Teaching safety

The Evangeline Parish 4-H Program and the LSU AgCenter sponsored two educational programs for the youth to learn safe and responsible use of firearms, archery and related equipment.
The 4-H Shooting Sports Program’s purpose is to assist young people in personal development, in establishing a personal environmental ethic and in exploring life-long vocational and non-vocational activities through hands-on experiences and positive interactions with youth and adult role models.
The Louisiana Shooting Sports Program offers educational programs in shotgun, rifle, hunting, muzzleloader and archery.
The Evangeline Parish 4-H Shooting Sports Programs were held on, January 30, and February 27 at the Chauncey Pitre Multipurpose Building.
Special thanks to Mrs. Michelle Bieber, shotgun instructor and Mr. Bo Soileau, archery instructor, along with numerous parents for volunteering to conduct these educational programs for the youth of Evangeline Parish.
Winners at the Evangeline Parish Shooting Sports Match in the Jr. B.B. rifle competition: Austin Fuselier of Basile 4-H, first place; Mena Newman, a Member at Large 4-H’er, second place, and Collin Estilette of Sacred Heart 4-H, third place.
Winners in the Evangeline Parish Senior Shotgun competition: Brannon Pitre of Sacred Heart 4-H, first place.
Winners in the Evangeline Parish Junior Shotgun competition: Nicholas Bourgeois of Bayou Chicot 4-H, first place; Andrew Tate Fontenot of Sacred Heart 4-H, Kade Johnson of Bayou Chicot 4-H, Rhett Reed, Mamou 4-H and Trey Bieber, a Member at Large 4-H’er, all four tying for second place.
Winners in the Evangeline Parish Archery competition: Recurve Bow Junior Division; Daniel Paul of Bayou Chicot 4-H, first place. Recurve Bow Senior Division first place winner was Evyn Soileau of Sacred Heart 4-H and second place is Bo John Armand of Sacred Heart 4-H.
Compound Bow Junior Division first place winner was Nicholas Bourgeois , a Bayou Chicot 4-H’er, Wyatt Welch of Bayou Chicot 4-H, second place and J.T. Thrasher of Bayou Chicot 4-H, third place.
Compound Bow Senior Division first place winner was Callie Pitre of the Sacred Heart 4-H. Genesis Bow Junior first place winner Luke LaHaye of Sacred Heart 4-H, Seth Paul of Bayou Chicot 4-H, second place and Austin Fuselier of Basile 4-H, third place.
The Southern Region Shoot was held in Gonzales on April 7-10.
Placing in the Junior Advanced Shotgun: Kade Johnson of Bayou Chicot 4-H placed seventh and qualified for state.
Junior Modified Shotgun: Trey Bieber, a Member at Large 4-H’er, Nicholas Bourgeois of Bayou Chicot 4-H, Benjamin Fontenot of Sacred Heart 4-H, Daniel Paul of Bayou Chicot 4-H, Andrew Tate Fontenot of Sacred Heart 4-H and Benjamin Romero of Chataignier 4-H qualified for State.
Placing in the Sr. Archery (Bare–Bow): Evyn Soileau of Sacred Heart 4-H, second place and qualified for state.
Placing in the Jr. Archery (Bare-Bow): Daniel Paul of Bayou Chicot 4-H, third place and qualified for state.
Placing in the Jr.(9-11) Archery ( Compound Bow): J.T. Thrasher of Bayou Chicot 4-H, eighth place and qualified for state.
Placing in the Jr.(12-13) Archery ( Compound Bow): Nicholas Bourgeois of Bayou Chicot 4-H, eleventh place and qualified for state.
Placing in the Junior Archery (Genesis Bow): Luke LaHaye of Sacred Heart 4-H, seventh place and Seth Paul of Bayou Chicot 4-H, ninth place and both qualified for state.
The State Shooting Sports Shoot was held April 20-24 in Gonzales.
Junior Bare Bow Archery: Daniel Paul of Bayou Chicot 4-H, fifth place in state.
Senior Bare Bow Archery: Evyn Soileau of Sacred Heart 4-H second place in state.
Junior Archery Compound Bow: Nicholas Bourgeois of Bayou Chicot 4-H, fifth place in state.
According to Todd Fontenot, Associate Extension Agent with the LSU AgCenter “Many youth in Evangeline Parish are involved in hunting and shooting activities at an early age, making it critical that they learn the proper use of firearms and related equipment. Through the Evangeline Parish 4-H Shooting Sports Program, youth are educated in this area.”