Free Youth Outdoor Skills Event Scheduled

MARC KLOKER

FOR THE COURIER

A free youth outdoor skills event is scheduled for Sunday, Oct. 15, at the Glasgow Trap Club. The event is organized and funded by donations and volunteers from Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks, Hi-Line Sportsmen, Ducks Unlimited, and the Glasgow Trap Club.

Youngsters under age 10 are scheduled from 10-11:30 a.m., with registration beginning at 9:30 a.m. Parents/guardians need to be on hand to register and sign-in. Youth will be invited to participate in possible activities including archery, binocular use/big game animal ID, pellet gun shooting, and the Laser Shot shooting simulation.

Youth ages 10-18 are scheduled from 1-3 p.m., with registration beginning at 12 p.m. For participants under age 18, parents/guardians need to be on hand to register and sign. The second session will include shooting shotguns, archery, big-game shot selection, and the Laser Shot shooting simulation.

Between the two sessions, from 11:30 a.m.-1 p.m., youth will be invited to enjoy lunch provided by organizers.

Safety is the number one priority, and several qualified instructors will be located at all stations. Shooting glasses and/or hearing protection will be used for appropriate stations, and safe gun handling and archery use will be the first requirement of all participants.

Shotguns, pellet guns, ammunition, targets, binoculars, and archery equipment will be loaned at no cost for the duration of the event. Participants between ages 10 and 18 may bring their own shotguns, ammunition, and archery equipment if they choose. Organizers ask that personal firearms and archery equipment are unloaded and in safe, operating condition before bringing them to the event. Please bring correct ammunition (target load) for shotguns. No broadheads are allowed if bringing personal archery equipment, only field tips, and we encourage participants to mark their arrows for easy identification. All firearms and archery equipment will be inspected by organizers to ensure its field-worthiness.

Some activities may or may not take place due to weather, and in the event of cancellation, please check either the Region 6 FWP and/or Hi-Line Sportsmen's Facebook page for updates.

The Glasgow Trap Club is located off Skylark Road, north of Glasgow. After turning onto Skylark Road from Highway 2, veer right after a tenth of a mile, and then veer left. Follow the gravel road another two-tenths of a mile until arriving at the Trap Club on the right. Parents are asked to stay, especially with the younger kids. Please contact Marc Kloker at FWP with any questions at 406-228-3704.