2006 Tioga County, PA Youth Field Day.

[Adam Helmer]

Today was the 12th Tioga County, PA Youth Field Day held at the Ives Run Facility. It is a day where parents can bring their kids ages 7 to 14 for free to a site with 10 sites ranging from .22s to sporting clays to wildlife identification to fishing, etc., and black powder, where I worked from 8:00 am until 4:10 p.m.

We ran through 156 kids and their parents/guardians in 30 minute blocks all day long. Each block had about a dozen to 15 kids who shot .50 caliber T/C Black Diamond inlines with .50 caliber patched balls and 50 grains of RS Pyrodex. Both kids and parents shot our 25-yard course at dozens of balloons stapled to a board down range.

We had a cloudy moring with constant rain all afternoon, but the kids insisted on going out from under out tent shelter to the firing point to break more balloons. Both kids and parents had a good time. I have finally shed my soaked clothes and shoes and am thankfull we had a great turnout.

All the adults are now, and all the kids will be voters one day. When it comes down to a vote to end the private ownership of firearms, many will recall the fun of pulling the trigger on our balloons.

This was my 6th or 7th year at YFD and I will be out at Ives Run again next year, rain or shine. If we are not recruiting new shooters, we should be. What are you doing to ensure our future?

Adam

[MaIIIa]

This past June, I organized a “Kids’ Shooting Camp” at my local club. It was open to kids ages 8 to 11 and we ended up with 16 kids (each accompanied by an adult). We had five girls and 11 boys. They all had the opportunity to shoot bow, air rifles, .22 rifles, shotgun and, of course, muzzleloaders. Several of the kids had never shot anything before. All did a pretty fine job shooting and all had a great time. The feedback from the kids and their adults (moms, dads, grandpas and even two grandmas) was very positive. A few of the adults also had never shot anything before. This experience helped them to see that shooting can be fun – and a great way to spend time as a family.

I’m going to try to attach a couple pictures here – of the muzzleloader event; I hope it works. If so, that’s me in the maroon shirt. Adam, do you recognize either of the two guys?

MaIIIa

[MaIIIa]

so I'll get another one in this separate posting.

Can anyone tell me how to get multiple pictures in a single posting?

The guy in the foreground of the last picture is a good friend and the person who got me started in shooting with a special interest in muzzleloaders.

MaIIIa

[MaIIIa]

so here's a photo from our Youth Field Day muzzleloader event.

Sorry, but, as you can see, that rifle is an in-line. Not our first choice but that's what we have to work with. I'd love to have several sidelocks to use instead of the in-lines. We do show the kids a flintlock and caplock and explain their history and how they work so that helps.

MaIIIa

[Adam Helmer]

MaIIIa,

Thanks for posting pictures. I recognize me in the picture measuring powder for the young lad seated at the bench.

In the last picture, that is Adam (me) at the firing point with a young shooter.

Adam