Minnesota Operation: Military KidsExtension > Youth Development > Minnesota 4-H > Projects > Shooting Sports & Wildlife > Shooting Sports & Wildlife
Shooting Sports & Wildlife Project
Explore firearms safety and the importance of conserving Minnesota's natural resources. Learn the safe use of air pistols, air rifles, .22 cal. rifles, shotguns, black-powder guns and archery. Wildlife education may include environmental awareness talks, a trip to forest resource centers, floods and natural disaster clean-up, or canoe trips to explore topography changes. Watch this video and see what 4-H youth are doing in 4-H Shooting Sports & Wildlife.
State & regional events
To view county or local club events, visit the county website.
Shooting Sports & Wildlife Leader Certification
Shooting Sports & Wildlife instructors must be certified. This is a weekend training designed to cover the knowledge and rules to become a certified instructor in one of these disciplines: archery, muzzle loading, shotgun, air rifle/air pistol/.22 rifle, wildlife and coordinator. It covers life skills, state regulations, and content skills needed for each. More info
Minnesota 4-H Shooting Sports & Wildlife Invitational
4-H youth in grades 3 - one year past high school who have completed 15 hours of shooting with a certified instructor and eight hours of wildlife education may participate in the following areas: archery, muzzle loading, shotgun, air fifle, air pistol, .22 rifle, silhouette fun shoot and a skill-a-thon. More info
National 4-H Shooting Sports Invitational
Earn a spot from the state shoot and have an opportunity to attend this week-long national shoot. More info
4-H Regional & State Project Bowls
Project bowls are an exciting way for youth to explore a project area. Teams compete in quiz competitions with questions about specific project areas. You can compete in these categories: dairy, dog, general livestock (beef, sheep & swine), hhorse, poultry, rabbit and wildlife projects. Winners of the regional bowls advance to the state bowl. More info
Minnesota State Fair
4-H plays a pivotal role in youth development and public education at the Minnesota State Fair. More than 7,000 4-H youth have the opportunity to interact with the public and educate fairgoers through 4-H exhibits, demonstrations, performances, and 4-H promotion. More info
Shooting Sports & Wildlife Project resources
- Minnesota 4-H SS&W monthly e-newsletter: Get current SS&W events and resources. To subscribe, contact Nicole Pokorney at pokorney@umn.edu.
- Shooting Sports and Wildlife Advancement Guide (131 K PDF)
- Wildlife Diversity: The Links of Life ($6)
- Environmental Science Career Guide (2.7 MB PDF)
- Project bowl sample questions (11K PDF)
- Managing Your Land for Wildlife
- Minnesota 4-H Shooting Sports & Wildlife Journal ($7)
- Civilian Marksmanship Program
- 4-H National shooting sports video
- Hunter Safety Classes
(Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources) - Hunters Education
(Federal Ammunition) - Selecting an Airgun
(Daisy) - National Wild Turkey Organization
- Pheasants Forever
- Parks & Trails TV - Minnesota
Project leader resources
- Shooting Sports Game (149 K PPT)
- Taking Aim at Youth Development
(353 K PDF, Center magazine, 1999)
- Directions for making a kneeling roll
(Civilian Marksmanship Program) - Shooting Sports Medallion
($7.50 Find this in the 4-H Mall)
Other online resources
- Find shooting ranges in your county
(Youth Shooting Sports Alliance) - National Shooting Sports Foundation
- Archery in the parks
(Minnesota Dept. of Natural Resources) - Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation
4-H Youth record keeping
Project evaluation
- Shooting sports evaluation sheet (41 K PDF)
