Age Range of BP shooters

[doubleset]

this!
i swear, if someone wanted to poll how many people have a terminus to an alimentary tract, some people would argue about that!

I swear some people can't seem to make a distinction between discussing and arguing -- and probably think that observation is arguing.

 

[tom_in_vt]

Dang, I had no idea. I started at 12 so I could hunt an extra season and have been hooked for the last 26 years.

 

[Campbell]

I’m 56. Started shooting black powder around 10 years of age - been doing it ever since. Got my son and son-in-law into it. God-willing will get my grandchildren into it.

 

[Omahkapi'si]

1st grandson arrives next week....I'll get him hooked on BP early....well maybe wait a couple of weeks.

 

[Stykbow]

Congrats @RanchRoper !

 

[toot]

I'm 77++++ and still making smoak! and when my wife cremates me I will make smoak again.

 

[Art Caputo]

LOL……The results of this poll are quite similar to the age group polling for most of my interests….of course, flintlocks..But also, motorcycles(HD), sports cars(Porsche-air cooled) , and fly rods(bamboo)….My wife thinks I’m a time warp…..Perhaps, but very content!

 

[RJ]

I am 76 yrs young and bought my first ML in 1976. cheap 45 cal. through the mail.

 

[Campbell]

1st grandson arrives next week....I'll get him hooked on BP early....well maybe wait a couple of weeks.

Hahaha! Congratulations!

 

[sheriff john]

Shot a m/l shotgun 1st time when I was maybe 12 - my father's. So, that was 60 years ago. Gun's gone, but I still have two cans of DuPont powder from his stash. Lots of fond M/L'ing memories,but buddies are all dead. Fun while it lasted.

 

[Doc]

What worries me is not the age group on this Forum, but the age group of the Rhondy people in my area. In the 1990s the local Rhondys had a participation of 400-500 shooters. In the last 5 years we have lost 3 Rhondys and a large participation would now be 175 shooters. Locally there’s still 3 strong clubs, but another two may go down. As for our age group probably around 60 to 65. With more passing away every year. And yes I do my share of bringing in the young’uns as seen below.

Doc,

 

[dave951]

What worries me is not the age group on this Forum, but the age group of the Rhondy people in my area. In the 1990s the local Rhondys had a participation of 400-500 shooters. In the last 5 years we have lost 3 Rhondys and a large participation would now be 175 shooters. Locally there’s still 3 strong clubs, but another two may go down. As for our age group probably around 60 to 65. With more passing away every year.....

And I think that's the point of this poll. I really think that many bp/muzzleloader guys think there isn't a problem but here's some more evidence. Covid didn't cause the problem, look at the age of the participants. I see it at N-SSA Nationals each and every time when they spend 20-30 minutes reading out the names of those who have "crossed over the river". I liken it to reading the obituaries. The only way to stop this decline is get young people introduced to what we do and sitting around a campfire telling tales of the glory days isn't going to fix it.

 

[user 48679]

FWIW, I started shooting/making BP guns about 54 years ago, after I returned from the exotic Southeast Asia vacation my Uncle Sam gave me.......

 

[Rock Home Isle]

111 votes, nice representation of the online group here on this site. The age breakdown is what I’ve been observing for years…we are an aging group.

 

[Stykbow]

Yeah, I’m looking forward to seeing the end result. It’s definitely showing what I expected to see. BTW, I’m 45 and started shooting BP when I was 14, I think. Also, I don’t think there’s a massive shortage of young shooters in my area. I do believe that most of them are not traditional BP rifle shooters. I came back to a trad. rifle to make hunting a challenge again. It was a progression for me from ease of taking an animal to making it more about the hunt. A lot of modern hunters make that change as they age, not so much when we’re younger. When we’re young things tend to be more about the destination instead of the journey.

 

[MSW]

well, i am officially a geezer at 68, but I bought my first cap and ball revolver in college... when i had all of my hair and none of it was white...

 

[ILoveMuzzleloading]

One would wonder if modern inline muzzleloader have captured more of the younger generations, that without inlines would have gravitated to traditional muzzleloader.

9/10 young people I talk to that are interested in traditional muzzleloaders started with an in-line. granted I don’t talk to everyone but I find it interesting.

 

[toot]

LOL……The results of this poll are quite similar to the age group polling for most of my interests….of course, flintlocks..But also, motorcycles(HD), sports cars(Porsche-air cooled) , and fly rods(bamboo)….My wife thinks I’m a time warp…..Perhaps, but very content!

you left out FASTE HORSES- WILD WOMEN & AND GOOD WHISKEY!

 

[toot]

Hahaha! Congratulations!

two weeks is just about the norm! LOL!

 

[Tn poor boy]

Ill be 61 next month been shooting every scene i was about 14