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Antelope Pete said:
Paper magazine is heartwarming and relaxing. Electronic is clinical and sterile. That said the content is usually good. Their delivery process, not so much and I just don't understand how the same issues keep happening and aren't remedied.
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Our delivery process is the same as every other commercial magazine out there. They are mailed USPS at periodical class, which used to be treated like first or second class mail... The USPS website (https://faq.usps.com/s/article/What-is-Periodical-Class-Mail) even states:

"The United States Postal Service® does NOT guarantee delivery of Periodicals within a specified time."

If we mailed the issues USPS first class, it would raise the cost of your subscription at least $20 per year, and that would just be for the postage costs, I have no idea how much our printer would charge to put first class postage on 9,000 +/- copies of the magazine, but I would bet it would be at least $1 per issue. The issues aren't remedied because there is no viable remedy.
 
OldMaineWoodsman said:
Thank you, Jason, for that explanation. Not many take the time to do that today.
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You're welcome! I am happy to provide this information as we're not soulless corporation, I was a muzzleloading shooter, buckskinner, and reenactor before I was a publisher - and I still am! This is all done out of a room in our house and the running of the business is largely a one man operation. If you send in an email, it only goes to me, so it's me that replies, if you order a back issue, a book, or a DVD, it's me that puts it in the envelope, puts postage on it, and takes it to the post office (sometimes my wife will do the PO run, and she does help me get orders together).
 
Notchy Bob said:
Thank you, @Jason Gatliff , for the explanation. I would like to point out that the reason we are all griping about the delay is that we love the magazine!

I can believe some of the delays were due to problems with the USPS. Not to bash any of the retired or active postal workers among us, but the system seems to be having some problems recently. I’ve experienced delays in receiving several things in the past couple of months, including some pretty important documents (truck registration, tax forms…), and payment I mailed to a forum member for a gun purchase was delayed by several days. The post office does a great job overall, but delays do happen.

I’m sorry to hear of your recent illness and hope your recovery is proceeding well. It sounds as if publication and distribution of Muzzleloader magazine will be back on track by midsummer. That’s good to know.

Best regards,

Notchy Bob
Click to expand...

I appreciate that you love the magazine, but please keep in mind that when the bashing is going on, you're bashing a real live person, and a person who is just as passionate about all this stuff as you are.

I wouldn't call it an illness, it was just some sort of bug that was going around, I've been over it since early March but it did mean I had 3 weeks of work to catch up on...
 
We're glad you're running the business and wish you could get some help. Have been a long time subscriber and when delivering mail for USPS, would read my issue during lunch break. Hope to send some submissions for articles but have to get up to speed on digital images and thumb drive or pdf stuff. Glad you are feeling better. Keep up good work. Hate to see happen but sounds like the only way you could hire another office worker is to up the subscription rate and many will object to it.
 
beardedhorse said:
We're glad you're running the business and wish you could get some help. Have been a long time subscriber and when delivering mail for USPS, would read my issue during lunch break. Hope to send some submissions for articles but have to get up to speed on digital images and thumb drive or pdf stuff. Glad you are feeling better. Keep up good work. Hate to see happen but sounds like the only way you could hire another office worker is to up the subscription rate and many will object to it.
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It's not too bad, I only really need help when I am out of the office - like being sick, attending events, visiting family, or camping with my wife and daughter (that's what we do for vacation). Everything normally runs pretty smoothly. But like almost every other business in our sport, it's a cottage industry. Unfortunately with companies like Amazon that have one or two day shipping folks forget that not every business is some mega-corporation with lots of infrastructure.
 
Thanks for the reply Jason. I don't look at my comment so much as bashing as I do an observation from my end. There's obviously more than meets the eye on these things. And to paraphrase Notchy Bob if we didn't look forward to the magazine we wouldn't care.
 
Antelope Pete said:
Thanks for the reply Jason. I don't look at my comment so much as bashing as I do an observation from my end. There's obviously more than meets the eye on these things. And to paraphrase Notchy Bob if we didn't look forward to the magazine we wouldn't care.
Click to expand...

I wasn't singling you, or anyone else out with my comment, just wanted to give everyone food for thought. Whether it is this forum, or other social media dedicated to our sport, the people on the other end of those comments are real people. In On The Trail, Volume 17 No. 4 (Sept/Oct 2010) I wrote the following editorial:

On a more serious note, there is a subject I would like to take the time to discuss with you all. It is a subject I have had several discussions around campfires with friends and have been studying on for the past several years, a subject I bring up with much trepidation. The subject is Internet Message Boards and their affect on our beloved hobby.
In November of 1999, I created HistoricalTrekking.com, what I believe is one of the first Message Boards (if not the first) dedicated to our segment of Living History. In the 11 years since I brought the site live, I have watched how my board and others have affected what we do. There have been some positive affects but more often than not, I believe that these Internet Forums are hurting our hobby. Though the ease of dissemination of information is definitely a positive aspect, the detachment and anonymity of these boards are also breeding grounds for arguments, disagreements and general discontent. The lack of body language and vocal inflection in reading someone’s post has lead to miscommunications and the trampling of people’s feelings.
I have witnessed friends who camped together at events several times a year have a falling out over posts on these boards. I have seen new people to the hobby scared away by the negative attitudes of some of the more frequent board members and I have seen people who were wary of going to events for fear of meeting some of these forum members in person.
 All of these things sicken me, we are all participants in a shrinking, aging hobby and we need to bring in new blood if we want this to be around for our children and grandchildren. Not to mention we are brought together by our love of history and reenacting, I think it is ridiculous that we create such divisions amongst ourselves.
What I would like to see, would be for members of these boards to cease the animosities and hostility and become better ambassadors for our sport. Just a few words to think about during the upcoming months.
 
