4-H program teaches safe shooting techniques

IRONWOOD - A handful of kids took part in the Gogebic County 4-H Youth Shooting program, which has held weekly meetings during the summer to teach local children safe shooting techniques.

Students learned how to aim and shoot with a range of weapons during the program that was held at the Superior Range Shooters Club, located on 32 acres of land just south of Copper Peak, on Black River Road in Ironwood Township.

"We start off with air rifles, pellet guns, and then we went to .22s," said Gary Kusz, the program instructor. "And they start off with iron sights and we've got some scopes."

But before the kids ever get to the range, the course started out in the classroom for the first couple meetings covering basic firearm safety, sighting and shooting.

"And we always stress safety on the range," Kusz said. "That's important, and actually the kids are really good."

Kusz said the program has been running for about seven or eight years, and teaches any child up to the age of 18, regardless of 4-H membership.

The kids started with smaller weapons and eventually worked their way up to shotgun training, though Kusz noted not all the weapons are suitable for the younger children.

Tim Lynott brought his kids Bryson, 3, Bode, 7, and Braelyn, 10, to the program.

"Starting from the beginning of the program, I don't know if Braelyn handled a gun in her life," he said. "But now, she's loading, unloading, putting the next one in, at 10 years old."

All the weapons and ammunition were provided by the instructors and the cost was free to participate, but a parent or guardian had to be present.

Rocky Bachand, who brought his son, Travis, 8, said the program helps to teach kids safe techniques that can be used while hunting.

"Me, myself, I've been hunting since I was 12 years old," Bachand said, adding he's 55 years old now.

He said with the Mentored Youth Hunting Program that's been implemented in Michigan, younger children are now out in the woods with parents or guardians and programs like this help reinforce safe shooting.

"You've had, with most guys who have a deer blind, they say, 'Come on, here son, shoot this deer.' That was against the law," Kusz said, adding the state lowered the age to allow parents the ability to decide when their child is ready to hunt.

The training program has drawn a handful of kids out to shoot each year and a good number of them have been involved with ROTC programs, Kusz said.

"I had one girl two years ago, she was in the ROTC and ... She couldn't qualify to get on the rifle team," he said. "When she graduated, she was the top shooter in ROTC. ... The thing is, is practice. Anybody can get good."

The program usually starts the second week after school closes and runs just before school starts in the fall.

"We live in the U.P.," Lynott said. "And if we're going to live here we're going to enjoy the outdoors and everything that goes with it, and I think it's important to teach my kids proper use of firearms. And if they learn young, they'll learn it right and they won't be afraid of them. As they get older, sometimes it's too late because it's just like learning to swim or ride a bike. Later in life it's really scary, but if you've been doing it your whole life, it's just like riding a bike."