UMass says rather than focus on shooting sports only, the university wants to develop a program that includes instruction in hunting, fishing and conservation as part of its youth development activities.
(Gazettenet.com)- UMass Amherst Center for Agriculture, Food and the Environment runs Massachusetts 4-H, which is part of a nationwide organization aimed to help young people learn life skills under trained volunteers.
The shooting sports program was initiated by firearms instructor Mandy Deveno of Bellingham. The national program is offered in every state except for Massachusetts and Rhode Island.
Deveno started working on launching the 4-H program in Massachusetts after her 10-year-old son expressed an interest in learning shooting sports.
Deveno then researched 4-H shooting programs in other states. While each state conducts the program slightly differently, Deveno said she planned to follow the national 4-H shooting sports program procedures and abide by state firearm laws.
Deveno and Wallace said they never heard why the program was never approved by UMass. But in a statement to the Gazette, UMass spokesman Ed Blaguszewski said the university had studied the shooting-sports proposal made by the Massachusetts 4-H Foundation and examined a variety of different 4-H shooting programs around the country.
“Rather than focus limited resources on shooting sports only, the university is actively exploring development of a more broadly based program,” he stated.
The hunting aspect of the program would include the basics of gun safety and the shooting sports, he added.