Thanks Jason you're a class act. I am leery of talk forums too and you're right there is a disconnect between the spoken and written word in a back and forth communication. I write something and somebody thinks I'm being a jerk or I think they are when likely it isn't that way most of the time. Life sure is getting more complicated today.
 
May/June is at the printers! I am expecting it to mail around the 15th. I hope that you all enjoy it!

CONTENTS:
3 Prime Possibles
7 Doin’ It Yourself Hunting the Elusive “Man in the Moon” Bead — T.C. Albert
15 Shooting the Bull Back to My Trailblazer — Mike Nesbitt
23 Dispatches from New England Back on the Trail Again, Part II — My First Snowshoe Patrol in Nearly a Year — Vincent C. Spiotti
31 Buffalo Trace 1765 Equipment of the Long Hunter — Nathan Kobuck
41 The Builder’s Bench Recreating the Henry Albright 1790 Daisy Head Patchbox, Part III — Jim Parker
47 Forgotten Trails The Fall of Kaskaskia — James A. Crutchfield
53 On the Game Trail Blackpowder Bandtails — Clinton Epps
62 David Rase — Teaching with Grace, Learning with Humility — Dick Weaver
77 It’s More than a Gun Show… Why You Should Consider Joining the CLA — Jason W. Gatliff & Kyle Willyard
81 Brought to Boonesborough: The Material Culture of Early Kentucky — Jim Mullins
93 Classified Ads
95 Index of Display Advertisers
96 For the Bookshelf

ON THE COVER:
Detail from "Netapolis," an original oil painting by Kevin McDonald.
 

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Grenadier1758 said:
Got my copy today.

And I live in St. Louis County. The magazines are mailed from the St. Louis Post Office.
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If you look in the back of the Nov/Dec issue, you will see a statement of ownership that we have to publish each year for the USPS for our periodical mailing permit. We have 2 subscribers in St. Louis county. You two, I believe have the shortest distance for the magazine to travel, this is peak USPS efficiency! :D
 
Jason Gatliff said:
May/June is at the printers! I am expecting it to mail around the 15th. I hope that you all enjoy it!

CONTENTS:
3 Prime Possibles
7 Doin’ It Yourself Hunting the Elusive “Man in the Moon” Bead — T.C. Albert
15 Shooting the Bull Back to My Trailblazer — Mike Nesbitt
23 Dispatches from New England Back on the Trail Again, Part II — My First Snowshoe Patrol in Nearly a Year — Vincent C. Spiotti
31 Buffalo Trace 1765 Equipment of the Long Hunter — Nathan Kobuck
41 The Builder’s Bench Recreating the Henry Albright 1790 Daisy Head Patchbox, Part III — Jim Parker
47 Forgotten Trails The Fall of Kaskaskia — James A. Crutchfield
53 On the Game Trail Blackpowder Bandtails — Clinton Epps
62 David Rase — Teaching with Grace, Learning with Humility — Dick Weaver
77 It’s More than a Gun Show… Why You Should Consider Joining the CLA — Jason W. Gatliff & Kyle Willyard
81 Brought to Boonesborough: The Material Culture of Early Kentucky — Jim Mullins
93 Classified Ads
95 Index of Display Advertisers
96 For the Bookshelf

ON THE COVER:
Detail from "Netapolis," an original oil painting by Kevin McDonald.
Click to expand...
That cover photo looks like my neighbor’s kid.
 
I feel fortunate to have caught Jason's posts here. I suspected the "personnel" at MUZZLELOADER was small in number, & I've been surprised a couple of times with an e-mail response from the publisher.
MUZZLELOADER is a superb periodical & that's an understatement. One only needs to view a few of the very early issues to understand how far the magazine has travelled. However, reading Jason's candid explanations was as reassuring as it was heartwarming.

As for "new blood" into the avocation, I totally agree. We have a well-developed shooting range south of Casa Grande, & it often is so filled with shooters that one must wait his/her turn for a vacant position. I was there on just such a weekend morning to sight in a GPR .54 cal. There were all semi-autos & one lever-action to my left & one huge .50 cal to my right. Not one individual appeared interested in what I was shooting & swabbing in the 2½ hours I spent there. That wasn't true a decade ago. I'm not degrading the pleasure some derive from burning through boxes of ammunition. It's fine if that's their thing. I mention this only to briefly illustrate how the environment has changed.

