Competitive Shooting
When I was about 12 or 13 years old I went to an organized shooting event (I think it was Boy Scouts) and we shot some clay pigeons and handled some different kinds of long guns. When the day was over the sponsor gave a “Safe Shooter Award” When they announced it was me, I thought to myself, “what did I do?” I wasn't consciously thinking about “being safe”. I didn't walk around that day nervously reminding myself, “don’t forget to point the gun in a safe direction”, or “keep your finger off the trigger until your ready to shoot”. I just did those things because that was what you do. I guess respect and safety for firearms instilled in me by my dad must have paid off I still have that trophy somewhere; it’s a tiny little gold guy on a plastic base holding a shotgun (only now the barrel is broken off). That trophy symbolizes what we should all strive for, safety being second nature. Of course we should never get complacent and think that we know it all. That is when accide