Indiana 4-h shooting Sports Coordinator Handbook
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Expendables
Equipment removed from inventory*:
*Note: You have two choices for disposing of unused firearms: you can turn them in to the local police department for proper disposal or trade them in when you purchase a new firearm. An alternative format for the firearm inventory is to list the information for each firearm as shown below: Firearms and Equipment Make –
Model and caliber/gauge – Serial number – Purchase date – Purchaser – Account, check number, authorization – Where purchased – Location of equipment – Purchase price – (Repeat as needed)
All receipts are on file at: _________________________________________________ (Put the purchaser’s name and serial number on the receipt.) (The Shooting Sports coordinator should have a copy of all receipts.) Pistol Trap Indoor pistol trap for swing stops – courtesy state pistol instructor, Brandon Adomatis 
Materials
Instructions
Rigid foam can also be used on traps to reduce the chance of pellet bounce back (see figure). Equipment Purchases and Disposal Purchases: When a 4-H Club or Council wishes to purchase a firearm (rifles & pistols & shotguns) for use in their 4-H Shooting Sports Program, follow these steps. These guidelines do not apply to archery equipment or muzzleloaders.
“Ms. ShootingSports is purchasing the following firearms:
solely for the use of the 4-H Shooting Sports program. These firearms will be the property of the X (enter county name) County 4-H Shooting Sports program.”
Disposal: When a 4-H Club or 4-H Council wishes to dispose of a firearm (rifles/ pistols/ shotguns):
Transfer: When a 4-H Club or Council wishes to transfer ownership of a firearm (rifles/ pistols/ shotguns) from an individual to the 4-H program, the following procedure should be used. If firearms were previously obtained for the 4-H Shooting Sports club (using club $$) under an individual’s name, take a letter from the 4-H Office (as described above) and resubmit the BATF Form 4473 with the letter to assure that ownership is the 4-H Club. This will show proper ownership and protect the original buyer. Frequently Asked Questions & Answers *** Questions from Youth *** Topic: Shooting Sports and Hunter Education Q - Why can't my 4-H Shooting Sports class count towards my Hunter's Education certificate? They seem to cover the same thing. A - The Indiana Hunter Education training must be followed exactly for the Hunter Education certificate to be valid in all states and Mexico. Although Hunter Education and 4-H Shooting Sports have similar goals of teaching youth safety and responsibilities in handling sporting arms, they fall under different jurisdictions and requirements of completion. Your instructors may be certified to teach both Hunter Education and 4-H Shooting Sports but the program requirements are a bit different. Topic: Hunter Education classes Q - I have not been able to attend the Hunter Education classes when they are offered in my county. Can I take it in another county? A - Yes. Hunter Education is offered in every county in Indiana some time through the year and you can take it wherever it works best for you. A Hunter Education certificate is valid throughout the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. See the IDNR website (http://www.inhea.com/) for class choices. *** Questions from Adults *** Topic: Hunter Education Q - Our instructors returning from Ross Camp this week brought back info that Hunters Ed could no longer be a requirement for participation in Shooting Sports. Our County Council has had this as policy for several years. My question is, "Can we still require Hunters Ed since it is policy by our County Council?" So far, there has been little evidence that this has interfered with our enrollment in a negative way. A – No. While you can recommend Hunter’s Education, you cannot require it. Hunter Education is a great program, one that anyone can benefit from, and 4-H fully realizes the benefits of this program for youth. However, requiring a program of that length and one that contains many aspects that are not part of 4-H Shooting Sports (hunting, for example) violates federal guidelines. The County Council does not have the power to supersede these guidelines. Remember that 4-H is a federal program and, as such, subject to federal guidelines. Topic: NRA certification Q - I have NRA certification. Do I need to attend the 4-H Shooting Sports workshop to become a certified 4-H Shooting Sports Leader? A - Yes. The only way to get your name added to our list of certified leaders is to attend our workshop. We are required to attest that individuals receiving certification have been trained in specific discipline information, Purdue’s risk management procedures, and how to teach youth to provide 4-H Shooting Sports certification. Topic: Required meetings Q – Can we require 4-H members to attend our Shooting Sports meetings? A – No, you can NOT require meetings for completion of any 4-H project, with one exception: a safety meeting may be required of youth if the county instructor team wants to hold one safety meeting. An agenda should be on file in the county Extension office and with the 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinator. The exception was made to allow youth to attend a safety meeting before shooting on a range. This exception may not be used to require youth to attend multiple meetings or to require the Hunter Education course. The required safety meeting should be offered in various formats or at different times. It may be a one-time meeting for all 4-H members enrolled in the Shooting Sports Program; it can be required only of new Shooting Sports members; or the first range meeting for each discipline can be required (assuming youth may take only one discipline at a time). The county 4-H Shooting Sports instructor team should decide what will work best for them and for the youth they teach. The safety meeting should focus on range safety and procedures that must be followed in your Shooting Sports program. Please be sure to make every effort to schedule the meeting at a time that is convenient for the youth. You might offer two safety sessions or have other options for unavoidable conflicts. The discipline instructors should work together to write a lesson plan for the safety meeting or you can use the suggested Safety Meeting agenda given in this booklet. Give a copy of your agenda to your 4-H Youth Extension Educator so they have a record of the topics that you cover.
