Attendence at M/L Events

[omarick1948]

A M/L club in my area, that used to be very active in MUZZLELOADING, and had a fairly large membership of traditional shooters and Buckskinners is going down hill fast to stay alive! This organization had two bigger open shoots each year and it was common to see between 50 to 125 registered shooters, at these bigger events. There were events for pistols, rifles and smoothbore etc. Today, your lucky to see a dozen shooters with only a very few camps and no different catagories for different types of guns. The atmosphere is more of a family picnic, than a M/L event. I'm not trying to put the club down, but I'm courious? Is this the trend in other area's of our country? Is the M/L clubs of yesterday fading fast?
Not many seems to care about history or tradition anymore!....sad!

 

[Le Grand]

I've seen the same things. We just aren't drawing any new blood. In addition to seeing our numbers in participation drop, our active shooters are now generally over 60.

 

[zimmerstutzen]

seems the same everywhere. I remember small clubs having 100 registered shooters. One local club couldn't make it and merged with another.

Some folks branched off into CASS shooting, some have kids and soccer games, others died off. Some stay home and play computer games. There's natural ebb and flo of participation. One hig that hurts is that at least around here, muzzzleloading was a family activity and families are breaking up at record rates

We are entering the 150th anniversary of the Civil War and there will be a renewed interest in the civil war over the next few years. I think the big muzzleloader boom followed the US Bicentenniel.

Oddy, movies and TV shows stir interest. In early and mid 1960's, TV had horse operas every night. Daniel Boone, Wagon TRAIN, Bonanza, etc.

Such show are no longer politically correct. Violence on TV et. Instead we have incredibly lame "reality" shows of unbelieveable depths of manure. Crime scene shows, and nothing of any particular quality. I was PO'ed when Crusoe was flagged. At least it was an adventure show.

About the only western that is on regularly here, is Little House on the Prairie. (heave)

I have been recruiting new blood whenever possible. However, Muzzleloading is not as cheap to start as it was 30 years ago. A CVA percussion frontier rifle came with DST and a fair barrel for PRB target shooting, for around $100.00 finished. Today, a gun capable of even moderate target shooting starts at $400 Gas to get to matches has also quadrupled.

 

[bingo1952]

Until the companies that build traditional muzzleloaders are willing to get off some advertising dollars or euros and put themselves out there on the tube you aren't going to see any new growth to amount to anything in this sport.JMO

 

[nw_hunter]

Such show are no longer politically correct. Violence on TV et. Instead we have incredibly lame "reality" shows of unbelieveable depths of manure. Crime scene shows, and nothing of any particular quality. I was PO'ed when Crusoe was flagged. At least it was an adventure show.

About the only western that is on regularly here, is Little House on the Prairie. (heave)


I think you hit the nail on the head about the type of shows on TV having an effect on the trends.Honest folk with guns "just ain't PC" Even ML Replicas. With the writers today, if we did get a western series, it would probably be a spin-off of Broke Back Mt.I don't want to think about the trend that would spawn :cursing:

I think all we can do, is take the younger folk to the woods and range with the front stuffers, and hope they will do the same with their young ones.

 

Horner,
Your problem is not unique, we are all suffering the same thing. I think the NMLRA has a handle on the problem with their "youth shoot" every July. If we don't get the kids into it now there won't be anything to get into later.
Mark

 

[fluggies4]

I'm not trying to put the club down, but I'm courious? Is this the trend in other area's of our country? Is the M/L clubs of yesterday fading fast?
Not many seems to care about history or tradition anymore!....sad!

Our club started in 1978 as a strictly muzzleloading club. We had, and still have, one club shoot each month, as well as an invitational shoot twice a year. It used to be that most of the people who travelled to our invitational shoots camped primitive style for the weekend in our spacious campground. Now, the last few years, the number of primitive campers has dwindled to virtually zero. Most everyone comes with travel trailers.
Our club now, in order to keep participation up, allows the use of black powder cartridge guns in separate categories. These members still shoot the traditional muzzleloaders, but have moved over to shooting cartridge as well. Also in our invitational shoots, we have separate matches for black powder cartridge. The interest in muzzleloading is still active, probably not as much as I would like it, however the club had to "bend" somewhat to accomodate other interests.

