Take aim at a New Challenge
Shooting Sports are a popular part of any Scout summer or winter camp, and with properly trained adult supervision can be offered as part of an individual Scout unit’s weekend campout. Rifle, shotgun, pistol, BB (for Cub Scouts), or archery activities can challenge a Scout’s concentration and patience while developing target shooting skills.
Safety First
Safety is critical, so our council maintains a committee of highly trained volunteer leaders who will help you should you wish to develop your own weekend activity.
Whichever activity you choose, it’s important to make sure you’re providing a safe environment. The BSA requires 1 Certified instructor plus a Range Safety Officer before conducting or planning a shooting sports activity. These courses are offered several times throughout the year. For more information please contact our Shooting Sports Director, Bruce Lemken.
Approved Shooting Sports Activities
BB Shooting (Cub Scouts only)
BB guns are a part of the Cub Scout Shooting Sports program. They are a great way to introduce young Scouts to the skill and discipline necessary to take part in shooting sports. Scouts will have fun with this activity, but it’s also important that they learn the safety rules that come with how to handle and care for a BB gun as well as how to act on a shooting range. Cub Scouts may only take part in BB shooting at a district Cub Scout Day Camp or council-hosted camp or activity. Individual Cub Scout Packs may not offer these programs on their own.
Archery (Cub Scouts level)
Archery challenges young Scouts in ways mentally and physically different from BB guns. The equipment used for Cub Scouts is age-appropriate while emphasizing a serious approach to safety and respect for proper behavior on and around the shooting range. Just like with BB shooting, Cub Scouts may only take part in archery at a district Cub Scout Day Camp or council-hosted camp or activity. Individual Cub Scout Packs may not offer these programs on their own.
Archery (Scouts BSA, Venturing, Sea Scouting, Exploring level)
As Scouts become older, their options and opportunities increase for taking part in shooting sports activities. With properly trained adult supervision, Scouts BSA Troops, Venturing Crews, Sea Scout Ships, and Explorer Posts may offer their own archery activity on a unit camp out. The key phrase there is “properly trained adult supervision” – you’ll need an adult who has completed the Level I Archery Instructor certification course in order to operate a unit-level archery activity.
Rifle and Shotgun Shooting (Scouts BSA, Venturing, Sea Scouting, Exploring only)
This is what most people usually think of when they hear the phrase, “shooting sports.” Shooting rifles and shotguns are one of the activities that interest youth the most in our outdoor program. While we want our Scouts to have fun with every activity we do, use of these firearms carries an increased need for maturity and adherence to safety rules and practices.
With properly trained adult supervision, Scouts BSA Troops, Venturing Crews, Sea Scout Ships, and Explorer Posts may offer their own rifle and/or shotgun activity on a unit camp out. To conduct one of these unit-level shooting activities, you must have:
- an adult present who has completed Rifle Instructor or Shotgun Instructor Training
- an adult present who has completed the Range Safety Officer (RSO) Training
These adults cannot be the same person; you need two separate people, each with the aforementioned training, to satisfy this requirement.
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Pistol Shooting (Venturing, Sea Scouting, Exploring only)
Only Venturers, Sea Scouts, and Explorers may shoot pistols.
Your Venturing Crew, Sea Scout Ship, or Explorer Post may hold your own pistol shoot, but there is an extra step required to satisfy our safety rules. You’ll need to have an adult present who has completed the Pistol Instructor Training course; you can’t take this course until you have completed Rifle or Shotgun Instructor Training. Just like with a rifle or shotgun shoot, you’ll also need an adult who is a trained Range Safety Officer (and remember, these must be two separate people).
