Photo courtesy of Al Feister: Delta Sure Shot members Trinity Busick and Mackenzie Bloom practice shooting a .22 rifle at the Great Lakes Sports and Recreation Club.
ESCANABA — Delta Sure Shot, a 4-hour shooting club for kids ages 8 to 19. “Learn by practicing” We are preparing for the new season. The program is run under the umbrella of Michigan State University (MSU) Extension and teaches archery, BB gun and .22 rifle shooting with safety as the top priority. Sure Shot meets every Monday night from November through the spring and competes in a regional tournament in June.
Collectively, 4-H has a variety of programs aimed at empowering youth through hands-on learning in fields related to agriculture, science, health, civics, and more, with programs in more than 10 countries. is being carried out. In the United States, 4-H is administered through Cooperative Extension, which includes more than 100 public universities affiliated with the Department of Agriculture.
The Michigan 4-H Foundation has been in operation since 1952 and provides grants to state and local 4-H programs in all 83 counties in the state.
Local 4-H shooting clubs have been training young marksmen since at least the 1980s. A 1987 news article reported that 16 youth from Sure Shot in Delta County competed in that year’s state competition, with several taking top honors.
“Many of the club’s children have gone on to military careers and have won quite a few shooting awards due to the amount of time they have spent in the shooting sport.” “It’s a great opportunity for students to have a great time,” said Dave Radloff, an MSU Extension educator and current club leader for Delta Sure Shot.
Mr. Radloff became involved about 20 years ago when he obtained certification so he could continue the program. He said he started with BB gun training and then hired other instructors to teach other areas.
The Michigan 4-H Shooting Sports Program offers classes in shotgun, rifle, air pistol, muzzleloading, and archery. However, only three areas are currently taught in Delta County.
“I haven’t owned a shotgun in probably the last 10 or 15 years, ever since my shotgun instructor retired.” Radloff said.
.22 caliber rifle training instructors (students must be at least 12 years old) joined about 20 years ago. An archery program was added a few years later.
“Archery is a relatively new field when you think about 4-H programs, I mean, 4-H programs have been around for 100 years, but it’s one of the most popular things that kids are drawn to. ” Radloff said.
He credited great support from the UP Whitetails and Great Lakes Sports and Recreation Club, with the latter providing space for the program’s weekly classes.
Volunteers may be available to help during lessons, but an instructor is required to operate the line during the actual shoot.
“Safety is our biggest concern and that’s why we want to have more volunteers. The more adults we have to assist and supervise, the less likely we are to have an accident.” Radloff said.
When asked if he had ever been in an accident, he replied: “Nothing.” And said it can be chalked up “Very strict guidelines” of the 4-H program.
“We open lines, we close lines, we check equipment. So there’s a whole protocol that we follow to keep it safe.” Radloff explained.
Sure Shot has three active instructors: Radloff, Al Feister, and Travis Bloom.
This year’s curriculum includes Monday night classes starting Nov. 4 with BB and .22 from 6-7 p.m. and archery from 7-8 p.m.
Many students return to the program year after year to improve their skills.
Participating in 4H shooting sports is said to improve your shooting ability. “Physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development of adolescents.” Promote personal growth. Improves decision-making, self-discipline, and concentration. and “We encourage the highest standards of safety, sportsmanship and ethical behavior.”
Registration and re-registration for Delta Sure Shots can be done online at v2.4honline.com. If you need assistance, please call 906-786-3032.
