ALABAMA A&M and AUBURN UNIVERSITIES

ALABAMA 4-H GETS NEW SPORTING CLAYS MACHINE

AUBURN, Oct. 29---Alabama youths involved in 4-H shooting sports can now practice their with a new piece of donated equipment. David Shumaker, of Shu-Bird Sporting Clays Systems in Columbiana, Ala., recently donated a $1,700 sporting clays machine to the 4-H club in Escambia County that will be used across the state.

"Kids don’t have a place to hunt like we did when I was growing up. I want to keep kids in the American tradition with teaching them about guns and gun safety," Shumaker said.

Escambia County Extension agent Marisa Lee-Sasser said the 4-H Shooting Sports Committee was surprised by the donation and happy to be its recipient.

"The machine simulates an entire sporting clays course, which is a great benefit to the youth because most of them don’t normally have access to an entire sporting clays course," she said.

Sasser said there are approximately 100 Alabama youths involved in 4-H shooting sports that will benefit from the new equipment. She said the sport is gaining popularity and more youths are participating.

According to Jim Smitherman, chair of the 4-H Shooting Sports Committee, shooting sports involves the use of both archery and firearms. However, before youths are allowed to participate, they must take a hunter safety course, teaching them about wildlife and habitat identification.

"The 4-H shooting sports provide children with a positive approach as to how to use various firearms," Smitherman said.

With the program’s primary emphasis being safety, Smitherman said young people are taught the proper ways to handle equipment.

Shumaker, who used to train quail dogs and guide hunting trips, said it’s important to get today’s youths involved in shooting sports to teach them that firearms shouldn’t be used for violence against people.

"If you get kids involved in hunting or fishing then they’re not out there on the streets and doing drugs. I have a saying, ‘kids hooked on clays is cheaper than kids hooked on drugs,’" Shumaker said.

The sporting clay machine is available for any county in the state to use for their 4-H Shooting Sports program. The machine can be reserved by contacting Sasser at the Escambia County Extension office, (334) 867-7760.