Creating more opportunities for women to get involved in practical handgun shooting is the focus of a new partnership between NSSF and the U.S. Practical Shooting Association . Through their partnership, NSSF and USPSA are teaming up for clinics and other initiatives at the local club level, all of which are directed at creating more opportunities for women.
“Many women are interested in learning about shooting, but don’t necessarily know how or where to begin,” said Cyndi Dalena, NSSF shooting range promotions director. “Through NSSF’s support of USPSA, we are helping provide women with educational and enjoyable ways to learn.”
NSSF and USPSA are also teaming up with title sponsor Smith and Wesson at upcoming “Babes With Bullets” regional camps for women. The instructional camps will feature some of the nation’s top shooters as instructors and will cover basic safety and shooting techniques involved in practical pistol shooting.

Fairfax, VA - Applications for NRA’s Women’s Wildlife Management/Conservation Scholarship must be postmarked by April 15, 2006.This scholarship, established by NRA’s Women’s Policies Committee and administered by The NRA Foundation, is a renewable, one-year, $1,000 scholarship available to full-time female college juniors or seniors with a minimum grade point of 3.0 majoring in wildlife management/conservation.
“Hunters, men and women, contribute more in support of wildlife conservation than any other group in America. The Women of the NRA are absolutely committed to the tradition, to wildlife conservation, and to the expanding role of women, not only in the shooting sports, but in the conservation of wildlife for generations to come,” said Sue King, Chair, Women’s Policies Committee, National Rifle Association.
The scholarship recipient will be selected in May of 2006 by the Women’s Policies Committee with funding beginning for the Fall Semester of 2006.
Application forms, criteria, supporting materials and general information may be found at http://www.nrafoundation.org/Womens_Scholarship_2006.doc
Information may also be obtained by calling Sandy Elkin at 703-267-1131 or by e-mail at selkin@nrahq.org.
Completed application forms with all supporting information and materials, postmarked by April 15, 2006, should be sent to: The NRA Foundation, Women’s Scholarship, Attn: Sandy Elkin, 11250 Waples Mill Rd., Fairfax, VA 22030.
To support the Women’s Wildlife Management/Conservation Scholarship, from the Women of the NRA, please send contributions to The NRA Foundation, c/o Sandy Elkin at 11250 Waples Mill Road, Fairfax, VA 22030. Contributions to The NRA Foundation, Inc. are tax-deductible to the extent allowed by federal law.

LAS VEGAS — Participation by women in hunting and shooting sports has jumped in recent years, and may jump even higher in years to come.
Christine Godleski, vice president and general manager of ESPN Outdoors, predicts that growth will continue thanks to the television shows, magazines, grassroots programs — and especially the many new products — that appeal to women.
Godleski made her prediction during her keynote address to a capacity crowd Friday at the Shooting, Hunting and Outdoor Trade Show’s annual Women in the Industry luncheon at the Las Vegas Convention Center.
“Participation among women in hunting and target shooting rose from 4.2 million to 6.3 million between 1999 and 2004,” Godleski said. “It’s the grassroots initiatives and volunteers that encourage women to go out and try it and from positive exposure by the television media and all the women’s publications that are out there.”
Godleski said programs like the National Shooting Sports Foundation’s STEP OUTSIDE, the National Wild Turkey Federation’s Women in the Outdoors, the National Rifle Association’s Women on Target, and Becoming an Outdoors Woman are just some of the initiatives that are helping women become more involved in the outdoors.
Television programming like the ESPN Great Outdoor Games, ESPN 2’s Get Wild with Cindy Garrison and other ESPN Outdoors shows are seen by millions, shining a spotlight on women who enjoy hunting and shooting, Godleski said.
“The numbers are up, participation is up and we have plenty of opportunities to take that six million to a much higher number,” Godleski said.
Garrison — who travels the country and the world on hunting, shooting and fishing pursuits on her show each week — said a lot of women are intimidated by shooting and hunting, but they shouldn’t be.
“What a lot of people don’t realize is that it’s not just about killing something or shooting a gun, it’s about conservation and it’s about just getting out there — getting out of the city, getting out of the house and enjoying the outdoors,” Garrison said.