1. G­-197.1 Occoneechee Council Shooting Sports
Welcome to Occoneechee Council University of Scouting General Studies class G-197.1, Shooting Sports.
This is one of four classes offered through UofS:
Cub Shooting is C-197.1
Venturing is V-114
Sea Scouts is S-108
These three classes are specific to the program discussed and cover the special aspects of the three program areas which differ from the general shooting sports program, whose foundation is based on the Boy Scout / Varsity Scout program discussed in G
STAFF
Keith Biegert

2. Policies and Guidelines
Guide to Safe Scouting (G2SS)
BSA National Shooting Sports Policy Manual
Advancement Policy Guidelines
National Camp Accreditation Program (NCAP)
Local Council Policy and Procedures
BSA Innovations Division
Various sources for policy and guidelines within BSA for shooting sports. The partner organizations also provide documents and materials used within BSA:
National Rifle Assn (NRA), National Muzzleloading Rifle Assn (NMLRA), USA Archery, National Field Archery Assn (NFAA), Archery Sports Assn (ASA), National Shooting sports Foundation (NSSF).
Each of these policy documents will be discussed later in this course.

3. Guide to safe Scouting
VII. Shooting Sports Boy Scouts of America adheres to its longstanding policy of teaching its youth and adult members the safe, responsible, intelligent handling, care, and use of firearms, air rifles, BB guns, and archery equipment in planned, carefully managed, and supervised programs. Except for law enforcement officers required to carry firearms within their jurisdiction, firearms shall not be brought on camping, hiking, backpacking, or other Scouting activities except those specifically planned for target shooting under the supervision of a currently certified BSA national shooting sports director or National Rifle Association firearms instructor. All shooting sports activities held during a council resident camp / Day Camp / High adventure Camp will follow the standards in National Camp Accreditation Program All shooting sports activities held outside of a council’s resident camp will follow the policies and guidelines found in the BSA National Shooting Sports Manual, No , which can be downloaded here: Cannons and Large-Bore Artillery Units are not authorized, under any circumstances, to use a cannon or any other large-bore artillery device. Knife and Tomahawk Throwing These are approved activities for Boy Scouts and Venturers following the Sweet 16 of BSA Safety.

4. Guide to safe Scouting
Unauthorized and Restricted Activities Hunting: Hunting is not an authorized Cub Scout or Boy Scout activity, although hunting safety is part of the program curriculum. (The purpose of this policy is to restrict chartered packs, troops, and teams from conducting hunting trips. However, this policy does not restrict Venturing crews from conducting hunting trips or special adult hunting expeditions provided that adequate safety procedures are followed and that all participants have obtained necessary permits and/or licenses from either state or federal agencies. While hunter safety education might not be required prior to obtaining a hunting license, successful completion of the respective state voluntary program is required before participating in the activity.)
The Hunting program is discussed in more detail in the UofS Venturing and Sea Scout Shooting Sports classes.

5. Age Appropriate Guidelines for Scouting Activities - Shooting
Overview of the Age Appropriate Guidelines at each level.

6. BSA Shooting Sports Policy Manual
Where to get the Boy Scouts of America National Shooting Sports Manual?
BSA website download and print
Where can I find the most up to date version? Where do I find updates?
BSA Shooting Sports site ogram/ShootingSports.aspx
Does this apply to Cub Scouts? Venturing? Sea Scouts? Exploring? Summer Camp?
BSA Sporting sports Manual applies to all levels and activities except for:
Resident camp, Day Camp, and High Adventure camps -which falls under NCAP; the Exploring program; and any program under auspices of the BSA Innovations Division.
The Shooting Sports Manual is now a “bin” item; once supplies in the warehouse is exhausted by purchase through Scout Stuff online or Scout Shops, the only authorized source will be online from the Scouting.org shooting sports web site.
Exploring program firearms guidelines are in the Exploring Law Enforcement Guidelines,

