Family Get Outdoors Event
Rose Tree Ranch

Santa Cruz County, Arizona ~ November 19th, 2016

What:  The Huachuca Gould’s Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation recently hosted a Family Get Outdoors Event.  This community program was designed to get youth and their parents involved in shooting and archery sports.  It was supported by Chapter fundraising efforts throughout the year and by the Arizona Game and Fish Department.  There was no charge to participants.

When:  The clinic occurred on November 19th, 2016.

Where:  This Family Get Outdoors event was held on a private ranch just north of Elgin, Santa Cruz County, Arizona     

General Information: 
The Huachuca Gould’s Chapter hosts a number of events each year for residents of southeastern Arizona.  Family Get Outdoors is one such activity.  Developing archery and shooting skills of the entire family was its focus.

The event was free to participants.  Financial support was provided by an Arizona Game and Fish Department grant and by fundraising efforts of the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter.       

Twenty-one youth and adults from 6 families attended.   Hometowns were mostly in Cochise County; however, a family from Sahuarita attended as well.

Eleven mentors offered their expertise at center fire rifle, .22LR rifle, shotgun, and archery stations.  Four more volunteers from the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter provided registration, cooking, kitchen, and photography support during the 1-day event.

Temperatures warmed up to the 60s and 70s during the day after a chilly early morning.  The wind was very noticeable at times, too.
After a brief orientation at the registration area in the morning, the participants divided into family groups and headed to 4 nearby teaching stations.  At Station 1, archery skills were acquired.  Station 2 was a small caliber range.  Here, participants fired .22LR rifles at paper targets and very small, metal silhouettes.  Shotgun safety and handling were discussed at Station 3.  Then each student shot at flying clays.  Station 4 was a center fire range where .22/250 and .243 rifles were fired at targets about 60 to 70 yards away.  At all stations, live fire occurred only after learning range safety and proper firearm and bow handling.

Presenters at each station knew their topics well.   Backgrounds of the instructors varied from shooting range officers and trap and skeet instructors to members of the local archery club. 

A delicious lunch of hamburgers and hot dogs, chips, cookies, cake, watermelon, and refreshments was provided at mid-day.
After lunch families learned how to maintain the bows, arrows, and firearms used in the morning.  Visible inspection of archery equipment and proper cleaning and storage of firearms were emphasized by the mentors. 

A special thank you goes to the Rose Tree Ranch for use of their facilities for the event.   

Still more thanks go to the instructors at the 4 hands-on stations.  They were Ryan Catlett and Conrad Sheley (Archery); Dave Winiesdorffer, Tom Fuller, and John Millican (Center Fire Rifles); Dave Kemnitz, Wayne Kaiser, and Randy Keiller (.22LR Rifles); and John Rose, Stephen Ponder, and Steve Ponder (Shotguns)

Providing registration, meal, and photography support were Joey Fuller, Dave Inman, Bob Pourier, and Tom Deecken.  All are active members of the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter.

​And finally, a special thank you goes to all the families that attended.  You were the reason that the Family Get Outdoors Event was a success!  

005 Safety First- Tom Fuller (blue shirt) discusses firearms and range safety before any weapons are handled.

008 Pretty Good For The First Time- A deer paper target offered good aiming points for the shooters

010 More Action At The Shotgun Station- Another parent gets on the bird quickly. Stephen Ponder offers tips and encouragement.

011 Show Us How- Instructor Stephen Ponder demonstrates shotgun form for participants.

001 The Setting- A private ranch near Elgin was the location of the Family Get Outdoors Event. The Mustang Mountains were the backdrop.

002 Event Registration- Joey Fuller signs up another family. Tom Fuller (right) is on hand to answer questions as well.

003 Orientation- John Millican, President of the Huachuca Gould’s Chapter, highlights the purpose and ground rules for the day after registration is complete.

004 At The Center Fire Range- At this station, participants fired .22/250 and .243 caliber rifles at paper and silhouette targets. Instructors Tom Fuller and Dave Winiesdorffer (both on the far right) start the session with determination of the dominant eye.

006 Checking The Scope- John Millican helps a shooter check the setting on a rifle scope before shooting starts

007 The Range Is Hot- A youth takes aim as Dave Winiesdorffer (right) gives some pointers. The targets are about 75 yards in the distance.

009 Track That Bird- At the Shotgun Station, a parent follows the flight of his clay pigeon. Instructors Stephen Ponder (left) and John Rose assist.

012 Poof!- Instruction put into action by Stephen Ponder (look closely)

013 Meanwhile At The .22LR Range- A shooter gets the proper sight picture with the aid of Dave Kemnitz on the .22 rifle station

014 Trigger Control- A parent practices trigger control on the .22 LR range. She is assisted by Stephen Ponder (red shirt).

015 Target Check- Pretty good bullet placement on those turkey and prairie dog targets.

016 Ouch!- Good results were repeated on the prairie dog metal target.

017 Archery Instruction- At the Archery Station, a parent learns proper bow shooting techniques from Ryan Catlett (orange jacket). In the background Conrad Sheley (Huachuca Mountain Archers and Bowhunters) helps another archer.

018 Flight Path- An arrow passes the half way point on its path to the target. Good release by the archer!

019 Aim- Another archer takes aim at the bull’s eye.

020 Release- The arrow is on its way.

021 Results- Still maintaining good technique, this archer sees her arrow hit the target

022 Arrow Retrieval- Time to pull those arrows for another round bow shooting

023 Just In Time For Thanksgiving- Another archer pulls her arrow from an appropriate turkey target only a few days before Thanksgiving

024 Grill Work- Preparing the burgers and hot dogs are Dave Inman (the flipper) and Bob Pourier (right). Lunch must be next.

025 Lunch Is Served- A family fills their plates on the chow line. Cookies, cake, chips, watermelon, and hamburgers and hotdogs with fixings were offered.

026 Coordinated Colors- Stephen Ponder makes adding catsup to the mustard on his hamburgers an art form

027 Table Talk- Tom Fuller makes sure everybody had enough to eat for lunch

028 Check Your Number- After lunch a drawing was held for a Turkey Federation mirror. John Millican (blue shirt) watches as the winning number is read.

029 Raffle Winners- The Bullock Family was the winner of the raffle for the Family Hunting - Turkey Federation mirror

030 Archery Equipment Tips- Conrad Sheley (right) of the Huachuca Mountain Archers and Bowhunters discusses maintenance of archery equipment with a family after lunch

031 Cleaning That Center Fire Rifle- With another family John Millican (right) demonstrates how to clean a bolt action rifle

032 More Cleaning Tips For .22 LR- Wayne Kaiser pulls a bore snake through the barrel of a .22 semi-auto rifle for this family at another maintenance station

033 Shotgun Maintenance- At a 4th maintenance station in the afternoon, Steve Ponder (right) breaks down a pump shotgun. He is assisted by John Rose (center).

034 Group Portrait- Thank you families for coming to the event!

035 Joey Fuller shared information on our Chapter Activity Wheel. The Huachuca Gould’s Chapter At Work- This Family Get Outdoors is only one of many Chapter supported activities throughout the year