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0 of 3 Premium Clicks used this month SUBSCRIBE Print + Online Subscriber Activation | Register x Forgot Password | Need an Account? e-edition | subscribe | newsletter | deals Classifieds Jobs Autos Real Estate FEATURED » NEWS NOW Taking it to the top ... Shooting for improvement ... Arson suspect may not understand plea deal ... Taking it to the top ... Shooting for improvement ... Arson suspect may not understand plea deal ... FIREARM TRAINING More women are participating in firearm classes in Jackson County More women in the Jackson County area participating in gun classes Comment By Hannah Golden, Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Hannah Golden, Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 14, 2016 at 12:01 AM By Hannah Golden, Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 14, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Social News Once a week, Diana Scholtz can be found at the Medford Rifle & Pistol Club, an indoor shooting range in Central Point, where she is an instructor for women’s defensive pistol training. The club is one of several that have started offering women-only courses. This week, Scholtz has set up a scenario in the range. Barricades sprawl across on the concrete floor and paper targets line the shooting wall. At a little after 6 p.m., she rounds up the women to walk them through the course, instructing them on how many shots to fire, and to what body part, for each target. Trainees have 24 rounds to hit 12 targets. The crack of gunfire begins around 6:30, and the smell of sulfur thickens the air. Jackie Scholtz, 25, the instructor’s daughter and one of the members, approaches the course with ear and eye protection, a holster on one hip and two magazines on the other. "Range is hot — eyes and ears!" instructor Scholtz calls out. The other women, all wearing athletic shoes, jeans, T-shirts and holsters, watch from a distance. The scenario begins at an imaginary diner. Jackie sits at a small dining table when a "shooter" appears in front of her. She draws her weapon and aims at the piece of paper straight ahead: two shots to the center, one to the head. With the first targets hit, she moves past the table and backs into a hallway leading to the kitchen, taking small, calculated steps. She keeps a vigilant eye on the shooting wall, scanning for targets. Her arms are locked forward on her weapon. She takes cover behind a barricade. Using a technique called "slicing the pie," she looks for the first target in immediate sight behind cover. She fires: Target is hit. She angles her weapon slightly to reveal the second target, and continues firing in a radial motion until all nearby targets have been taken out. The coast is clear. She backs toward a kitchen door, fires, reloads, fires again. She crosses over to a stack of black plastic drums, crouching behind barrels of cooking oil. She shoots, slips behind another kitchen wall, fires at two more targets. She moves toward the exit, shoots the final targets from behind the last barricade, and flees out the back door. "Range is safe," Diana yells. The other women applaud their classmate, their "Good job!" accolades following Jackie as she returns from the course. At the end of the drill, small white holes dot the paper profiles of a chest and head, almost all of them lodged neatly within the inner three rings of the targets. Twelve faceless bodies have been hit a half-dozen times. Back behind the plastic folding tables, Jackie loads more bullets into her magazines. "I just enjoy it. I think it’s a lot of fun," she says. The Medford resident has been shooting for about a year and a half. In the past year or more, several local organizations have seen a consistent increase in the number of women enrolling in firearm courses. When membership director Eric Yarborough started at the Medford Rifle & Pistol Club in 2002, membership was about 12 percent female. Now, that number has shot up above 44 percent. "Women will take the [club's] free class and come back the next week with three friends," Yarborough says. The club began offering the women's training, which requires two prerequisite courses, in November 2015 to fill the need for intermediate and advanced female shooters. At first, there were only four shooters; now, the training averages eight to 14 women per session. Stacy Mead, co-owner of the Rogue Firearm Academy in Medford, estimates about 60 percent the registrants of her classes are women. Rogue Valley Shooting Sports Association president Phil Grammatica says one of his courses, which used to be composed entirely of men, now consistently includes more than 60 percent women. He has seen an increase in women enrolling in his basic and advanced pistol courses, concealed carry courses and classes on personal protection both inside and outside the home. For many women, a desire for personal and home protection drives them to get training; for others, the love of the sport. Mead, a Realtor, says she felt her job made her particularly vulnerable. "More women are wanting to take care of themselves and feel confident," Mead says. "I have three kids and I wanted to take care of myself." Sarah Vaca, 34, of Central Point, decided to get firearm training primarily for protection as well, and joined the Medford rifle club in early 2015. "I feel like I’m better prepared for the possibility of something happening in public or in my home," Vaca says. "Now, it feels like carrying a firearm and knowing how to use it properly is just common sense." Some women take firearm courses specifically to keep a gun at home — and to know how to use it if the need arises. The age range among female participants is wide. "We’ve had 70- to 75-year-olds, people from all walks of life who you’d never expect to have firearms," Mead says. RFA's youngest participant was 15, though live-fire training was not provided for that student. Women-only classes offer a unique setting for shooters. When she began shooting, Mead felt that coed firearm classes were problematic for some. "I was intimidated and other women were intimidated," she says. She and her husband established the academy, which offers women-only training, five years ago. She is now a National Rifle Association-certified instructor and range officer at RFA. Diana Scholtz says some women feel more comfortable having a women-instructed, women-only environment in which to practice and learn. "[Female instructors] offer a lot of support, and offer a lifetime of wisdom and knowledge of firearms," Vaca says. "Once a class is available for women, and the women get together, the word gets around." The ambiance of the women's pistol training starkly contrasts the programs attended by mostly males, Yarborough says. "The camaraderie and support among the women’s group is amazing. All the women high-five each other," he says. "The guys never do that." As women shooters hone their skills and gain comfort with their firearms, some taper off their sessions. Others continue with religious attendance. Between scheduling conflicts and the cost of ammo — roughly $12 for a box of 9 mm rounds per session — it can be difficult to afford to attend regularly. Even so, more women continue to ask about training. Mead thinks women getting firearm training is more than a fleeting fad. "I think it’s going to stick and we’re going to have more women," she says."It seems like Medford’s not little old Medford anymore." Reach reporting intern Hannah Golden at [email protected]. By Hannah Golden, Mail Tribune MailTribune.com By Hannah Golden, Mail Tribune Posted Jul. 14, 2016 at 12:01 AM » Comment or view comments Reader Reaction » STAY INFORMED Email NewsLetter Sign Up Today Sign up for our newsletter and have the top headlines from your community delivered right to your inbox. Southern Oregon Directory Featured Businesses Loading... 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