About Us

Buckeye Outdoors Youth Education & Shooting Center, Inc. (BOYESC) is a 501(c)(3) non-profit organization dedicated to promoting firearm, archery, and hunting safety to school-aged youth.  Our programs are youth oriented while encouraging families to get involved with their youth in both the outdoors and shooting sports.

Safety and safety education are our highest priority and is constantly being reinforced in each and every program.  We just don’t talk about it, the youth get hands-on practice while at the trap and archery range or in the field.

Our largest program is the shotgun sports which include trapshooting and sporting clays.  Youth get involved for instruction, recreation and competition…they choose the level of participation.  Who doesn’t like to break things for fun and not get into trouble?

For our youth who have gained new found shotgun skills we offer youth upland hunting opportunities pursuing pheasant, chukar and quail.  Instruction is offered in four phases taking the youth from a complete novice to an experienced upland hunter. BOYESC provides birds, guides and dogs for the hunts.

Our outdoor archery program comprises of three levels of instruction including a walk-thru 3-D course with most of the big game animals.  Bows are provided for those who do not own a bow. We accepted youth in grades 3 – 12 for the program.

Hunter Education classes are offered throughout the year for those looking to get their first hunting license.

BOYESC also works in conjunction with the Lakes and Trails Organization outdoor camps by instructing the shotgun range and sponsoring youth to the hunting camp.  The 10–17 year old students have an excellent environment which integrates classroom instruction, as well as, hands- on training. The four year curriculum includes both Hunter Education and Boater Safety Certifications.

Check out our links to learn more about our youth opportunities.

History

The History of the Buckeye Outdoor Youth Education & Shooting Center, Inc. (BOYESC)

The conception of BOYESC began in June 2006.  A group of people interested in passing our outdoor traditions to the next generation met to discuss forming an organization with this mission.  However, to better understand the history of BOYESC we have to go back to March 2005 when Brad Harker started the Chippewa Trapshooting Club for the students of Chippewa High School.  The first year was a great success with 41 youth participating and many helpful volunteers and sponsors donating time and money.  The second season a small group of middle school shooters were added and the club grew to 73 youth.  As the excitement and enthusiasm grew among the youth, parents, volunteers, and sponsors we knew we had the nucleus for an outdoor youth organization.

The planning and organizing began in the summer of 2006.  The fall of 2006 BOYESC was formed and incorporated.  An application for 501(c)(3) non- profit status was filed and granted in 2007.  Legally we were up and running and now the task of getting the programs and funding in place was before the Board.  Shortly, after the Board was formed, the opportunity to assume the management of a local trapshooting range was offered to BOYESC.  The Board decided this was a good opportunity and the Copley Trap Range was now part of BOYESC.  The range is the home of the Buckeye Chippewa Youth Trapshooting program, and the nationally recognized Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) team.  The range provides opportunities for the public to shoot to help raise funds for range improvements and sponsor our youth programs.  All staff work as volunteers and are committed to providing hands-on opportunities for our youth to learn and practice firearm, archery, and hunting safety rules and enhance their skills.

The programs in place are a shotgunning program (2005), hunter education classes (2007), youth hunts (2008), and an archery program(2009).  The shotgun program known as the Buckeye Chippewa Youth Shooting Sports is the centerpiece of the organization.  The youth enjoy the challenge of breaking clay targets while setting goals for themselves and their team.  BOYESC offers instructional, recreational, and competitive trapshooting and sporting clays for school-aged youth.  The organization has consistently grown and stayed strong through a range change and an economic downturn (2008).  The staff consists of NRA/ATA/USA/SCTP Shooting certified coaches and many adult volunteers.  Approximately half of the youth who participate in the program go on to compete in SCTP youth shoots.  The team competes in categories based on age and experience.  The competitive teams have won or placed high in every shoot including winning State Championships and National Championships. Although the club’s roots began at Chippewa High School and shooting at another gun club, the ability to operate our own range has opened the door to allow any youth to participate.  Currently our youth represent seven counties and over 40+ school districts with the largest concentration from Summit, Medina, Wayne and Cuyahoga counties.  Another exciting part of our shotgun program is getting to witness the community’s families enjoying competitive and non-competitive shooting together.

The youth hunts consist of opportunities to hunt pheasant and chukar.  BOYESC provides the trapshooting range, guns and instruction for OSFL Outdoors Skills Day and supports the Lake and Trails Youth Outdoor Camps by providing staff and equipment for the shotgun range.