Curious about Blanket Shoots that Require an Entry Fee

[XXX]

I have seen a few public blanket shoots that list an entry fee for each event (rifle, pistol, woodswalk, t-hawk,etc), on top of the requirement for a trade blanket contribution for each.

I guess the idea of the blanket shoot is that everyone gets to go home with something, which is fine, but an additional $10-$20 for each event makes for an expensive day. I was wondering if this practice is very common or not?

 

[zimmerstutzen]

A blanket shoot is great, but does nothing to defray the expenses of targets, maintenance, utilities, stone for the driveway, re-welding the targets etc.

My local club charges $2 or $5 entry and a blanket prize. They are fortunate to be invited to use the grounds for free, but still have expenses. Heck just gasoline for the lawn mowers runs $10 a week spring through fall. Their usual crowd is about 10 for the monthly shoots. No body is getting rich here.

I am a paper puncher and they have perhaps one such match per year. It wouldn't pay the expenses otherwise.

 

[Billnpatti]

It seems that $10 per event entry fee is a bit steep whether you are having a blanket shoot or not. It is not all that uncommon to charge a minimal fee for each event because most clubs have to pay a rental fee for using the property that shoot on plus each club needs to carry insurance. There are also costs for targets and range maintenance so a minimal fee is reasonable but $10 per entry plus a blanket item seems a little on the steep side to me.

 

[ny griz]

:idunno: We don't charge for anything.You bring a blanket priz,you leave with a prize.You don't have to bring a prize,but you can shoot for the fun of it.Our BP group raises funds so we don't take from the club.We support our program.The more a club charges the less shooters they have.We have a club house,280 acres of ground rifle,bow,and trap ranges.The general membership raises the funds for taxes etc.Griz

 

[ny griz]

See my post on BP clubs in my area. :thumbsup: Griz

 

[XXX]

I can understand the need to defray costs. I could certainly entertain a reasonable flat fate for everything or a much smaller per event rate. The one shoot in particular that got me looking around is doing a $15 Day Shooter Registration fee to get in, then a separate $15 fee per event, plus blanket donation. As far as I can tell they are a long time club (20+ yrs), using unimproved "ranges" on private property of some of the founding members. It looks like a fun event and the distance from home is reasonable, but the multiple fee's actually encourage you to enter less events instead of more. By comparison, one of the prominent snowshoe shoots in the region is $15 for everything.The only big difference I can see between the 2 shoots is that the later has some corporate and private donations that provide the prizes, so there is no blanket donation. In my mind, that would justify a higher shooters fee more than a blanket shoot would where I'm bringing one of the "prizes".

 

[XXX]

See my post on BP clubs in my area. :thumbsup: Griz

Thanks Griz, Don't be shy about posting a notice here when the shoot dates get a little closer.

 

[Rifleman1776]

If "each event" means the days shooting, I see nothing wrong with a charge. Each target or each relay would be grossly excessive. At my club we have the cost of target frame repairs and replacement as they seem to get hit as often as the paper. Running the tractor for mowing is an expense, the targets cost, etc. We charge members $5.00 for the shoot each month plus, of course, annual dues. Ten dollars is not excessive, IMHO, but $20.00 would keep me home.

 

[ny griz]

:thumbsup: XXX,will do.Griz

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I'm of the opinion that black powder shooters in general are the cheapest folks that inhabit the Earth, lol! I can't believe I'm reading what some folks think other folks ought to charge, as if their opinion counts in the least bit! Cutting grass, buying targets, repairing & welding steel gongs, etc., etc. all cost money. It's about high time some of these Gun Snobs took a hard look at what a day at some other venue costs!

IF a local club is running a local match and charging for both the match as well as a blanket prize, does that club also pay for awards to be presented at year's end? Lots of questions and NOT enough answers to make general statements about what a club should charge. And do outsiders that aren't members get to pay member rates, and do NOTHING to maintain the grounds?

Other shooting disciplines charge upwards of $100 for some of their larger regional shoots where prizes are given out (both door prizes & prizes based upon finish).

If you want to know why our numbers are dropping, just look around. Most clubs run themselves into the ground because they can't meet expenses & insurances. Yet folks show-up with hand-made rifles that they themselves paid $3K for....

 

[Rifleman1776]

S50, yer kinda mixing metaphor and poodles.
Costs of maintaining a club vary with region. You can't compare a range on the outskirts of Los Angeles with where I live.
Clubs usually have rules about guests. My club allows three visits before you must join. That really helps growth.
You mentioned the time members put into maintenance. That can translate into huge dollars but isn't factored. Our club just had a heavy duty large mower DONATED to replace an old broke down tractor we cannot afford to maintain.
No one in this game is here to chase anyone away (inliners excepted :wink: ). Each to his own.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

We're BOTH on the same page Sir!

Each Club is slightly different, and costs rise & fall depending upon the venue itself.

What gets me is the guys who complain about the costs are usually the first ones to show-off their new Snob Rifles.

 

[XXX]

I'm of the opinion that black powder shooters in general are the cheapest folks that inhabit the Earth, lol! I can't believe I'm reading what some folks think other folks ought to charge, as if their opinion counts in the least bit! Cutting grass, buying targets, repairing & welding steel gongs, etc., etc. all cost money. It's about high time some of these Gun Snobs took a hard look at what a day at some other venue costs!

