crack At Waterfowl And Other Game Birds

Scholastic Shooting Trust

Columbia, MO - -(AmmoLand.com)- Competitive school shooting teams received a huge boost of support today when Larry and Brenda Potterfield announced they would match the first $1 Million in donations to school teams through the Scholastic Shooting Trust.

Any school receiving a donation in the Scholastic Shooting Trust Fund will have it matched dollar for dollar by the Potterfield family until the $1 Million goal is reached.

The Scholastic Shooting Trust has already provided grants to 26 teams this year and the number of teams receiving grants has the potential to increase substantially with this announcement.

“We want to support these teams and see the sport become stronger and competitive. This is just our way of helping to change the future of shooting sports.” Said Larry Potterfield, President of MidwayUSA Foundation, Inc.

About:
The Scholastic Shooting Trust was formed to provide funding for shooting sports education in traditional public and private high schools, colleges and universities, so that participating students can improve their confidence, discipline and leadership skills. Alumni, families, the community, and other interested individuals and organizations, fund the grants through donations to the Scholastic Shooting Trust so that youths have a better opportunity to compete in the shooting sports. The Trust (www.scholasticshootingtrust.org) is a mission of the MidwayUSA Foundation, Inc. started by Larry and Brenda Potterfield in 2007 to support education in shooting sports, hunting, firearms safety and outdoor skills.

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School Shooting Teams Double Up on Donations

NASP Archery team wearing the EOTAC Shooting Sports Polo Shirt

National Archery in the Schools Program

West Columbia, SC – -(AmmoLand.com)- EOTAC, a subsidiary of Freedom Group, Inc and a company that designs and manufactures high quality tactical, outdoor and shooting sports clothing has been selected to supply team jerseys for the National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP). In order to further support this dynamic youth sports program, EOTAC has committed to provide a portion of the proceeds back to NASP.

The National Archery in Schools Program annually impacts more than one million fourth – twelfth grade students through an in school archery curriculum. It further compliments youth with a competitive program that culminates with a national tournament in Louisville, KY and a world tournament to be held in October at Disney’s Wide World of Sports®. The most recent NASP National Tournament featured 4,565 student archers, the largest gathering of competitive archers in recorded history.

NASP® is an organization that works with 46 state agencies to implement an archery training curriculum in over 5,000 schools in the U.S. and has expanded to Canada, New Zealand, South Africa and Australia. Importantly, research shows that over 30% of NASP® participants express a desire for deeper participation in shooting sports.

“We are honored to supply high quality uniforms for NASP® participants and coaches as we believe that they are the most dynamic youth participation program focused on outdoor sports, said Fernando Coelho, EOTAC President. “We understand that NASP® emphasizes overall life development of these young people and feel that sharp, high quality uniforms can contribute to that goal”, continued Coelho.

“We are pleased to have a well organized, high quality uniform program for NASP® participants”, said Roy Grimes, NASP® President. “We believe this will give our archers every opportunity to have the same look and feel other high end school athletic teams”.

The joint program was coordinated by the Remington Outdoor Foundation to insure that both organizations maximize objectives. The Remington Outdoor Foundation will also be coordinating other programs to further support NASP®.

For more information about the jersey program, please log on to http://nasp.eotac.com.

About EOTAC
EOTAC taps decades of real world military, law enforcement, and private sector experience to produce the highest quality tactical and discreet garments available to operators today. Offering both traditional and next gen tactical clothing, EOTAC designs innovate without sacrificing utility or comfort. Leveraging outdoor industry experience and end user feedback, EOTAC continually refines the capabilities of its product line maintaining a high level of excellence in every garment offered.

About NASP
NASP® began in March 2002 in 21 pilot schools and has grown to more than 5000 schools in the elementary, middle, and high school levels. This school year more than a million students will learn this lifetime skill from their physical education teachers in schools across the U.S., Canada, and beyond. For more information, please log onto: archeryintheschools.org

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EOTAC Team Jersey for National Archery in the Schools Program

Henry Repeating Arms

FAIRFAX, VA – -(AmmoLand.com)- The National Rifle Association is pleased to announce that Henry Repeating Arms has generously donated 50 Henry Lever Action Youth Rifles to NRA’s Youth Programs Department, furthering their support of youth involvement in the shooting sports.

“Henry Repeating Arms takes great pride in continuing their strong support of youth shooting sports programs,” said Anthony Imperato, President of Henry Repeating Arms.

The Henry Lever Action Youth Rifle is a .22 caliber firearm featuring an American walnut stock, fully adjustable rear sight, 12-round capacity, a 13-inch length of pull, and the famously smooth Henry action. This lightweight and compact version of the Henry Lever Action Rifle is ideal for young shooters, or adults who desire a compact rifle in the field. Each donated rifle also comes with a gun case.

Numerous shooting sports programs for youth will benefit from this generous donation, including NRA Youth Cooperative Organizations such as the Boy Scouts of America, 4-H, Royal Rangers, National High School Rodeo Association, and the National Scholastic Sportsman’s Program, among others. The rifles will be given as prizes and used during shooting events and training. For the past two years, NRA’s Youth Programs Department has provided Henry rifles to the National High School Rodeo Association to support their Light Rifle Championships.

“These rifles from Henry Repeating Arms will help to further youth shooting sports programs across the country. Many young people will have the chance to use these rifles for training and competition. We thank Henry for their continued support and dedication to keeping youth involved in the shooting sports,” said Larry Quandahl, Manager of NRA’s Youth Programs Department.

To learn more about Henry Repeating Arms, or to receive a free catalog, call 1-866-200-2354 or visit www.henryrifles.com. For more information on NRA’s Youth Programs Department, call (703) 267-1500 or visit http://www.nrahq.org/youth/.

