Boston Globe: Gun Sports Gaining Favor Among Youths

This story from the Boston Globe is just one more in a line of stories about the growing popularity of the shooting sports among America's youth.

At a time when America’s debate about gun control is at a fever pitch, young people are learning to use firearms in ever greater numbers.

Participation in the nationwide 4-H Shooting Sports Program, which includes archery, hunting, pistol, rifle, and other firearms, has nearly tripled since 2009 and last year drew 336,558 program participants nationally. The actual number of youths involved is doubtless somewhat different than that, as some sign up for more than one offering and not all states report, but the trend is clear.

Also, after a long decline, participation in hunting in the US increased by 9 percent between 2006 and 2011, and one of the main reasons appears to be an array of youth recruitment and retention programs sponsored by local clubs and national youth organizations, according to a recent study funded by the US Fish and Wildlife Service.

It was just a couple months ago this blog included a post about a Bloomberg News story that reported how schools are embracing shooting as the hot new sport.  The Globe story reported what instructors and parents of young shooters have known for years - that the demands of target practice improve a child's focus as well as a high level of personal responsibility. Additionally, the Globe noted that youth shooters are routinely asked at some clubs to bring in their report cards — good grades can be a condition of participation.

Stories like this are just one more piece of good news.  Kids don't participate in programs like this without the permission of their parents.  The more parents who have kids that participate in the shooting sports, the less likely they will support additional restrictions on our rights.

Hat tip to Bearing Arms.