7. BSA Shooting Sports Policy Manual
What are the certification and leadership requirements?
BSA Shooting Sports Director, Council Shooting Sports Coordinator, NRA Instructor, NRA Assistant Instructors, NRA Range Safety Officer, BSA BB Gun Range Master, BSA Archery Director, BSA Archery Range Master
What are the five levels of shooting activities?
Air Pistol/Rifle Shooting Experience, Muzzleloading Rifle Introduction (Not Available for Shotgun, Muzzleloading Shotgun, Muzzleloading Pistol.)
Open Shooting Experience
Ongoing Shooting Sports Program
Competition Level
Instructor/Coach
What are the certification and leadership requirements?
BSA Shooting Sports Director, Council Shooting Sports Coordinator, NRA Instructor, NRA Assistant Instructors, NRA Range Safety Officer, BSA BB Gun Range Master, BSA Archery Director, BSA Archery Range Master
What are the five levels of shooting activities?
Air Pistol/Rifle Shooting Experience, Muzzleloading Rifle Introduction (Not Available for Shotgun, Muzzleloading Shotgun, Muzzleloading Pistol.)
Open Shooting Experience
Ongoing Shooting Sports Program
Competition Level
Instructor/Coach

8. BSA Shooting Sports Policy Manual
Prohibited and Restricted Activities
Paintball is not approved for Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts. Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, Venturers, and Sea Scouts may only use paintball guns to shoot at approved targets, never another person.
All safety guidelines enforced in archery and BB gun shooting apply to all other types of shooting sports.
A safe range must be provided for any activity, such as slingshots/wrist rockets, catapults, or rockets, that involves shooting objects or water in the air.
A range master must supervise the range.
All shooting activities must be approved by the council shooting sports committee or the National Camping School–trained shooting sports director.
Tomahawk throwing approved for Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, Venturers and Sea Scouts.
Prohibited and Restricted Activities
Airsoft is not approved BSA shooting activity.
Paintball is not approved for Cub Scouts and Webelos Scouts. Boy Scouts, Varsity Scouts, Venturers, and Sea Scouts may only use paintball guns to shoot at approved targets, never another person.
All safety guidelines enforced in archery and BB gun shooting apply to all other types of shooting sports.
A safe range must be provided for any activity, such as slingshots/wrist rockets, catapults, or rockets, that involves shooting objects or water in the air.
A range master must supervise the range.
All shooting activities must be approved by the council shooting sports committee or the National Camping School–trained shooting sports director or an NRA rifle instructor.
Tomahawk throwing approved for Boy Scouts, Varisty Scouts, Venturers and Sea Scouts. RSO required to supervise Tomahawk range.

9. BSA Shooting Sports Policy Manual
Prohibited and Restricted Activities
Except for law enforcement officers, firearms shall not be brought on any Scouting Activities, except for those specifically planned for target shooting that are under supervision of a currently certified BSA National Shooting Sports Director or NRA Firearms Instructor.
The BSA does not allow the use of any fully automatic firearms in its shooting sports program.
Note that many public and private ranges may have stricter procedures that will take precedence over BSA rules. These stricter rules are the minimum acceptable for BSA shooting sports activities at those ranges.
No reloading ammunition or use of reloaded ammunition, crossbows, bottle rockets, exploding targets of any kind, short-barreled rifles or short-barreled shotguns, destructive devices or other regulated items such as grenades, ballistas, boomerangs, blow guns, anvil shooting, ninja weapons such as stars, spikes, and torpedoes, and activities such as shovel throwing, Spears, Spear guns, Potato guns
Prohibited and Restricted Activities
Except for law enforcement officers, firearms shall not be brought on any Scouting Activities, except for those specifically planned for target shooting that are under supervision of a currently certified BSA National Shooting Sports Director or NRA Firearms Instructor.
The BSA does not allow the use of any fully automatic firearms in its shooting sports program.
Note that many public and private ranges may have stricter procedures that will take precedence over BSA rules. These stricter rules are the minimum acceptable for BSA shooting sports activities at those ranges.
No reloading ammunition and using reloaded ammunition, crossbows, bottle rockets, exploding targets of any kind, short-barreled rifles or short-barreled shotguns, destructive devices or other regulated items such as grenades, ballistas, boomerangs, blow guns, anvil shooting, ninja weapons such as stars, spikes, and torpedoes, and activities such as shovel throwing, Spears, Spear guns, Potato guns

