KNOM, the Alaska Radio Mission, sent a reporter to  a recent Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinic -- and not just any clinic. This particular clinic focused on personal protection of a very specific kind: bear defense.

KNOM Profiles features an in-depth interview with Women On Target volunteer Alexandra Brown, an NRA Certified Instructor and Training Counselor. 

“Women On Target is for any woman anywhere who’d like a fun, safe introduction to various shooting sports,” Brown explains in the interview. “It allows the local people to choose a program to fit their needs.”

“So, bear safety for Alaska.”

Brown and her volunteers tailored the day's lessons to the very real possibility of a bear encounter. Above, Brown leads her participants through the safety briefing and range exercises. 

Women On Target National Coordinator Diane Danielson was thrilled to see the creativity in making the range exercises as real as possible. "They did a great job of simulating a bear, with a target on movable skids," Danielson said. "They would start the target moving, with it making a path to the shooter, giving each participant the chance to actually shoot at a charging target rather than a stationary one." More...

If you're not receiving Shooting Sports USA in your inbox for free each month, now's the time to sign up!

The September 2010 issue is hot off the press -- er, the Internet -- and here are some of its highlights:

• Camp Perry exclusive: National Pistol Matches coverage. Check out champ Brian Zins' rapid-fire target, at right.
• Meet a few more of the NRA Competitive Shooting Division staff. 
• Offhand Rifle Shooting, an article recycled from a 1941 issue of American Rifleman.

Check out the September issue now, and watch this accompanying video of the 2010 National Pistol Matches. Stay tuned to NRAblog for the latest on the NRA's Competitive Shooting Journal, manned by our very own Chip Lohman.

From Illinois' TribLocal.com, we learn about two youth groups who recently received generous NRA Foundation grants.

The area's Shooting Sports Committee Chair Tom Petrik says the $5000 grant is making a big difference for the youth: "Every grant we get is a step in the right direction for being able to provide all the program materials for all the age groups,” Petrik said.

Local Youth Receive Grants to Help Them Teach Shooting Sports

Two Venturing Crews of the Northwest Suburban Council in Mt. Prospect, IL, have each received a grant from the Friends of NRA state grant fund for Illinois. Both Crews of youth and their adult leaders will use the equipment to increase their ability to teach shooting sports at the Boy Scout camps they serve.

Venturing is the newest program of the Boy Scouts of America, and provides programs of citizenship, leadership, service, community & family, outdoors, and fitness. Each Crew decides whether they want to be all female, all male, or co-ed. The youth who make up these Venturing Crews are 14 to 21 years old, adult leaders over 21. Venturing participants learn the skills for their specialty through leadership, group activities, adult association, recognition, high adventure and by teaching others.

Crew 477, composed of the staff at Camp Napowan in Wild Rose, WI, received a $5000 grant that will allow them to purchase some new firearms and archery equipment for their rifle, archery, and shotgun ranges at the camp. Crew 478, comprised of the staff for Camp Lakota, Woodstock, IL, also received a $5000 grant that will allow them to purchase some pellet guns for older Scouts to use, gun vaults for equipment storage and a lockable ammunition cabinet. In addition, they will receive both youth and adult bows and assorted archery equipment to use at their camp, equipment that is also loaned out to local scout districts to hold Day Camp programs for Cub Scouts.

Read the entire story.

If you're in the northern Illinois area, check out the upcoming Friends of NRA banquet, set for September 30 at Atlantis Banquets in Arlington Heights.

Andrew Chamberlain's goal has always been to provide a solid understanding of cartridge performance – a true, unbiased education for anyone interested in shooting. As a corporate partner of the Professional Outdoor Media Association, or POMA, Chamberlain met with a variety of writers and photographers interested in his product, including NRAblog. (We first noticed his shirt.)

While Chamberlain is the mastermind of the Cartridge Comparison Guide, the inspiration came from active-duty military members.

"My younger brother and his buddies are active duty in Iraq and Afghanistan," he said. "They were all excited talking about this veteran hunt, and one guy said, 'I’m going to get this great big magnum,' and it got me talking about ballistics and perfomances."

Chamberlain is a project manager who spends his days planning government health facilities. He and his wife have moved many times in the past decade, from Mexico to Alaska to Colorado. They're currently in Utah and are awaiting the birth of their first child in early 2011.

"I started putting together these spreadsheets, focusing on what was popular and hot at the time," he said. Chamberlain was sharing the information with several soldiers, and figures he had about half the cartridges covered.

Inspiration hit, and he decided to made an official project of the task. Now available as a spiral-bound book, the Cartridge Comparison Guide is gaining steam as a top resource for hunters and shooters. If you prefer, pay a $10.00 membership fee for complete online access.