About Henry Repeating Arms
Henry Repeating Arms is one of the leading rifle manufacturers in the country. Their legendary name dates back to 1860 when Benjamin Tyler Henry invented and patented the first repeating rifle. Henry rifles went on to play a significant role in the frontier days of the American West and soon became one of the most legendary, respected and sought after rifles in the history of firearms.

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military

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Henry Repeating Arms Donates 50 Rifles to NRA Youth Programs

Boy Scouts Of America

KnifeRights.org

Britain --(AmmoLand.com)- It’s a sad day for Scouts in Britain as all knives are officially banned in virtually all circumstances, “neither Scouts nor their parents should bring penknives to camp except in ‘specific’ situations.”

Here’s a very scary quote from the article linked below:

Last night a Scouts spokesman defended its policy, saying: ‘The Scout Association plays a key role in helping young people develop the confidence, maturity and self-esteem they need to play active and responsible roles in their communities, and to resist the peer pressure that may attract them into local gang culture.

We believe that young people need more places to go after school and at weekends, where they can experience adventure without the threat of violence or bullying and the need to carry weapons.

Scouting helps to prepare young people with valuable life skills, while keeping them safe by not carrying knives.’

Read it and weep:
http :// www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-1211475/Britains-blade-culture-claims-victim–Scouts-penknives.html#ixzz0QLldqYql

or http://bit.ly/4h9CBy

This action is a reflection of the intense anti-knife culture that has developed in the U.K. in the past few years. There are numerous causes, not the least of which is a media all too happy to feed the flames and politicians who would rather attack the tool rather than the root causes. In any case, it should serve as a warning to America’s knife owners.

The anti-knife hysteria in the U.K, Europe and elsewhere was one of the reasons why Knife Rights was founded just under three years ago, to give knife owners an effective voice against those who would take away our knives if we don’t oppose them.

About:
Knife Rights has quickly grown to become America’s largest grassroots knife owners organization. This latest fight against Customs Pocket Knife Grab has validated the power and importance of a dedicated grass roots organization in defending your knife rights. Invest in a Sharper Future™. Become a Knife Rights member and make a contribution to support the fight against Customs Pocket Knife Grab.

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UK Scouts Ban Penknives Knives

California Waterfowl

California - -(AmmoLand.com)- California Waterfowl, in partnership with the Community Youth Center of Concord is once-again offering an in-season youth hunting program during the 2009-10 waterfowl hunting season at Grizzly Ranch (Suisun Marsh) and NEW this year at Rancho Esquon (Durham). This is a special opportunity to get young hunters jump-started into the exciting world of waterfowling while learning safe and responsible hunting skills.

Starting with opening day of waterfowl season on October 24, 2009, California Waterfowl will host a total of 21 youth hunts on the two private duck clubs. These junior waterfowl hunts are $50, which includes educational materials, sprig membership, lodging, breakfast and lunch. Each youth hunter has opportunities for either guided or unguided waterfowl hunts.

All junior hunting license holders are eligible to apply for these hunts and must be accompanied by a chaperone which is 21 years or older. To get more info and register for exciting waterfowl hunting opportunities, visit www.calwaterfowl.org.

About:
California Waterfowl is an award winning nonprofit, hunter-supported conservation organization with a mission to conserve the state’s waterfowl, wetlands, and hunting heritage. In the last 20 years we’ve restored, protected or enhanced more than 360,000 acres, providing habitat for millions of birds and animals, and introduced more than 250,000 children to the wonders of the great outdoors. Visit us online at www.calwaterfowl.org.

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California Waterfowl Providing Hunting Opportunities for Youth

National Archery in the Schools Program

Orlando, Florida --(AmmoLand.com)- The Magic Kingdom, Blizzard Beach, and Typhoon Lagoon are mainstays of the family vacation destination at Disney’s Wide World of Sports®. Millions of families and individuals come to Orlando, Florida for the dream vacation of a lifetime. On October 8-11, 2009 the first National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP®)” 1st World Tournament” will be conducted at the Disney’s Wide World of Sports® Jostens® Center. NASP® expects up to 2,000 participants from the program’s elementary, middle, and high schools.

The National Archery in the Schools Program is inviting teams from the United States, Canada, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa to compete in the first world NASP archery tournament. Teams and individuals who qualified for the 2009 NASP® national tournament held in May 2009 in Louisville, Kentucky are eligible to participate at the World Tournament.

Those teams that qualified for the 2009 NASP® National Tournament or placed first in their state can send from 12-24 participants four of whom must be the opposite gender. Elementary school teams with a score of 2500, Middle school teams with a score of 2600, and High school teams with a score of 2700 and any individuals who were on a team that qualified in their state or provincial tournament are eligible.

There will only be two archers in each lane per flight, one each from different schools. If archers share bows they must be registered in different flights. Flight times will begin at 1:00pm EST on October 8 and the tournament will conclude with the World Awards Ceremony at noon on October 11, 2009. Each archer will be provided five practice shots before shooting at the 10 and 15 meter distances. Archers may practice in vacant lanes during competitive flights as space is available.

World Tournament registration is available on-line. Selection of flight times and dates will occur immediately to facilitate travel plans for teams and individuals. Pre-registration will begin on August 26 at 8am EST and close on September 23rd 5pm EST. To register on-line visit www.archeryintheschools.org Registration fee is twenty five ($25) per archer payable on-line at the time of registration. Fees are not refundable. Shooting times and dates will be available on a first come first serve basis and until they are labeled “FULL.” The team coach will receive immediate confirmation of the date and requested shooting time. Each registrant will receive a “1st World NASP® Tournament” souvenir t-shirt.

Disney World has provided a special “NASP® World Tournament Package” for participants, families and fans. This package can include lodging and tickets to Disney theme parks. NASP® attendees are encouraged to book flights, travel, and accommodations as early as possible. We are expecting up to 2,000 archers and at least that many coaches, fans, families and officials.

