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A Woman's Arms - A Woman\'s Arms |
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Written by Lindsay Robinson, For NEXTnc
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Thursday, 30 November 2006 |
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Page 4 of 6
Some state firearms programs tailored specifically to women
By Lindsay Robinson
For NEXTnc
Various shooting organizations tailor programs just for women.
Women Afield
One popular program — Women Afield — teaches women outdoor skills in shooting, hunting and fishing, said Jim Bulger, the coordinator for the Colorado Division of Wildlife program.
He said he sees a significant interest among women to learn about outdoor sports.
“Hunting and shooting sports, as we all know, used to be considered a male sport and still are relatively male-dominated,” he said. “But women have significant interest in participating in these sports and, if you look across the board, I think that the old taboos of before have pretty much gone away.”
NRA
The National Rifle Association also offers programs for women, such as Women on Target. It is a program that creates opportunities for women to participate in recreational shooting and hunting sports. Women on Target offers women-only hunts and instructional shooting classes. According to Caitlin Kelly’s book “Blown Away,” attendance at Women on Target has increased 300 percent since 2000.
The NRA started publishing Woman’s Outlook magazine in 2003, specifically tailored to female NRA members.
Another program offered by the NRA is Refuse To Be A Victim, which covers everything from personal safety to Internet security. It usually includes both men and women, but women-only classes can be scheduled.
“The seminar is not about guns, nor is it about joining the NRA. It simply provides participants with the information needed to minimize their chances of criminal attack,” the NRA’s Web site reads.
Colorado State Shooting Association
The Colorado State Shooting Association also sponsors hunts and clinics to introduce women to shooting sports in a fun and safe atmosphere.
Periodically, the CSSA sponsors women’s shoots and the association is currently setting up a course for 10 mothers to get concealed-carry permits, according to David Gill, vice president of the association.
The mothers home-school their children and want to feel more secure when they take their children out on lessons, Gill said.
“They’ve decided, with the problems and lack of security at schools, that they’re children are not going to be unprotected,” he said.
Safety aside, Gill said he, too, has seen an increase in women interested in firearms, especially Cowboy Action Shooting. This is a program that lets both sexes of shooters have fun while shooting in an Old West setting, complete with period clothing and the use of guns common in that era.
Gill stressed the importance of having gun programs geared toward women, because men and women learn differently.
“In classes I’ve taught, I noticed (women) frequently have more questions about the basics and you need to go over some things, foundational items, a little more often than you do with men,” Gill said. “But once they have those foundations in place they learn at a very, very quick pace. We just learn at a different rate.”
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|  | "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only truth." | |
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| | My name is Michelle Turley and I'm 28 years old. I live in Severance with my hubbie, Brandon. We have 2 dogs and a cat. We enjoy camping, four-wheeling, and just being in the mountains. I like to cook, clean (go figure), flea market, and play poker. I have so much to say about poker... | |
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