HAMILTON, Ohio — Eighty-four of Ohio’s 88 counties offer 4-H shooting sports, and approximately 4,000 kids took part in 2011. Learning safe gun handling is an important element of it, said Larry Harris, state extension coordinator for 4-H shooting/fishing.

The kids may participate in archery, pistol, rifle, shotgun, muzzleloading and living history.

“The No. 1 benefit is safety,” agreed Mike Briski, past coordinator and a volunteer at the Butler County Sharp Shooters 4-H Club, and an award-winning volunteer at the state shooting camps. “There are so many kids who are exposed to the shooting sports informally, but you never know if they receive a disciplined training experience.

“We start with the safety rules the first night and we do it every night. If we have guests come for a week, we  make sure they hear the safety rules. I am really happy with the hundreds of kids that have gone through this. I can guarantee that they have all heard the safety rules.”

Briski’s daughters, Meredith and Jackie, went through the shooting sports program (another daughter opted out for photography) and he is convinced it helped them in college in being able to plan and complete a project when Mom and Dad weren’t looking over their shoulders.

Briski enjoys teaching kids how to shoot, helping them learn to hit the target and seeing them improve. “When they start shooting they may have trouble hitting the target or the bullets are all over the target,” he said. “To see those kids, especially during the week-long camp, they shoot twice a day, and they will be shooting some really nice targets by the end.”

Patrick Ramsey joined the Sharp Shooters when he was 10. He is 18 now. His favorite thing about shooting sports was the success of working hard for eight years and then knowing he is now able to break a target. He competed in shotgun, rifle and muzzleloader. He also participated in pistol and archery.

“I learned the importance of persevering in what you’re doing,” said Ramsey, who has a collection of trophies and ribbons from competing at the Butler County and Ohio State fairs. “It pays off in the end. I also learned a lot from the people I was with. We always put safety first.”

Butler County Sharp Shooters started in 1994. Barb Haverkos is the current coordinator. In 2012, 90 kids participated. About three-quarters were boys, but girls were also represented. The favorite discipline is rifle, with shotgun close behind.

Those disciplines are the favorites at the state level, too, Harris said. Pistol is gaining in popularity because of the Scholastic Steel Challenge, a new competition which involves shooting at steel plates.

Dr. Dennis Elliot started the shooting sports 4-H program in 1991 with an adult training course. About 16 people came. “It took off from there and it has been growing ever since,” Harris said. “The benefits are like any traditional 4-H program, developing life skills, concentration, self-esteem.

“Safe gun handling was one of the reasons I got involved with it. I was looking at the benefit of kids being able to handle a firearm and learning how to do it safely.”

Harris enjoys meeting the students and hearing their stories. Watching them start the program at ages nine, 10 or 11, then seeing those same kids at 17 or 18, ready to go to college, hearing them say how shooting sports have benefited and changed their lives in a positive way, is satisfying.

“One sticks in my mind, Rebecca Fauve, a young lady in Trumbull County,” Harris said. “When she first came to the club at nine years old, you could not get her to speak in front of other kids.

“Within two years she became our club president, would get up in front of a group of kids and demonstrate safe gun handling rules with a firearm or archery with a bow and arrow. Then years later she graduated college and said how it had benefited her.”

Briski added many of the Sharp Shooters are grandchildren of farmers. Their parents grew up on a farm and could shoot in the fields any time they wanted. The farms are gone, now.

“They want their kids to have a similar experience with the shooting sports, but they don’t have a place to shoot,” Briski said. “The 4-H club provides that for them.” A fall adult leadership workshop in shooting sports will be held Oct. 26-28. For information on shooting sports, visit www.ohio4hshootingsports.org or call Harris at 9740-286-4058.