Boy Scouts of America

Shotgun Shooting—An Assistant Scoutmaster’s Story

Adult Audience Only

 

SUMMARY

Over a seven-year period, a unit grew their annual shooting sports campout at a local gun range. Because of the large number of new shooters, an “impromptu” range was set up just to the side of one of the dedicated trap/skeet ranges.

About 2 1/2 hours into the shotgun shooting sessions, an 11-year-old Scout was on the shooting line. He had had practice shots early in the day and was on the second or third round for record to complete the Shotgun Shooting merit badge. Sometime during this period, the two adults helping had moved their chairs 10 to 15 feet to the shooter’s left and slightly behind the firing line to hear the “pull” command. The instructor, to the shooter’s right, dropped a shell into the pump action 20 gauge and closed the action. It appears the instructor then turned to his left to ask what the shooter’s score was; by doing this, the shooter turned as well with the shotgun. The instructor reached for the shotgun, and it discharged, striking an assistant Scoutmaster in the arm with 47 pellets.

Thankfully, the assistant Scoutmaster is recovering from the injury, and the Scout, while shaken, is still taking part in Scouting.

LESSONS LEARNED

  • The impromptu range, opened to serve new shooters, created a condition where club resources were strained and the normal operating procedures for the two dedicated trap/skeet ranges did not apply or were different.
  • It was assumed that both an NRA instructor and a range safety officer were present at the impromptu range. The BSA requires both be present during this type of shooting activity.
  • All three basic shooting safety rules were broken at the same time.

WHAT CAN YOU DO

  • Share this story at your next shooting sports activity.
  • When handling firearms or working a shooting range, take a Safety PAUSE: Pause before you start. Assess possible hazards. Understand how to proceed safely. Share your plan with others. Execute the activity safely.
  • Monitor the environment for changing conditions that could affect safety (e.g., “impromptu” range, strained resources, and number of participants).
  • Know and follow the standard operating procedure (SOP) for any range being used.

RESOURCES

Bray Barnes

Director, Global Security Innovative
Strategies

Bray Barnes is a recipient of the Distinguished Eagle Scout Award, Silver
Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Learning for Life Distinguished
Service Award. He received the Messengers of Peace Hero award from
the royal family of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and he’s a life member of
the 101st Airborne Association and Vietnam Veterans Association. Barnes
serves as a senior fellow for the Global Federation of Competitiveness
Councils, a nonpartisan network of corporate CEOs, university presidents, and
national laboratory directors. He has also served as a senior executive for the
U.S. Department of Homeland Security, leading the first-responder program
and has two U.S. presidential appointments

David Alexander

Managing Member Calje

David Alexander is a Baden-Powell Fellow, Summit Bechtel Reserve philanthropist, and recipient of the Silver Buffalo and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the founder of Caljet, one of the largest independent motor fuels terminals in the U.S. He has served the Arizona Petroleum Marketers Association, Teen Lifeline, and American Heart Association. A triathlete who has completed hundreds of races, Alexander has also mentored the women’s triathlon team at Arizona State University.

Glenn Adams

President, CEO & Managing Director
Stonetex Oil Corp.

Glenn Adams is a recipient of the Silver Beaver, Silver Antelope, Silver Buffalo, and Distinguished Eagle Scout Award. He is the former president of the National Eagle Scout Association and established the Glenn A. and Melinda W. Adams National Eagle Scout Service Project of the Year Award. He has more than 40 years of experience in the oil, gas, and energy fields, including serving as a president, owner, and CEO. Adams has also received multiple service awards from the Texas Alliance of Energy Producers.