NASP® began in March 2002 in 21 pilot schools and has grown to more than 5000 schools in the elementary, middle, and high school levels. This school year more than a million students will learn this lifetime skill from their physical education teachers in schools across the U.S., Canada, and beyond.

For more information email: jgauthier@nasparchery.com
Visit: www.archeryintheschools.org

About:
The National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP) is a joint venture between state departments of Education and Wildlife. Several archery equipment manufacturers and organizations are also partners (listed below). The program promotes student education, physical education and participation in the life long sport of Archery. The program’s focus is to provide International Style Target Archery training in physical education classes grades 4 – 12

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Disney’s Wide World of Sports to Host 1st World NASP Tournament October 8th – 11th, 2009

Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks

KINSLEY, KS —-(AmmoLand.com)- On Saturday, Sept. 19, the Kinsley Gun Club will host its 17th Annual Kids Klassic trap shooting tournament for young shooters. Each youngster will fire at 100 targets. A $25 entry fee will include a custom T-shirt, lunch, and a chance to win a door prize, including a Remington 1100 Classic Trap shotgun, a Tri-Star SB shotgun, and one of two Remington .22-caliber rifles — all provided by area businesses and the shooting fraternity. The entry fee does not include shells.

Shooters will compete for trophies, Olympic-style medallions, shotgun shells, and other prizes in four age groups for individuals and five-person teams. Ten $100 savings bonds will be awarded by drawing, so everyone has a chance to win. Other awards include 19 flats of shotgun shells and individual trophies for four age groups with special awards to 4-H members. The top three five-shooter teams earn trophies and shells. A trophy and prize will be reserved for the top girl shooter, as well.

While everyone high school age and younger is welcome to attend, participants who enter must be strong enough to handle a shotgun safely and are expected to know the basic rules and etiquette of trapshooting. The shoot is not for beginners.

Entries (including T-shirt sizes and number of adults for lunch) must be received by Sept. 14. To enter, receive an official program, receive more information, or find out where to practice close to home, phone toll free at 1-888-324-5445, email franko@gbta.net, or write to Frank O’Brien, P. O. Box 351, Lewis, KS 67552.

About:
The Kansas Department of Wildlife and Parks is a cabinet-level agency with a Secretary appointed by the Governor. A seven-member, bipartisan commission, also appointed by the Governor, advises the Secretary and approves regulations governing outdoor recreation and fish and wildlife resources in Kansas. The commission conducts business during regular public sessions.

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17Th Annual Kinsley Gun Club Kids Klassic Trap Shoot

South Dakota Fish, Game & Parks

MILBANK, S.D –-(AmmoLand.com)- Grab your bow and head to Hartford Beach State Park to show off your skills. The annual 3-D Archery shoot sponsored by the Milbank Valley Archers is Sept. 12-13. Contestants can register between 9 a.m. and 3 p.m. on Sat, and 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Sunday.

Participants can shoot in competition or just for fun. Competition categories are based on equipment used, age and gender. Youngsters are welcome and will shoot the same targets as adults, but from closer locations.

A “Tough Man” option is also available, in which shooters must shoot from difficult locations. Families can shoot a round together, even if competing in different categories.

“The steep wooded landscape of Hartford Beach lends itself to some interesting shooting opportunities,” said Jeff Nodsle, park manager. “The course consists of 30 three-dimensional, life-size animal targets. The first 20 targets are along the Prehistoric Village Trail, and the second set of targets is along the Beach Trail.”

This tournament is sanctioned by the National Field Archery Association. The cost is $10 for adults, $8 for non-competitive shooters, $5 for cubs (ages 8-11), peewees (ages 7 and under) are free, and family admission is $25. In addition, a park entrance license is required. Concessions will be available.

This event is held each year the second weekend in September. For more information call (605) 432-6374. Hartford Beach State Park is located 15 miles north of Milbank off SD 15.

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SD’s Hartford Beach State Park Hosts Annual Archery Shoot

National Rifle Association

FAIRFAX, VA – -(AmmoLand.com)- Three of the National Rifle Association’s top Junior Members have been selected to receive the 2009 Outstanding Achievement Youth Award, recognizing their accomplishments in the community, the classroom, and the shooting sports.

A total of $10,000 in scholarship money is awarded to the winners thanks to the generosity of Brownell’s, one of the world’s leading suppliers of firearms accessories and gunsmithing tools.

Eighteen-year-old Collin Wietfeltd of Hemlock, Michigan, won first place and a $5,000 scholarship. Weitfeltd’s impressive shotgun skills earned him spots on the 2009 U.S. World Championship Shotgun Team, the U.S. National Development Team, and on the 2009 ATA All-American Junior Trapshooting Team.

Wietfeltd recently returned from the Shotgun World Championships, held August 7-16 in Maribor, Slovenia, where he earned a silver medal as a member of the Men’s Junior Trap Team and finished in 7th place as an individual. Earlier this month, Wietfeltd took first place in the Trap Championships at the 2009 Shotgun Junior Olympics in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

In addition to his shooting skills, Wietfeltd is also very active in his school and community. At Hemlock High School, Wietfeltd is a member of the Health Occupation Students of America (HOSA), the CPR Team, and is a regular name on the Honor Roll. Wietfeltd’s community involvement includes being an active member, volunteer, and coach with the Saginaw Field and Stream Club, serving as a coach for the Scholastic Clay Target Program, and as a frequent blood donor, being presented with the Donor For Life Award in 2008. In addition, Wietfeltd has participated in the Michigan State Youth Hunter Education Challenge and NRA Advanced Shotgun Camps.

