Mt. Jewett Sportsmen’s Club to Host Women’s Shotgun Training

Posted on by

The Mt. Jewett Sportsmen’s Club continues to advance their recruitment of women into the outdoor heritage experience by offering another shooting course for women.  On Saturday and Sunday, July 27 and 28, the first two days of a four-day course will be held at the club.  Women will learn the basics of shotgun safety, use, ammunition, and experience shotgunning with expert advice.

The Women’s Introduction to Wingshooting program is a national shooting program for women and girls, taught by women.  The Ruffed Grouse Society (RGS), Allegheny and Upland Bird Hunt Chapters, and the Mt. Jewett Sportsmen’s Club are bringing this national program to Pennsylvania once again this summer.  Training will be the afternoons of July 27-28 and August 24-25.  Women and girls that finish the shooting course are eligible for an upland bird hunt on September 8.

Women have been picking up shotguns in record numbers in the last decade.  So much so, women shooters have increased a whopping 189% in the last five years (www.shootlikeagirl.com).

National sponsors such as Sportdog, Federal Ammunition, and Purina help make this program available to women.  “This program went over so well last year with women that we are bringing this program back to northcentral PA,” said Brenda Walker, Leader of the Women’s Introduction to Wingshooting Committee.  “We are happy to see so many supporters of this women’s shooting program here in northcentral PA.”

In addition to the national supporters, the local and regional supporters are:

  • Centre County – Jonathon Wirth Forestry Consultant from Port Matilda
  • Cumberland County – Mummert Environmental Consultants from Mechanicsburg
  • Elk County – Horton Township Sportsmen Club from Brockport; Habitat for Wildlife from Johnsonburg; Vernon Ordiway from Ridgway; Jeff Yeager from Ridgway; and Jane Bryndl from Ridgway
  • Erie County – Sesler and Sesler, Atty at Law from Erie
  • McKean County – Mt. Jewett Sportsmen’s Club; Breese Taxidermy from Bradford; Dick McDowell from U-Pitt at Bradford; Dean Construction of Smethport; and Perry Burdick of McKean County E-Sales of Smethport

Expenses to put a single woman through the course run about $125 per woman so the sponsorships and donations help the RGS offer this course to women.