Organizers of a clay pigeon shooting event in Yarmouth County were very pleased with the event, which included separate sessions for youth and for women.
Held at the Highland Gun Club on Greenville Road, the Aug. 10 event was organized by Southwest Delta Waterfowl.
“We were extremely happy,” said Calvin d’Entremont, who looked after the day’s logistics. “We had capped it at 30 kids and we got 30 kids, so all the spots were full. (For) the ladies, we capped it at 20 and we got 18.”
This event had been offered to youth for several years. New this time was having a session for women and, given the response, the plan is to invite women back next year, d’Entremont said.
“We were kind of pleasantly surprised at how many signed up,” he said.
Alisha Hines and Justin Hines – members of the Highland Gun Club and committee members with Southwest Delta Waterfowl – provided instruction.
Julien d’Eon and his dog, Oakley, gave demonstrations of the partnership between hunter and trained hunting dog.
As part of the youth session, the participants got to make wood duck boxes.
One of the mandates of Delta Waterfowl is to introduce new people to hunting.
“Some of them may take it up, some of them may not, but at least they get exposed to it,” d’Entremont said.
He acknowledges that these says, particularly for young people, there tend to be a lot of other things to do, whether it be sports or computer-related activities or something else.
Those who come from families of hunters are perhaps more apt to develop an interest in it, he said.
He said Southwest Delta Waterfowl and the Highland Gun Club have a very good relationship.
“It kind of goes hand in hand: shooting and hunting,” he said. “They’ve been nothing but accommodating ... It’s a win-win situation.”