Wietfeltd will attend Lindenwood University this fall on a partial academic/trapshooting scholarship. He will compete as a member of the Trapshooting Team and will major in Chemistry while completing a pre-dental study.

“Reviewing the applications for the 2009 Outstanding Youth Achievement Award made me very proud of all of the candidates, and speaks to the tremendous effect that the shootings sports and NRA programs has on young people. The shooting sports community gives so freely of their time, money, and most importantly their mentorship; not just to these three winners, but to all youth involved in their programs,” said Larry Quandahl, Manager of NRA’s Youth Programs Department.

Second place and a $3,000 scholarship were awarded to eighteen-year-old Tanner Brooks of Walkerton, Indiana. Brooks is a member of the Indiana State Rifle & Pistol Association and had place first in several competitions, including the Indiana State Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) Championships and the National SCTP Skeet Championships. In 2008, Brooks was selected to attend the NRA’s Youth Education Summit (YES) in Washington, D.C., and also traveled to the NRA Annual Meeting in Louisville, Kentucky. In his community, Brooks helped teach children about firearms safety by presenting the Eddie Eagle GunSafe(r) Program to numerous elementary schools.

Samuel Fowler, a seventeen-year old from Orchard Park, New York, took third place and earned a $2,000 scholarship. Fowler is an NRA Life Member, as well as a member of the New York State Rifle & Pistol Association. As a Smallbore Rifle shooter, Fowler has competed in the National Matches at Camp Perry for the past three years and numerous other local, state, and national competitions. In addition to his achievements as a competitive shooter, Fowler is also an exemplary student and has volunteered at a local Friends of NRA dinner.

All NRA Junior Members (or NRA Regular or Life Members under the age of eighteen) who are also current members of a NRA-affiliated club or state association, and have completed one NRA Basic Firearm Training Course are eligible for the award. Applicants must have additionally earned at least one rating through the Winchester/NRA Marksmanship Qualification Program, submit three letters of recommendation, provide a copy of their school transcript, and write a 1,000 word essay entitled, “What the Shooting Sports have Taught Me.”

In addition to these core requirements, applicants must also participate in at least five NRA-sponsored programs. These elective requirements may include, but are not limited to, presenting the Eddie Eagle GunSafe(r) Program, attending the Youth Education Summit, competing in the Youth Hunter Education Challenge, participating in the National Matches at Camp Perry, or attending an NRA Shooting Sports Camp.

Applications for next year’s Outstanding Achievement Youth Award are due to NRA Headquarters no later than May 1, 2010. For more information on the Outstanding Achievement Youth Award, please contact NRA’s Youth Programs Department by calling (703) 267-1505 or by visiting http://www.nrahq.org/youth/achievement.asp.

About:
Brownells is the world’s largest supplier of firearm parts, gunsmithing tools, equipment and accessories. Stocking more than 30,000 items, the company supplies armorers, gunsmiths, and shooters worldwide. All of their products are backed by a 100% satisfaction, unconditional, lifetime guarantee. For more information, or to place an order, call 800-741-0015 or visit Brownells.com .

About:
Established in 1871, the National Rifle Association is America’s oldest civil rights and sportsmen’s group. Four million members strong, NRA continues its mission to uphold Second Amendment rights and to advocate enforcement of existing laws against violent offenders to reduce crime. The Association remains the nation’s leader in firearm education and training for law-abiding gun owners, law enforcement and the military.

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NRA Announces 2009 Outstanding Achievement Youth Award Winners

GoHuntGeorgia.com

SOCIAL CIRCLE, Ga. --(AmmoLand.com)-Are you ready for an advanced education in outdoor skills? Then take the challenge – the Hunter Education Skills Challenge to be specific. This program, open to any youth age 18 or younger that has completed their hunter education course, will be available at several upcoming events.

“Consider the Challenge program as a ‘graduate studies’ course for hunter education students,” says Jennifer Pittman, Shooting Sports Coordinator. “This program will include events that simulate realistic conditions in order to reinforce and test a young hunter’s skills.”

The Challenge has up to six components: archery, air rifle, safety trail challenge, orienteering, wildlife identification and responsibility. Participants receive scores for each component with a maximum total high score of 500. Competitions include two divisions – Junior (age 14 and younger) and Senior (age 15-18). The top 10 scoring participants at each local competition (in each Division) are eligible for the state Challenge (scheduled for Sat., Jan. 16, 2010).

All youth hunters are welcome to participate in a local Challenge if they wish – no pre-registration is required. Following is information on upcoming events (all events are on Saturdays):

• Aug. 29, Chickasawhatchee WMA, Albany, GA
• Sept. 5, Wildlife Resources Division Headquarters, Social Circle, GA
• Sept. 26, Sloppy Floyd State Park, Summerville, GA
• Oct. 3, Coopers Creek WMA Check Station, Blairsville, GA
• Oct. 10, Clybel WMA Shooting Range (Charlie Elliott Wildlife Center), Mansfield, GA
• Oct. 10, Lake Russell WMA C heck Station, Gainesville, GA
• Oct. 24, River Bend WMA Check Station, Dublin, GA
• Oct. 31, Griffin Ridge WMA Check Station, Ludowici, GA

For more information on any of these Challenge events, visit www.gohuntgeorgia.com (select “Get Involved” and then “Programs”) or call 770-918-6416.

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Hunter Education Skills Challenge Program Targets Youth

Arizona Game and Fish Department

PHOENIX, AZ — -(AmmoLand.com)-The Arizona Game and Fish Department and the Archery Trade Association have teamed up to increase archery and bowhunting programs for youngsters throughout Arizona and enhance facilities in the Phoenix and Tucson metro areas.

Through the agreement, the ATA will provide funding to the Game and Fish Department to double their current archery recruitment staff to include an archery coordinator and a bowhunting coordinator.

