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Ohio 4-H Youth Development

Ohio State University Extension

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Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports

Welcome to Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports!

We build lifelong skills for 4-H members through the National 4-H Shooting Sports curriculum and activities that enable youth to reach their full potential as capable, caring and contributing citizens. Our program is taught by state and nationally certified 4-H Shooting Sports instructors and include nine program disciplines: Archery, Crossbow, Hunting & Wildlife, Living History, Muzzleloading, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun and Western Heritage. We also offer specialized Shooting Sports Educational Summer camps for kids of all ages.

Interested in joining Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports programs?   Contact the county 4-H educator at your local OSU Extension Office.

You can help grow Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports programs. Click here to find out how your donation can make a difference. 


Shooting Sports Brochures 

Are you looking for Shooting Sports information to share with your 4-H Club, families, or friends? Click below to open, download, and save our informational flyers. 


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Shooting Sports Camp   

2025 Junior Shooting Sports Education Camp will be held June 13-15 at Canter's Cave 4-H Camp Deadline to Register will be May 16, 2025. Registration will open early 2025.

2025 Senior Shooting Sports Education Camp will be held July 13-18 at Canter's Cave 4-H Camp Deadline to Register will be June 16, 2025. Registration will open early 2025.

Any 4-H teen interested in being a Shooting Sports Camp Counselor should contact their LOCAL Extension Office in the fall of 2024 to find out about counselor applications and deadlines. Applications and deadlines can be due as early as December depending on the county. Counselors must be at least 14 years of age by January 1, 2025, to help with Junior Shooting Sports Camp and 15 years of age by January 1, 2025, to help with Senior Shooting Sports Camp. Teens must complete the county counselor training program to serve as a camp counselor for Shooting Sports Camp. Counselors attend camp for free and participate in all the activities the campers do during the camp. Shooting Sports experience is not required but is helpful.            

Looking for more information/registration for the Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports Educational Camps? Click the links below to find registration information and descriptions of the disciplines offered at these camps. Registration links will open in early 2025


State 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor Workshop

 

 

 

 

 

 

Shooting Sports Workshops  

Looking for information on Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports Instructor Workshops? Current 4-H Volunteers interested in becoming Shooting Sports Instructors are required to complete a state level training workshop in the discipline they wish to become certified in. At this time the national modules that were required before attending the workshops is being provided to you at the workshop due to technical difficulties with the national website

2025 Adult Instructor Workshop Dates

  • Winter Workshop at Camp Ohio Canceled 
  • Spring Workshop at Canter's Cave 4-H Camp April 4-6, 2025
  • Fall Workshop at Canter's Cave 4-H Camp TBA

* Junior Leaders must be 14 years old by January 1 of the current year to attend workshops. Junior Leaders are accepted at the Spring and Fall workshops but due to limited space are not accepted at the Winter workshop. 

For more information on workshops and registrations please click the link below.         


Shooting Sports Level 2 Instructor Opportunities

Are you a level 1 shooting sports instructor and wondering how to become a level 2 shooting sports instructor? 

Level 2 Shooting Sports Instructor Job Description

Level 1 Shooting Sports Instructor Job Description

Level 2 Instructor Eligibility & Commitment

  • Must be a level 1 Instructor in the discipline you would like to take.
  • Must be in good standing as a 4-H Volunteer with your local program. (Support letter from your local 4-H Educator is needed.)
  • Must have experience (preference 2 years) teaching as a Level 1 instructor in the discipline.
  • Recommended by a current level 2 Instructor. (Recommendation letter)
  • Must be recommended to the National Committee by the State 4-H Shooting Sports Coordinator.
  • Expectation is that you become a member of the state teaching team with the commitment to teach at least one or more state workshops annually for 3 years.

