4-H Safety Programs

4-H Shooting Sports

The goal of the 4-H Shooting Sports program is youth development. Through participation in firearm safety training and shooting sports activities, young men and women are given the opportunity to learn responsibility, sportsmanship, self-discipline, and other qualities critical to the development of productive citizens.

4-H Shooting Sports is a national program with over 300,000 young people taking part, making it one of the largest shooting education programs in the United States. Here in Mississippi, 4-H Shooting Sports involves thousands of kids and continues to grow annually. An established core of over 700 adult volunteer instructors and 4-H agents provide training and leadership for our program throughout the state.

All-Terrain Vehicles 4-H (ATV) Safety Education

The goal of the MSU Extension 4-H ATV Safety program is to reduce ATV-related accidents and fatalities in Mississippi. The objectives of the safety program are

to increase the number of 4th- to 6th-grade participants by 1,000 in the 2-hour ATV Safety program using the ATV Safety Leader’s Guide,
to increase the number of participants by 500 in the age-specific ATV Safety Institute (ASI) online E-Course ATV Safety Training,
to increase the number of participants by 500 in the ATV Safety Tread-Sylvania online ATV safety game found at www.atv.-youth.org,
to develop ATV Safety public service announcements (PSA) involving ATV Safety program participants (statewide),
to increase the number of certified ATV safety instructors by 10, and
to increase the number of participants by 100 completing the 4.5-hour hands-on ATV RiderCourse training per year.

Publications

Publication Number: P3234

How to Pattern a Shotgun for Turkey Hunting

Publication Number: P2751

4-H Shooting Sports State Invitational Rulebook

Publication Number: M1742

Safe Riding Tips: 4-H ATV Safety

Publication Number: IS2028

Making Your Own Reactionary Target

Publication Number: P2234

The Significance of Mississippi 4-H Shooting Sports Workshops for Volunteer Leaders and County Programs

A teenage boy in a blue and white long-sleeved shirt and protective gear, including a red and black helmet and black gloves, rides a red ATV around orange cones during a safety class. (Kevin Hudson)

ATV Safety Week June 2-10, 2018

June 5, 2018 - Filed Under: 4-H, 4-H Safety Programs, ATV Safety

It's ATV Safety Week! (Photo by Kevin Hudson)

A young rider in full safety gear navigates a turn on an all-terrain vehicle.

Extension, 4-H offer ATV safety training

May 18, 2018 - Filed Under: ATV Safety

June 2-10 is ATV Safety Week

WEST POINT, Miss. -- Many Mississippians enjoy the usefulness and thrill of riding all-terrain vehicles, but the dangerous nature of these machines is highlighted in the June 2-10 4-H ATV Safety Week.

Mississippi ranks 15th in the nation in ATV-related deaths. In 2017, nine youngsters died after suffering traumatic injuries in ATV accidents.

Hunter wearing camouflage secures a portable platform to the side of a tree.

Take extra precautions when using tree stands

December 1, 2017 - Filed Under: 4-H Safety Programs, White-Tailed Deer

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Although they are beneficial as a hunting tool to increase visibility, elevated tree stands come with many safety concerns.

Fortunately, it is easier than ever to hunt safely from trees. When using a tree stand, design choice and placement location are your most important decisions. Finding a healthy, large tree with no visible signs of damage or rot is essential when using fixed, permanent or ladder-style tree stands. These stands require a sturdy base to mount and climbing gear to reach ideal hunting height.

A hunter in camouflage and an orange vest places his rifle into storage on the back of an ATV in the woods.

Precautions can safely combine hunting, ATVs

November 30, 2017 - Filed Under: ATV Safety

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Hunting and driving all-terrain vehicles are so linked in Mississippi that many people forget safety precautions when using these powerful machines.

Bradley Staton, Mississippi State University Extension Service 4-H ATV associate, offered a few tips to increase the chances that people will have a safe time in the woods on ATVs.

"Always wear protective gear," Staton said. "That means a helmet to protect the head if you lose control and flip the ATV, and appropriate clothing, including long sleeves, a jacket and boots. And, since it's hunting season, always wear an orange vest so others hunters in the same area can see you."

Use off-road vehicles on designated trails, such as this one at the Jimmy Bryan 4-H Youth Complex in West Point, Mississippi, to reduce negative impacts on the environment. (Photo by MSU Extension Service/Leslie Burger)

Off-road vehicles bring fun, hazards

September 9, 2016 - Filed Under: ATV Safety, Wildlife

STARKVILLE, Miss. -- Speeding along a wooded trail on a bright, chilly morning can bring a lot of enjoyment and excitement. And it sure is a lot easier getting to that back-country deer blind or dove field if you can load up all the gear and head off on wheels.

But the off-road vehicle you may be riding -- whether a 4x4 all-terrain vehicle, side-by-side utility vehicle or dirt bike -- has some downsides. While undeniably fun and useful in transportation, an off-road vehicle can also be an environmental hazard and personal nuisance when used incorrectly.

A 4-H volunteer leader with two 4-H members at a 4-H Shooting Sports event.

Doing the "Heart" Work

Shooting Sports, Health and Wellness, Volunteers
Volume 3 Number 3

Until recently, the Clover Dawgs 4-H Robotics team in Oktibbeha County needed a bigger robot. Club volunteer leader Robert Rice secured the first donation toward purchasing the machine from his employer.