My 4H Shooting Sports Story and Photo Portfolio

My name is Justin Fitzsimmons. I am 17 years old and participate in 4H events

as a Senior 2. It is hard to believe that I have been shooting for eight years. I

attend Richard King High School

in Corpus Christi and will be a

Senior in the fall.

My shooting year began in

February. In Texas, the weather

is never predictable. In years

past it has been below freezing

and rain, but this year the

temperatures were above

normal in both San Antonio and

Houston. However, in May, I

shot whiz bang in a driving rain

at the Victoria County 4H shoot. This has been the biggest challenge even more

so than the freezing weather I shot in 2014, because I couldn’t see the targets

with the rain hitting my glasses! The San Antonio Livestock Show and Rodeo

Shoot Out was my first competition where I shot an 81/100 in Trap. The

following weekend I shot Sporting Clays at the Houston Livestock Show and

Rodeo Young Guns Shoot. This was my third year shooting where I shot my

personal best of 76/100, and was able to shoot 10 of 10 on two stations! This

shooting complex has four courses and I have yet to shoot the same course so it

is hard to compare scores based on the courses but I look forward to next year

with my goal of shooting 90 or better. I

enjoy the Sporting Clays game and at

the end of the day, I was happy with

my scores and proud of myself. This

shoot has been a great experience

and I look forward to competing in it

next year with the goal of winning a

scholarship and prizes for my college

education.

With each practice and competition, I have

improved my shooting scores because I

want to win. Each year I work on something

new to help me shoot better. Slowing down

and focusing more on the targets and hold

points has improved my aim. I love my

Beretta 12-gauge over/under and how well I

perform with it. I have become more

proficient in skeet shooting having done very well boosting my confidence in my

skill. Last year I placed 3rd in skeet at the Guadalupe County 4H Shoot and was

very proud! This year I placed 3rd in skeet at the Victoria County 4H Shoot with a

49/50 score. My first round was a perfect 25!

I have mastered cleaning the automatic shotguns, taking them apart piece by

piece, thoroughly cleaning and putting back together. There are many pieces to

an automatic shotgun and the cleaner it is on the inside the more proficient it

shoots. I have held a gun cleaning workshop for the past three years. This year

we had a lot of new shooters who joined our club and who are using the club

shotguns. I taught more than ten 4Hers and parent’s how to take apart and put

together a gun. I really enjoy teaching the shooters how to take each piece

apart, cleaning it, and then putting it back together.

My coaches also asked me to

help assist with teaching the new

4Her’s on gun safety and how to

shoot. Some of these 4Hers have

never shot trap or skeet so it was

rewarding to be able to show them the things

that I’ve learned in my eight years shooting

experience.

My biggest recognition has not been winning

a competition but to be selected by my club

coaches and managers as the 4Her of the

Year for our club. This achievement has been

the best reward I could ever earn. I earned this award not because I shot the

most targets but because my leaders felt I exhibited the 4H Motto and Pledge

that 4H represents. I am very proud of being the first in the Trap and Skeet club

to be selected for this award!

I was asked by the

Nueces County 4H

extension agent to

share with others the

shooting sport program

at the Nueces County

4H Fun Day. I set up my

display demonstrating

how to hold a gun safely and also the shells and clay targets we shoot. I was one

of five stations at the Fun Day where I spoke

and answered questions for fellow 4Her’s,

adults, and those kids who are thinking about

joining 4H. It was a great experience and I look

forward to participating in the Fun Day again

next year.

I love being outside and another one of my

projects is Wildlife and Fisheries. I have been

hunting since I was six. I have shot bucks,

spikes, and does with Doe Permits at my Grandpas ranch. Hunting is only a part

of it as I have learned how to process a deer skinning and cleaning along with

deboning for processing in sausage. My uncle taught me over the years how to

process a deer for maximum meat harvest. Along with hunting I like to fish. I

took up a fishing project two years ago continuing to learn the sport. I have a

subscription to Outdoor Life magazine and in it I

read articles about fishing in different types of

waters and what tackle is best to use. One of the

most challenging experiences is to go out kayak

fishing. Maintaining balance is the challenge and

on my first encounter I was successful. However,

on another outing while I was fishing a boat wake

rocked the kayak and tipped me. Unfortunately, I

lost my rod and reel to the lake but learned what

not to do next time! I was able to go to a Fish Camp in Louisiana this past June

where I caught the biggest Red

Fish ever! I also caught Speckled

Trout. It was a great time!