“This exciting new partnership with the Game and Fish Department will help grow archery and bowhunting in Arizona and specifically in the Phoenix and Tucson areas,” said Mitch King, Archery Trade Association’s director of government relations. “The ATA and its Arizona members, archery manufacturers, and archery shops from across the state are anxious to help the Department reach out to the youth of the state to provide them with a safe and fulfilling recreational outlet.”

The additional staffing combined with the concerted effort between all parties will provide a focused campaign for continuing and growing community-based archery programs like National Archery in the Schools, After School Archery, and Junior Olympic Archery Development.

In addition, the expanded effort will allow the implementation of programs highlighting 3-D archery, bow-fishing, crossbows, the National Bowhunter Education Foundation’s courses, and outdoor skills workshops.

“We now have more than 122 schools participating in the Archery in the Schools Program,” said Game and Fish Assistant Director Ty Gray. “This partnership with the Archery Trade Association will help expand these programs and new ones further into the communities of Arizona to recruit and retain new archery shooters and bowhunters.”

In a multifaceted grassroots system, the Archery Trade Association’s (ATA) Community Archery Program works with state wildlife agencies, local parks and recreation departments, communities, archery shops, clubs, and organizations to expand on the success of the National Archery in the Schools program, a physical education curriculum designed to teach international-style target archery in grades 4-12.

“These are exciting times to see the Game and Fish Department working hand-in-hand with private industry to achieve the same goal,” said Randy Philips, owner of Archery Headquarters in Chandler and an ATA board member.

There are many benefits from shooting a bow and arrow. Although shooting a bow is a physical activity, physical condition is not a limiting factor and allows equal participation. Additionally, shooting sports develop concentration and metal focus, improve self-confidence, teach respect and accountability, and provide a low-impact healthy activity.

To learn more about shooting sports and the Arizona Game and Fish Department, visit www.azgfd.gov/shootingsports.

Sign up to receive free news by e-mail! The Arizona Game and Fish Department offers a number of free electronic newsletters to keep you updated with information about hunting, fishing, wildlife viewing, archery/shooting sports, off-highway vehicle recreation, boating recreation, department activities, commission news, rules and regulations, public events, and more. If you are signing up for the first time, visit www.azgfd.gov/signup. If you are already signed up but wish to subscribe to any of our other newsletters or update your e-mail address information, visit our “edit user profile” page.

About:
The Arizona Game and Fish Department prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, national origin, age, or disability in its programs and activities. If anyone believes that they have been discriminated against in any of the AGFD’s programs or activities, including employment practices, they may file a complaint with the Deputy Director, 5000 W. Carefree Highway, Phoenix, AZ 85086-5000, (602) 942-3000, or with the Fish and Wildlife Service, 4040 N. Fairfax Dr. Ste. 130, Arlington, VA 22203. Persons with a disability may request a reasonable accommodation or this document in an alternative format by contacting the Deputy Director as listed above.

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Archery Program Targets Phoenix And Tucson Metro Areas

Whitetails Unlimited

Wisconsin – -(AmmoLand.com)- Inspired by the overwhelming success of Whitetails Unlimited’s Kids on Target firearm marksmanship program, WTU is now implementing the “3 For Three” archery component for young archers.

“This is a great way to get young people involved with archery in a positive, safe and supervised manner,” said Whitetails Unlimited Executive Director Pete Gerl. “The firearm component of Kids on Target, which is sponsored in part by Rossi USA, has been an overwhelming success, and now we are able to provide encouragement for youngsters to get involved outdoors in a terrific life-long activity – archery.”

Designed for archers 18 and under, participants receive a free kit with official targets, program guidelines, and the 10 Commandments of Archery Safety. They are encouraged to practice as much as necessary, under adult supervision, at a public shooting range. When they are confident in their shooting abilities and ready to qualify, they then use an official target and must place three arrows within the 6-inch colored portion, from a minimum distance of 12 yards. Upon qualification the young successful archer will return the target with the completed witness verification form and receive a WTU Kids on Target gold medal and a personalized color certificate, suitable for framing. These awards will serve as a reminder of their accomplishment of hitting “3 For Three.”

There is no charge to individual participants for any part of the program. For clubs or organizations interested in group participation there will be a nominal fee to help offset a portion of the expense.

“We really want to get young people out of the house and involved in the shooting sports,” said Gerl, “and since the firearm branch of Kids on Target was so successful, expanding into archery was a natural second step. We’d like to get kids away from all the electronics in their lives, and get them outdoors involved in the shooting sports. Obviously, we hope some of them take up archery hunting, but even if they don’t, they will learn a fun sport and some life lessons about success and accomplishment through practice and perseverance. Receiving the medal and certificate is just the kind of outside motivation that most kids respond to in a very positive way.”

Gerl noted that WTU has a long history of recruiting and developing new hunters and participants in the shooting sports, and the Kids on Target program is a continuation of Whitetails Unlimited’s mission of preserving an American tradition.

Participating in the program requires everyone follow the 10 Commandments of Archery Safety, and young archers must be supervised by an adult. In many situations, kids that don’t have success with other sports are excited about the shooting sports.
For more details about Kids on Target, visit the WTU website at www.whitetailsunlimited.com.

About:
Founded in 1982, Whitetails Unlimited is a national nonprofit conservation organization. Our mission is to raise funds in support of education, habitat enhancement and acquisition, and the preservation of the hunting tradition for the benefit of the white-tailed deer and other wildlife. When it comes to the whitetail and its environment, WTU’s degree of professionalism and dedication has earned us the reputation of being the nation’s premier whitetail organization.

