We had a good turnout at the first Air Rifle/Air Pistol work day. However, we still have 7 backers to complete (we ran out of carpet). We need enough carpet for 1–2 layers in each backer, thicker carpet only lets us get one layer in, and enough hands to make the work go quickly. If I recall correctly we were cutting carpet pieces to 23" x 46".

We will start between 11:00–11:30 a.m. on December 17 in the Exhibit Hall at the McKee 4-H Building at The Ranch.

If you have any questions, email Ian Webb by clicking here.

Following are the dates and the disciplines offered for each of the Shooting Sports Leader Certification trainings in 2024.

Morgan County
When: March 1–3, 2024
Registration Opens: January 19, 2024
Registration Closes: February 16, 2024
Disciplines Offered: Archery, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun
Click here for a flyer about the Morgan County certification.

Pueblo County
When: March 8–10, 2024
Registration Opens: January 26, 2024
Registration Closes: February 23, 2024
Disciplines Offered: Archery, Muzzleloading, Outdoor Skills, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Western Heritage
Click here for a flyer about the Pueblo County certification.

Weld County
When: March 15–17, 2023
Registration Opens: February 2, 2024
Registration Closes: March 1, 2024
Disciplines Offered: Archery, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun
Click here for a flyer about the Weld County certification.

Garfield County
When: March 22–24, 2024
Registration Opens: February 9, 2024
Registration Closes: March 8, 2024
Disciplines Offered: Archery, Muzzleloading, Pistol, Rifle, Shotgun, Western Heritage
Note: Outdoor Skills has been removed from the Garfield County schedule. It will only be offered at the Pueblo weekend.
Click here for a flyer about the Garfield County certification.

All disciplines are NOT offered at all locations. Please see the disciplines listed under each date/location.

Registrations via 4HOnline will open approximately 6 weeks prior to the start of each training. 4-H volunteers must be approved, enrolled, and active in 4HOnline prior to registering for the trainings. Do not delay your volunteer enrollment or re-enrollment process. If you are not currently a 4-H leader, click here to find out how to get started.

Our county has a large, successful Shooting Sports program, but we are in serious need of more certified Shooting Sports leaders to maintain and continue to hold safe practices and effectively teach our 4-H youth. Please block out time on your calendar and plan to attend. Senior 4-H members (ages 14–18) can also attend these trainings to become certified as Shooting Sports Junior Leaders.

The trainings usually cost $135, and the Larimer County 4-H Foundation will reimburse the cost of the training after you serve the Shooting Sports program for one year. In the past we have received a donation to cover the cost to all Junior Leaders. Payment via check should be submitted to the Larimer County Extension Office.

Re-Certification: If you are currently a certified leader, please note that Colorado is now requiring leaders to re-certify every 7 years to continue to be active in the program. Enroll now and be ready to register for training.

Register by visiting v2.4HOnline.com!

Air Pistol and Air Rifle member families: Our backers are in need of updating and repair, so we’ve scheduled a work day on Sunday, November 19 at 10:00 a.m. Come help us get the range ready for the new season to begin in 2024.

We need carpet remnants measuring at least 2’ by 4’ to rebuild our backers. We will need 42 pieces in total. If you have carpet to donate, or know someone who does, email Ian Webb by clicking here.

Update for our Air Rifle/Air Pistol Work Day as of November 8:

We have a full supply of cardboard and staples for the day.

We need carpet pieces that are 2' x 4' or larger for the backers. We need 2 carpet pieces for each of the 21 backers for a total of 42.

We will also need additional heavy-duty staplers capable of using T50 staples and tools to remove heavy-duty staples.

There are a lot of lead pellets in these backers and we will be collecting the lead as we go.

We will need people to:

• cut carpet and cardboard,

• remove staples and old cardboard,

• remove carpet and recover pellets,

• replace carpet and staples on new cardboard, and

• clean up as we go.

Shooting Sports Leaders: Our planning meeting for the upcoming season will be held on Thursday, November 9 at 6:00 p.m. in the Berthoud Room at the McKee Building. There will also be a meeting of key leaders following the main meeting.

The agenda is available by clicking here.

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We are offering another opportunity to order the 2023 Shooting Sports shirts. They include “In Memory of Jim” text on the sleeve in recognition of Jim Easthouse and his contribution to the Larimer County 4-H Shooting Sports program.

Anyone in Larimer County 4-H is welcome to place an order.

Shirts are available in Cotton or Moisture-wicking for $26.50 each.

Payments are online only—no cash or checks will be accepted.

The deadline to order has been extended to Monday, November 13, 2023 by 10:00 p.m.

The date and location to pick up the shirts will be determined soon.

Shooting Sports Leaders: The Foundation is once again applying for a grant to help purchase equipment and supplies for the Shooting Sports program. A meeting is scheduled for Thursday, October 19 at 6:00 p.m. at the McKee Building to discuss the needs for 2024. If you are unable to attend, please contact the key leaders in your discipline so they can bring your suggestions to the meeting.

2023 was a successful year for Larimer County 4-H Shooting Sports and our members. Here is the year quantified...by the numbers.

Have questions about 4-H and about the Shooting Sports project in particular? Come to the 4-H Open House on Thursday, October 5 from 5:30–7:30 p.m. at the McKee Building at The Ranch (5280 Arena Circle, Loveland, Colorado 80538).

This is a great time for families who are interested to get all of their questions answered.

Encourage all of your friends and family who might be interested in participating to attend!