4-H Shooting Sports Programs
Build skills. Gain confidence. Grow through the shooting sports.
4-H Shooting Sports is about much more than learning to hit a target. Through hands-on instruction and the support of trained adult leaders, young people develop safe and responsible shooting skills while building confidence, focus, responsibility, and respect for the equipment they use.
At Bryant Pond, campers learn by doing. Whether they are picking up a bow for the first time, refining their archery skills, exploring multiple shooting disciplines, or developing their hunting and fishing skills, each program provides opportunities to learn, practice, and take on new challenges in a supportive summer camp environment.
Explore the programs below to find the shooting sports experience that best fits your camper.
Junior Archery | Ages 10–12 – A welcoming introduction to archery for younger campers. Junior Archery begins with safety and equipment basics before campers head to the range to develop proper shooting form, accuracy, and confidence through hands-on practice, games, and shooting challenges.
4-H Shooting Sports — Archery Camp | Ages 13–15 – For teens interested in developing their skills with a bow. Campers focus on shooting form, accuracy, equipment use and tuning, different types of bows, 3D targets, crossbows, and plenty of time on the range to practice and improve.
4-H Shooting Sports Camp | Ages 13–15 – Five shooting disciplines come together in one exciting week. Campers experience archery, rifle, shotgun, muzzleloader, and pistol while developing safe equipment handling, proper shooting techniques, confidence, and marksmanship. No previous shooting experience is required.
Maine Sports Afield | Ages 13–15 – Designed for teens who want to take their outdoor skills further. Campers explore hunting and fishing techniques including waterfowl, deer and turkey hunting, calling and decoying, warm- and cold-water fishing, lure selection, casting, and other skills for the field and water.
Focusing on Youth Development
The goal of 4-H Shooting Sports extends beyond marksmanship. Through positive relationships with trained instructors and hands-on learning experiences, young people have opportunities to develop life skills, responsibility, leadership, confidence, and an appreciation for conservation and the outdoors.
Shooting sports provide opportunities to set goals, practice patience and concentration, challenge themselves, and experience the satisfaction that comes from developing a skill over time. These experiences help young people grow not only as shooters, but as confident and responsible individuals.
Partners & Supporters
University of Maine 4-H Shooting Sports works in partnership with the Maine Department of Inland Fisheries and Wildlife and receives important support through the MidwayUSA Foundation, helping provide high-quality shooting sports experiences and opportunities for Maine youth.
Important Information About Personal Shooting Sports Equipment
The University of Maine defines firearms and archery equipment as weapons and has a strict weapons policy for the safety of all, and for liability and insurance reasons, camp program participants are asked not to bring their personal shooting sports equipment to Bryant Pond 4-H Camp & Learning Center without prior authorization from the Camp Director or the Maine 4-H Shooting Sports Program Coordinator. The 4-H Shooting Sports instruction team at Bryant Pond is very familiar with the wide variety of equipment here and competently provides complete instruction in the shooting sports discipline programs that we offer.