Hunters Who Are NMLRA Members

[springfield art]

I read recently in the PA Game News that something like 80 THOUSAND muzzleloading hunting licenses were in use in a recent period. I've noted here that the NMLRA has only about 12,000 members, so there's many, many muzzleloaders out there who don't bother joining the organization. And that's just ONE state; over the country there are probably millions of hunters that like to go out but don't bother with the historical impressions, the building of guns, collecting, etc. Just sayin'

 

[52Bore]

To give you some perspective of PA.
The NMLRA co-hosted (with two other PA groups ) at the Dixon Fair this summer with about 2500 in attendance - out of state and in state attended.
Where were the other 98% of ML from PA?

 

[Boomerang]

I read recently in the PA Game News that something like 80 THOUSAND muzzleloading hunting licenses were in use in a recent period. I've noted here that the NMLRA has only about 12,000 members, so there's many, many muzzleloaders out there who don't bother joining the organization. And that's just ONE state; over the country there are probably millions of hunters that like to go out but don't bother with the historical impressions, the building of guns, collecting, etc. Just sayin'

I would say that most of them shoot modern inlines.

 

[Splitear]

I would say that most of them shoot modern inlines.

This, and even if they don't, I'd say most of them are less concerned with their hunting implement and more about getting an extra tag or to hunt an extra season.

 

[longcruise]

If an organization "speaks to" a potential member then they will join. It makes no sense to blame non members for not joining. The question is "what does the organization need to do bring in the memberships"?

 

[Loja man]

Even though I love traditional muzzle loaders and do some hunting in traditional gear. I would not have joined the NMLRA except I wanted to shoot at Friendship. Nothing against the NMLRA it just never pinged my radar to join. Grain of salt

 

[Uncle Miltie]

The vast majority of deer hunters in the US use a muzzleloader as another way to harvest a deer, and nothing more. They will never care about the history and will never join the NMLRA.

 

[SciAggie]

I joined today.

 

[brewyak]

Being from PA I know most folks who hunt with a flintlock only pull it out on Christmas Eve or on Christmas Day, and am happy with a pie plate group at 20yds. I myself shoot year round and involved with NMLRA and Pa Frderation of Black Powder shooters. It’s not easy to convince people that a flintlock or a muzzleloader that’s not an inline is accurate. Advocating is the key

 

[smo]

Hunter….

NMLRA Member…..

It’s all good….

 

[Birddog1911]

I'm just over a year into muzzleloading, and I've barely seen a thing about, and nothing from, the NMLRA. I'll likely join, but my point is that if they want more members, they need some sort of outreach program.

 

[Rifleman1776]

The vast majority of deer hunters in the US use a muzzleloader as another way to harvest a deer, and nothing more. They will never care about the history and will never join the NMLRA.

That's it in a nutshell.

 

[sturmkatze]

I resisted for a long time because I don't shoot in matches AND I blow down the barrel after every shot. (no, I don't care what you think. I consider it part of not having an ember go off. You do you and I'll do me)...

I joined to read John Curry's articles. I still don't shoot in their Metuchen, but I believe the organization is good.

 

[Skeggs]

I joined, then left.
Facility: Friendship is rundown. Maintenance is hardly a priority. Rustic is one thing, this is another. Buildings in disrepair, roads, fences, etc. The shooting lines are not up to spec for a professional organization.
Government regulations for accessibility not withstanding, if you have any physical impairments, the place is a nightmare. In a wheelchair?
Good luck.
Wait for the attacks to begin upon this and other negative commentary. Their defenses are feeble, and telling.
There is little to no outreach targeting women, children, and other ethnicities, especially, I might point out, indigenous/native/Indian tribes and peoples.
It's like an AARP convention of white guys.
I shoot/have shot in many, many disciplines.
Look to the CMP as a pretty good model of inclusiveness. A recent photo of a shoot had a family member in a burqa watching their kid shoot. (Watch the rude commentary here), among hundreds of kids competing.
I shoot at Perry at matches with over a thousand shooters in just one day long match. And I watch teen girls regularly score in the very top tiers.
This sport/hobby needs to include the come as you are, be it converse sneakers, yoga pants, and inline firearms or buck skins and traditional/original firearms.
This critique is not limited to the NMLRA, but many other BP organizations that are stuck in their ways, snobs with attitude, full of disparaging remarks for this or that, blaming everyone, refusing to look inwards.
People aren't leaving these sports, they're just leaving or just simply not joining these rigid, out of step organizations.
And yes, I will continue to attend and shoot at some of these places and matches.
They might just wake up one day, and I'd love to be there when they do. Not to say I told you so, but to cheer on the future.