4-H members to shoot. Topic: Ratio of youth/adults when shooting Q - What are the guidelines/rules in terms of the number of students that can be in a discipline per instructor? A - There are no specific guidelines with respect to #youth/instructor. This will vary with age, ability, and discipline. We discuss this issue at our training workshops so discipline instructors should have a good understanding of how to determine appropriate ratios. Try to enlist parents as assistants to help on the range or work with non-shooting aspects so you can work with smaller numbers of youth on the range. Although you might have a lot of kids signed up for a discipline, you probably would not have more than 4-5 shoot at the line at any one time unless you have some parents watching the other end of the shooting line (then you might have 6-8 kids). Perhaps an approved 4-H Volunteer could serve as an assistant instructor (would not need to be Shooting Sports certified) to work with the other youth in some non-shooting educational training. Topic: Age to start Shooting Sports Q - Do you have any recommendations for third graders that are enrolled in Shooting Sports? I am concerned about the maturity level of third graders. Are they ready for Shooting Sports? Are we required to let them participate in our program? A - You are not required to start the Shooting Sports program at 3rd grade, if your county Shooting Sports instructor team feels that the size and maturity level required for their program is higher than is normally found in third graders. The overall safety of the youth and adult instructors must be the paramount consideration. On the other hand, if the younger 4-H members are ready and interested when they start 4-H, they may lose interest if you exclude them. Furthermore, they will not be able to complete 10 years in Shooting Sports if they don't start in the third grade. We recommend that you consider the Outdoor Skills discipline as an introductory class for your younger participants (3rd & 4th graders). This discipline offers a great way of introducing kids to the outdoors and the wildlife in Indiana. Hunting does not need to be the focus of this training. Furthermore, the cost of this program is very low. Topic: Recertification? Q - I received certification in rifle 15 years ago and have been active in our county program since that time (with just a few years off). My county team suggested that I attend a certification workshop, but it is difficult for me to get the time off work. Am I required to attend a certification workshop? A - State guidelines do not require that discipline instructors attend another certification workshop, although if county guidelines require an updated certification that would take precedence. Since you have continued to be involved, the hands-on experience that you have gained by working with youth over the years of your leadership is of great value, assuming that you have worked to improve your teaching techniques and learn from the youth. Many experienced instructors report, however, that they always learn something new at the workshops and really enjoy the synergy that is created when a number of Shooting Sports enthusiasts get together for the weekend to talk about teaching the sport that they enjoy to youth. Furthermore, the state instructors continue to receive additional training, so our certification workshops have changed a lot since you were originally certified. I am sure that you would learn some new teaching techniques. But, the bottom line is that the question of your recertification is up to your county and to you. Note: 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinators must be recertified every five years to assure that they are familiar with current policies and procedures. Topic: Shooters with disabilities Q - This summer we had a 4-H member in our Shooting Sports program with special needs. I was worried about my ability to help this boy since I have no training in this area. Must I accept this youth into our classes? A - You must include all youth to the best of your ability. It would be very helpful to talk with the parents so you can determine what special needs the youth has, how they can best be addressed, and if extra help is required. It can be both appropriate and reasonable in some “Special Needs" cases to ask the parent or guardian to be present and involved with their child at shooting sessions to help with mobility challenges or to provide an extra set of eyes, if closer observation is required. While we want to include all youth, we must also continue to maintain the highest standards of safety. The book, Teaching Shooting Sports to persons with disabilities (ISBN 0-916682-66-8) may be helpful in making accessories to help Shooting Sports youth with mobility challenges. Topic: Youth owned equipment Q - Can 4-H members use