State sponsoring women’s only shooting academy

The Missouri Department of Conservation is holding a women’s only shooting academy for the second summer in a row. Brian Flowers with the MoDOC says the academy was so popular last summer, they decided to hold another session this year.

“MDC reaches out to new and non-traditional audiences in all our educational programs,” Flowers said. “Offering this type of program allows women to feel more comfortable learning around other women.”

Gun issues have been a hot topic on the state and national level in recent years. With many mass shootings across the country some people are asking if there should be more restrictions on guns. Others say there needs to be more focus on gun safety, securing weapons, and training on handling firearms.

“The goal of these programs is to teach the safe and responsible use of firearms both for recreational target shooting and for hunting,” said Flowers. “Our hope is that participants will feel comfortable using firearms and might give target shooting or hunting a try.”

This year is Missouri Legislature, only one gun related bill made it through both the House and Senate. Senate Bill 656, which “modifies provisions relating to county sheriffs, self defense, unlawful use of weapons, and conceal carry permits”.

Lawmakers did not pass a bill that would have allowed concealed carry permit holders to have their weapons on college campuses.

Jim Hill with Target Masters in Columbia says “gun free zones” are attractive to shooters.

“The nutcases always try to go hunting where its a gun free zone,” Hill said. “That’s why they go to colleges, that’s why they go to churches, that’s why they go to schools. They don’t want to get shot they just want to run a game on you.”

Hill says he’s been handling firearms since he was a kid and is an advocate for handling them correctly.

“It’s one of those deals unlike a car, you start to do something goofy, you can put on the brakes. You press the trigger on a gun, you can’t stop. And so you need to understand the finality of when you press the trigger. “

Hill said with society becoming more urbanized and moving away from the rural lifestyle that often involves firearms in everyday life, some people may not understand the consequences guns can have.

“You can’t just get a permit and then think its all over. If you don’t train properly, if you don’t practice properly, you really shouldn’t carry.”

According to a report by the Crime Prevention Research Center, as of February 2013, Missouri had 171,000 Conceal Carry permit holders.