Shooting Sports Policies and Upcoming Trainings

The Council encourages units to experience shooting sports. To ensure unit activities are planned and conducted safely, they must follow the council shooting sports policy.

Archery and BB-gun shooting are restricted to day camps, Cub Scout/Webelos Scout resident camps, council-managed family camping programs, or council activities where there are properly trained supervisors and all standards for BSA shooting sports are enforced. ARCHERY, BB-GUN AND PELLET GUN SHOOTING ARE NOT TO BE DONE AT THE DEN AND PACK LEVEL.

Archery and BB gun shooting belt loops and pins may be earned only at the camps and activities listed above. These programs are designed to emphasize safety and marksmanship development under the direction of trained range officers using nationally approved instructional methods.

Cub Scouts may not shoot firearms of any kind other than BB guns and pellet guns by Webelos.

Archery and BB-gun shooting are supervised by BSA Rangemasters who are trained and certified by the council shooting sports committee.

Public and commercial shooting ranges are BSA-approved. HOWEVER, an NRA-certified Range Safety Officer (RSO) and an NRA-certified firearm instructor MUST SUPERVISE the range operation.  If the range cannot provide the 2 certified individuals, the unit must provide them.

The firearm instructor must be certified for the firearm being used.

The range manager may insist that in-house personnel operate the range. In that case, the NRA-certified safety officer and instructor must be present and coordinate their efforts with the assigned range personnel.

Private ranges are not BSA-approved except when they been approved by the Crossroads of the West Council shooting sports committee.

To locate ranges in your community, visit: wheretoshoot.org

Non-BSA youth groups must consult their organizational leadership as to what ranges are approved for their use.

Download the National BSA Shooting Sports manual - it provides detailed instruction, requirements and policies for all level of shooting activities in the Boy Scouts of America.

Units must use Council-approved standard operating procedures (SOP) when doing any range firing. Download these documents at the bottom of this webpage.

Visit the Boy Scouts of America shooting sports resource webpage for helpful information.

Get Registered

Throughout the year, the Council's Shooting Sports Committee will be hosting Scouts BSA troops at Camp Tracy's archery and rifle ranges. Click here to view those opportunities.

  • NRA RSO Course - December 2, 2023 ($30. Ogden Service Center. 9am - 5pm) Register Now

Downloads...

File Name Description
2023 Shooting Sports Extravaganza Flyer Download, print and share! Download
Crossroads of the West Council Shooting Sports Policy Download
Guidelines - Instructor & RSO Download
Guidelines - Merit Badge Counselor Download
Guidelines - Unit Leader Download
Standard Operating Procedures - Pistol Download
Standard Operating Procedures - Rifle Download
Standard Operating Procedures - Shotgun Download