Contributed

Ralitsa Kalfas, 13, from Durham, shoots a shotgun for the first time under the instruction of Rick Mitchell. She is shooting a 20 gauge automatic shotgun. She missed her first four targets but then she hit the next eight targets. Mitchell said she was really excited and turned to him and said “Wow, this if fun.”

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Women can soon loose their fear of pulling the trigger.

Rick Mitchell, National Sporting Clay Association certified instructor and a Level 2 Gun Fitter, is in the process of scheduling free shotgun lessons for women at Chris DeWitt’s Game Farm in Ellerbe.

While frequenting youth shooting events, Mitchell noticed that many of the mothers supporting their children didn’t have experience themselves. Mitchell said he believes that increasing a mother’s sense of confidence and safety with a firearm will help her be more supportive of her children’s hobby.

After an article in the Daily Journal announced Mitchell’s idea, he began to get calls from women who wanted to take his free course for other reasons besides wanting to support their children. He also got calls asking if he would offer free lessons on pistol safety and shooting, so he invited his friend Deputy Keith Mabe, who is also certified to teach carry concealed courses, to help out.

Mabe has agreed to give free instruction on pistol safety, handling and shooting. He said his goal is to remove the intimidation factor, help ladies get comfortable with the gun they, their husband or boyfriend have, and to be able to safely handle a gun even if it’s not to be shot.

While the men set their date for the event, they are learning a lot about female shooters in the process. Mitchell said that, even without being prompted, women who call to sign up often explain exactly what they want out of the course; whether it’s to protect their child as a single parent or to upgrade to a larger caliber with more stopping force, Mitchell said it’s “interesting data gathering.”

Although proper pistol use will be taught, the class is not the same as the carry-conceal course, which is eight hours long and can cost $110, with a permit.

If, after the free lesson, women are interested in the carry concealed course, they can sign up with Mabe.

“Keith is a fun, informative instructor,” said Mitchell, who has taken his course twice.

“You may want to consider the free lesson for safety reasons,” said Mabe. “If you are alone at home with the kids, and your husband or boyfriend has a gun, you need to know safe handling, even if you’re not shooting. It’s a safety issue. It’s an armed society. It’s about removing the intimidation.”

The date and time of this event have yet to be determined. If you are interested in learning more about this opportunity, contact Rick Mitchell at 910-691-2644.

— Staff Writer Dawn M. Kurry can be reached at 910-997-3111, ext. 15, or by email at dkurry@heartlandpublications.com.