The Durham County Wildlife Club (DCWC) occupies more than 90 scenic acres in Morrisville, North Carolina. Volunteers are hard at work—stacking arrows, checking firearms, brewing coffee. Today the entire club has paused its normal operations for something truly special: a Women On Target Instructional Shooting Clinic. Soon, 60 women from across the state will arrive for a full day of hands-on experience with rifle, pistol, shotgun and archery.
Demand for this clinic is sky-high. Thousands of women participate in Women On Target clinics nationwide, but spots at DCWC clinic are coveted. Co-organizers Edie Fleeman and Lisa Williams have refined a registration process to keep things fair: paper registrations only, postmarked after a specified date, no walk-ins, no spectators, no special favors for friends and family. Planning takes months. Execution requires a small army of volunteers.
Women from All Walks of Life
Just before 8 a.m., a steady stream of cars winds toward the clubhouse. The women stepping out reflect the diversity of North Carolina—students, retirees, nurses, scientists, even a rising country music artist. Many are here to handle firearms for the first time. They’ve come to learn, to connect and to discover.
“Nothing is more exciting than to see women step away from their normal lives and have a great time doing something totally new and different,” said coach Robin Gallagher.
All Hands on Deck: Organizing the Day
The secret to a great clinic? Having enough volunteers and utilizing them effectively. “The event runs smoothly because each and every volunteer does their job to the best of their abilities,” notes Edie. Lisa—who began her own shooting journey by attending a Women On Target clinics—added, “The key is organization.”
Participants are sorted into five color-coded squads and rotate through five activity stations during the event: archery, skeet, pistol, rifle and trap. Each station is led a director, who oversees a team of instructors, coaches, safety officers and runners. Many volunteers are alumnae of previous Women On Target clinics—women who stood in the attendees shoes just a year or two before.
WOT participant Paige King Johnson shows off her new-found archery prowess.
Taking Aim: Archery
Ray Corona, newly minted squad leader and DCWC President, leads the Red Squad to an archery range nestled among tall pines. After a thorough safety brief, instructions and quick eye dominance test, the women pair off and begin sending arrows downrange.
Coaches work individually with each student, repositioning and demonstrating good form. One sisterly duo kicks off a spirited rivalry. Paige King Johnson, the country artist, proves a natural.
The cheers are loud. The camaraderie is louder. Confidence builds quickly—just in time for the squad’s first firearms station.
A team of skeet shooters learns under the tutelage of clays expert Edie Fleeman.
Breaking Clays with the Best
Next up: skeet. Under the guidance of Edie Fleeman and Cassandra Mack, a multi-discipline instructor for NRA’s Women’s Wilderness Escape, the Red Squad quickly learns to track and break clays.
They’re coached with encouragement and precision. A twentysomething in braids and cutoff jeans quickly emerges as the squad’s sharpshooter. Each shattered clay brings cheers and high fives. This is what Women On Target is all about: building skills, confidence and community through shooting sports.
Robin Gallagher, right, instructs a WOT participant in the fundamentals of skeet.
Pistol Confidence: One Hour, One Spark
At the pistol range, instructors showcase a variety of handguns selected for newer shooters. DCWC takes a novel approach to their shooting clinics; they spend little time on the mechanics of loading and unloading in favorite of one goal—lighting a spark. Lisa and her volunteer coaches have one hour to ignite the interest of these new shooters. She knows what can grow from such a spark. “I came home from my Women On Target and I said to my husband, I need to join, I need to do this.”
Reactive Targets, Real Excitement
After lunch—itself no minor logistical undertaking with 60 shooters and at least as many volunteers—Red Squad heads to rifle. Jeff Sandhofer has taught thousands of women over nearly three decades. His secret? Skip the paper.
“We’ve developed a bunch of fun things to shoot at that are inexpensive, environmentally friendly and give instant feedback,” Jeff explained. “Who doesn’t like to see chalk sticks or mini clay birds explode?”
For Jeff, the rewards of Women On Target extend beyond the skills he shares. “Winning over a lady who started the day somewhat anti-gun and coming back at the end of the day asking ‘What is that gun model? I want a picture and details so I can get my own!’ makes the long day and prep ahead of time all worth it!”
Finishing with a Bang: Taken with Trap
The final stop of the day is trap. Ray’s favorite. Confidence is no longer tentative; it’s earned. A friendly rivalry emerges between Team Trap and Team Skeet. The women have spent the day shooting; now it is clear they are becoming shooters.
As the day winds down, Ray gathers the Red Squad. Did you have fun? Were there any surprises? Which discipline did you like best? Everyone has a favorite discipline. The consensus? Shooting is fun—recreational, challenging, social and rewarding.
Each woman receives a gift bag, courtesy of the NRA Foundation, which also supported the event with grants for necessities like targets and ammunition. DCWC works hard to keep the clinic low-cost and accessible, so any woman curious about shooting sports has a clear path forward.
Before leaving, some women ask about joining the club. Others want to know about classes. More than a few plan to return as volunteers. All will leave with a new perspective—and perhaps, the start of a lifelong journey.
