Daisy Outdoor Products has donated four inflatable BB gun ranges to the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to provide assistance with shooting safety programs.
Ray Hobbs, Daisy Outdoor Products President, C.E.O. and Chairman of the Board of Directors, recently announced the company’s partnership with the AGFC. Hobbs recently agreed to join the Arkansas Game and Fish Foundation board of directors primarily because of the organization’s interest in further development of their shooting safety programs. The partnership was unveiled at the AGFC’s Janet Huckabee Arkansas River Valley Nature Center in Fort Smith during “National Hunting and Fishing Days” on Sept. 22.
“Daisy BB guns, pellet rifles and pistols are well-recognized as being everyone’s first introduction to the shooting sports,” Hobbs said. “I can’t count how many people have told me that they took their first shot with a Daisy. Daisy is the company that is teaching America to shoot. Shooting is a safe and fun sport and just about anyone can shoot.
“Having qualified instructors working one-on-one with these young people and first-time shooters at these portable ranges represents a tremendous opportunity for both of our organizations to work together to safely introduce young and first-time shooters to the great sport of shooting.”
Daisy donated four of their inflatable BB gun ranges to the AGFC; one to be stationed at each of their four nature centers in Ft. Smith, Jonesboro, Pine Bluff and Little Rock. The ranges are completely enclosed and have two firing positions with target runners.
Instructors work with shooters one-on-one to teach them shooting safety rules and marksmanship techniques using Daisy youth BB guns such as the famous Daisy Red Ryder. Daisy has pledged to furnish and maintain the BB guns, ammo, targets and shooting glasses necessary for the AGFC to administer the program.
“These Daisy inflatable ranges are portable and set up in minutes,” stated Eric De Vries, the AGFC’s Assistant Chief of Education and Information. “Staffing them at an event like this makes it easy for the Arkansas Game and Fish Commission to put our shooting safety outreach program and curriculum into action.”
The AGFC’s shooting safety program is dedicated to the safe enjoyment of the outdoors. Through the program, students learn not only firearms safety, but general woodsmanship and basic outdoors survival skills.
Daisy is the world’s oldest and largest marketer of airguns and related products. The company is over 125 years old and has been a cornerstone of Arkansas industry since it relocated to Rogers in 1958. The company’s products, marketed under the brands Daisy, PowerLine, AVANTI and Winchester Air Rifles, can be found at www.daisy.com and www.winchesterairrifles.com