Busting Clays Complements Hunting

Nothing can get a hunter better prepared than practicing on targets. When you can combine that practice with being with friends, making it competitive and even building character, you´ve got a very special way to improve your shooting skills.

This very special opportunity is called the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP). It´s been called the "Little League" of shotgun sports—trap, skeet and sporting clays. What´s more, competitors can win state and national championships, trophies and college scholarship awards. More than 10,000 youth shooters are participating this year, and the Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) is always ready to welcome more.

Developed by the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) and now administered by the Scholastic Shooting Sports Foundation (SSSF), SCTP gives elementary- to high school-age youths in nearly every state the opportunity to compete as a team at local, state and national levels.

"SCTP has become a big hit with youths and parents nationwide," said Zach Snow, NSSF senior shooting promotions coordinator.

In an SCTP survey, nearly all parents said competitive shooting is a positive influence in their child´s development. Parents observed improved responsibility, teamwork, sportsmanship and leadership skills. In fact, 98 percent of SCTP parents believed shooting is just as important as other sports, and 94 percent said they would support shotgun sports as a school-based athletic program.

HOW TO GET INVOLVED

Getting a team started in your area can be "as easy as one, two, three," Snow says.

"The first thing is to find a coach, whether it be tugging on dad´s shirt or finding someone at the local gun club or school who is interested in working with youths," he said.

"After that," Snow said, "find a local shooting range or club, see if they´re willing to support you, and encourage some friends to come out. If everyone is interested, all it takes is visiting the SCTP web site (www.sssfonline.org) and downloading the necessary forms."

To learn more about SCTP, visit the web site and request a free "Information Packet." Also available is a free " Presentation Packet" including two DVDs that can help schools, clubs and others understand what the program is all about.

Contacting your SCTP state director is another way to learn more. A list of state directors is available online.

"Once you´ve got a team together, start practicing. If you´ve got other clubs in the area with teams, set up a local inter-club match prior to the state championship. And, maybe, we´ll see you at nationals," Snow said.

For more information, visit online at www.sssfonline.org.

What They Say About Hunting

When you become a hunter, you become an ambassador for hunting and wildlife conservation. Some day you might have to explain to someone who doesn´t understand hunting why hunters mean so much to conservation, and when you do, you´ll need the facts to support your points. The National Shooting Sports Foundation makes three videos available free of charge to teachers, students and hunter ed instructors that tell the hunterin-conservation story. "The Un-Endangered Species" is geared to middle to high school students and, along with "Wildlife for Tomorrow" for younger students, tells the story of how species such as wild turkey, white-tailed deer, Rocky Mountain Elk and wood duck were saved by wildlife biologists with the support of hunters.

Another video, "What They Say About Hunting," focuses on a debate by high school students about the relevancy of hunting in today´s world. Students can consider working with their teachers to put on such a debate after watching this video.

The videos are available at www.unendangeredspecies.org.

Where To From Here?

This section will give you a listing of organizations you can contact to learn more about your particular areas of interest. Shooting and hunting are truly activities for a lifetime, and we hope that you will enjoy them for many years.