their own equipment? A - Yes, It is okay for youth to use their own equipment in all the disciplines, but we ask that the instructors inspect the firearm or archery equipment at each meeting. Some counties may have enough equipment and prefer that 4-H members don’t bring their own. Other counties do not have equipment so they have no choice but to ask the 4-H members to bring any firearms or bows that they have. Also, if a young person stays with the program and advances, they probably should be using their own, possibly higher quality equipment, which they learn to handle and take care of properly. *** We highly recommend that all firearms (club and individually owned) are checked by a gunsmith each year *** Topic: Storing equipment Q – Our Shooting Sports club just bought a new safe. I know that it has to be in a secure facility. Does it have to be in the Extension office? The reason that I ask is because our office is going to be moving. A – The safe does not have to be located in the Extension office. We don’t have any guidelines or rules that specify where equipment should be stored. You can locate it wherever you think is best. If you decide to let one of your certified instructors have it at their home, be sure you (the coordinator) and 4-H Youth Extension Educator have a signed document that lists the address where the equipment is stored and the type and serial numbers of all firearms stored. Topic: Equipment Insurance Q – We have a question regarding Shooting Sports equipment insurance. Who should hold the insurance policy? Is it the club, 4-H Council, or the group that owns the building that they are stored in? A – The property owner needs to hold the insurance policy. The insurance agent of the owner of the building needs to know that the equipment is there and will let you know if the 4-H Council can carry the policy or if it has to be the owner. Be sure you have an inventory list with serial numbers and the address where the equipment is being stored. There may be an additional charge for covering the 4-H equipment in which case the Shooting Sports club should reimburse the property owner. Topic: Finding a range Q – We have recently lost our range and it looks like our program may fold. What can we do? A – Finding ranges for the 4-H Shooting Sports program can be a challenge. There is a mix of properties that are used for 4-H Shooting Sports ranges in Indiana, including fairgrounds, private property, gun clubs, and police ranges. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) also has a website devoted to finding places to shoot: www.wheretoshoot.org. If the Shooting Sports instructor team cannot find a place to shoot, you might ask your 4-H Youth Extension Educator to ask other Extension Educators in surrounding counties to see where they shoot. You might want to explore the possibility of sharing a range or, perhaps, combining your clubs. Topic: Range insurance Q – I’m having some issues with my Shooting Sports range. The land owner – who is very supportive of 4-H Shooting Sports – has recently gotten extremely concerned with insurance/liability issues. I’ve requested, and received, a certificate of insurance from Risk Management, but that didn’t satisfy him. His wants to know if his or Purdue’s insurance would be the primary insurance. If Purdue’s is primary and his is secondary, then he’s o.k. with us still using his property. If his insurance is primary, and Purdue’s is secondary, we will have to look for another range to use. A – If an accident were to happen on this individual’s property, his insurance would be primary. He IS the landowner. It would be just like having someone come to your home and be hurt if they fell on an icy walk. You can’t undo being responsible for what happens on your property even when you have the university issue a certificate of insurance. Topic: Reloading Q – We have 7 boys in the county Shooing Sports Program that want a class on reloading. What can I do to give what they want for this discipline? I am certified by the NRA as a Reloading Instructor. A - Reloading is not permitted in Indiana 4-H. The policy statement specifically states that reloading is not allowed. Perhaps the boys that are interested could learn from their parents or another source – it cannot be offered as a 4-H activity, however. Topic: Coordinator needs help Q – Our program has grown and I need help with coordinating everything! Can I have someone help me coordinate the program? Do I need to send my assistants to the coordinator certification training in the fall? A – No, discipline assistants (Associate Instructors) are not be required to be certified, but they must always be under the direct supervision of a certified instructor. They are required to complete the Indiana 4-H Volunteer application process, as all of our project volunteers are required to do.
