Participants of youth shooting sports events held at the Chaparral Wildlife Management Area in southern Texas reflected the racial makeup of the region including a high percentage of Hispanics in attendance. Thirteen percent of participants indicated that they had never fired a gun prior to attendance of these events. Of those who had shot in the past, 61% did not currently participate in shooting activities other than hunting while 70% indicated that they hunt. Of those participants who stated that they hunt, only 40% had a current hunting license and 34% had the State required hunter education training. Shotgun events were the most popular shooting activity. Ninety five percent of attending students stated they would like to continue to participate in recreational shooting activities. Shooting events are an ideal way to encourage the participation of minorities and other non-traditional user groups in shooting sports.
