All minor scouts participating in archery, bbguns, rifle, pistol, shotgun, airsoft, pellet guns must have parents/guardian sign the GEC Parental Shooting Sports Form event if the parent is on the range with the scouts.
GEC Parental Shooting Sports Form
Shooting Sports- FAQ
Frequently Asked Questions……..BSA Rangemaster VS NRA Instructor Certification
BSA Rangemasters provide instruction to cub scouts for:
BBguns, air rifles, tomahawks, sling shots, rockets, catapults, and rubberband guns. (Rangemaster certification is taught by a certified NRA Rifle Instructor)
BSA Rangemasters provide instruction to cub scouts for:
Archery (Taught by a certified Level One or higher archery instructor.)
BSA Rangemasters provide instruction to Boy Scout, Varsity, Venturing, and Council Trainings for:
Tomahawks, sling shots, rockets, catapults, and rubberband guns.
Note: A BSA Rangemaster can NOT be incharge of a Boy Scout, Varsity, Venturing BBG/Air Rifles, Rifle, Shotgun, Pistol and archery ranges, but can help on the range.
Who needs the Rangemaster certification?
- Adult volunteers on a Cub Scout archery, BB gun/air pistol range for day camp and council/district events only. Also for sling shots, rockets, catapults and rubberband guns. (Note: Cub Scout dens/packs cannot hold their own shooting events)
- AND Boy Scout, Varsity and Venturer leaders teaching tomahawks, sling shots, rockets, catapults and rubber band guns at council/district events.
For Cub Scout BB gun & Archery district/council ranges (Including sling shots, rockets, and catapults.)
- For every 8 shooters you must have:
- One BSA Certified Rangemaster and for;
- Tiger Cubs-Must have their adult partner with them on the range as their coach; and
- Slingshot ranges-A parent/adult must be behind the cubscout at all times when they are shooting on the range.
For Boy Scout, Varsity & Venturing BBgun, Rifle, Shotgun
- For every 8 shooters you must have;
- One Range Safety Officer- (RSO is a Safety Person only on the range and is not an instructor)
- AND One certified NRA Instructor trained in one of the following disciplines for the appropriate range:
- Rifle; BB guns; and air rifle ranges --- Certified NRA Rifle Instructor
- Shotgun Range- Certified NRA Shotgun Instructor and RSO for every six shooters.
- Pistol Range and high-power firearms are reserved for youth involved in the Venturing and Sea Scouting programs only. Range requirement: One Certified NRA Pistol Instructor per shooter for open shooting and one RSO for every three shooters. For an ongoing Shooting Sports pistol program the ratio changes to one instructor per two shooters while loading and shooting. For more on ranges and levels of shooting requirements see shooting sports manual pages 9-40
- http://www.scouting.org/filestore/Outdoor Program/pdf/30931_WB.pdf
- Range Inspection: All ranges must be inspected and approved by a GEC Chief RSO if it is NOT a commercial range/BSA Camp range. Specific paperwork must be filled out and signed by a Chief RSO and signed by the program council executive to be kept on file for 2 years. The range inspection sheet is good for 2 years, if no changes are made during the 2 year period. This paperwork and instructions can be found on the BSA National site-“Procedures to use Public or Private Property for a Shooting Sports Range.” (Exception-Cub Scout BBgun ranges are inspected differently.)
For Golden Empire Council Boy Scout, Varsity & Venturing Archery Ranges
- For every 8 shooters you must have;
- One Archery Level 1 or higher certified instructor
LaPorte Archery
- One Archery Level 1 or higher certified instructor
- 3 people on the range at a time
For a Boy Scout, Varsity, Venturing or Council training event; tomahawks, sling shots, rockets, catapults, and rubber band gun ranges:
Who teaches the BSA Rangemaster and RSO, Rifle, Shotgun & Pistol Instructor certifications?
- Level 1 or higher archery instructors teach the BSA Rangemaster Archery Certification
- NRA Rifle Instructors teach the BSA Rangemaster Certification for BB Gun & Air Rifles (Class instruction also includes information for tomahawks, catapults, sling shots, rockets and rubber band guns).
- NRA Training Counselors teach the Black Powder, Rifle, Shotgun, or Pistol instructor course.
- NRA Rifle Instructors teach the Rifle Merit badge and basic rifle course.
- NRA Shotgun Instructors teach the Shotgun Merit Badge and basic shotgun course.
- NRA Pistol Instructors teach Pistol marksmanship for Venturer Scouts.
- Range Safety Officers (RSO) training is taught by a NRA Chief Range Safety Officer (CRSO)
- Note: Level 1 or above archery instructors can teach a rangemaster class for Cub Scout day camps/district/council archery events and NRA certified rifle instructors can teach a rangemaster class for Cub Scout BBgun, and air rifle day camps/district/council events.
Who needs the RSO, Rifle, Shotgun & Pistol certifications?
- A GEC Rifle & Shotgun Merit Badge Counselor must hold a rifle/shotgun NRA certification.
- Boy Scout/Venturing rifle, shotgun, pistol, bbgun airsoft must have one NRA instructor per required scout ratio's mandated in the shooting sports manual.
- Range Inspections: For units/leaders who take their scouts on non-commercial or non-BSA Camp rifle, pistol and shotgun ranges. (See range inspection information on page 2)
Do Boy Scouts, Venturer, Varsity Scouts and adults need training before they enter a shooting range?
Yes all scouts (including adults) participating in a discipline; rifle, shot gun and pistols (Venturers and Sea Scouts can shoot pistols) event must be given a 30 minute briefing by a certified NRA rifle, shotgun/pistol instructor for each discipline. Each archery participant must attend a 30 minute briefing by a trained Level 1 or higher instructor. A GEC Shooting Sports training card is issued by their instructor and must be shown at each range. This shooting sports card is good for 2 years. (Similar to a totem chip card). Additional instruction is given at each range before a scout begins shooting.
For more on the BSA Shooting Sports Program go to: http://bsaseabase.org/home/outdoorprogram/shootingsports.aspx
Read/download the manual and be sure to read the updates located on the BSA website.
For Instructors
The GEC Shooting Sports Task Force has power-point instruction materials to help instructors with their trainings. Any GEC NRA Certified Instructor/Level 1 or above archery instructor may provide the 30 minute disciplines to scouts. Any GEC NRA Certified Rifle Instructor can teach a rangemaster certification class. Power points and training cards are available for Cub Scout Rangemaster instruction for BBgun, archery and tomahawks by contacting Dennis Weiss dennis-weiss@sbcglobal.net
Training Discounts for Scouting Volunteers
The GEC Shooting Sports Task Force has negotiated with a few NRA Certified Training Counselors to provide a special “BSA Training Price”. The specific discount amount is at the discretion of each instructor and trainees must be an active and registered BSA adult volunteer. Each trainee is asked to donate their available time to future GEC shooting events for at least 2 years to help scouts learn the valuable lessons of safe gun handling and operation. Watch the council news page/calendar for upcoming training dates and special shooting events at www.gec-bsa.org
Our shooting sports Facebook page is located at Golden Empire Council Shooting Sports
GEC Shooting Sports page http://www.gec-bsa.org/program/sp
For questions ask your District Shooting Sports Chair or email Dennis-weiss@sbcglobal.net
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