Medical Consent Form and Adult Supervision – It is the responsibility of each team to have the appropriate state health consent and release forms for each participant. An adult supervisor or coach must be present at each event site with immediate access to those forms during events. They must also have access to them in off hours. The National 4-H Shooting Sports Program and the host institution are not responsible for medical authorizations or health histories of the participants.
Safety – Safety is the first priority for range staff, participants, coaches, and spectators. Standard and accepted range and shooting safety rules will always be followed. Any site-specific safety considerations will be announced at the appropriate venues. Match Director, Range officers, or other event staff may caution, warn, or eject any person on any range for unsafe behavior. Such ejection may result in forfeited scores, disqualification, or ejection from the grounds. Any spectator contributing to unsafe behavior or rules violations may be barred from the ranges by Committee staff or event management at any level.
Cell Phones and Other Electronic Devices –
Except in emergency situations, NO cell phones, radios, ear buds, smart watches, or other electronic communication devices may be used by competitors or others on or in the immediate vicinity of competitive ranges during active competition.
Essential communication may take place off the ranges where the process will not interfere with participants in any venue or compromise safe operation of the range.
Ranging, Walking or Previewing Ranges – In any contest where estimating ranges is inherent in the contest, use of range finders, previewing ranges, communicating distances to later competitors or similar actions is not allowed. These actions are grounds for disqualification for any individual or team involved.
Eye and Ear Protection Requirement –
Eye Protection: Adequate eye protection, covering both eyes, (shooting glasses, safety glasses or safety goggles, or hardened prescription glasses are required for all competitors in muzzleloading, air and smallbore pistol, air and smallbore rifle, and shotgun events. This includes Hunting Skills competitors during live fire events for rifle and shotgun. In all disciplines, eye wear placed over the eyes are not allowed to receive wireless communication, live stream, background noise or similar broadcasts that could interfere with range commands. Coaches or spectators on or near firing lines are subject to the same requirements. Individuals that violate this policy will be disqualified and/or dismissed from the Championships.
Ear Protection: In hunting live fire, muzzleloading, shotgun, smallbore pistol, and smallbore rifle, all competitors are required to have adequate ear protection carrying an OSHA Noise Reduction Rating (NRR) of at least 25 dB is required for all participants. Noise Canceling devices without an OSHA NRR rating are not adequate as they are designed to make listening more enjoyable, not reducing the dB of sound entering the ear. Coaches or spectators on or near firing lines are subject to the same requirements. In all disciplines, devices placed over, on, or into the ear are not allowed to receive wireless communication, background noise or similar broadcasts that could interfere with range commands. Individuals that violate this policy will be disqualified and/or dismissed from the Championships.