Harrisburg Hunters' and Anglers' Association has a strong commitment to youth and has demonstrated this through their support of numerous youth programs. We are pleased they continue to support the BB Gun Program for the ages of 8 to 15. (Shooters age out of this program on their 16th birthday.)
Daisy started this program in 1965. It has a very long tradition of teaching gun safety, creating self discipline, the spirit of competition and having fun while you are learning. This program is a mixture of both shooting and learning gun safety, as well as the operation of a BB Gun and all of it’s rules that encompass BB Gun competition. These skills translate into life skills and other shooting skills, such as competition shooting at the adult level and hunting.
The safety class for our 2025-26 season will begin Wednesday, October 15th, 2025 and run through the end of December. The safety class is mandatory for participation on the team. Each class builds on the previous one. The dates for this year's safety class are:
October 15, 17, 22, 22, 29, 31
November 5, 7, 12, 14, 19, 21
December 3, 10, 12 (event), 17
We do not meet the week of Thanksgiving. We get together to watch A Christmas Story the 2nd Friday of December. All classes are from 6:15 p.m. to 8:45 p.m. Class is taught from 6:30 until 8:30 with the additional 15 minutes on either side being for setup and tear down. All participants assist with this task.
This program is open to the public and there are no fees for this course. Parents** participate so they can assist their shooter with studying (and the loading of the guns during the season). Practice for the competition season is held every Wednesday and Friday between January 7th and the first Saturday of May. Practices are from 6:15 p.m. until 8:45 p.m., which includes setup/teardown by all participants. For more information and/or to register for the safety course, use the links in the bb gun section of the navigation menu at the top of any page on this website.
Every year, there is a possibility of attending the National Competition in Rogers, Arkansas in July. Qualification depends on the team's placement at the State Competition in April. If we qualify, this would extend practices for a group of 5 to 7 shooters through July 4th weekend, the typical weekend of the match.
Fundraising is necessary to keep this program free and open to the public.
In 2006, 2008, 2015, 2016, 2017, 2018, and 2025, the BB Gun Program benefited from a NRA Grant. The program was able to purchase equipment and supplies needed to expand the BB Gun Program. We would like to thank the NRA for their support of our program.
We appreciate any and all donations. Please make checks payable to Competitive Harrisburg Association of Marksmanship Program (CHAMPs). You may visit their page by clicking CHAMPs in the menu.
Our donation request letter will be available soon. If you have any questions, regarding fund management, contact Burt "Rusty" Stockton at hbgshooters@gmail.com.
** Parents may send another designated adult to work with their child. If this is not possible, contact Pam at hbgbbteam@gmail.com to discuss alternatives.