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Monday, 08 March 2010 |
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 Auglaize Shooting Sports adviser Mike Ritchie helps Amber Detrick with the safety on her gun. Staff photo/William Laney By WILLIAM LANEY
Managing Editor
MOULTON — A strong voice rhythmically yells out commands in order.
“Bolts open. Safety on. Reload,” the man says before requiring an answer from each shooter if they are prepared to fire beginning with shooter No. 1 and concluding with shooter No. 4. “Safety off. Fire when ready.”
A series of four shots ring out, followed by a crack as the sound of gunfire echos. A shell case spins on the table top.
As a warm winter sun strikes four paper targets pierced with precision, a group of Auglaize County 4-H youth practice shooting Sunday at the Moulton Gun Club, west of Wapakoneta.
Auglaize Shooting Sports, which offers a variety of disciplines from archery to muzzle loading and from shooting pistols to rifles, is the name of the 4-H youth club which consists of approximately 25 members and eight advisers.
“The goal of the club is to teach them about gun safety and to teach them lessons they need to know for life,” Auglaize Shooting Sports adviser and Extension Agent John Smith said. “We are mentoring them.”
Smith said the group meets twice each month to give “them a chance to shoot and to learn safety in regard to handling a weapon.” He also notedthey are trying to organize a rifle club, which is a summer Olympic sport.
They may be called on for more serious work.
“If these youth are called on to protect our country, they will be light years ahead of others willing to fight for the United States,” Smith said.
Auglaize Shooting Sports adviser Mike Ritchie explained as a member each is required to help with a booth at the fair by talking about gun safety or the parts of the gun.
As they reload, Ritchie reminds them to keep their trigger finger on the stock until they are cleared to shoot. The other advisers, including Bill Grunden, Brian Frey, Doug Derringer, Jim Zimmerman, John Vondenhuevel and Troy Anderson, often explain the proper technique of aiming and firing the weapon.
The group consists of youth of varying ages and a nearly equal number of boys and girls.
One is a curly-headed 11-year-old red-haired girl who stares intently down the barrel.
“I like shooting the targets and getting it in the bull’s eye,” Amber Detrick said.
The daughter of Treasa and Wayland Detrick explained her father got her interested in markmanship when Frey talked to him about the sport.
The Northridge Elementary School student said she even went hunting with her father and saw quite a few deer but they did not get a chance to shoot.
Evan Aufderhaar, 9, of Botkins, said he uses the Sunday practice sessions to get better.
The son of Joy and Brad Aufderhaar noted his father introduced him to the sport. He has bagged one doe, an opossum and 15 pigeons.
“I like the excitement of shooting,” Evan said. “When I’m shooting I try to remain calm, the way I was taught.”
Shianne Deaton, who first started coming after being introduced to the sport by her step-father, John Vondenhuevel, has been shooting now for approximately three years.
She revealed a secret to shooting the target.
“I think of my brother, Codie, because he teases me so much,” Shianne said with a laugh. “Really, I am concentrating on the middle of the target because that is what I’ve been taught.
“I also have learned the responsibilities when you have a firearm in your hands such as make sure nobody is front of you in the firing range and make sure the safety is on until you have confirmed you are ready to shoot.”
Ritchie barks out the requirements again as the shooters prepare their firearms for another round.
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Last Updated ( Tuesday, 09 March 2010 )
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