Local 4-H youths participate in state shooting sports match

It isn’t unusual for 4-H shooting sports members to roll out of bed early during hunting season to test their skill at harvesting wild game. On Saturday, Oct. 6, there was more than wild game on the line as 130 participants gathered to compete in the 2012 Iowa 4-H Shooting Sports State Match and Qualifier at Big Springs Range, west of Montezuma. Big Springs Range has hosted the state event the past several years.

This annual state competition in 4-H Safety and Education in Shooting Sports (SESS) allows participants to test their marksmanship against other Iowa shooting sports members. SESS is one of the fastest growing Iowa 4-H project areas. The state match included individual events in six disciplines: compound and recurve archery, air rifle, smallbore rifle, muzzleloader and shotgun.

Montgomery County 4-H SESS Member(s) that participated in the Iowa 4-H Shooting Sports State Match were Clay Jordon and Evan Mellott, who both participated in the Shotgun Discipline. Clay Jordon placed first in the intermediate division breaking a total of 70 of 100 trap. There were 13 others in this competition. Evan Mellott placed seventh in the senior division breaking 67 of 100. There were 25 individuals involved.

The state match was also the qualifying event for the 2013 National 4-H Shooting Sports Invitational participants. The national invitational will be held June 23-28, 2013, in Grand Island, Neb.

Donise Petersen, Shooting Sports Outreach Coordinator for the Iowa DNR and interim state 4-H SESS project coordinator, said the youth spend as much time practicing shooting and developing themselves as individuals as youth who are involved in school, club or park and recreation sports.

“It is a culmination of many project meetings and hours of practice that help them develop into proficient shooters. There is a lot more to the sport of competitive shooting then people think. I am glad 4-H offers this opportunity for young people who have an interest in shooting. They learn the importance of safe and ethical uses of firearms, not to mention life skills and sportsmanship.”