IF a local club is running a local match and charging for both the match as well as a blanket prize, does that club also pay for awards to be presented at year's end? Lots of questions and NOT enough answers to make general statements about what a club should charge. And do outsiders that aren't members get to pay member rates, and do NOTHING to maintain the grounds?

Other shooting disciplines charge upwards of $100 for some of their larger regional shoots where prizes are given out (both door prizes & prizes based upon finish).

If you want to know why our numbers are dropping, just look around. Most clubs run themselves into the ground because they can't meet expenses & insurances. Yet folks show-up with hand-made rifles that they themselves paid $3K for....

Maybe this wasn't directed at me, but I take it that it was. Gun snob? really? I was planning to take a $150 Traditions production gun. I'm still not sure why some shoots manage to charge entry fee's that seem like a very reasonable $15,$20, or $30 while others with a similar venue are pushing $100. They may have their reasons, and they may be perfectly legitimate, but for me there is a tipping point where it is not worth it for me. Frankly, I don't need a club to shoot at. I don't need a prize, I don't need to outscore someone in a shooting match, and I don't need anyone to pat me on the back for my weapon or my shooting. These kind of events seem like more of an opportunity for mingling with like-minded shooters than anything else, but in the end, I don't really need that either. I would think the point of putting on an event that is open to the public would be to encourage as much participation as possible. Maybe I am wrong and some of these high priced shoots are just designed to keep us low budget snobs out.

 

[ny griz]

That's why we don't charge,to get new and old shooters out to shoots.It's called having "FUN".We bust our hump to raise money so we don't have to charge.Oh' yea we do put out a donation jug once in a while,but the most anyone pays at our shoots is the cost of a blanket shoot prize,$15 limit.We get more new shooters each yr.Seems to encourage shooters to get those dusty trad rifles out of the closet.$100 i'll shoot at home with my friends before i pay that much.LOL.Griz

 

[biliff]

Around here (PNW) rondies tend to charge a separate camp fee around $15, a shoot fee around $10 that includes rifle, pistol and H&K. Tradegun, squirrel, shotgun and archery are usually around $3-$5 each depending on clay target cost. Some require a blanket prize, some don't. I don't think I've ever spent more than $35 for a 3 day campout/shoot. Cheapest entertainment there is.

 

[XXX]

That's why we don't charge,to get new and old shooters out to shoots.It's called having "FUN".We bust our hump to raise money so we don't have to charge.Oh' yea we do put out a donation jug once in a while,but the most anyone pays at our shoots is the cost of a blanket shoot prize,$15 limit.We get more new shooters each yr.Seems to encourage shooters to get those dusty trad rifles out of the closet.$100 i'll shoot at home with my friends before i pay that much.LOL.Griz

Thanks Griz, That's the kind of spirit I approached the subject with and expected to find when looking into which events I would likely try to go to. :hatsoff:

Given the obvious costs with putting any event on, I myself would feel like I was taking advantage of someone's generosity if there was a very low entry/event fee and it was clear that the event sponsors had spent a lot money on nice prizes or was undercharging for lunch etc. In such a hypothetical case I would probably be asking about a donation jar if one were not out in plain sight.

 

[Dave Rosenthal]

I clicked on you by accident. My comments were general in nature, not meant to be taken as offensive, just thought-provoking. I too shoot with a cheap gun, as it's all I can afford.

One of the clubs I belong to charges $20 for non-members to shoot all day. The other club I belong to charges members ZERO, and guests & public is $10.00. No blanket prizes this year so far. Maybe later-on?

Enjoy your muzzleloading!

dave

 

[necchi]

I don't care what anyone say's,
That's a lot of $$ to spend fer shootin!

The only way something like that would fly around these parts is if it was a designated fund raising day.
If a club or group needed funds for something that was announced, like for equipment or fire repair or even a personal/family tragedy, then folks might step up.

But $10-20 per plus, a blanket offering?
For no other reason than that's the cost or forget it?
I'd be forgetting it. And so would my pards, they'd be loosing 50-100 per event with us never to return. That's just plain robbery.
(period)

 

[stinkyfeet]

Good thing about a blanket shoot usually a few vendors kick in something of high value. I have walked away from $10 blanket prize shoots with a traditions hawkens kit, nice antler knife, powder horn, ya just never know. The better ya shoot the better chance ya have, of course I have taken what have put down as well on numerous shoots. And if ya end up with something you don't want or need, put it down at the next shoot. My club has the gag gift that whoever ends up last has to take with him/her and its always at the next event. But just about every event in my area is $15 for a single shooter or $20 for a family and includes all the events shotgun, smoothebore, archery, knife/hawk, pistol, percussion/flint. The blanket prize is usually optional, you can still compete for a plaque or whatever they are offering up for top shooters. If ya don't drop a prize for blanket shoot you just don't get a pick at table is all.

 

[necchi]

But just about every event in my area is $15 for a single shooter or $20 for a family and includes all the events shotgun, smoothebore, archery, knife/hawk, pistol, percussion/flint.

Yeah, a flat "shooter's fee" for everything.

There's one here in Minn "White Oaks" that it's $2 per event at the range, each event has maybe 8-10 shooters, First place per event takes half the pot, second get's his $2 back an 3rd a buck, if there's any left the club get's it.