Q – A parent told me that one of the youth in our 4-H Shooting Sports program is having behavioral problems at school. I am worried that he might cause a problem on the range. Do I have to let him participate? A – You need to be very careful when talking about a child and don’t have all the facts. You cannot act on hearsay information from unreliable sources; act only on behaviors you have observed directly. Treat each child with respect and consideration and a belief that they can achieve great things. Many of them will surprise you. Topic: Threatening behavior Q – One of the instructors overheard a 4-H member stating that he wanted to learn how to shoot so he could “take care of someone at school.” How do I handle this situation? A – Youth that threaten the safety of others (verbally or with equipment) need to be dealt with immediately. Contact the parents to make them aware of the problem. Contact the County 4-H Youth Extension Educator for guidance on how to proceed. The Educator will visit with the state Extension Specialist and they will consult with the Dealing with Threatening Behavior document. The youth may not return to the program until specific conditions, outlined in this document, have been met. These steps also should be taken whenever there is a perception of a threat posed by a 4-H member.
Q – My rifle instructor said he was told 4-H discourages competition. I didn't know that. It is not our priority, but some kids ask for some competition and it can be fun. There are tons of competition in the other projects. Did I miss something? Are shooting competitions OK? A – When the Indiana 4-H Shooting Sports program began (1983), the state Shooting Sports team decided against holding competitions. The stated goal of this program is to teach safe and ethical use of firearms and to assure that every participant has a good experience. It was thought that a focus on competition might detract from these goals. However, counties can have competitions, but please watch to make sure that all youth are having a positive experience. It is generally not a good idea to have competitions between younger members; rather, have them compete against their previous scores to see how they are improving. Randolph County holds a regional competition that is well run. There are also many non-4-H competitive events that you can inform the older youth about if you feel they would be interested in attending with a parent. (This would be similar to youth attending an Open Horse show.) Topic: Muzzleloading age recommendation Q – My question is… what age should the child be in order to begin the muzzleloading program? Are there state rules in regard to the subject and age requirement? In our county the rifle and shotgun projects require the youth to be in 7th grade. Any recommendations from your end will be helpful. A - There are no state guidelines for what age a 4-H member should be for any of the disciplines. We generally recommend, however, that shotgun and muzzleloading are offered to the older youth because they are more expensive (ammunition and equipment) and the firearms are heavier and more appropriate for older youth. Since your county 4-H Shooting Sports committee already has set guidelines for rifle and shotgun it would be most appropriate to use these for muzzle as well. Generally the county 4-H Shooting Sports committee should discuss these issues and consider the current enrollment, demand for the new discipline by the youth, equipment availability, comfort level of the instructors with younger youth, and range availability. Also, it gives youth something to look forward to. Topic: Hunting Q – Can we take the 4-H Shooting Sports member hunting? We will have one adult for every two youth. A – Purdue’s liability insurance policy does not allow Shooting Sports volunteer leaders to plan a hunt or take youth hunting as a 4-H activity. There are just too many variables in this situation that are beyond the control of the certified instructor. Topic: Certified instructors don’t help Q – What can we do about a newly certified instructor that the county paid to attend the certification workshop and then is never available to help with the program? A - Many counties require that volunteers pay for the certification workshop and then reimburse them the costs after the volunteer has helped with the county program. Some counties will reimburse half the cost after one year of service and the other half after another year of service. This helps to make sure the people who show an interest will actually attend the workshop and will continue to work with the program. Topic: Archery and NASP (National Archery in the Schools Program) Q – We have an adult interested in Archery NASP. Is that certification part of archery training at Ross Camp? A –We do offer the NASP certification to the Archery discipline participants at the certification workshop. There is an additional charge for the NASP certification due to the materials that the person receives. Topic: Adult help at meetings Q – We have some parents that would like to help us, and we truly could use the adult help. Is there some way that these parents could go through a 4-H leader training so that they could help this year, and be qualified to go for instructor training in the fall? Some parents would just like to help us, to what extent can they? Can they help us look for lost arrows, in the grass when the line is cold? Can they put ammo in the ammo blocks? Put tape on targets? A – Yes, parents can and are encouraged to help out, after they have completed the required Indiana 4-H Volunteer paperwork. The more people involved, the better the program. It is also a great way for adults to learn more about the program and see if they are interested in becoming a certified instructor. We have a designation of Associate instructor for those that help. They can do all of the things you mention and more. They can even help on the range provided that they are under the direct supervision of a certified Shooting Sports instructor. (The Associate instructor may not take a group of 4-H members to another range to shoot.) They may also do any educational activities (other than shooting) with the youth. This is especially useful when there is a large group and long waits between the time the kids are on the range. An Associate instructor could show how to clean a gun or talk about siting a gun or training hunting dogs or making an exhibit for the fair. They just can’t shoot with a group of kids by themselves.
