Good shootin’ at the 10th anniversary of Women on Target
Participant smiles at the camera ready to shoot a rifle at the 100 yard range. Photos by Mari Huglin
Particpant lines up to shoot a clay pidgeon at the shotgun range. 
One woman aims her rifle at the 50 yard range. 
Participant checks her accuracy. 
Group smiles as they wait to shoot again. 
One coach teaches Autumn Tilley about a pistol.
Participant smiles at the camera ready to shoot a rifle at the 100 yard range. Photos by Mari Huglin
Particpant lines up to shoot a clay pidgeon at the shotgun range.
One woman aims her rifle at the 50 yard range.
Participant checks her accuracy.
Group smiles as they wait to shoot again.
One coach teaches Autumn Tilley about a pistol.
ROCHESTER — Women ages 20 to 74 lined up to shoot shotguns, rifles and pistols and learn about firearm safety at the 10th anniversary of the Women on Target program on Saturday, Sept. 27.
There were multiple mother daughter duos present, including Eugenia and Autumn Tilley from Rochester.
Eugenia said she likes to participate in this community because she “enjoys shooting” and wanted a “mother-daughter activity.”
The program certifies participants in the NRA Home Firearm Safety Course, which allows participants to apply for a Massachusetts License-To-Carry or Firearms Identification card.
The first half of the day is all in the classroom. Women are instructed on gun safety and the specifics of ammunition.
Eugenia enjoys learning about the educational side of shooting and knowing how to use guns properly.
“You want good people to have guns. You want to advertise guns as a positive rather than a negative,” said Eugenia.
In the afternoon, the 24 women rotate between four stations. There are four groups, each made of six women with multiple coaches at each station.
Autumn, Eugenia’s daughter, enjoyed the fact that “you can try so many different things at once.”
At each station, participants are introduced to the guns they will be using and the range they are on. The ranges include a shotgun trap range, 50 and 100 yard rifle range and pistol range.
“It was really great because I'm a 100% beginner ... It can be a little daunting … so this was a great experience for beginners,” said Autumn.
The classes are always popular, filling up quickly with a waiting list. Only six women were on the waiting list, but in the past there have been up to 40.
Now that the club has expanded with more women learning to shoot and enjoying the sport, more women are teaching women.
Bill Fredericks, the program director said, “When we first started, it was men training women.”
Now that they have expanded, “more ladies learn to shoot, enjoy the sport and now we can have them train other ladies,” said Fredericks.
Every second Saturday of the month, there is a Women’s League from 12:30 p.m. to 2:30 p.m. where women can safely shoot in a supportive community.
Fredericks said, “The whole idea is community relations and encourag[ing] ladies to shoot and enjoy the sport. Everyone who comes in here just loves it at the end of the day.”
