The Great Falls Council Range and Target Activities Committee has responsibility for and is the sole approving authority related to any shooting sports activity conducted at the council, district or unit level.
Responsibility is throughout the entire calendar year on any camp, community or personal property within council or out of council territory.
All activities are subject to the rules, regulations, policies, procedures, guidelines, recommendations and suggestions found in the below referenced documents.
The purpose of the committee is to manage and provide resources to the council, the camping committee, and the council camps for all activities involving shooting sports whether during summer camps or during year-round shooting opportunities. All range and target sports activities should be coordinated through the Range and Target Activities committee to verify that a safe and responsible program is planned and conducted by properly trained and currently certified personnel.
The committee is composed of a shooting sports chairman/coordinator with a working understanding of summer camp and off-season programs, and the knowledge, skills, and attitude to organize and run safe ranges and shooting sports programs. The chairman is appointed by the council president or his or her designee. The committee shall report to the council vice president for program, the camping committee chair, the health and safety chair, or the council risk management committee chair as appropriate for the individual council organization.
Reference: National BSA Range and Target Activities Manual & National BSA Camp Accreditation Program, BSA Range and Target Activities Manual – Chapter 4: Council Range and Target Activities Committee Organization, BSA Range and Target Activities Manual – Council Range and Target Activities Committee Chair Responsibilities
Program Level Range and Target Activities Approved Activities
Cub Scouts
Scouts BSA:
VENTURING (Sea Scouts):
Council Range and Target Activities
The Council Range and Target Sports committee hosts and runs a variety events at both the District and Council level in the Great Falls Council. Below is a listing of the types of events that are organized. These events include shooting events, training events and fundraising events. You can find the next scheduled event on the Range and Target Activities Calendar.
Training
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- NRA Basic Firearm Trained – This is an opportunity to become NRA Basic Firearms Trained. For those who wish to become more familiar with rifle and shotgun firearms. The course covers, safe gun handling, proper way to shoot these firearms, and how to maintain the firearms. Upon completion of these courses the participant will be eligible to take the NRA Instructor courses for Rifle and Shotgun.
- NRA Basic Instructor – This course will allow you to be a merit badge counselor and be able to do the whole merit badge, you will also be able to help during Summer Camp when needed.
- Rangemaster (Cub) – All Range Officer certifications are valid for 2 years and can ONLY be used at Cub Scout Day Camps, and official Five Rivers Council or District Shooting Sports events.
- USA Archery Level 1 & 2 Instructors
Fundraising
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- Pigeon Plop – Similar to Cow or Horse Plop: The parade field at Camp Gorton will be divide into 225 squares measuring 10’x10’ each. Each square has its own dollar value. A “wobble” throwing machine launches 25 clay pigeons from each of the 4 corners for a total of 100. The squares with the “most pigeons” in each of the 7 sections, wins the amount listed below with one VERY SPECIAL center square.
- Sporting Clay Shoot – Sporting clays is a little bit of skeet shooting, a little bit of trap shooting with some golf thrown in for good measure. It’s a shotgun shooting game in which clay pigeons are presented to the shooter in ways that mirror the flight pattern of game birds, or occasionally rabbits, in their natural habitats. Sporting clays is exciting, challenging and LOTS OF FUN, no matter if you’re a beginner, novice or experienced shooter. The shooting grounds are laid out in stations also called stands along a course similar to golf & you shoot between 4 & 6 rounds per station.
- Pintwood Derby – Remember racing your pinewood derby car as a Cub or helping your own Scout? Now’s your time to see what you can do.
Unit Shooting Days at Camp Gorton
Any Pack, Troop or Crew wanting to participate in a shooting activity at Camp Gorton, must contact the Range and Target Activities Committee Chairman. The following restrictions apply:
NO reservations will be approved when a Council event/activity is scheduled and posted on the Council Calendar.
NO reservations will be approved when a District event/activity is scheduled and posted on the Council Calendar AND the unit is from the same District.
NO reservations will be approved during scheduled closures of either camp or certain holidays that fall on a weekend.
There are 2 available time slots when scheduling:
9:00 am – 11:00am or 1:00 pm to 3:00 pm
Activities that can be done with the Range and Target Sports Committee:
Troops – .22 Caliber Rifles, Shotguns and Muzzleloaders. Youth 12+ yrs only
Crews – Long Guns, Pistols, Shotguns and Muzzleloaders. Youth 14+yrs only
ALL RESERVATION REQUESTS MUST BE MADE AT LEAST 4 FULL WEEKENDS IN ADVANCE OF THE DATE DESIRED!
To check on availability, make reservations or for questions contact:
Range and Target Activities Committee Chair
Training
Range Activity SAFEty online training in the Learn Center on My.Scouting. This training equips adult leaders with the knowledge to help support SAFE range and target activities at the unit level for troops, crews, and ships. (It is important to remember Cub Scout packs are not permitted to lead unit-level range and target activities.) This training is not required for district or council led range and target activities. This training is also not a replacement for certified instructors who must be present to operate the ranges.
Hosted & Conducted by the GFC Range and Target Activities Committee:
Who can attend these training courses?
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- Any adult interested in becoming an NRA Instructor & Rifle or Shotgun Merit Badge Counselor.
- Any adult interested in supporting a Council Day Camp or Family Camp program as a Cub Scout Shooting Director.
{You’ll also automatically become a member of the Council Shooting Sports Committee.}
What’s involved in becoming certified in NRA Basics or Cub Scout Shooting Director?
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- The first step of any NRA training is NRA Basics for the discipline wanted (i.e. rifle, shotgun, ect).
- After Basics is completed you are then eligible to take the Instructors Course for the Basic Discipline that you certified in.
To become a Cub Scout Shooting Director, everyone must complete a ½ day training that is specific ONLY to the Cub Scout Shooting Programs and will be held at Camp Gorton.
{ANY Day Camp or Family Camp program that includes a shooting activity MUST have a certified director or the program will not be approved by the Shooting Sports Committee.}
When are the training dates?
There are a variety of training dates that are scheduled, specific dates can be found on the Range and Target Activities Calendar.
If you have at least 4 people (minimum 16yrs of age) who are interested in becoming instructors, you may be able to schedule your own course. Please contact the Range and Target Activities Committee Chair for more information.
Range and Target Activities Forms
Joining the Committee
If you are interested in being a part of this committee, please contact the Range and Target Activities Committee Chair.
You do NOT need to be an instructor or hold any certifications to participate.
Schedule of meetings can be found on the Range and Target Activities Calendar. Contact Range and Target Activities Committee Chair for current location of the meetings.
Contacts
Range and Target Activities Chair: Jim Griffin 607-292-3227
Staff Advisor: Karl Ziegenfus 607-743-6899
Camp Gorton Range from above