Q – Our instructors that went to the training talked about some kind of stop that they had in the shotgun discipline. They are interested in building that here for our range for the kids to use. Can you send me what that is or how it was made? Our Fair Board is willing to help with the cost if they knew what it was made of. A – I think they are talking about the swing-stops that we use at each station. I have seen them made from metal, like the ones that we use as well as other material like PVC Pipe. I believe the ones that we use came with our sporting clays trailer. I do not have the exact specifications for them; however, I bet they can go online and Google sporting clays swing-stops or stations and the specs could be found. Or, they could try using 5 gallon buckets filled with sand and simply sticking the PVC Pipe in those buckets to make swing stops. They don't have to go to the expense of building a trailer like that. The Double Traps will do the same thing and they are under $350.00 dollars and adjustable.
State policy will permit student in grades 3-12 to participate in 4-H Shooting Sports. It is up to each Shooting Sports instructor team working with their county 4-H Youth Extension Educator to decide the appropriate age to begin this program in your county. The decision should be based on the ratio of instructors to youth, the maturity level of the youth, the disciplines offered, your instructors’ level of comfort when working with the younger youth, and the size of equipment you have. The Outdoor Skills discipline has many group activities and is often the best choice for younger 4-H members. 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor Certification Workshop – 
Recruit new volunteer instructors. They will need to attend the certification workshop if they are going to take responsibility for the training. Parents may help a certified instructor without attending the workshop but must be under the direct observation of the instructor when any shooting is occurring. 4-H Enrollment and Standardized Statements There is an annual formal enrollment process for each young person who chooses to participate in the 4-H program. This process is completed through the County Extension Office and is available online and in paper versions. Standardized liability, behavior, and photo policy statements are included. Both a parent/legal guardian and each 4-H member must sign the statements. (4-H members 18 and over are considered legal adults and sign parent/guardian statements.) The member behavior statement reads: “I agree to follow the rules, policies and expectations of the 4-H program and will conduct myself in a courteous and respectful manner by exhibiting good sportsmanship and good behavior. I understand that failing to do so will result in sanctions, discipline, and/or dismissal from the program.”
Financial Reporting It is critical that the 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinator submits yearly financial reports as requested by the 4-H Extension Educator. This is important for the county Shooting Sports program for two reasons:
Managing 4-H Club Funds General Guidelines:
Annual 4-H Club Financial Report In order to remain in compliance with federal guidelines for the 4-H Program, the following policy regarding 4-H Unit/Club finances has been adopted by the State 4-H Program:
It is critical that the 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinator submits a yearly financial report as requested by the 4-H Educator. This enables the county Shooting Sports program to be transparent in its use of public funds and helps answer questions of how funds are being handled from the Shooting Sports team, your County Extension Office, parents, or the public. Tax Exempt Status for 4-H Clubs and Organizations Authorized 4-H groups are exempt from paying federal income tax on funds raised on behalf of 4-H. Purdue University holds the Group Exemption Number with the IRS to provide federal tax exemption status to 4-H Clubs and Affiliates in Indiana. The 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinator must work with the County 4-H Youth Extension Educator to assure filing is done properly.