10. BSA Shooting Sports Policy Manual
Guidelines for Using Canons
All manufacturer use recommendations and specifications must be followed.
The type of powder used must be appropriate for the cannon or other device, and the load cannot exceed the manufacturer's recommendations or commonly accepted recommendations by firearms authorities.
Powder must be stored according to the regulations of the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. See for more information.
The cannon or other device cannot be not loaded with any type of projectile.
On an annual basis, the cannon or other device must be certified safe by a qualified gunsmith with cannon or large-bore artillery device expertise.
The standards of the American Artillery Association must be followed. Learn more at
Guidelines for Using Canons
All manufacturer use recommendations and specifications must be followed.
The type of powder used must be appropriate for the cannon or other device, and the load cannot exceed the manufacturer's recommendations or commonly accepted recommendations by firearms authorities.
Powder must be stored according to the regulations of the Department of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms. See for more information.
The cannon or other device cannot be not loaded with any type of projectile.
On an annual basis, the cannon or other device must be certified safe by a qualified gunsmith with cannon or large-bore artillery device expertise.
The standards of the American Artillery Association must be followed. Learn more at

11. BSA Shooting Sports Policy Manual
I shoot Archery/Rifles/Shotguns all the time can I be a merit badge counselor?
Not without the proper certifications. Archery requires a Level 1 USA Archery/USA Field Archery certification. Rifles requires NRA certified rifle coach or NRA certified rifle instructor. Shotgun requires NRA certified shotgun coach or NRA certified shotgun instructor.
Can my troop shoot at Wake County Firearms Training Center? Deep River Sporting Clays? Durham County Wildlife Club? Bob’s Farm?
Yes to government shooting ranges, commercial shooting ranges, and established gun clubs with proper supervision. Private personnel property requires Private property Approval form and inspection by council appointed Chief Range Officer.
I shoot Archery/Rifles/Shotguns all the time can I be a merit badge counselor? – Not without the proper certifications. Archery requires a Level 1 USA Archery/USA Field Archery certification. Rifles requires NRA certified rifle coach or NRA certified rifle instructor. Shotgun requires NRA certified shotgun coach or NRA certified shotgun instructor.
Can my troop shoot at Wake County Firearms Training Center? Deep River Sporting Clays? Bob’s Farm? Yes to government shooting ranges, commercial shooting ranges, an establish gun clubs with proper supervision. Private personnel property requires Private property Approval form and inspection by council appointed Chief Range Officer.

12. New Programs
These programs are extensions of the National Shooting sports Manual. Guidelines and policy can be found on the BSA Shooting Sports web page:
Scouting Pistol Safety & Marksmanship
Chalkball
Cowboy Action
Multi-Gun AirSoft
Competitive Pistol Program
Sporting Arrows
Download guidelines from
Note that the guideline document for Pistol Safety & Marksmanship is an OVERVIEW; the actual program is outlined in the item with same title. Note an error on page 6 of the 2016 printing; this is a Level 3, not level 4 program. This is correctly stated in the overview pamphlet.
Each of these programs has requirements beyond the standard shooting sports program; i.e., these are authorized only for council and district activities or the Venturing / Sea Scout programs. Generally, all equipment is to be owned and maintained by the council. Some require special training and certification beyond those specified in the National Shooting Sports manual:
Pistol Safety & Marksmanship requires additional BSA specific training for NRA Pistol Instructors, and is taught on a national / regional level. Class quotas are managed nationally, and a council must have specific national approval to conduct the program BEFORE the instructor training can occur. There is a trained certificate code for this training.
Chalkball, Cowboy Action, and Multi-Gun AirSoft also require NCS trained Shooting Sports Directors who hold the certification in each to conduct training with certified instructors in order to run these activities. There is a trained certificate code for this training.
Sporting Arrows requires special equipment (launcher and discs) as well as flu-flu arrows (blunt or field/target points), and instructors knowledgeable in aerial archery.

