Many years ago—long before most of the fabulous women-centric shooting groups were even an idea—I used to tell people the way to get women involved in the shooting sports was to embrace every woman who ever said, “I want to learn to shoot!” Encourage her, and actually take her to the range and foster the enthusiasm. “This is how you do it!” was my regular mantra, when it came to talking about women and guns. And it seems a lot of others were thinking along the same lines.
Several years ago, the National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) launched its +One Movement, in which it asks every shooter and hunter to pledge to introduce one new person to the shooting sports or hunting. NSSF says that “if just one in three of America’s recreational shooters adds one new person to the shooting sports, we’ll secure a strong future for generations to come.” Brilliant!
Many of us do so by bringing children, spouses or other family members to the outdoor activities to which they, too, become hooked organically. That’s the easy way. But what about those who have made it well into adulthood without ever having experienced what we have long enjoyed? There are those who have longed to do so but didn’t know how; and there are those who are still reluctant but willing to give it a go. That’s what the +One Movement is all about. So what does the +One Movement look like in real life?
Check out this excellent new mini-documentary hosted by SLG2, Inc. (Shoot Like a Girl) Founder Karen Butler (NRA Women’s 2024 Woman of the Year), who partnered with Beretta to show us a great example of how this is done. For this endeavor, a group of experienced shooters, hunters and outdoor enthusiasts were asked to bring a willing first-timer shooter or hunter—their +ONE—along for an incredible opportunity at Barnsley Gardens in Adairsville, Ga., to immerse themselves in a world they previously only viewed from afar—some with curiosity, others with trepidation—but all with a willingness to give it a try. Watch what happens here. Spoiler alert: It’s about a lot more than just pressing a trigger, breaking clays or hitting a target. Not that everyone has a powerhouse of the world's oldest gun company behind them, but the truth is you can do this too! The concept is the same whether you are taking a neighborhood mom to the range or to the woods for the first time—this is how you do it!
—Ann Y. Smith, Editor in Chief
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