 

[atki]

We have seen the same problem here in So. Cal. Smaller and smaller attendance at the Rendezvous. Nine years ago I started a mountain man rendezvous for the older Boy Scouts here in San Diego. We average about 350 each year. The shoot BP, throw hawks and knives and learn about mountain men. We allow the Scout leaders to participate in all the competition also. It's a rare scout event that gets one adult for every two boys.

When I attend the local rendezvous I am seeing more and more of these scout leaders and some of the boys showing up. It's amazing how excited the boys get to learn about the MM.

Here is a link to our website: www.VarsityRendezvous.com

WB

 

[zimmerstutzen]

Even hunting in general has dropped off. open land developed, or posted, hunting being frowned upon. License sales in PA are down about 15% FROM TEN YEARS AGO.

A few buddies would like to start a small game hunters rendevous, in early November, but finding a place to camp to ourselves, near open hunting land is rough.

Schools can't have demonstrations of any kind however realistic id guns, knives, or hawks are on display.

A few of us tried to get an archery club going at the local Jr high school, with an eye toward competitions with other schools' archery clubs. Some liberal whiner went running to the board before we even had an appointment with the principal. It would have been totally off campus at an indoor archery shop a half mile from the school. Talk about the cold shoulder. I even had a sponsor lined up to donate equipment.

 

[bob308]

i got into match shooting in 85. it was going strong then. a few of us would go to shoots in md. on sat. then to a pa. club on sunday.yes 2 differint shoots in 1 weekend. there was always a shoot on sunday some where even in the winter. some times we would drive 40 mi one way just to shoot. i mayself would use a keg of powder or more a year.

then about 98-99 it started to slow up and got worse. in the last 3 years i have been to 3 shoots. i plan to go to one sept.6. and that will be the first one this year.

 

[Robert58]

We must be the exception. The Muzzleloading Club I belong to has had a boost in membership in the last couple of years. Mostly younger people 25 to 40. We are getting almost double the number of shooters at our Monthly Club Shoot the last few months.

Aurora Black Powder Club
Aurora, Texas

Robert

 

[Capt. Fred]

I've wondered why there are no hunting shows that focus on tradidional muzzleloaders. ( At least I've never found one) It could be the typical hunting show but have a segment on the particular gun being used in the program. A bit of history, interview with the builder etc. I don't know, but it seems like there might be a market for that. When you look at some of the really lame shows on cable it seems to me that something like this might work.

 

[jsams]

I started shooting at a local club a little over a year ago and we shoot a club shoot (rifle) on the first sunday, a pistol shoot on the third saturday, a open shoot (rifle) on the fourth sunday and a woods walk shoot on the fifth sunday (months with five sundays). Our open shoots draw the most shooters, about 15 to 20 each month. All traditional type shoots. It seems to me we have gained a few new shooters over the last year or so. We have about 10 to 12 shooters that show up for every shoot and 10 to 15 shooters that are hit or miss. I wish we could have more and I wish more people would give it a try. I love it and every one that shoots with us are great people to be in a club with. We all need to talk it up around people that don't shoot black powder.
jsams

 

[ohio ramrod]

There are four clubs within a fourty mile radius of where I live, All are less than a third of what they were ten years ago!As much as I hate to say it I figure unless there is a big change in another ten years people won't know what a rendezvous is!
That said, I myself have got two families with teenagers to join one of the local clubs but it isn't enough to keep up the sport.I just hope and work toward there being rendezvous that my grandson can shoot at when he is old enouigh to shoot.We can't just sit back and complain, we have to show today's youth what rendezvous are about.So let's try our best to find some youth to take with us to our next rendezvous while there are still events to take them to!

 

[reddog97]

jsams, whereabouts in Kentucky do you shoot those matches? I'm in Louisville

 

[paulvallandigham]

I don't see people in clubs these days making any real effort to recruit new members. When times were lean, and clubs new, we spent more time recruiting than shooting! But, now that clubs are sited, ranges constructed, camp areas tidied, the old members have gotten lazy and prefer to have the place to themselves.

No invitations to scout groups.

