GSL-sponsored IDNR Introductory Wingshooting Clinic a big success!

A lot of folks grow up thinking that you don’t need to “aim” a shotgun. “Eh, just point it in the general direction and you’ll hit what you’re shooting at.” Then, when they grow older and shoot for real, suddenly they discover it’s not quite that easy. Even with a shotgun.

For those who actually like to hit what they’re shooting at with their shotgun, the Illinois Department of Natural Resources Wingshooting Clinics provide great training at a very affordable price. The IDNR’s volunteer instructors teach for the love of helping people. What’s more, they know their stuff, communicate well with others and go through a rigorous training program to get certified to teach.

Guns Save Life sponsored one of these IDNR clinics for a number of years now.

We provide not only financial support (those “non-toxic” shells cost big bucks) but more importantly, we provide publicity that fills the seats. For the last several years we’ve helped fill those seats to capacity. And when people go home, they then rave about it to their friends, family and co-workers.

Here’s the report I got from the clinic on the last weekend of June…

Middle Fork Introductory Wingshooting Clinic 2023 Wrap Up

My apologies for being late in sending this but I am so pleased to say we pulled off another very successful Introductory Wingshooting Clinic at the Middle Fork SFWA this year. The only casualties we had were some canopies that the wind got a hold of on Sunday afternoon.

There were 26 shooters on Saturday and 21 (+2 no-shows) on Sunday, consisting of 16 Youth, 16 Women and 15 Men for a total of 47 for the weekend.

I can’t begin to count how many compliments I heard from our participants, like they had no idea there was a program of this caliber available or could not believe how much they learned in just one session. It is an investment of time, effort and money of many but it certainly has a big pay-out in the end with all the positive experiences our participants had learning the fundamentals of the sport of Wingshooting.

My sincerest thanks to all of you for your contributions, whether it be financial, promoting, the delicious lunches for both days, instructing our participants, preparations of the grounds and facility or coordinating equipment, etc. etc, etc. Special thanks to Blake Warren for fixing the flat tire on my Polaris on Sunday afternoon just before going home.

Conducting a successful clinic takes a huge team effort and I am so proud to have the opportunity to work with and have the support of such a quality group of individuals.

Terry Doyle

IDNR Master Wingshooting Instructor