 

[52Bore]

For Hunters - since 1988, I believe.

https://www.nmlra.org/long-hunter-society

 

[Rifleman1776]

There is little to no outreach targeting women, children

Skeggs, I will not dispute your other issues with NMLRA. I left them years ago after being a very dedicated member. But, as for the women and children claim, that is simply not correct. You are welcome to come here and view the many-many awards, medals, etc. won by my wife at Friendship. Some also for my son who was too small to shoot offhand, so he had to win his medals at bench rest.

 

[LSB]

I joined, then left.
Facility: Friendship is rundown. Maintenance is hardly a priority. Rustic is one thing, this is another. Buildings in disrepair, roads, fences, etc. The shooting lines are not up to spec for a professional organization.
Government regulations for accessibility not withstanding, if you have any physical impairments, the place is a nightmare. In a wheelchair?
Good luck.
Wait for the attacks to begin upon this and other negative commentary. Their defenses are feeble, and telling.
There is little to no outreach targeting women, children, and other ethnicities, especially, I might point out, indigenous/native/Indian tribes and peoples.
It's like an AARP convention of white guys.
I shoot/have shot in many, many disciplines.
Look to the CMP as a pretty good model of inclusiveness. A recent photo of a shoot had a family member in a burqa watching their kid shoot. (Watch the rude commentary here), among hundreds of kids competing.
I shoot at Perry at matches with over a thousand shooters in just one day long match. And I watch teen girls regularly score in the very top tiers.
This sport/hobby needs to include the come as you are, be it converse sneakers, yoga pants, and inline firearms or buck skins and traditional/original firearms.
This critique is not limited to the NMLRA, but many other BP organizations that are stuck in their ways, snobs with attitude, full of disparaging remarks for this or that, blaming everyone, refusing to look inwards.
People aren't leaving these sports, they're just leaving or just simply not joining these rigid, out of step organizations.

I must disagree. No organization is perfect or even anywhere near perfect but a lot of these comments are, in my opinion, not accurate.
The Friendhip facilities could be the result of the funds available. With (I think) about 11,000 paid members, how many funds are available to have first class, up to date, luxury accomodations at Friendship. As far as handicap accessibility goes, in 2021 NMLRA completed ADA compliant bathroom facilities at Friendship. It took a protracted fund raising process because of the limited funds available because of the limited NMLRA membership.
I agree there should be more outreach from the NMLRA, but I question the effectiveness of targeting just "women, children, and other ethnicities". One thing they taught me in college marketing class a few centuries ago is that you direct your advertising to your potential customers and frankly, that "ain't" the group you are suggesting NMLRA advertise to. You liken an NMLRA gathering to an "AARP convention of white guys." Sorry to say, that is the group that is generally most active in muzzleloading.
You suggest inclusiveness is a "family member in a burqa watching their kid shoot." I have been active in muzzleloading for about 50 years and have never seen anyone in a "burqa" shoot a muzzleloader. I would be willing to bet next month's retirement check that the number of "burqa" wearers who shoot muzzleloaders is miniscule, at best. Specifically trying to appeal to them to join NMLRA would be a waste of both time and money.
The NMLRA prints a very good monthly magazine with good articles on a very wide variety of muzzleloading topics. To me, the magazine alone justifies the cost of membership. There are darn few magazines directed to muzzleloaders. I enjoy receiving MuzzleBlasts every month because it is a fine magazine AND because it is one of a very few available. The NMLRA sponsors shooting events of many kinds including black powder cartridges, inlines, and even .22 rimfire. They sponsor kids shoots. They sponsor shoots located accross the country. To me, they embrace all forms of muzzleloading and all enthusiasts of muzzleloading. Belonging to ANY organization that supports hunting, shooting and the 2nd Ammendment is worthwhile and the duty of any gun owning American.

