For the past 15 years, the Bull’s Eye 4-H Shooting Club has taught Butler County youths about four shooting disciplines.

The club, founded in 2000, has 20 to 25 members and is the only 4-H shooting club in the county.

It teaches archery, air riflery, riflery and shotgun shooting. Members can choose what they want to do.

“They can do one discipline or they can do all four,” said Denise Foertsch, the club’s organizational leader.

The club accepts members between the ages of 8 and 18 just like any other 4-H club. It holds its business and social meetings at the Jefferson Township Grange, and it practices shooting at the Butler City Hunting and Fishing Club.

“It’s just target practice,” Foertsch said.

The club has air rifles and archery equipment, and the Butler City Hunting and Fishing Club has rifles. Shotguns are the only guns the members would have to supply.

Club leaders, who supervise shooting and meetings, are volunteers. All of the leaders are National Rifle Association or National Archery Association certified.

“The leaders are always at any practice we have,” Foertsch said.

If a new member has never shot before, the leaders go over the rules of safety and the range.

The club provides safety equipment, such as eye and ear protection. The club also supplies ammunition, but it asks the children to provide money sometimes to replace it.

Although shooting and hunting sometimes are considered boy’s activities, Foertsch said many girls are involved in the club.

“One year it was 50-50,” said Foertsch, whose daughters are past club members.

She said the club teaches many skills, and not just shooting skills. Some include following directions, hand-eye coordination and working as a team. She said it also can teach patience, noting there often is not enough archery equipment to cover everyone, so the members have to wait their turn.

In addition to shooting and the 4-H project, the club also does fundraising programs and goes on trips to places like Benezett in Elk County, the Laurel Caverns and the Carnegie Science Center. Additionally, it also has programs on topics such as firefighters, search and rescue dogs and the Red Cross.

Because it is a 4-H club, members have to complete the 4-H project book and have a poster to display at the Butler Farm Show.

To join, contact the Penn State Extension at 724-287-4761.