The Decatur County 4-H Shotgun Team competed in the 2017 State 4-H Modified Trap Target Challenge Weekend at Rock Eagle 4-H Center on May12-13, 2017. More than 900 4-H students from across Georgia participated in the shotgun match.

Placing third in the state contest was the senior team of Brenden Mitchell, Hudson Barber, Jackson Conley, Carlton Lynn and Hunter Pelham.

Decatur County 4-H Senior Shotgun team members (9th-12th grade) participating at Rock Eagle were Hudson Barber, Blake Daughtry, Hunter Pelham, Brannon Fagan, Tristan Cochran, Jackson Conley, Austin Gordon, Dawson Jackson, Carlton Lynn, John Willis Maples, Brenden Mitchell, Stokes Moore, and Katelyn Ward. John Taylor, Ashton Aldridge, Cotton Barker, Weston Powell and Hayden Martin represented the Decatur County 4-H Junior team (7th-8th grade).

In order to attend the state match, all team members participate in a District Qualification Match where Juniors must break 16 out of 25 targets and Seniors must break 20 out of 25 targets to proceed to the state competition. Decatur County 4-H hosted a District Qualification Match at Commodore Industrial Park on April 22, 2017.

2016-17 Decatur County 4-H Shotgun team members include Ashton Aldridge, Hudson Barber, Taylor Barber, Cotton Barker, Tristan Cochran, Jackson Conley, Blake Daughtry, Brannon Fagan, Austin Gordon, Emilee Harris, Dawson Jackson, Carlton Lynn, John Willis Maples, Brenden Mitchell, Hunter Pelham,  Hayden Martin, Stokes Moore, John Taylor, Katelyn Ward and Weston Powell.

These 4-H students have been practicing each week since February under the guidance of dedicated volunteer coaches. Coaches for the Decatur County 4-H Shotgun Team are Wesley Pelham, Bobby Barber, Jr., Todd Martin, Jule Powell and Wayne Poitevint. The Decatur County 4-H shotgun team received a limited supply grant from the National Rifle Association to help with the purchase of targets, shells and other necessary items. 

The Georgia 4-H Shooting Awareness, Fun and Education Program (S.A.F.E.) is sponsored by The Georgia 4-H Foundation. 4-H is the youth development program of the University of Georgia College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences. For more information about Decatur County 4-H, call the Decatur County Extension Office at (229) 248-3033.