|
"Illinois is becoming one of the top locations in the country for
recreational shooting, as construction is on track for the World
Shooting Recreational Complex in Sparta to open in 2006," said Joel
Brunsvold, director of the Department of Natural Resources. "This is
a chance for the novice who doesn’t know much about shooting to get
a firsthand training with top-notch instructors." All supplies are
provided as part of the clinic, including shotguns and ammunition,
clay targets, traps, eye and ear protection, and education
materials. The professional wing shooting teachers are certified
National Sporting Clays Association wing shooting instructors.
The clinics are hands-on and include extensive live fire at clay
targets. There will also be a short classroom session each day on
basic firearm safety and handling, firearm nomenclature, and hunter
safety, which will be presented by a volunteer hunter safety
instructor certified by the Department of Natural Resources. This is
basic classroom hunter safety and does not satisfy the Illinois
hunter education requirement. Certification in hunter safety is not
required to attend this clinic.
"The clinics provide a chance for growth of a tourist activity in
Illinois," Brunsvold said. "Shooting sports are a lot of fun, and
the biggest reason more people don’t do them is that they haven’t
had exposure to them. Clinics like this provide the chance to
learn."
[to top of second column in this article]
 |
 As the
World
Shooting and Recreational Complex opens in 2006, Illinois will
become the premier location in the United States for those
interested in shooting sports. The unique site at Sparta is being
developed under the leadership of Gov. Rod Blagojevich. The complex
will include 100 trap fields, two sporting clay courses, skeet, a
cowboy action shooting corral, championship 3-D archery course, as
well as camp sites and a multiuse recreational facility.
Advance registration for the wing shooting clinics is
recommended, as space is limited. Young people interested in
participating must be at least 11 years old. The clinics will run
from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Registration is from 9 to 10 a.m.
both days.
Wing shooting clinic schedule
- Aug. 20-21 -- Shabonna Lake State Park, DeKalb County; (815)
758-2773
- Aug. 27-28 -- Fisher, Champaign County; (217) 935-6860
- Aug. 28 -- Decatur, Macon County; (217) 877-4096
- Sept. 10-11 -- Sam Dale Lake Conservation Area, Wayne
County; (618) 835-2292
- Sept. 17-18 -- Johnson Sauk Trail State Park, Henry County;
(309) 853-5589
For more information on the clinics, visit
www.dnr.state.il.us.
[Illinois
Department of Natural Resources news release] |
