Paxton works with a day camper, teaching shotgun skills on one of the Palmetto Shooting Complex's trap/skeet fields.

EDGEFIELD, S.C. — The National Wild Turkey Federation hosted a Shotgun Shooting Day Camp for youth at its Palmetto Shooting Complex.

The one-day event entailed shooting safety, trap/skeet instruction, lunch, sporting clays and shotgun maintenance, and fostered an interest recreational shooting for kids ages 10-16.

NWTF staff made sure day-campers were hydrated and safe as they honed their skills or shot for the first time.

Dan Paxton, youth instructor for the National Sporting Clays Association, divided the day-campers up into groups based on their skill level. Paxton brought seven youth instructors, all of whom were high school shooting state champions, to oversee each group for safety and provide shooting tips. Paxton alternated between groups offering advice and enthusiasm.

Paxton discussed the inclusivity of sport shooting for young kids, “you do not have to be a 200 pound athlete to participate.” Paxton has helped multiple kids overcome physical and mental handicaps to become excellent shooters.

“My favorite part is that I only missed one shot,” said Tristan Knowles, a 12-year-old day-camper.

The day-campers’ faces lit up with smiles as they hit their targets, following Paxton’s number one rule— ¬“look at the target not your gun.”

Upcoming NWTF Events
July 9–11: Hunting Camp
July 16–18: Fishing Camp
July 26: Shotgun Shooting Day Camp
July 30–Aug 1: Outdoor Leadership Camp

For more information or to register for upcoming camps at the NWTF, contact Charner Boney – cboney@nwtf.net. Or, interested parties can visit http://www.nwtf.org/oec.

About the National Wild Turkey Federation
When the National Wild Turkey Federation was founded in 1973, there were about 1.3 million wild turkeys in North America. After decades of work, that number hit a historic high of almost 7 million turkeys. To succeed, the NWTF stood behind science-based conservation and hunters’ rights. The NWTF Save the Habitat. Save the Hunt. initiative is a charge that mobilizes science, fundraising and devoted volunteers to conserve and enhance more than 4 million acres of essential wildlife habitat, recruit at least 1.5 million hunters and open access to 500,000 acres for hunting. For more information, visit NWTF.org