If you’ve ever been frustrated by your current riflescope’s inability to perform well in low-light conditions, visit www.NRAhuntersrights.org during the month of September for a chance to win a Trijicon AccuPoint 3-9×40 riflescope.

Trijicon’s AccuPoint line features a battery-free, self-illuminating reticle for a vivid aiming point in any light, be it dusk, dawn, or sometime in between. The AccuPoint is the only variable-power riflescope that combines both fiber optics and a built-in self-luminous Tritium Phosphor Lamp, meaning the aiming point automatically glows in low-light conditions-without the need for batteries. The model we’re giving away comes with a standard crosshair and green dot aiming point.

Other great features include easy-focus eyepieces, multi-coated lenses that gather loads of light with zero distortion, long eye-relief, and a manual brightness override that allows you to easily adjust the brightness of your aiming point. An aircraft-grade aluminum body and matte-black finish ensures this scope is durable and perfectly suited for any hunting situation. A set of lens caps, Trijicon LensPen cleaning tool, and Trijicon’s lifetime warranty are included.

Free to one entrant, this scope retails for $815. For more information on Trijicon’s AccuPoint line of riflescopes, visit www.trijicon.com.

Online registration is currently underway for the 10th Annual Youth Dove Hunts that are in the North Zone. Registration for the South Zone hunts will open on Sept. 20. South Zone counties include Baldwin, Barbour, Coffee, Covington, Dale, Escambia, Geneva, Henry, Houston and Mobile counties; all other counties are in the North Zone. The event is sponsored by the Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries (WFF) with support from many partners.

North Zone hunts begin Sept. 4, and South Zone hunts begin Oct. 2. There is no cost to participate in the hunts. However, pre-registration is necessary for all youth dove hunts. Hunt schedules and registration information is available at www.outdooralabama.com/hunting/youth-hunts/youthdove.cfm.

Online registration is encouraged, but interested participants without Internet access will be allowed to register by calling their WFF district office listed in the hunt schedule. A district office employee will complete the electronic registration form for you over the phone.

Hey, Kentucky kids! Looking for some challenging shooting and delicious dove meat? Registration begins next Monday, Aug. 16, for the mentor/youth dove hunts on Saturday, Sept. 4. Those interested in reserving a slot must call 1-800-858-1549 weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Eastern time between Aug. 16 and Aug. 27 to register.

The mentor/youth dove hunts lend an opportunity for adult mentors to introduce youth aged 15 years and under to the joy of a productive early season dove hunt.

Dove season opens Sept. 1 and closes Oct. 24 for the first segment. The second segment of dove season opens Nov. 25 and runs until Dec. 3. The third segment opens Jan. 1 and closes Jan. 7, 2011.

The mentor/youth hunts are popular and those wanting slots should register early. One adult mentor may take two youths to these hunts. Hunter education and licensing requirements apply to those participating in the mentor/youth dove hunts.

Shooting hours run from 2 to 7 p.m. Sept. 4. Mentor/youth dove fields are closed Sept. 1 - 3. Mentor/youth fields located on wildlife management areas are open to public hunting Sept. 5 through Oct. 24. Fields located on private land are open to public hunting Sept. 6 and open again Sept. 11 through Oct. 24.

For more information on the mentor/youth dove hunts, consult the Kentucky Hunting Guide for Dove, Wood Duck, Teal, Woodcock, Snipe and Crow available on the Internet at fw.ky.gov and also soon available in booklet form wherever hunting licenses are sold.

Editor’s Note: Want to hear more about dove hunting? Keep your eyes peeled for the September issue of InSights for tips and tricks you’ll need in the dove fields!

The 2010 National Rifle and Pistol Championships kicks off July 12 at Camp Perry in Port Clinton, Ohio. Conducted by the National Rifle Association (NRA) and the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) with assistance from the Ohio National Guard, these matches have long been considered the “World Series of the Shooting Sports.” A tradition at Camp Perry since 1907, the event is divided into five separate phases: Pistol, Smallbore 3-Position, Smallbore Prone, High Power, and Long Range.