"I began comparing cartridge performance, versatility, bullet availability, bullet selection, powder efficiency, recoil generation vs. energy produced , standing ballistic data for different environments, overall comfort in shooting, ability to adapt to the cartridge and how proficiently and predictable I could adjust my point of aim, hold over, or doping," he writes. "I wanted to find the holy grail, and if I couldn't find it, I wanted to find the best all around performing cartridge and rifle that a guy on a budget could shoot."

More...

NRA National Firearms Museum Senior Curator Phil Schreier was recently in Newark, Ohio, for The American Thompson Association’s 19th Annual All Thompson Show and Shoot. He provided us with these photos and told us a little about his trip.

“I’ve been to five,” Schreier said of the annual gathering. The Association, an NRA affiliated collector’s club, was awarded the NRA Gun Collectors Committee Trophy at the 2010 NRA Annual Meetings and Exhibits in Charlotte. Read more about the 2010 NRA National Gun Collecting Awards.

What do the Tommy Gun enthusiasts do at their show? The purpose of these meetings, their website says, is to gather and share experiences andinformation on the Thompson. Mixed with a good deal of fun, of course.

“It’s a two stage shoot,” Schreier explained. “The first stage you shoot your firearm on full automatic for five different stages, at 20 rounds each, with the focus on accuracy.”

“The second stage is a steel falling plate contest. That’s for speed.”

Given the chance, Schreier could hardly observe the event – he brought his Thompson and joined the competitors on the firing line. How'd he fare?

“Well, the guy that knocked me out of the first round won the overall competition,” he said with a smile, “so if I had to get beat by someone, at least I got beat by the guy who won it all.”

In addition to his time on the firing line, Schreier provided interviews for a few episodes of American Rifleman TV. 

“Anyone interested in joining the Association should check out their website,” Schreier said. Download an application here. Annual dues are $30. “They are a great group and a wonderful extension of the NRA’s commitment to gun collecting.”

More...

From Justin McDaniel at www.NRAhuntersrights.org:

If you’ve ever been frustrated by your current riflescope’s inability to perform well in low-light conditions, visit www.NRAhuntersrights.org during the month of September for a chance to win a Trijicon AccuPoint 3-9x40 riflescope.

Trijicon’s AccuPoint line features a battery-free, self-illuminating reticle for a vivid aiming point in any light, be it dusk, dawn, or sometime in between. The AccuPoint is the only variable-power riflescope that combines both fiber optics and a built-in self-luminous Tritium Phosphor Lamp, meaning the aiming point automatically glows in low-light conditions—without the need for batteries. The model we’re giving away comes with a standard crosshair and green dot aiming point.

Other great features include easy-focus eyepieces, multi-coated lenses that gather loads of light with zero distortion, long eye-relief, and a manual brightness override that allows you to easily adjust the brightness of your aiming point. An aircraft-grade aluminum body and matte-black finish ensures this scope is durable and perfectly suited for any hunting situation. A set of lens caps, Trijicon LensPen cleaning tool, and Trijicon’s lifetime warranty are included.

Free to one entrant, this scope retails for $815. For more information on Trijicon’s AccuPoint line of riflescopes, visit www.trijicon.com.

To submit your name for the Trijicon giveaway, visit www.NRAhuntersrights.org and scroll down to “Gift Giveaway” for simple entry instructions. Entries will be accepted Sept. 1 through Sept. 30, and a winner will be announced on Oct. 1.

Thanks to NRAStore™ Merchandise Buyer Brian Evans for the following report:

Travel with peace of mind knowing that you’ll never be locked out again and your valuables will always be there when needed. The durable, all-metal NRA HitchSafe™ converts your vehicle’s receiver into a vault that can store spare keys, cash and up to 2 credit cards. This safe is great for outdoor activities where keys can be cumbersome or prone to loss. Patented hitch pins secure the HitchSafe™ inside the receiver via two sliding bars that can only be accessed through a locked drawer with over 10,000 possible combinations.

The HitchSafe™ easily installs/uninstalls in seconds with no tools required! An attractive, fitted NRA dust cover conceals and protects the combination dials. An embedded metal clip inside the cover adds extra strength and security. We’ve even included an extra blank, black dust cover (a $10 value) for free! Fits standard 2” receivers (2005-current Toyota Tacoma's and the 07-current Tundra hitch receivers require optional longer pins contact manufacturer for the pins).

The NRA HitchSafe™ is available at the NRAstore™ for $69.95. For more information, visit www.nrastore.com or call 1-888-607-6007. Be sure to request you free copy of the NRAstore™ catalog!

2010 Youth Education Summit (Y.E.S.) attendee Reed Hubbell had the chance to talk to the Delta County Independent about his experience in Washington D.C. An excerpt from DeltaCountyIndependent.com:

NRA youth summit a great learning experience, Hubbell reports

... But his favorite part of the trip was meeting the “intelligent, kind” students who attended the summit.

