Nearly 350 visitors fired in the Open House turkey shoot and many more than that toured the new Camp Perry Marksmanship Center during the Open House on Saturday, 15 November

In the summer of 2008, the Ohio Army National Guard (OHNG) and the Civilian Marksmanship Program (CMP) opened the Camp Perry Marksmanship Center, which features a state-of-the-art electronic air rifle range and a National Guard Engagement Skills Trainer (EST). Since the new facility opened several events and training sessions have taken place, but the range has not been open for the local community to take a hands-on tour. This was finally remedied on 15 November with the first Camp Perry Marksmanship Center Open House.

The event turned out to be a large draw. An estimated 500 people ventured out to Camp Perry on a very cold and rainy November day in Northern Ohio to see the new center and learn more about what it offers people who live in that area. Luckily, there were plenty of indoor events to draw people to the Marksmanship Center, including an old-fashioned turkey shoot on the CMP air gun range and open shooting sessions on the National Guard EST system. A total of 345 individuals tried their luck in the turkey shoot.

For the turkey shoot, participants where placed in a group of 10 shooters, and each person fired 10 shots. The individual in each group whose best shot was closest to the center won a turkey. Rifles, pellets and safety instruction for the event were all provided by CMP staff and volunteers, so the only thing participants had to worry about was hitting the center of the target, which many were successful in doing. In all 40 turkeys were awarded by the CMP, and participants of all ages took part in the fun.

The National Guard EST was also a popular attraction, as shooters took turns cycling between it and the CMP turkey shoot. The EST system uses a technology similar to video games, and allows the National Guard to provide soldiers with valuable training in various shooting scenarios. For the soldiers this often means engaging an enemy in a battlefield situation, but for the Marksmanship Center Open House turkeys were the targets being chased on the screen. But unlike the turkey shoot on the CMP range, the turkeys on the EST could chase back, adding an extra element of excitement to the activity. Participants were allowed to shoot M16’s and grenade launchers to try to take-out the attacking birds, and despite all the firepower the turkeys occasionally won.