Five women, each with their own reason for attending the Homefront Trap and Skeet Camp April 11 and 12 at Fort Riley, learned about gun safety, operation and marksmanship.
The Fort Riley Outdoorsman Group sponsored its first Homefront Trap and Skeet Camp for spouses of deployed Soldiers and Airmen in two small camps this month. The camp focused on the same material taught during the youth program, the importance of the ten commandments of gun safety.
American Trapshooting involves one machine shooting the clay pigeon away from the shooter. American Skeet shooting involves two machines adjacent from one another causing the clay pigeons to cross paths in front of the shooter.
While learning about gun safety was important to Stacy Hipskind, she said the overall knowledge about guns will help her connect with her husband when he returns.
"In my own situation, we are a hunting and fishing family, so this is always something that I've wanted to do to kind of hang with my husband. So this is something that I can do with my husband and we can make it a family or team event," Hipskind said.
Ollie Hunter, F.R.O.G. volunteer instructor, said there was an underlying reason to the camp's instructions.
The focus of the weekend was teaching about gun safety not only for the wives but for their households as well.
Understanding safety is important because many households have firearms and although some homes may not have firearms, children sometimes visit other children's homes whose families do have firearms, Hunter said.
"So I wasn't only teaching the ladies trap and skeet," he said. "I was teaching them what their children get exposed to when they go through my camps and what they should be exposing them to at home."
For more information about Fort Riley outdoor recreation activities, gun safety and registration procedures, visit https://fortriley.isportsman.net.
10 Commandments of Gun Safety
1. Always keep the muzzle pointed in a safe direction.
2. Firearms should be unloaded when not actually in use.
3. Don't rely on your gun's safety.
4. Be sure of your target and what's beyond it.
5. Use proper ammunition.
6. If your gun fails to fire when the trigger is pulled, handle with care.
7. Always wear eye and ear protection when shooting.
8. Be sure the barrel is clear of obstructions before shooting.
9. Don't alter or modify your gun and have it serviced regularly.
10. Learn the mechanical and handling characteristics of the firearm you are using.
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