“They were brought in from all over the country, from California to Maine, but I found myself wishing they went to my high school,” Hubbell said. “Simply put, they were cool people. Even if you attend the summit and don’t win a single scholarship, you’ll leave Washington a lot more educated, with some great memories and 44 new friends.”

Although Hubbell had to pay his own airfare, he said the trip was top notch.

“I’d encourage anyone who’s interested in government, the Second Amendment, or just a truly educational experience to attend YES. It’s an unforgettable event.”

Hubbell joined the NRA after he returned from Washington. “I turned 16 and decided it’s about time I stand up for the Second Amendment rights I believe in.”

Read Reed's entire story.

NRAblog met Dean Toth at the Professional Outdoor Media Association (POMA) Conference in La Porte, Indiana. 

Toth is passionate about hunting. And when he was faced with an obstacle, he was passionate about finding a solution. Below, he explains to NRAblog how he founded Big Game Drag Glove:

I developed the Drag Gloves out of necessity. After the shot we were consistently involved in very long drags with Elk, Deer and Pronghorn.

It was killing my friend Mark Mills and me to hold onto legs, ears and antlers. I was tired of using my belt or ropes and getting my hands pinched. Our hunting camps are very successful, but some people are to old or to young to be very productive in a drag. In our country you cannot use carts or sleds. A person would not want to or be capable of taking these kinds of products into the mountains hunting. Nor would you want to go all the way back to a vehicle to retrieve such things. The Drag Gloves weigh 10 ounces and fit nicely into your back pack.

The gloves come in assorted sizes and colors. They sell for $14.95. Above, NRAblog's Lars Dalseide tries out the gloves on a decoy deer during the POMA conference.

Toth points out two things a hunter will instantly notice when using his product to pull harvested game: 

(1) a vast increase in leverage and
(2) the strap does not gouge, pinch or bind the hands.

Toth says he hears from satisfied customers who have discovered all sorts of (additional) uses for the gloves. His own eight year old son, Kyle, even used the Drag Gloves to haul his own Christmas Tree. "The uses for the Drag Gloves are limited only by the imagination," Toth said.

Learn more about Big Game Drag Glove.

The NRA partners with many youth cooperative organizations, from the Boy Scouts of America to 4-H. Thousands of young people receive training from NRA Certified Instructors each year through our Cooperative Youth Organizatons Program.

The NRA Whittington Center is involved with a variety of these programs. The Center will host young people from Wyoming for an educational clinic in early September. The entrance to the Whittington Center is pictured at right.

From the Platte County Record Times:

Platte County Shooters head to NRC Tourney

3 members of the 4-H Shooting Sports Club have qualified for a trip to Raton, New Mexico, with the National Rifle Association.

The four day shooting clinic is an opportunity only 12 shooting participants from Wyoming have qualified to attend, and Platte County’s Ashley Johnson, Leo Perez, Jr., and Toby Tackitt, will be the first Platte County shooters to attend the event in eight years.

“I feel nervous, but I’m happy,” Johnson said, adding she was happy Perez and Tackitt will also be able to represent Platte County. “I’m excited.”

Perez said shooters qualify to attend the event by making the top scores in 5 shooting disciplines throughout the State.

Read the entire story here.

The Texas Trophy Hunters Association provides a weekly podcast on the issues facing the hunting community. Our own JR Robbins, Managing Editor of NRAhuntersrights.org, is a frequent guest on the show. In current and coming broadcasts, learn about:

• How NRA defends hunters’ rights
• How New Jersey finally got a bear hunt
• The importance of women to hunting
• Blizzards of regulations that are driving people out of hunting.
• … and other news that affects your freedom to hunt.

Download the free podcasts.

For the latest on how NRA defends your hunting rights, be sure to bookmark NRAhuntersrights.org. Send your feedback to huntersrights@nrahq.org.

From Colorado's Telluride Daily Planet:

Shooting in the dark 

While the rain doesn’t stop the elk and deer from roaming, it does cost hunters valuable target practice time, but the Ten Ring Gun Club outside of Nucla now has an indoor shooting range that will soon be open to archers as well as gun enthusiasts.

“We’ve had this Quonset hut for 15 years,” said club vice-president Forrest Herring, “and now, with a $20,000 grant from Friends of the NRA (National Rifle Association), we were finally able to make a big push in the spring and get it useable.”

The hut is now insulated and heated, and equipped with indoor lights, as well as a classroom at the back, which has been used for Hunter Safety courses. The walls of the classroom can be removed, expanding the 50-foot gun range to 60 feet for archery target practice.

“We’re set up for your basic small-bore rifle and pistol,” said Herring, “but nothing big inside.” Outdoors, the range stretches toward the La Sal peaks, and spills over a hill to include an electric trap thrower and skeet house, several sighting benches, and a three-gun shoot.

