14th Annual Big Sky Youth Event Offers Free Shooting, Archery, and Fishing for Kids in Billings

A six-year-old squints down a barrel for the first time. Her dad stands two feet back, hands jammed in his pockets, trying not to hover. Somewhere behind them, a kid nails a target and lets out a whoop you can hear across the whole complex.

About the Big Sky Youth Event in Billings

The 14th Annual Big Sky Youth Event lands on Saturday, July 11, 2026, at Blue Creek Shooting Complex in Billings. Registration starts at 8:30 a.m. Stations open at 9. Kids ages 6 to 18 can walk up and join in, and younger ones can too if a parent signs off.

Free Shooting, Archery, and Fishing Stations

Shotgun. BB gun. Archery. There's a hunting and safety station, target shooting, and fishing, too. No entry fee. No cost per station. You show up, your kid picks something, and someone's there to teach them how.

Lunch is free. Every youth participant leaves with a goodie bag. Door prizes get handed out all day long. Families can spend the whole morning moving from station to station without pulling out a wallet once.

Event Sponsors and Local Wildlife Organizations

Blue Creek Sport Shooting Complex and Preserve hosts the whole thing. Groups like Ducks Unlimited, the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation, and the Yellowstone Rifle Club have shown up for years to run stations and keep the day going. Cabela's and Denny Menholt Chevrolet have pitched in too, along with a handful of other local sponsors who care about the same thing: kids learning this stuff the right way, from people who actually know how to teach it.

The Importance of Youth Gun Safety and Outdoor Education

Not every Montana family has someone at home who can walk a kid through proper gun safety or fix their form on a bowstring. That's the gap this event fills. A first-timer gets the same patient instruction as a kid who's been shooting for years. Parents get to just watch for once, instead of teaching.

There's something in that. Watching your kid focus on something hard, get it wrong, try again, and then get it right.

What to Bring to Blue Creek Shooting Complex

Get there around 8:30 if you want time to stop at every station before the morning wears down. Wear closed-toe shoes and bring some water. Expect to be outside for a few hours. Because younger kids can join with consent, this works whether you've got a six-year-old trying archery for the first time or a teenager sighting in on the range.

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Big Sky Youth Event 2026 Date and Time

Saturday, July 11, 2026. Blue Creek Shooting Complex. 8:30 a.m. If your kid has ever asked to try shooting or archery, this is the Saturday you say yes.