“For more than 100 years, thousands of contenders have journeyed to Camp Perry with family and friends to compete amongst the best shooters in the world,” said NRA President Ron Schmeits. “It’s a true expression of freedom, sportsmanship, and exercising of our second amendment rights.”

The National Matches begin each year in early July with the National Pistol Championships and conclude in August with the Long Range High Power Championship. Competitors represent a vast array of experience including novice shooters, Olympic medalists, law enforcement officers, military personnel, and international competitors.

MidwayUSA is the Title Sponsor for the 2010 National Championships, joined by Universal Coin & Bullion for the Pistol Championships, Springfield Armory for the NRA/Springfield M1A match, and Pierce Bullet Seal Target Systems for the High Power Championships. The support of new and returning sponsors shows a continued dedication to the competitive shooting sports and will allow for an enhanced awards schedule.    

The schedule for the 2010 National Championships is as follows:

July 12:                                 First Shot Ceremony

July 13-17:                           NRA National Pistol Championships

July 21-24:                           NRA National Smallbore Rifle Position Championships

July 25-29:                           NRA National Smallbore Rifle Prone Championships

August 8:                             NRA/Springfield M1A Match

August 10-13:    NRA National High Power Rifle Championships

August 14-17:    NRA Long Range Championship

To receive up to the minute reports, photos, and results during the Championships, check www.nrablog.com. For more on the National Rifle and Pistol Championships at Camp Perry, or other competitive shooting events or programs, visit www.nrahq.org/compete or call (703) 267-1450.

The 2010 NRA National Junior Air Gun Championships and Training Summit will be held in Albuquerque, New Mexico from June 23-26, 2010. The competition will take place at the Albuquerque Convention Center.

The event is open to all junior shooters under the age of 21 to compete in the Sporter and/or Precision Class based on the type of equipment used. Competitors are then ranked in age groups according to their birth year: Sub-Junior – born 1996 or later; Intermediate Junior – born 1993-1995; Junior – born 1990-1992. Shooters may choose to shoot as individuals or as part of a four-person team.”We’re excited to bring this year’s National Junior Air Gun Championship and Training Summit to Albuquerque,” said Jessica McClain, NRA Air Gun Coordinator. “We have competitors traveling from all across the country to see how they measure up to other air gun shooters on a national level.”

This year 150 junior shooters from 15 states will travel to Albuquerque to compete and participate in the Training Summit. Open to shooters, coaches, and parents, the Training Summit offers informational seminars on a variety of topics including mental and physical aspects of competition, nutrition for shooters, collegiate shooting opportunities, and information on other programs for youth offered by the NRA.

Check-in, equipment inspection, and practice will be held on Wednesday, June 23rd, with formal competition held on Thursday, June 24th and Saturday, June 26th. The Awards Ceremony will be held at 7:00 p.m. on Saturday. Shooters will have a break from competing in order to attend the Training Summit held on Friday, June 25th. On Thursday night, competitors can attend the Barter Bar, where shooters can swap and trade collectible items such as hats, pins, patches, or fun items that represent their home states.

For more information on the National Junior Air Gun Championship and Training Summit, contact Jessica McClain at 703-267-1477 or by email at jmcclain@nrahq.org.

The names are in! The National Rifle Association has selected 45 students to participate in its 2010 Youth Education Summit (Y.E.S.), a seven-day, expense-paid educational experience in Washington, D.C. While in the nation’s capital, rising high school juniors and seniors will learn the significance of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights and the importance of being an active citizen. Students tour the U.S. Capitol, the National Archives Museum, the Pentagon, the NRA National Firearms Museum, and many of the memorials and monuments in Washington, D.C.

Students also have the opportunity to compete for up to $10,000 in college scholarships, awarded to those who excel during the week’s activities, including individual speeches and debates. Students also compete for a $20,000 scholarship after they attend Y.E.S. Each participant has eight months to develop a portfolio describing how he or she promoted NRA programs, such as the Eddie Eagle GunSafe® program, in the participant’s community.

The students listed below were selected from numerous qualified applicants from across the country. Applicants were required to complete an extensive application, which included submission of an essay about the Second Amendment, a personal statement, transcripts and three personal recommendations.

 Keep your eyes peeled for the October issue of NRA InSights to learn more about the Y.E.S. “Class of 2010″!