National Workshop Disciplines to choose from 
Archery 
Coordinator
Hunting (Hunting & Wildlife in Ohio)
Muzzleloader
Pistol 
Rifle 
Shotgun
Western Heritage

Other Details
National Workshops are hosted by different states around the country. Being selected to represent Ohio will require travel to the host state workshop location. Group travel will be required if flying. Which means everyone would need to fly from the same airport as a group. In some cases, individuals may be asked or allowed to drive depending on the distance. In these cases, carpooling, or renting vehicles may be required.  

Covered Cost and Out of Pocket Cost

  • Registration fees, which can range up to or over $500, will be covered by the State Shooting Sports Program.
  • Flights, if required, will be covered by the State Shooting Sports Program. * If an individual chooses to drive rather than fly with the group, that cost may not be covered.
  • Mileage will be covered if it is determined to be cheaper than flying. In these cases, the group may be asked to carpool or travel in rental vehicles as a group. 
  • Most workshops are hosted at 4-H camps, with dorm style housing. In these cases, housing is included in the registration cost. If a hotel is required, hotel rooms will be supplied with state funding, based on double occupancy. 
  • Most meals are included in the registration cost. Some meals during travel days could be on your own.
  • Airport parking, depending on funding, may be on your own.
  • Mileage to and from the airport maybe on your own.

The purpose of this survey is to obtain your contact information and interest level in becoming a level 2 Instructor.
Process

1. If you fill out this survey, you will be contacted to discuss your interest, discipline selection, and ability to be an assistant teacher under a current led level 2 Instructor, at one of the next upcoming state workshops.

2. Once you have volunteered as an assistant teacher at a state workshop, your skill levels will be evaluated by the led level 2 Instructor in that discipline.

3. You may be asked to teach at additional opportunities to polish your adult teaching skills, expand your comfort level and knowledge levels, while we wait on a National Training workshops to become available. However, some may teach at a state workshop and move directly to the national training. 

4. National Workshops are normally offered in the Fall (September/October) or Spring (April/May) these dates are controlled by the National 4-H Shooting Sports Committee.

5. National workshop rosters will be filled based on a variety of conditions. Funding availability, need for level 2 instructors in certain disciplines, and in some cases, the location of the participant and the need in that area for level 2 instructors to assist with additional training opportunities, camp needs and more.  

If you would like to be considered for a level 2 National Shooting Sports Instructor training opportunity and join our Ohio Shooting Sports training team, please complete this interest survey. This survey is the first step. It does not guarantee you will be selected but it will get your name on our review list as National Workshop opportunities arise. As a level 2 instructor you will be committing to teaching at a statewide shooting sports workshop once a year for three years.   

Click here to add your contact information for consideration 


Ohio 4-H National Shooting Sports Teams

The National 4-H Shooting Sports Championships is a weeklong event held in Grand Island Nebraska each year during the last week in June. 4-H youth from across the country compete in compound archery, recurve archery, air rifle, air pistol, .22 rifle, .22 pistol, shotgun, muzzleloading and hunting skills. For more information on this program and our state teams please click the link Ohio 4-H Nationals Shooting Sports Team

4-H Shooting Sports National Championships, Grand Island, Nebraska

 


Shooting Sports Donation opportunities 

Are you looking for a way to support or give back to the Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports program? Donations made to the 4-H Shooting Sports Endowment Fund stay here in Ohio and are used for the sole purpose of supporting Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports. Help us keep Shooting Sports growing and thriving here in Ohio. Click the link below to give.


Shooting Sports Projects

Looking for more information on Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports projects? Check out 4-H Project Central to see sample copies of the project books and to see out how other 4-H members rated the projects.


Shooting Sports National Programs

Looking for more information on 4-H Shooting Sports at the National level. Click on the links below.

 
Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports is part of OSU Extension. All Shooting Sports programs are run through your local OSU Extension Office. For questions about how to join a 4-H Shooting Sports club, please contact your local county Extension Office. Click here to find your local 4-H Office
 
For questions regarding State Shooting Sports programs and events, such as Instructor Workshops and 4-H Shooting Sports camp contact 
Sara Smith 
Ohio 4-H Shooting Sports Program AssistantÂ