4-H Shooting Sports National Championships Rules & Forms

Event registration is coordinated through your 4-H Shooting Sports State Coordinator or Designated Person. You can the contact information for your state's Shooting Sports coordinator at 4-hshootingsports.org.

General Rules

2024 General Rules

Memo: Position on adding/expanding disciplines at 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships

Event Synopsis

2024 Event Synopsis

Accommodations

To request any accommodation to participate in the 4-H Shooting Sports National Championships, the individual or state coordinator MUST contact the host state Match Director, Steve Pritchard, before completing the registration process and prior to the registration deadline. Those instances require individuals to complete and submit an Accomodation Request Form.  If a needed accommodation arises after the event registration deadline, please submit the request as soon as possible using the same Accommodation Form and contact your state coordinator.

Silhouette Range

The distance for all silhouette matches (Muzzleloading, Smallbore Pistol, Smallbore Rifle) will be measured in “yards” not “meters” for 2024 to accommodate available space. We will be able to offer 32 firing points on the Cowboy Action Range at Heartland Public Shooting Park.  

New for 2024

• Air Rifle: Only wad cutter pellets are allowed for each discipline.
• In all archery disciplines, no coaches, parents, or spectators will be allowed on any ranges during competition. Only coaches and/or parents will be allowed on ranges for equipment failure or medical reasons with permission from CRO and/or ARO.
• The Archery shooting range is defined as the official shooting area. Spectators will be restricted to the spectator area only. There will be designated spectator areas for all events. In all events there is no coaching, communication, signaling or contact between competitors and coaches/parents until scorecards are turned in and validated.
• Smallbore Silhouette Rifles – 1.) The forend, including the trigger guard mounts and screws, shall not exceed 2 ¼ inches wide, and 2 ¼ inches deep measured from the centerline of the bore; 2.) The 2 ¼ rule will include some Anschutz and other target models; 3.) Magazines may only have 5 rounds loaded in them for both practice and competition.

Hunting Skills Scoring

     Daily Awards

•  Individual Awards are determined by adding where an individual ranked in each of the daily events. The lowest combined score would be the overall winner for that discipline.
• For example,
• Competitor A ranked 1st in Wildlife ID, 4th in Wildlife Management, and 5th in Archery. They would have a total of 10 points (1+4+5).
• Competitor B is ranked 2nd in Wildlife ID, 1st in Wildlife Management, and 8th in Archery, they would have a total of 11 points (2+1+8).
• Competitor A would be ranked 1st, and Competitor B would be ranked 2nd for that day’s events.
• The ranking of each day’s event will be based on the rank without the use of tiebreakers. If there was a 4-way tie for 3rd, all four competitors would receive 3 points for that day’s event.
• Team Awards will be determined the same way by adding how the top 3 team members ranked each of the events for that day.
• Tiebreakers
• The first tiebreaker is the ranking in the shooting discipline for that day.
• The remaining daily tiebreakers are as follows.
• Day 1
  • 2nd tiebreaker = Wildlife ID ranking.
  • 3rd tiebreaker = Wildlife Management ranking.
  • If a tie cannot be broken, a flip of the coin will determine the placing.
• Day 2
• 2nd tiebreaker = General Hunting Skills ranking.
• 3rd tiebreaker = Map Reading ranking.
• If a tie cannot be broken, a flip of the coin will determine the placing.
• Day 3
• 2nd tiebreaker = Decision Making ranking.
• 3rd tiebreaker = Compass Course ranking.
• If a tie cannot be broken, a flip of the coin will determine the placing.

Reminders for 2024

• Coaches and competitors are reminded to check their specific discipline section in this Synopsis for NGB version of rules that will be implemented this year.
• All shotguns used by competitors must be equipped, fitted, and utilized so as not to eject empty shells in a manner that substantially disturbs or interferes with other competitors.
• Shotgun events on Tuesday will start at 9 a.m. Shotgun events on Wednesday and Thursday will start at 8 a.m.
• Trap, Sporting Clays and Skeet will be mixed squadding. Competitors will not shoot with anyone from their own state.
• Two models of Air Pistols or any facsimile thereof (break open pistols) are NOT allowed in this event for safety reasons: Air Venturi V10 Target and Stoeger XP4.
• The Orion Scoring System and target will be used in Smallbore Rifle 3-P event.
• In Air Rifle Silhouettes a competitor with only one rifle will be allowed to mount their scope and check for zero on a 15-meter Range Wednesday after their 10-meter event is finished. Contact Mike Jochum.
• Course of Fire for 3-P Sporter Air Rifle - 60 record shots – 20 shots kneeling, 20 shots prone, 20 shots standing.
• Air Rifle Equipment Check-in will be by teams.
• No golf carts, ATV’s, club cars or similar vehicles will be allowed on the 3D and field archery ranges during competition.  

Check-In Procedure

All firearms, archery bows, equipment and supplies must be inspected at the check-in station on Sunday. See the Schedule for designated times and locations of your check-in site. Equipment may be checked at any time before, during, or following the  competition to ensure compliance with the event rules.

Shotgun participants DO NOT need to check in their firearms or equipment prior to competing. 

Participants should complete the appropriate discipline check-in forms and bring TWO copies to their discipline check-in station or follow the email directions on the form, if provided. This will help crews inspect and process your equipment in a timely manner. 

General Check-In Protocols

Check-In Maps

Check-In Forms (Download fillable pdf form first and then complete)

Letters & Discipline Information