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Whitetails Unlimited Unveils 3 For Three Archery Program

Video Game Takes Kids Outside

New Jersey Fish and Game

Trenton, NJ --(AmmoLand.com)- The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is launching a new online video game aimed to encourage kids to go outside and learn about the environment. Designed for children ages 8 to 11 years old, Neighborhood Explorers is accessed through the Service’s Let’s Go Outside! website at http://www.fws.gov/letsgooutside/.

The journey through the game begins when you meet three children – Mia, Lucy and Steve – who gather in a tree house as the school year begins and talk about all the fun outdoor environmental activities they did over the summer. They form a Neighborhood Explorers Club, called the NX Club, and share information about planting gardens with native plants, backyard bird watching and urban wildlife. By exploring the tree house with your cursor, you can learn about endangered species, conservation heroes and threats to our natural world. Then you can play a fun jeopardy-style trivia game that tests your newly acquired environmental information in an entertaining and interactive venue.

Other activities include recording nature sightings in your own back yard, a race against time to find a missing praying mantis in the midst of an urban neighborhood, and identifying birds in a variety of habitats. When you finish a game, you can receive a gold, silver, or bronze patch, depending on how many points you score. Every game is a fun challenge as well as a valuable educational experience. You can also receive patches for documenting environmental projects and local wildlife, thus reinforcing the connection between the virtual and natural worlds.

When you’ve earned all five patches, you can receive a free tree from the Arbor Day Foundation! (A free membership to the NX Club is required so a record of your earned patches can be saved). After earning all five patches, you will be directed to the Arbor Day Foundation web site, where you can provide your name and address to get a free tree with directions for planting. There are only 450 trees available, so you should get started winning your patches right away!

Neighborhood Explorers provides an excellent educational opportunity for children and parents. By participating in this game, kids learn about nature and are encouraged to spend more time outside. Steve’s summer activity, for example, is simply exploring and observing nature. Children can also learn about problems that the environment is facing, such as pollution and invasive species, and discover ways to help solve these problems.

Unstructured play and discovery outside is an important part of childhood, and Neighborhood Explorers reinforces this through a medium that kids are familiar with: a video game. This is a great opportunity to show kids how caring about conservation and the environment can make a real-life difference in the world.

About:
The mission of the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is working with others to conserve, protect and enhance fish, wildlife, plants and their habitats for the continuing benefit of the American people. We are both a leader and trusted partner in fish and wildlife conservation, known for our scientific excellence, stewardship of lands and natural resources, dedicated professionals and commitment to public service. For more information on our work and the people who make it happen, visit www.fws.gov.

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Video Game Takes Kids Outside

American Deer & Wildlife Alliance

AUSTIN, Texas —-(AmmoLand.com)- The American Deer & Wildlife Alliance (ADWA) proudly announces it will host its Second Annual ADWA Bow Hunting & Archery Clinic on September 26, 2009 at Archery Country, the oldest archery store in Austin, Texas.

The event will be held from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m., and will provide introductory archery instruction to kids, ages six to 15. All equipment will be provided.

“The ADWA Youth Bow Hunting Clinic was a huge success last year, and we’re very excited to return to Archery Country,” say Alicia Clements, operations manager for ADWA. “ADWA’s primary mission is to promote and introduce outdoor activities and wildlife-related issues to our children. At no time in our history have our youth been so disconnected from nature and we feel it’s critically important to preserve an outdoor heritage which is so uniquely American.”

The ADWA Bow Hunting & Archery Clinic includes two hours of personal archery instruction led by senior instructor Eric Pack and generous raffle items. Attendees will also receive goody bags containing the highly acclaimed youth publication, SPIKES Magazine, and various other goodies donated by corporate members of ADWA.

Price for attending the event is $10 per participant. Space is limited, so please call ADWA to reserve space today at 877.331.8600.

The American Deer & Wildlife Alliance is a national non-profit organization comprised of companies, associations and individual sportsmen dedicated to promoting wildlife, land stewardship and America’s outdoor traditions.

To learn more about the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance or for membership information, visit www.deerwildlifealliance.org or call 877.528.7100.

ABout:
Headquartered in Austin, Texas, the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance is a non-profit organization dedicated to the growth of the deer and wildlife industry, and to help educate consumers and the youth on the conservation issues that affect deer and wildlife as well as the industry. For more information on the American Deer & Wildlife Alliance, call 877.528.7100 or visit www.deerwildlifealliance.org.

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American Deer & Wildlife Alliance Announces 2nd Annual Youth Bow Clinic

Ducks Unlimited

Duck Unlimited – -(AmmoLand.com)- WHAT: Ducks Unlimited is dedicating two conservation projects to its youth legacy Greenwing members in Nebraska.

Greenwings are members of DU who are 17 years old or under, and the legacy Greenwings being honored have contributed $200 or more to DU. Cairns will be displayed at both project sites with each child’s name will be engraved on a bronze plaque that includes all of the Nebraska Legacy Greenwing members who signed up between 2003 and now. A reception will follow the dedication ceremony.

WHO: Attendees will include the young Greenwings and their parents. Ducks Unlimited volunteers and staff will speak as to the significance of the conservation projects and the contributions of the Greenwings.

WHEN: 11:00 a.m., August 29, 2009. Lunch will be provided.

WHERE: Clear Creek Wildlife Management Area near Ogallala, Nebraska. From I-80 take the Ogallala exit and follow the signs towards Lake McConaughy on HWY 61 N. Go across the Dam and follow HWY 92 W, in roughly 19 Miles turn left (south) on to Rd. W P and go 3 miles to the Refuge. There will be signs from the HWY to direct you the rest of the way.