 

[Snydly]

I must disagree. No organization is perfect or even anywhere near perfect but a lot of these comments are, in my opinion, not accurate.
The Friendhip facilities could be the result of the funds available. With (I think) about 11,000 paid members, how many funds are available to have first class, up to date, luxury accomodations at Friendship. As far as handicap accessibility goes, in 2021 NMLRA completed ADA compliant bathroom facilities at Friendship. It took a protracted fund raising process because of the limited funds available because of the limited NMLRA membership.
I agree there should be more outreach from the NMLRA, but I question the effectiveness of targeting just "women, children, and other ethnicities". One thing they taught me in college marketing class a few centuries ago is that you direct your advertising to your potential customers and frankly, that "ain't" the group you are suggesting NMLRA advertise to. You liken an NMLRA gathering to an "AARP convention of white guys." Sorry to say, that is the group that is generally most active in muzzleloading.
You suggest inclusiveness is a "family member in a burqa watching their kid shoot." I have been active in muzzleloading for about 50 years and have never seen anyone in a "burqa" shoot a muzzleloader. I would be willing to bet next month's retirement check that the number of "burqa" wearers who shoot muzzleloaders is miniscule, at best. Specifically trying to appeal to them to join NMLRA would be a waste of both time and money.
The NMLRA prints a very good monthly magazine with good articles on a very wide variety of muzzleloading topics. To me, the magazine alone justifies the cost of membership. There are darn few magazines directed to muzzleloaders. I enjoy receiving MuzzleBlasts every month because it is a fine magazine AND because it is one of a very few available. The NMLRA sponsors shooting events of many kinds including black powder cartridges, inlines, and even .22 rimfire. They sponsor kids shoots. They sponsor shoots located accross the country. To me, they embrace all forms of muzzleloading and all enthusiasts of muzzleloading. Belonging to ANY organization that supports hunting, shooting and the 2nd Ammendment is worthwhile and the duty of any gun owning American.

Totally agree with your assessment. NMLRA is not perfect but I still prefer it to the other shooting sports where people are rude and winning is everything attitude. Any organization is only as good as "you" make it. Expecting others to bring things up to their expectations is not the correct attitude. If we had more members to help pay for updates that would be fine but the young generation have no clue to the history behind what we do. Hard to recruit younger members when we are competing against the ARs and the AKs etc. I love shooting but where I live there are fewer than 5 people who I can expect to see out shooting BP. I have yet to be able to shoot at Friendship but I would trade the experience for what I have here locally.

 

[Mad L]

My situation is simple; Finances, money.
I was a member for several years but as they have nothing (events) in the far west (Nevada, California) I was pretty much just a member to support the community and for the magazine.
Now being on a fixed income (retired) I had to consolidate my expenses.
It came down to which magazine I wanted to part with and to be honest I found NMLRA to be only mildly entertaining and enjoy Muzzleloader and American Frontiersman far more useful....I had to let my membership lapse as of this year: Money is tight, Times are Hard, all anyone gets this year is a lousy Christmas Card.

 

[Wawyasto]

I agree there should be more outreach from the NMLRA, but I question the effectiveness of targeting just "women, children, and other ethnicities". One thing they taught me in college marketing class a few centuries ago is that you direct your advertising to your potential customers and frankly, that "ain't" the group you are suggesting NMLRA advertise to. You liken an NMLRA gathering to an "AARP convention of white guys." Sorry to say, that is the group that is generally most active in muzzleloading.

I dunno about that.

Ever been to a Comi-con convention or cosplay event? Bunch of younger folks of all walks of life doing with comics, video games and sci-fi that many of us are doing with black powder and living history. There's where your outreach target is. IMHO the reason that many of these folks are into cosplay is because we've gotten away from teaching real history in public schools and there's no money to be made in history by the anime, cartoon, comic book, manga, television, rock music and video game companies who market to these folks.

I'm certain someone's going to say these kids are weird. Yeah, well, look around...