The Australian Junior Shooter

Communications Officer Sam Talbot finds out what it takes to be a world-class biathlete by speaking with siblings Damon and Darcie Morton who are representing Australia in Europe. Sam also revisits all the action from the SSAA NSW 2017 Junior Target Shooting Camp, which included expert coaching from international shotgun shooters Michael McNabb and Gemma Dunn. Brad Allen shows some junior hunters the ropes while they attempt to obtain the very challenging Tartini Grand Slam. Joseph Nugent details how useful finding animal droppings can be when hunting and gives some great advice for juniors when it comes to identifying and ageing sign. Plus, we reveal the details for this year’s SSAA National Junior Challenge, which will be held in South Australia at SSAA Para in July.

Anthony Hall covers all the action from the 2016 SSAA National Junior Challenge and the juniors who will be the future of our sport. Assistant Editor Dave Rose finds out how SSAA Bowen is attracting junior shooters to their club, while Geoff Porter reports on SSAA Wodonga taking the shooting sports, including biathlon, to schools at the ninth annual Inter School Shooting Competition. Communications Officer Sam Talbot catches up with the ‘This is Shooting’ sisters and finds out what they have been up to since starring in the SSAA’s national campaign. Joseph Nugent shows other juniors what equipment they need to be successful in the field, and Perry Magowan recalls taking his grandson Jack on his first deer adventure.

Liam Crespo goes hunting for goats with his father, grandfather and brother and the three generations of men get more than they bargain from the wildlife on a relatively untouched property. Wraps get made simple by Lynn Bain who gives a master class on how to take your game meat cooking to the next level. Assistant Editor Dave Rose speaks with 17-year-old SSAA member Danielle Lewis who with her father is getting on top of pesky foxes and rabbits in Victoria. Dave also interviews some up and coming shooters in WA who have completed range officer training. Damon Marks recalls the excitement and pressure of getting his first pig in a family of hunters, while junior shooters across Australia get excited for the upcoming SSAA National Junior Challenge.

Assistant Editor Dave Rose covers the 2015 SSAA National Junior Challenge, which was held at the Glenorchy range in Tasmania in July. Some of this year’s shooting stars include brothers Laughlan and Harry Freeman, who finished first and third respectively in the Under 15 title on their home range, and South Australia’s Jordan Robinson, who won the 15-18 title. Jared McCarthy details how he made a remarkable transition from an under-achiever to an accomplished international Air Rifle Field Target shooter. Joseph Nugent and Matt Fox each share stories on hunting red deer and goats with their fathers, while Victorian sisters Kimberly and April Buttress say they too would like to try hunting but are currently making solid progress from being rank novice shooters to competing at the SSAA National Junior Challenge.

Media Officer Kate Fantinel checks out the target shooting action at the 2015 Australian Venture gathering in South Australia. She meets up with Venturers Mostyn Hudson and Amy Paech who share their experiences with the rifle and pistol shooting events. Assistant Editor Dave Rose profiles Western Australian brothers and keen pistol shooters Hunter and Angus Knowles, while Queensland junior Domenica Finch takes us on a school holidays pig hunting trip where she sees native and pest animals, meets interesting people and learns some new skills. Perry Magowan and his grandson Jack head out on a South East Queensland red deer hunt, and we preview the upcoming National Junior Challenge and postal championships.

Media Officer Kate Fantinel recounts the interesting tale of Ashley Bellotti-Mulders, the Western Australian 2013 Junior Hunter of the Year. Ashley, from Mundaring, near Perth, won the award despite living with severe dyslexia and demonstrates a clear understanding of the importance of hunting from a conservationist perspective. Also on the hunting front, Paige Donald enjoys a South African safari with her grandfather, where she took a warthog and a kudu, while Joseph Nugent describes how he shot his first feral pig on a property outside Moonie, Queensland. Victorian Bailey Hourigan had a similar experience when he downed a 100kg boar on a trip to the Gove Peninsula in the Northern Territory. Elizabeth Mullens, who grew up in a farming and hunting household, puts together a farmhouse-style recipe for rabbit pie.

Elise Jurasovic relives the highlights of a deer hunting trip to the central highlands of Tasmania. Along the way, she also managed to squeeze in some supervised practice at lighting a fire with flint and steel, which could come in handy during any emergency situation. We speak with Single Action World Champion Sam Medway, who introduces us to his alias, ‘Savage Sam’, as he moves into competition cowboy mode to sample a taste of shooting from the era of the pioneering Wild West. James Farrugia discusses how he promotes the joys of recreational shooting with newcomers, and Elizabeth Mullens dishes up her recipe for tasty honey-soy duck, bacon and vegetable shish kebabs.

Benchrest wonder kid Stuart Foate explains his enthusiasm for the discipline and how he became involved in the specialised category. He follows this up with a basic beginner’s guide for aspiring SSAA junior shooters who may wish to try to emulate his deeds. Brad Allen, a hunter with more than 40 years experience, passes on some of his knowledge to the junior ranks. Brad should know how things work, as he has introduced his four children to the art of tracking game in the wild. Sam Spanton describes how he and his dad, as well as his sister Lilli, enjoyed making hunting inroads into a mob of goats who occupied a ridge. And Cameron Smith discusses the issue of allowing shooters to hunt pest animals in national parks.