2010 Y.E.S. Participants

Brooke Bradshaw – Holtville, CA

Russell Babb – Highland, UT

Nayar Barron – Weiser, ID

Rachel Beck – Lockport, IL

Brandy Blanton – Newberry, SC

Joseph Bliss - Sioux Falls, SD

Kelly Bogart – Merrick, NY

Alyssa Campbell - Huber Heights, OH

Janson Card – Spokane, WA

Andrew Clark – Carmel, CA

Nathanael Coffman - O’Fallon, MO

Catherine Cox - Southern Pines, NC

Amanda Cramer - Colorado Springs, CO

Erin DuBose – Anthony, FL

Tyler Ebert – Weston, WI

Stacey Eller - Rochester Hills, MI

Elizabeth Gonzalez – Chesterton, IN

Kaitlyn Higgins – Weiser, ID

Rachel High – Tucson, AZ

Eugene Huang-Lee – Voorhees, NJ

Reed Hubbell – Crawford, CO

Henry Jentz – Cincinnati, OH

Carly Johns – Anaconda, MT

Phillip Lenavitt - Fort Sam Houston, TX

Breanna Lincoski – Daisytown, PA

Luke Macfarlan - Siloam Springs, AR

Michael Matheson - Cedar City, UT

Heather McCormac - Citrus Heights, CA

Jessica Mills – Collierville, TN

Ryan Montgomery – Pendleton, OR

Caleb Moore – Elizabethtown, KY

Arika Morgan – Lemmon, SD

Arielle Mueller – Wayzata, MN

Julia Parker – Merrimack, NH

Wendy Pittman – Autaugaville, AL

Evan Poliquin – Auburn, ME

Alexandrea Provine - Oro Valley, AZ

Samantha Salazar - West Seneca, NY

Zachary Sawyer – Poultney, VT

Victoria Schlotzhauer - New Franklin, MO

Casey Stengel - Las Vegas, NV

Nathan Switzer - Newport News, VA

John Wagner – Russell, PA

Philip Wegmann – Woodburn, IN

Matthew Wolf – Krebs, OK

National Firearms Museum Senior Curator Doug Wicklund will be at the North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame in Medora, North Dakota, June 12-13.

The “Gun Road Show” takes place at the Cowboy Hall of Fame Saturday and Sunday, and Wicklund isn’t coming empty handed — he’s bringing the famous Smith & Wesson .44 Magnum revolver Clint Eastwood used in Dirty Harry.
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Wicklund will be evaluating firearms from 1 to 4 p.m. on Saturday and 12 to 3 p.m. Sunday at the Hall, located at 250 Main Street in Medora. Organizers have established a one-firearm-per-person limit, and require each participant to have their gun checked at the door.
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On Saturday, Wicklund will present a free seminar titled “Guns of the West” at 7 p.m. Learn about the famous guns of outlaws and lawmen as well as Hollywood firearms that won the cinematic West, many of which are on display at the National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, VA.

“The last time I was in Medora, some fantastic guns came in for me to review,” Wicklund said. “I’m looking forward to seeing more pieces of Western history.”

The North Dakota Cowboy Hall of Fame is the interpretive center for the history of Native Americans, ranching, rodeo, and the western lifestyle of the plains and Badlands. Designed by Bismarck architect Arnie Hanson, the 15,000-square-foot building, with a 5,000- square-foot patio, is located in downtown Medora, N.D., at the gate of the Theodore Roosevelt National Park.

For more information on the National Firearms Museum, visit nramuseum.org.

Guns from the hands of Hollywood’s greatest actors and icons will be on display at the NRA National Firearms Museum in Fairfax, Virginia beginning June 25, 2010. Titled Hollywood Guns, the exhibit showcases firearms from silver screen classics like Stagecoach to 2010 Best Picture Oscar Winner The Hurt Locker.

“Hollywood Guns is all about phenomenal firearms borrowed from our friends in America’s movie capital,” Senior Curator Phil Schreier said. “They come from the largest Hollywood prop houses and private collections around the country.”

