KNOM, the Alaska Radio Mission, sent a reporter to a recent Women On Target® Instructional Shooting 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."

The KNOM interview continued with Brown discussing the format of her Women On Target clinic: "The very first thing the NRA’s about is safety," Brown said. "We talk about the firearms we’ll be using, and the ammunition. We talk about specific safety requirements for that course."

"We talk about treating women differently (in firearm instruction)," she continued, "not so much about them being different, but accommodations have to be made so women can feel comfortable … It’s not realistic for men or larger women to hand a gun to a smaller person and expect them to shoot it with the same degree of accuracy."

Brown said she was satisfied with the outcome of the clinic, and the interview's recording of the participants backs that up. Whooping and hollering in encouragement to one another is a common theme on the recording.

“We shoot all afternoon, and we usually run over because no one wants to leave until the ammo’s gone," Brown said.

Steve Smith, the Clinic Director for the event, said he’s enjoyed seeing the program grow over the past few years – and that he couldn’t do it alone. “Thanks to the Women of the NRA, and Alex Brown, and Larry, for coming to Nome the last two years to basically teach whatever program the women of Nome ask for,” he said. “Thanks also to NRA Field Rep Brad Kruger and local business owners Jeff and Peggy Darling who offer their full support.”

“Everyone loves the annual event, the volunteers and women all have a great time,” he said.

Find out more about our Instructional Shooting Clinics, and look for an Instructional Shooting Clinic near you!