A note about gifts and grants: Gifts/donations [$, guns (“item”), targets, ammunition]
Grants
Patches
Purchasing the Indiana 4-H Shooting Sports patches is a great way to designate instructors or to use for youth who complete a discipline. Some counties use these patches on caps or special shirts or vests for instructors. This can be especially helpful to the women instructors who may not receive the same respect as the male instructors. You may purchase brassards and discipline patches for your instructors and youth. Some counties like to provide them to youth at completion events. Order through your local Extension Office (they will order from Purdue’s The Education Store). Cost: package of 10 discipline bars for $16.00 and a package of 10 brassards (4-H 863) for $18.00. (March, 2014) Order numbers are:
Instructor rockers are only available to certified instructors. Therefore, they are distributed at the certification workshops and are not available for purchase. The 4-H program will maintain supplies of the patches listed above at The Education Store for your use with instructors and youth. We do not have county rockers. You may order county rockers (100 minimum) from Apple Group or Excel Group. If you are interested in ordering patches, contact information is:
The color is gold with kelly green text. Project Completion - Project Exhibition The guidelines for exhibition and completion or 4-H projects are given below. This text was taken from the Indiana 4-H Procedures and Policies Handbook. Exhibition: Exhibition of 4-H projects in local, county, or state exhibits/fairs is voluntary on the part of the exhibitor. The exhibition of 4-H projects provides 4-H members an opportunity to display their 4-H projects, enter into competition and participate in an educational/social environment with peers. With exhibition also comes the responsibility for abiding by all the terms and conditions pertaining to the respective 4-H project. Completion: The completion of a 4-H project must not be misinterpreted as exhibition of a project at a local, county or state fair. 4-H members are considered complete in their project work for that year when they have:
Though exhibiting in local, county, and state exhibits/fairs is not required for project completion, as it does not necessarily relate directly to content and skills learned in the development of the 4-H project, project exhibition is encouraged as a continuation of the educational experience. Note: In a statement from our federal partner in Washington, DC, the following statement appears: “Anytime there are procedures for exclusion of individual from events which use the 4-H name there are potential challenges to enforcement of the exclusions. The challenges have a substantial potential to prevail and they frequently result in negative publicity for the organization. Therefore, before choosing a policy of exclusion it is wise to evaluate the exclusion being considered, to be sure there is an overwhelming educationally based need for the exclusion.” In Short: Extension employees and volunteers are obligated to eliminate (and should not create) any practices that limit, deprive, or tend to deprive any youth of opportunities for membership and/or participation in the Indiana 4-H program. Office Use Only: Range Plan Approval: _________________ (signature) _____________ (date)
RISK MANAGEMENT OFFICE _____________________County 4-H Shooting Sports Range Our Shooting Sports range is located at: _____________________________________________ The State 4-H Office must have a range layout for property used for 4-H Shooting Sports firearm and archery shooting. These layouts must be updated with the State 4-H Office any time there is a change to a range. Sketch the shooting range, indicating which disciplines meet in which areas, and the general size of each area. If your Shooting Sports club shoots at more than one location, copy this form and attach the location and range sketch for each. Complete and forward to: 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinator Agricultural Administration Building 615 W. State Street West Lafayette, IN 47907-2053
The NRA has created a One-Stop-Shop For Shooting Resources website that you can access by Zip Code. The site is: http://www.nra.org/nralocal.aspx. By entering their zip code and selecting your areas of interest, the site will list:
Source (2008?) Chip Lohman Program Coordinator, Youth Programs National Rifle Association, Office (703) 267-1550
The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) also has a website devoted to finding places to shoot: www.wheretoshoot.org Source Randy Clark Managing Director, Program Development National Shooting Sports Foundation 11 Mile Hill Rd Newtown, CT. 06470 Phone: (203) 426-1320 Fax: (203) 426-1087 www.NSSF.org Directory: shooting sports shooting sports -> I. situation statement shooting sports -> Situation statement shooting sports -> Kansas 4-h shooting Sports Policy Update shooting sports -> Kansas 4-h shooting Sports Committee Application shooting sports -> Fact sheet Minnesota 4-h ss&w ambassador Program shooting sports -> 2016 National 4-h shooting Sports Teen Leadership Institute shooting sports -> Mission opening avenues to expand youth horizons through their voice, image, and vision. Vision Download 0.58 Mb. Share with your friends:
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Available at: http://www.purdue.edu/Risk_MGMT/pdf/rm02.pdf