No invitations to the public to use the facility before hunting season to sight in guns.

No contacting schools, or getting involved with state run Hunter Safety programs, to off the students an opportunity to use the club range to learn how to shoot muzzle loaders.

All these methods bring new blood to the club, IF YOU WANT IT. But, people have to want it , and get off their butts and do something about it. :cursing:

As much as society and general has turned against shooting sports, its shooters themselves who have closed their doors to society, and don't care to let any one in. :shocked2: :hmm:

How many times have people come to this forum asking for a place to shoot? :hmm: :surrender:

 

[Mike Brooks]

The modern gun club I belong to has a large and rising membership. M/L has all but disappeared in this area, probably ten years ago or so. My gun sales are as strong as ever, so somebody is still playing with M/L's.

 

[dlpowell]

I got into bp back in the early 70's when Jeremiah Johnson came out. Justa teen at the time. By the time the 80's came around I was "focusing on my career" and hunting in general went on the back burner. As a result I sold all my stuff, and my 2 older sons were not raised around guns and the outdoors.

Now,at 51, I have a 16 year old at home. 5 years ago I walked into a pawn shop and found a GPR for $300.00. I remembered them from the 70's. Had to have it.

Net result, son and I are huntin, making guns, and accessories.

Yes I agree there is a lack of interest in huntin in general.

The local shootin club (cartridge arms) where I live has a bp shoot once a month but you have to fill out a membership application like an employment app and then be voted in.

Sorry, I choose not to be a member.

I believe there will be a resurgence in our sport. Sometime around our Tri-Centennial. We won't be around to see it but we can instill our treasurers in the mind and heart of our grandchildren and great-grandchildren who will be "us" in 70 years.

JMHO

 

[jsams]

reddog97
We shoot at the Blue Grass Sportsmens League in Wilmore Ky ( www.bgslinc.com ). This club is on around 1400 acres and we have about what ever type range you could want. I mostly shoot at the black powder range, we have 25, 50, and 100 yard target frames. If you would like to come shoot with use, our open shoot is on the fourth sunday of each month and you don't have to be a member of the league. It will cost you about $12 to shoot and we give out 6 first, 6 second, 6 third place prizes and cash back for high aggregate. You shoot four targets at 25 yards and two at 50 yards. We start shooting at 1:30 but people start showing up at about noon. check out the web page and go to the muzzle loader division page. Also any month with a fifth sunday we have a woods walk shoot that is open to anyone with no cost but every one brings a $10 prize and every one gets a prize. we have about 12 or so targets we shoot while in the woods. Hope this helps and hope to see you at a shoot and bring some friends. This is all traditional type muzzleloaders.
jsams

 

[redriverclerk]

I belong to one of only three clubs in South Dakota, but am a 2nd generation member. My father was one of the founders. We, too have this issue. Most members are over 50. Very few are under 40. We have our own 5-acre range, complete with cabin, target and primitive ranges, bow and hawk areas. We hold 2 rendezvous' a year and have monthly shoots. In addition, we demonstrate at 100-year and 125-year celebrations, we do youth events in the region (such as NRA Youth Shooting Sports working with the local NRA Rifle/pistol/trap club, and a "Do and Discover" history/nature event for kids). We have sought scout groups, asking them to participate in a weekend event, trying to tie into merit badges (both boys and girls) and we've pursued local high schools and colleges - all with almost NO interest from the respective groups. It seems the almighty Playstation or X-Box is too addictive for them to even think of leaving the house.

Sad, really. We see so many 8-13-year olds just LOVE shooting a muzzleloader during the shooting sports day, but their 20-30something parents just don't take an interest.

Did our predecessors miss the boat (some of which are still along for the ride today) by not remaining active in the solicitation of new members? I know our organization started slowing down participation in the mid '80s because they didn't want to do the "public" or marketing things anymore - they just wanted to have fun, then the 90's and early 21st century they found that everyone was getting older, no new blood. Our membership was much more active before, even though we now have a better range, closer to the main community of members, and are running 2 rendezvous' instead of one.

Seems that across the US, by scaling back on PR in the 80s and 90s, we now find that no one takes an interest in what we are doing in 2009...