Boyer Chutes National Wildlife Refuge, located on the west side of the Missouri River, 3 miles east of the town of Fort Calhoun, Nebraska and 15 miles north of Omaha. From Omaha or Blair, follow Highway 75 to the southernmost street (Madison Street) within the Fort Calhoun city limits. Watch for the Boyer Chute NWR sign. Turn east and proceed to the stop sign at the “T” intersection. Turn right onto County Road 34 and proceed approximately 3 miles to the Refuge main gate. There will be signs the rest of the way to the dedication site.

About:
Ducks Unlimited conserves, restores and manages wetlands and associated habitats for North America’s waterfowl. These habitats also benefit other wildlife and people.

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Ducks Unlimited Dedicates Greenwing Legacy Projects

Pennsylvania Game Commission

HARRISBURG, PA – Pennsylvania Game Commission Executive Director Carl G. Roe today offered his praise to the 23 sportsmen’s clubs throughout Pennsylvania who signed up to host junior pheasant hunts. The clubs will share in about 1,800 pheasants the agency is providing for junior pheasant hunts.

“While the agency’s financial situation remains a concern, providing pheasants to clubs sponsoring junior pheasant hunts is a wise investment,” Roe said. “The only two stipulations for clubs to be eligible to receive Game Commission birds are that these hunts must have registration open to the public and must be held on public lands or private lands enrolled in one of the Game Commission’s Cooperative Public Access Programs.

“The state’s long-standing two-pheasant daily bag limit will apply to junior hunters participating in the season. In addition, depending on the area they are hunting, juniors will be required to comply with restrictions on hunting male or female pheasants.”

Eligible juniors must be between 12 and 16 years of age, and have successfully completed a basic Hunter-Trapper Education course. There is no requirement that participating juniors purchase a license, but they must wear the necessary orange and be accompanied as required by law.

Roe noted that the junior pheasant hunt is not part of the Mentored Youth Hunting Program for those hunters under the age of 12, and includes groundhog, squirrel, coyotes, spring gobbler and antlered deer. (For more information on the Mentored Youth Hunting Program, please see page 13 of the 2009-10 Digest or News Release #084-09.)

Following is a county-by-county listing of the clubs hosting junior pheasant hunts, as well as contact information to enroll junior hunters:

Allegheny County:

• Bull Creek Rod & Gun Club will host its annual junior pheasant hunt at the club in Tarentum for 30 juniors. The registration deadline is Sept. 9. Contact Ray Zbikowski at 724-224-4523 or iko96@yahoo.com.

Armstrong County:

• The Apollo-Spring Church Sportsman’s Club will host its annual junior pheasant hunt at the club near Apollo for 30 juniors. The registration deadline is Sept. 15. Contact Daniel Shaffer at 724-681-2834 or Kurt George at 724-478-1237.
• Pine Creek Sportsmen’s Club will host its junior pheasant hunt at Bassinger Farm near Templeton, for 20 juniors. The registration deadline is Sept. 15. Contact William Bassinger, Jr. at 724-548-7746 or billphyl176@windstream.net.

Bedford County:

• Bedford County Sportsman Club will host a junior pheasant hunt for 40 juniors in Centerville. The registration deadline is Sept. 8. To register contact Chad Kendall at 814-847-2558, or at ckkendall@EmbarqMail.com.
• Bedford-Fulton Pheasants Forever will host its junior pheasant hunt on SGL 97 near Everett for 40 juniors. The registration deadline is Sept. 15. Contact Jeff Green at 814-977-5458 or jeff@green-ranch.com, or Wanda Greet at 814-652-6796 or wanda@green-ranch.com.

Centre County:

• The Three-Point Sportsmen Club will host its annual junior pheasant hunt at the club in Clarence for 50 juniors. The registration deadline is Sept. 15. Contact Steven Demyan at 814-387-6779 or smdguide@yahoo.com or Richard Biggans 814-387-4248.

Clearfield County:

• Pennsylvania Wildlife Habitat Unlimited will host a junior pheasant hunt at the All-Season Trap & Skeet Club near Luthersburg for 25 juniors. The registration deadline is Sept. 15. Contact Laura Johnson at 814-371-4856 or lauraj@zitomedia.net

Columbia County:

• Central Susquehanna Pheasants Forever will host its annual junior pheasant hunt on SGL 226 in Madison Township for 50 juniors. The registration deadline is Sept. 15. Contact Jack Kile at 570-443-7618 or jgkile@pa.metrocast.net.

Elk County:

• Pheasants Forever Chapter 630 Elk County will host its annual junior pheasant hunt at SGL 44, Brandy Camp Tract, for 40 juniors. The registration deadline is Sept. 15. Contact Leon Blashock to register at 814-885-8950 or tobrits@windstream.net.

Greene County:

• Roscoe Sportsman’s Association, Tri-County Quality Deer Management Association, Covered Bridge Chapter Ruffed Grouse Society, 5 Town Chapter Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Stringtown Sportsman’s Club will host a junior pheasant hunt for 50 juniors at the McCann Farm in Carmichaels. There is a $5 fee. The registration deadline is Sept. 15. Contact Kathy Davis at 724-263-9719 or KDavis4537@aol.com or Denny McCann at 724-998-2809.

Lancaster County:

• Lititz Sportsman’s Association will host its junior pheasant hunt at Speedwell Forge Lake near Lititz for up to 26 juniors. The registration deadline Sept. 15. Contact Phil McCloud at 717-626-5884.

Luzerne County:

• Northeast PA Pheasants Forever will host its annual junior pheasant hunt on SGL 119 near Bear Creek Township for 40 juniors. The registration deadline is Sept. 8. Contact Game Commissioner Jay Delaney at 570-825-4424.

Schuylkill County:

• The Valley View Gun Club will host its junior pheasant hunt in Sacramento for 50 juniors. There is a $5 fee. The registration deadline is Sept. 13. Contact Kenneth Wetzel at 570-682-3971 or Rick Herring at 570-682-9541.
• Gordon Game & Fish Protective Association will host its junior pheasant hunt at “The Barn”, two miles east of Gordon for 25 juniors. The registration deadline is Sept. 15. Contact John Towey at 570-205-2682 or at nucleartechjpt@yahoo.com.