Featuring more than 125 unique firearms, the exhibit showcases famous and infamous firearms including Obi Wan Kenobi’s light saber from Star Wars, the Remington 11-87 shotgun from No Country for Old Men, and John Wayne’s Winchester 1892 carbine from his break-out roll in Stagecoach. “The pieces in this exhibit are the firearms the public recognizes,” Schreier said. “They help bring excitement and realism to a film.”

Spanning the decades of 1930 to 2010, Hollywood Guns has something for everyone, Museum Director Jim Supica says. “These guns have never before been seen together,” Supica says, “and probably never will again.”

Film buffs and gun collectors will equally be amazed with selections from crime dramas, police thrillers, as well as a generous sampling from Western classics and war movies.

The National Firearms Museum is located at 11250 Waples Mill Road in Fairfax, Virginia and is open daily from 9:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. For more information, visit the NFM web site at http://nra.nationalfirearms.museum.

On April 25, Apple approved the NRA’s first iPhone app and made it available in the iTunes Store. The app was created for the 2010 NRA Annual Meetings. It includes maps of the exhibitor floor, interest points throughout the city of Charlotte, lists of exhibitors, and an event schedule.  

The app even has the ability to automatically receive Twitter updates about the Annual Meetings in real time.

To find the app in the iTunes Store, click here.

If you have an iPhone, iPad, or iTouch, please show your support for the app and the NRA. Download the app from iTunes, check it out and write a review.

–Danielle Sturgis, www.nrablog.com

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Remember September 2009’s issue of InSights, when we introduced you to the Youth Education Summit’s Class of ‘09? Well, the NRA Foundation has awarded a total of $20,000 through the 2010 Youth Education Summit (Y.E.S.) Grand Scholarship contest, whose pool of applicants came from 2009 summit attendees. The scholarships are paid directly to the accredited college or technical school of the student’s choice.

 Scholarships awarded include:

$6,000 - Alyssa Ferrin, Phoenix, Arizona
$5,000 - Ben French, Paradise, Montana
$3,000 - Holly Stewart, Nashville, Tennessee
$3,000 - Alexis Zobel, Shelbyville, Indiana
$1,500 - Stacy Schlotzhauer, New Franklin, Missouri
$500 - Korbin Kiblinger, Redmond, Oregon
$500 - Justice Locatelli, Corralitos, California
$500 - Lisa-Marie Rieckhoff, West Allis, Wisconsin
Honorable Mention - Mackenzie DeRuyter, Valleyford, Washington
Honorable Mention - Colin Wait, Durango, Colorado

 To apply, students must first attend the national Youth Education Summit. After attending, students have eight months to work on a Grand Scholarship application where they develop a portfolio that communicates their experience at Y.E.S. and how it has contributed to their personal growth and introduce an NRA program to their community.  Many students talked with local media, volunteered at Friends of NRA events, and started Eddie Eagle GunSafe® programs in their communities.  Applications were judged on quality, diversification, and quantity. All of the entries showed impressive characteristics of each individual.

This program is funded through state grants from The NRA Foundation. Much of the money is raised through Friends of NRA, a grassroots-fundraising program utilizing banquets and auctions as a primary means to fundraise.

The Youth Education Summit is a seven-day, expense paid educational experience in Washington, D.C. for rising high school juniors and seniors. While in the nation’s capital, students learn the significance of the U.S. Constitution and the Bill of Rights while developing an understanding of federal government and the importance of active participation. The National Rifle Association started Y.E.S. in an effort to encourage America’s youth to become active and knowledgeable citizens.  The 2010 program takes place on July 12 - 18.  For more information, visit www.friendsofnra.org/yes or contact Senior Event Services Coordinator Nicole McMahon at (800) 672-3888 ext. 1342, or by email at nmcmahon@nrahq.org.

Friends of NRA is a grassroots fundraising program designed to generate support for NRA educational programs. Working with NRA field representatives, volunteers organize banquets in their communities, complete with auctions, raffles and door prizes. Since 1993, more than 15,000 Friends of NRA events have been held across the country, raising over $140 million. Half the proceeds are used to support local and state shooting sports programs and the other half is awarded to qualifying national programs. More information about Friends of NRA can be found online at www.friendsofnra.org or by calling (800) 672-3888 ext. 1354.