I have lived and grown up in

Corpus Christi but my Grandpa

lives out in the country in DeWitt

County. My mom and I go as often

as possible because we both love

the outdoors. I love to hunt and

have been hunting since I was eight. My grandpa is a part of the Wildlife

Management Association and due to his herd count has doe permits allowing for

doe management. Managing the deer herd for the DeWitt County Wildlife

Management has become a learning experience. I want to shoot the ‘big’ buck

but I’ve learned that if there is a spike, he goes first. Last season I had an

opportunity to shoot a big buck. I am very proud of it having it mounted to hang

with other bucks killed at my grandpas. I have learned to take shots that do not

destroy large meaty areas of the deer so to protect as much meat as possible. I

was very proud of my shot and my first big buck!

One of my other projects is

Food and Nutrition. I have

entered the Nueces

County Junior Livestock

Stock Show with cakes,

candy, cookies, and

breads. I have won

multiple Award of Merits as

judges best. I also like to cook and grill. Grilling rib eye steaks is my most

favorite to grill and knowing when to take it off to be medium rare takes practice!

My mom grew up in DeWitt County and was an active 4Her. She hopes that I

can experience the same fun plus develop lasting new friendships. My goal is to

be a Go-Texan Scholarship recipient so that I can participate in the Houston

Livestock Show and Rodeo like my mom did. My college goal is to go to Texas

A&M. I want to study mechanical engineering but agriculture or a gun-smith

career are also areas I’m interested in. I love

wearing my club’s pink 4H t-shirt and cap.

The band went on a trip to Disney and I wore

my cap with my club’s logo the entire trip!

I see my future in 4H as becoming a better

leader and citizen as I say the 4H Motto and

Pledge at my 4H meetings. Being a 4Her has

enhanced my natural instinct to help and be a part of community groups.

I volunteer in support of many events including school, church, and 4H club

events. This summer I am working at Hermann Son’s Youth Camp (HYSC) as a

Junior Counselor. For the past two summers I was chosen to be a counselor-in-

training 1 and 2. After my second summer with HSYC I had the opportunity to

apply for a junior counselor position. I had to complete the application online,

contact three references, and interview for the position. I was hired receiving my

letter in March. This leadership experience has been very valuable putting me in

a position to guide and teach younger campers.

Community service is very important. When my uncle

asked if I would help with a Boy Scout Troop I gladly

volunteered. The troop of 48 boys from Austin came to

my grandpas in the country and spent the weekend. I

helped cook, work with some of their projects, and

participated in their closing ceremony. I had a great

time meeting and making new friends.

This summer I also helped my grandpa build a step and install a handle for a 91

year old lady. This made me feel good

helping someone who needed assistance so

to be safer when she goes into her home.

I am very proud of being in the band.

The band has taught me self-discipline

because I have to practice along with

marching. I also volunteer and help the band

parents. This year I was selected Band

Member of the week. I appreciated being recognized for my hard work!

am proud to say that I am a member of the

German National Honor Society (GNHS). I am

proud because my German class has taught me

to appreciate my heritage. My Mom’s maiden

name is Waskow and my grandparents to the

third generation came from Germany. I hope to

be able to travel to Germany in the future to

learn more about my German heritage. My GNHS group has gone to two middle

schools to mentor eighth graders in German. We also went to the Ronald

McDonald house taking food for the families and then played games with the

kids. This was rewarding because these families are staying away from home

and it is nice to be able show kindness.

As I said in my story, I want to be a Go-Texan Scholarship recipient and go to

college because I have big dreams of what I want to do as an adult. My goals for

include shooting at least two rounds of

four straight 25 in Skeet at state as well

as compete for top scores in Trap and

Sporting Clays. Next year when

competing at the Houston Livestock

Show and Rodeo Young Guns I plan on

a 90/100 or better. I also look forward to

again participating in the Nueces County

4H Fun day to demonstrate shooting

sports to new 4Hers and those who may be interested in 4H.

Family has taught me that working

hard not only helps get you what you

want but also makes you feel good

about what you have done. I know

where my mom got that idea because I

see my Grandpa working just as hard.

My mom knows that I love the outdoors

shooting, hunting, fishing and my

newest conquest bow hunting. With her

support I will continue to participate in

shooting sports in my 4H career.