Warren County:

• Kalbfus Rod & Gun Club will host its annual junior pheasant hunt in Lander for 20 juniors. The registration deadline is Sept. 12. Contact Chuck Travis at 814-726-1913 or travis39@atlanticbb.net, or Mark Zaffino at 814-757-5010 or 814-723-1150.

Washington County:

• McDonald Sportsmen’s Association will hold their junior pheasant hunt in McDonald for up to 40 juniors. The deadline to register is Sept. 15. Contact Bernard Dhans at 724-288-5092.

Westmoreland:

• Kingston Veterans & Sportsmen’s Club and the Laurel Highlands Chapter of Pheasants Forever will host their annual junior pheasant hunt for 50 juniors on their grounds near Latrobe. The registration deadline is Sept. 10. Contact Kevin Adams at 724-423-8445 or adamsk@wpa.net.
• The Little Sewickley Sportsman Association will host its annual junior pheasant hunt at the Old Hunt Farm, Lycipus, for 50 juniors. The registration deadline is Sept. 12. Contact Jay Bossart at 724-423-6714.
• Law Enforcement Officers of Westmoreland County will host its annual junior pheasant hunt at Mammoth Park, Mt. Pleasant, for 50 juniors. The registration deadline is Sept. 5. Contact Jerry Trainer at 724-493-9686 or toms@outdrs.net.
• The National Wild Turkey Federation will host a junior pheasant hunt at the Boytin property, Bush Creek Road, Mt. Pleasant, for 20 juniors. There is a $5 fee. The registration deadline is Sept. 15. Contact Rod Ansell at 724-244-1120 or ransell@state.pa.us or Sam Troxel at 724-244-7905.
• Rostraver Sportsmen & Conservation Association will host its junior pheasant hunt at the club for 30 juniors. The registration deadline is Sept. 14. Contact Gary Osilka at 724-872-5783 or RSCA1973@yahoo.com.
• Youngwood Sportsman’s will host its junior pheasant hunt at the Youngwood Sportsmen Club and Young World for 25 juniors. The registration deadline is Sept. 15. Contact Carl Rossman at 724-309-3275 or rossman48@verizon.net.

York County:

• Starview Sportsman’s Association will host its junior pheasant hunt at SGL 243, Bentzel tract in Franklintown, for 10 juniors. The registration deadline is Aug. 31. Contact Michael Heindel at 717-266-0783.

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Clubs Sign Up To Host Junior Pheasant Hunts

Weatherby SA-08 Shotgun Models: Youth Synthetic and Waterfowler

Weatherby.com

Paso Robles, CA - -(AmmoLand.com)- Weatherby® has expanded its line of SA-08 semi-automatic shotguns with new Youth Synthetic and Waterfowler models for hunters and shooters.

The Youth Synthetic has a short 12 1/2-inch length of pull, 24-inch barrel and only 5 3/4 pounds of weight. The Waterfowler sports Mothwing Marsh Mimicry™ camo on the stock and metalwork, with the exception of the matte black bolt. Utilizing the moth’s biological patterns, Mothwing camo is designed to mimic and disappear into the surrounding environment.

“Like all SA-08 semi-auto shotguns, the Youth Synthetic and Waterfowler are precisely balanced, and feel trim and lightweight,” said Brad Ruddell, Weatherby’s vice president of sales and marketing. “They offer the utmost in load versatility, as well as performance-tested reliability and very affordable prices. The Youth Synthetic is easy for young hunters and shooters to handle, while the Waterfowler helps marshland hunters stay well concealed in their environment.”

Both models feature the proven dual valve system, which allows shooters to quickly adapt the shotguns to accommodate the widest load ranges, from ¾ ounce to heavy 3-inch magnum. Another benefit of the dual valve system is reduced recoil as compared to traditional single valve shotguns.

Other key features of the Youth Synthetic and Waterfowler:

• • injection-molded synthetic stock is durable yet lightweight
• • alloy receiver further reduces weight and improves overall balance
• • unique drop-out trigger system can be removed and reassembled quickly for easy cleaning
• • chrome-lined barrels can withstand years of high-volume shooting and reduce the effort necessary to keep the barrel clean

New Weatherby® SA-08 Shotgun Models: Youth Synthetic and Waterfowler

• barrels have lengthened forcing cones for improved patterns and less shooter fatigue
• ented top rib for smooth follow-through after the shot, also dissipates heat
• Weatherby’s screw-in Integral Multi-Choke System is compatible with the Briley® thread pattern; each shotgun comes with Improved Cylinder, Modified and Full choke tubes that allow shooters to tailor their shot patterns for specific hunting applications

The Youth Synthetic is available in 20 gauge, has a black stock and matte black metalwork to reduce glare, and a brass bead front sight. Retail prices start as low as $449.

Available in 12 gauge, the Waterfowler offers a choice of 26-inch or 28-inch barrel length. The gun weighs a light 6 1/2 pounds. Manufacturer’s suggested retail price is $649.

For more information, contact a local Weatherby dealer, call the company at (805) 227-2600 or visit www.weatherby.com.

About:
Founded in 1945, Weatherby, Inc.’s line features the popular Vanguard® and legendary Mark V® rifles, over/under and side-by-side shotguns in the classic Athena® and Orion® lines, semi-auto and pump shotguns, premium ammunition and security/shooting accessories. The company is based in Paso Robles, Calif., and invites all hunters and shooters to visit and join its free online community at www.weatherbynation.com.

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New Weatherby SA-08 Shotgun Models: Youth Synthetic and Waterfowler