Shoot at Hoosier Outdoor Experience, Sept. 18-19

Take a shot at a potential new hobby at the Hoosier Outdoor Experience.

The second-annual free hands-on event is Sept. 18-19, at Fort Harrison State Park in Indianapolis.

One of the six areas offered for guest participation is shooting sports.

The activity is sponsored in part by a $10,000 grant to the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation from the Indiana Friends of the National Rifle Association. This is the second consecutive year the group has underwritten the shooting-sports area. Participants will be able to shoot a .22-caliber rifle and a shotgun at targets.

Last year, 5,100 children and adults learned gun safety and shot a pellet gun or shotgun under expert supervision. Many were shooting for the first time. Overall, 13,300 children and adults participated in the Hoosier Outdoor Experience.

“Rarely have I seen such enthusiasm for a program from our members,” said John Crone, former NRA field representative for Indiana. “We cannot wait to provide the opportunity for thousands to learn about firearm safety and target shooting again this year.”

Steve Teutsch, current NRA field representative for Indiana, said he anticipates similar results.

“I’m looking forward to working Indiana with programs like this that introduce firearms and safety to kids from all walks of life,” Teutsch said.

Other opportunities to take aim include archery and bowfishing, which is just what it sounds like, fishing with a bow and arrow. At the Experience, bowfishers will shoot at an artificial target. They will be able to reel in their “catch” or the arrow with the reel provided on the bow.

The shooting-sports area is one of many free Outdoor Experiences at this family-friendly event. The other areas are aquatics, cultural, equestrian, outdoors and wildlife. Shuttles will take participants from area to area.

Parking, admission, activities, demonstrations and seminars at the Hoosier Outdoor Experience are free to the public, but online advance registration is requested to assist with planning/staffing. To register or learn more, go to hoosieroutdoorexperience.IN.gov and click on the orange registration icon. Watch for event updates there or on Facebook at Facebook.com/HoosierOutdoorExperience

The Hoosier Outdoor Experience is presented by the DNR and the Indiana Natural Resources Foundation. The goal is to introduce people to outdoor activities they may have never tried.

Friends of the NRA is a grassroots, fund-raising program organized by local volunteers. Since the program’s inception in 1993, it has funded thousands of local projects that include youth education efforts, firearms training, and conservation projects.