RALEIGH, N.C. (Sept. 7, 2005) — The N.C. Wildlife Resources Commission in October will hold a pair of Wing Shooting Workshops in eastern North Carolina in conjunction with the U.S. Fish & Wildlife Service and the International Hunter Education Association.

A one-day course will be held Oct. 8, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at the Mattamuskeet National Wildlife Refuge in Swan Quarter, Hyde County. A two-day course covering the same material in greater detail will be held Oct. 10-11, from 8:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m., at the Hampton Lodge Family Campground in Water Lily, Currituck County. Both workshops, which are being conducted through the Cooperative North American Shotgunning Education Program, are free.

Workshop instructors will cover decoy set up, working with water dogs, waterfowl identification, waterfowl blind construction and brushing, waterfowl shot placement, choosing correct shot size, importance and characteristics of non-toxic shot, firearms safety and shooting techniques.

“Each participant will have live-fire range practice with professional wing shooting coaches,” said David Denton, a hunter education specialist in the Commission’s Division of Wildlife Enforcement. “They’ll learn everything from the basics of waterfowl hunting to advanced hunting methods used on open water and wooded swamps.”

Participants should bring their own firearms, but the Wildlife Commission will have a limited number of shotguns available at the workshops. The Commission will provide 12-gauge and 20-gauge steel shot for the workshops. Participants using another gauge shotgun need to bring 50 rounds of number 7 steel shot. They also need to bring food and drinks for the day, and dress appropriately for the weather.

“Most waterfowlers are fair wing shooters. But with training from wing shooting coaches, they will noticeably improve their shooting skills and increase the number of waterfowl they bag,” Denton said. “This is a great opportunity created by the Wildlife Commission’s Hunter Education Program. Wing shooting coaches typically charge $200 to $400 for private lessons, but our workshops are free.”

Participants must pre-register for these free wing shooting workshops. The Wildlife Commission is limiting workshop registration to individuals who are 12 and older. Children under 12 may attend with an adult, but cannot participate.

To register, visit the Wildlife Commission’s Web site, www.ncwildlife.org, and follow the links for “Hunter Education Course” in the “Features” section. Or type this URL into your Web browser: http://www.ncwildlife.org/pg04_HuntingTrapping/pg4c1Advanced.asp.

For more information, contact David Denton at (252) 482-7056 or d1huntersafety@earthlink.net.

Click Here To Return To The Previous Page