Passion For Guns Is All In The Family

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In part two of our pioneering women series, we introduce you to a family of women who are shooting and gun enthusiasts.

It’s ladies night at the West Fargo gun range and the feeling is right, at least for these women.

“It’s definitely empowering to be able to handle a firearm,” says Lisa Kieffer.

But the Red River Regional Marksmanship Center didn’t always have a night dedicated to women.

“We thought maybe we would get 20-30 people and the first time we had 54 women show up it was a definite shock. So then we had to rethink how are we going to do this and we divided it into two groups. And I think next year it will evolve some more,” says gun range office manager Terri Suchy.

Millions of American women are now locking and loading their own guns and taking part in shooting sports. Like Lisa Kieffer and her family.

“For a lot of women I think it’s just very intimidating. But it’s such an easy thing to learn,” Kieffer says.

Guns have been a part of her life since she can remember. So naturally, her daughter started shooting before she could read.

“She actually got her first gun, it was a BB gun, when she was five. It was a pink daisy. So it’s always been a part of her life also,” she says.

Now 11-years-old, Alijah feels extremely comfortable around firearms. And may soon pursue the sport of hunting.

“I might take hunter’s safety next year so that would be fun and I would start hunting,” Alijah says.

Keeping it in the family, Alijah’s cousin also tags along for ladies night. And she is no stranger to male-dominated sports. In addition to shooting, she’s one of the only girls on her tackle football team.

“My favorite thing about shooting is that I get to improve on it like every other sport,” says 12-year-old Kayla Sailer.

These young girls don’t think twice about the fact that they are competing in sports that most young girls around the country wouldn’t think of playing. And Lisa couldn’t be happier that her and her family are pioneers in the sport of shooting.

“It’s just come a long way. I know a lot of women that I even work with I know in the community have really got into ladies night just because there is such an interest in it with something that, you know, in the past was just a man’s thing,” Kieffer says.

The West Fargo gun range holds ladies night the first Friday of each month for shooters of all levels.