Appleseed in Local Paper (Herald Times of Bloomington, IN): Females and firearms

[techres]

A very positive article, even if I was misquoted (Katrina was pre-Appleseed, but that is OK).  I am posting it in it's entirety since you have to subscribe to read:

Females and firearms: Increasing number of women sign up for courses in shooting, guns
By Carol Kugler331-4359 | ckugler@heraldt.com
October 11, 2009, last update: 10/9 @ 10:35 am


It took less than a week for Sycamore Valley Gun Club's women -only firearms class to fill up. Actually, it took three days.

"It filled up with 25 (people) in three days," said Shirley Shick, a Sycamore Valley Gun Club member who helped teach the class, which is designed to familiarize people with various types of guns.

Shick then found more people to help teach the class and allowed 10 additional women to sign up for the daylong course at the club's range in Freedom.

"I refused about 15 because the class was already filled," Shick said.

The women-only course has been growing in popularity, as have classes offered by other groups that help women learn firearm safety and shooting techniques.

The class on Sept. 19, sponsored by Sycamore Valley Gun Club, cost each person $25. The class is based on National Rifle Association information and instruction. This was the eighth year the gun club has offered the course, and women of all ages participated. They came from Sullivan County, Heltonville, Fayette, Martinsville, Gosport, Indianapolis, Cloverdale and Bloomington.

"The past three years, they have filled up really fast, much faster than ever before," Shick said.

"I think women are feeling very vulnerable," she said. "Crime in the Bloomington area has increased, and I think women are not going to be intimidated, and they want to be safe."

But Shick acknowledged that "firearms are not for everyone. You never have something if you don't feel safe with it. You don't go out and buy a car if you don't feel safe in it."

"You have to know how the piece of equipment works and how to take care of it," Shick explained. There were four hours of classroom instruction, followed by time on the club's ranges with various types of firearms. Club members were present to ensure that safety was a top priority. The women were allowed to shoot revolver and semi-automatic pistols, .22 rifles and 12-gauge shotguns.

"My opening statement was women don't like to be called 'housekeepers,' but they are home keepers. And whether you're a firearms person or not, you need to know how to use this equipment because you may be at another house and little Johnny may find a firearm and you need to know how it works," Shick said.

Shick, an active member of the gun club since 1988, said safety is her main goal for the class.

"Know where your muzzle is pointed; keep your finger off the trigger; and the gun is never loaded until you're ready to shoot," she said. The class also goes over basic laws and homeowner's responsibilities when dealing with firearms.

"Pistols are generally what women are interested in," Shick said. "They are looking for personal protection, or something that is small that they can handle."

But pistols aren't the primary firearms used by women who attend shooting courses sponsored by the Appleseed Project, where rifles are the firearm of choice.

Joshua Streiff of Bloomington is a shoot boss for the Appleseed Project, a national group that teaches marksmanship and the history of America and its use of firearms in forming a nation.

"We're a heritage club with a rifle clinic," he said. "The skills we teach are grounded in history."

Streiff said women are a large component of the group, and women, as well as active military members and youth, shoot free of charge at Appleseed events.

"As a whole, women tend to outshoot men," Streiff said. He attributes that to the fact that most women have less of an ego about how they do, are able to relax more on the firing range and don't try to use their strength to place themselves in the proper firing positions.

Streiff said there was a "huge increase" in the number of people, mainly women, who began attending Appleseed events "during and after (Hurricane) Katrina. Everyone watched Katrina. ... FEMA said you have to be able to take care of yourself for at least three days."

Tim Beck, hunter education coordinator for the South Region of the Indiana Department of Natural Resources, said his group has also noticed an increase in women interested in firearms. "There's a lot more women getting involved and wanting it," he said, adding that the DNR's hunter education classes are open to everyone.

Beck mentioned that the National Wild Turkey Federation has a course series designed just for women that is very similar to the Becoming an Outdoors Woman courses offered through DNR.

"There's definitely been an increase in wanting these and asking for assistance with these programs," Beck said.

"You're going to start seeing stats on this because it's a growing demographic," he said. "A lot of family activities depend on mom, and it's a program that's really taken off."

More about the shooting groups

Sycamore Valley Gun Club has permanent shooting facilities for air gun, pistol, rim fire and high-power rifle in Freedom in Owen County. Safety classes are taught by National Rifle Association-certified instructors. The ranges are available to registered members. Go to www.svgc.org.

Appleseed Project is a rifle marksmanship and historic awareness program that was developed by the Revolutionary War Veterans Association. Qualified instructors teach marksmanship from the prone, sitting and standing positions. Participants also learn about the events leading up to the start of the American Revolution. In Indiana, there have been 14 weekend shoots and three more are scheduled for later this year. There have also been five one-day clinics in Indiana and there are three more planned in 2009. Go to www.appleseedinfo.org.

The Indiana Hunter Education class is mandatory for anyone born after Dec. 31, 1986. Participants must successfully complete a hunter education class offered by the Indiana Department of Natural Resources before they can obtain a hunting license. The online course is available only to Indiana residents 12 years old or older. Go to www.inhea.com.

Becoming an Outdoors Woman is another DNR-related group that gives instruction in shooting, as well as many other outdoor activities. The program is designed for women 18 years of age or older to learn outdoor skills in a relaxed, low-pressure environment. Each participant can design their outdoor experience to match their interests. Go to www.uwsp.edu/cnr/bow.

[DaveD]

Excellent!       Great job spreading the word. We will have more shoots in 2010 to fill.