13. Advancement Policy
All advancement program requirements are determined by Advancement policy – not Shooting Sports Task Force (See Guide to advancement #33088)
Cub Scout Shooting Sports program (C-­197.1)
Merit Badges and Counselors
Venturing Ranger and Outstanding Shooting Sports Achievement Award (V-114)
Sea Scout badges and awards (S-108)
See the Guide to Advancement (
See Cub Scout Shooting Sports Guide ( discussed ind etail in UofS C-197.1
See Merit Badge guidance online ( and Chapter 3 of the BSA National Shooting Sports Manual; Occoneechee Council Policy is that all Shooting Sports Merit Badge counselors MUST hold the current instructor certification for the gun type / archery.
Venturing and Sea Scout is discussed in the UofS course noted.

14. Occoneechee Council Policy Manual
Occoneechee Council Shooting Sports Manual and Range Standing Operating Procedures
CHAIR
Jim Sheckels
Resident Camp
Linda Boggs
Vern Unruh
Open Shoots
Ron Loes
Unit Support
Troops, Crews,
Ships, Teams
Firearms
(NRA-TC)
Jeff Kidd
BSA Shooting
Sports Directors
Archery*
(Level II / Coach)
Professional Advisor
Henry Goodson
Hunting
Ken Butler
Cub Shooting
Alicia Embrey
RSO
(CRSO)
Keith Biegert
Documentation
Tim Taylor
Inventories
Robert & Theresa
Lucas
Competitive
Shooting
Instructor/RSO/RM
Development
Year-Round
Council / District
Event Support
Current council shooting sports committee structure – looking for folks!
You need help staffing a range – send to Jim Sheckels; will forward to list of over 300 certified people. We are presently working a database to put on the web site which unit leaders will use to directly input range activity dates and requirements to get notices to correct certified people.
Overview the council range policy (To be updated in 2017)

15. Council Instructor / RSO /Range Master /Open Shoot schedule
Certifications
The BSA National Camping School as a Shooting Sports Director for rifle, muzzleloading, shotgun, and archery. Pistol is optional.
The National Rifle Association as a currently certified basic instructor or coach for the specific discipline where instruction is taking place (rifle, muzzleloading “rifle/shotgun/pistol”, shotgun or pistol)
The National Muzzleloading Rifle Association as a current instructor or NRA instructor for muzzleloading “rifle/shotgun/pistol”
The USA Archery/National Field Archery Association as a currently certified instructor or coach for archery
NRA range safety officer, NRA chief range safety officer
BSA BB Gun Range Master
BSA Archery Director
Council Instructor / RSO /Range Master /Open Shoot schedule
Overview the certification and training; hand out the program plan for council shooting sports leadership training and open shoots

16. Range Master Training
The Shooting Sports Committee oversees the shooting and training program, trains the Range Masters; Range Masters are responsible for the safe operation of archery and BB gun ranges in council camps.
National Archery Association instructors may train archery range masters; and National Rifle Association instructors may train BB gun range master – with approval of the council SS committee. This allowance MAY be restricted in Occoneechee in the near future, owing to the number of Shooting Sports Directors we are getting trained.
Range Masters are provided training on setting up temporary ranges; this applies to archery, BB gun, catapult, sling shot, and tomahawk and knife throwing.
Range Master is a BSA specific training program, and is what is required for Cub Day Camp; however, Range Masters oversee these ranges in ALL program levels.
BSA Range master certification; good for two years from date of training. Remember to follow other policies dependent on the age appropriate chart and policies in the guidelines discussed earlier; i.e., tomahawk and knife throwing age restrictions.
While Range Masters may open and operate Archery Ranges, they MAY NOT teach the Merit Badge – this requires a certified INSTRUCTOR as discussed earlier in the advancement section.
Pellet guns, while air guns, are not under the Range Master certification; these require NRA Certified Rifle Instructors, and are available to Webelos and older Scouts.

17. Links http://www.421shootingsports.org/