My son is also an avid muzzleloader (reproductions, not inlines) & intends to soon introduce my grandson to it. It's a small step but a positive one. Thank you Jason for providing us with new or more accurate mental images of what's behind every MUZZLELOADER issue!
 
Kenn said:
I feel fortunate to have caught Jason's posts here. I suspected the "personnel" at MUZZLELOADER was small in number, & I've been surprised a couple of times with an e-mail response from the publisher.
MUZZLELOADER is a superb periodical & that's an understatement. One only needs to view a few of the very early issues to understand how far the magazine has travelled. However, reading Jason's candid explanations was as reassuring as it was heartwarming.

As for "new blood" into the avocation, I totally agree. We have a well-developed shooting range south of Casa Grande, & it often is so filled with shooters that one must wait his/her turn for a vacant position. I was there on just such a weekend morning to sight in a GPR .54 cal. There were all semi-autos & one lever-action to my left & one huge .50 cal to my right. Not one individual appeared interested in what I was shooting & swabbing in the 2½ hours I spent there. That wasn't true a decade ago. I'm not degrading the pleasure some derive from burning through boxes of ammunition. It's fine if that's their thing. I mention this only to briefly illustrate how the environment has changed.

My son is also an avid muzzleloader (reproductions, not inlines) & intends to soon introduce my grandson to it. It's a small step but a positive one. Thank you Jason for providing us with new or more accurate mental images of what's behind every MUZZLELOADER issue!
Click to expand...
Getting a reply from me directly has surprised a few people, even people who know me moderately well. I take it as a compliment that people think our organization is much larger than it is.

Thank you for the kind words about the magazine, as I said above it is a labor of love for me. I was introduced to MUZZLELOADER in September of 1995 by a family friend, I immediately subscribed (I was 16, I asked my grandmother to get me a subscription). In 2007 when Bill Scurlock asked if I would be interested in taking over the magazine when he and Linda were ready to retire, I was dumbfounded. I consider it a huge honor to be part of the legacy of the magazine.

While I stand behind my editorial from 2010, and believe it is still valid, I was wrong about the hobby shrinking and aging. On Facebook there are groups dedicated to aspects of our sport with thousands of members, the Hershel House School group has over 35,000, the CLA Group has almost 20,000, there is a rendezvous and living history trader group that has around 15,000-20,000 (I am too lazy to check the number right now). But these interested parties don't seem to be joining groups, I believe the NMLRA only has around 12,000 members, the CLA has around 1,500, and we has around 8,500 subscribers (while our own Facebook page has 15,000 followers).

I don't believe the hobby is shrinking, or aging, but it is definitely changing. The younger people I see involved are usually either into very authentic living history, or the artisan side of things and making items. I also believe the hobby is more spread out than it ever used to be. 30 years ago there was a dozen or so large events that everyone tried to get to, now there is something going on almost every weekend of the year. I can think of at least 2 living history events going on right now, and there would have been a 3rd had the club not had issues with the landowner. So the bigger events have gotten smaller, and there are many, many more smaller events going on. Add to that the internet, where you don't really need to go to an event to purchase needed supplies and I think that's changed things as well. Those are just my observations...
 
Jason Gatliff said:
Getting a reply from me directly has surprised a few people, even people who know me moderately well. I take it as a compliment that people think our organization is much larger than it is.

Thank you for the kind words about the magazine, as I said above it is a labor of love for me. I was introduced to MUZZLELOADER in September of 1995 by a family friend, I immediately subscribed (I was 16, I asked my grandmother to get me a subscription). In 2007 when Bill Scurlock asked if I would be interested in taking over the magazine when he and Linda were ready to retire, I was dumbfounded. I consider it a huge honor to be part of the legacy of the magazine.

While I stand behind my editorial from 2010, and believe it is still valid, I was wrong about the hobby shrinking and aging. On Facebook there are groups dedicated to aspects of our sport with thousands of members, the Hershel House School group has over 35,000, the CLA Group has almost 20,000, there is a rendezvous and living history trader group that has around 15,000-20,000 (I am too lazy to check the number right now). But these interested parties don't seem to be joining groups, I believe the NMLRA only has around 12,000 members, the CLA has around 1,500, and we has around 8,500 subscribers (while our own Facebook page has 15,000 followers).

I don't believe the hobby is shrinking, or aging, but it is definitely changing. The younger people I see involved are usually either into very authentic living history, or the artisan side of things and making items. I also believe the hobby is more spread out than it ever used to be. 30 years ago there was a dozen or so large events that everyone tried to get to, now there is something going on almost every weekend of the year. I can think of at least 2 living history events going on right now, and there would have been a 3rd had the club not had issues with the landowner. So the bigger events have gotten smaller, and there are many, many more smaller events going on. Add to that the internet, where you don't really need to go to an event to purchase needed supplies and I think that's changed things as well. Those are just my observations...
Click to expand...
Looking forward to reading both issues when they get here
.It's like buying a lottery ticket checking the mail everyday...nope.
 

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