Continue reading here.

Learn more about the NRA's grassroots fundraising banquets -- Friends of NRA.

Boy Scout Troop 555 is based in Manassas, Virginia. On Friday, August 13, 2010, the troop was in for a special treat: an all-nighter at NRA Headquarters, complete with exclusive National Firearms Museum tour and marathon movie watching. Special thanks to NRA employee Cindy Whitley for snapping these photos. Her son is a member of the troop and she chaperoned the tour.

NRA National Firearms Museum's Doug Wicklund reports:

You could tell they were nervous by the way they placed their sleeping bags close to one another.

But the Scouts were excited as well as they spread out through NRA HQ and prepared for a “Night at the Museum.”

Yet this would be an evening for these young Scouts unlike any other at the National Firearms Museum, because it was Friday the 13th....

The special afterhours tour wandered through the quiet galleries, pausing from time to time at significant pieces. The Hollywood Guns gallery gathered the most attention with Scouts gazing in awe at the actual guns from movies like Die Hard or The Outlaw Josey Wales. But the “petting zoo” downstairs was next on the agenda. The Scouts filed slowly into the dimly-lit auditorium, only to halt in amazement at what was spread out on tables before them.

Assistant Curator Amber Lammers had put out an assortment of arms fit to repel any monster. And they were going to get to handle them.

The Scouts had the chance to inspect historic Civil War pieces like an 1863 Remington rifle, classic military guns like the M1 carbine, M16 and AK-47 rifles, as well as bigger ordnance like an M60 machine gun. A particular favorite of the evening was the Steyr AUG, one of the gun models with screen time on Die Hard.

"They all can relate to the different movies from Hollywood Guns," Cindy Whitley told NRAblog. "All in all, the boys had a blast, and they're still talking about the light sabre."

Interested in scheduling a tour of the Museum for your group? Call the NRA National Firearms Museum at 703-267-1620 for information.

Overnight visits are available for Boy Scouts troops, provided the Museum has enough advance notice. "The Boy Scouts experienced a unique “behind the scenes” look at the magic of museums, even to handling pieces of history – it really was a special activity that happens nowhere else," Wicklund said. "We’ve had many Scout groups in the two years we have offered this program and the “word of mouth” advertising is great."

This year's NRA Youth Education Summit (Y.E.S.) took place in July. Its participants have since returned to their homes across the United States. Julia Parker, a $500 scholarship winner, recently made the news in her home state of New Hampshire.

From Nashuatelegraph.com:

Merrimack teen awarded scholarship by NRA

Seventeen-year-old home school student Julia Parker, of Merrimack, has grown up learning the importance of the Constitution and the Bill of Rights – especially the right to bear arms.

“Our parents have always tried to give us that love of the Constitution to help us understand so we can be forces for good in our country and in our lives,” Parker explained. To prepare for her political science minor at Brigham Young University this fall, Parker was searching around for political conferences when she came across the National Rifle Association’s National Youth Education Summit in Washington, D.C., and found it tailor-made to her interests and hobbies.

... From July 12-18, Parker took an expenses-paid trip to Washington, D.C., to participate in the NRA summit that motivates students to become active and knowledgeable U.S. citizens by learning the significance of the Constitution and understanding the federal government.

“It was really neat for one thing, to be there with so many other youth that share your values, that help you grow,” Parkers said. “They all have this passion for the Constitution, so you really feel like you’re with your colleagues. We were all on the same level, understanding how important this was.”

One of 45 high school students from approximately 40 states across the county, Parker, the only representative from New Hampshire, spent a week of her summer touring the Pentagon, the National Archives, numerous war memorials, the Capitol and the Marine Corps base, Quantico.

She also had the opportunity to chat with Congressman Duncan D. Hunter, R-Calif., and NRA Vice President Wayne LaPierre, among other things.

“The week was quite packed, but it was worth every minute of it,” Parker said.

Read the entire story here -- and stay tuned for more on this talented group. One 2010 Youth Education Summit participant will walk away with the program's grand prize, and you'll read about it first on NRAblog.com

National Instructor Trainer John Howard was invited on Tom Gresham's Gun Talk Sunday, August 22. Howard presented information on the NRA's Certified Instructor program. He discussed the necessary steps to attain the status of NRA Certified Instructor.

"We've gotten a good response from your interview," a producer e-mailed Howard. "Many listeners really liked hearing about the training program, but even more liked hearing about how the trainers price and advertise their classes."

Click here to listen to the interview -- Howard begins around 4:44.

"Our courses are considered the national standard," Howard told Gresham at the beginning of the interview. "What we do is we take experienced shooters and provide them with a lesson plan. We set the objectives. We prepare experienced shooters to actually teach and pass on that experience." 

Interested in becoming an NRA Certified Instructor? Learn more here.