03-08-10 10:51 AM - Post#833106
Don't know what I did but I put this in the wrong place. I ain't real swift with these computer thingies. :redface:
I am new t to the forum and just found this. I know this is an old post but I would like to share something. I did not take the time to read all the post. If this is a repeat, feel free to delete it.
I have been out of Muzzle loading for about 18 years now. How was Traditional Muzzle loading lets say, 10 years ago? The reason I ask is, I have been in Traditional Archery (not primitive) for many years. It seems that about every 10 years the interest skyrockets. A good example would be a state Traditional Archery organization that was started back in 1991. For the first 5 years the attendance was overwhelming at the shoots. So many shooters we could not accommodate all of them. It was not unusual to have 500 + at one shoot. At one shoot in particular, every state was represented. Sometime around 1994 to 1995 attendance started a decline. By 1997 to 1998, we were lucky to 100 on a good day. Fifty would be more like it. I have no idea why this happened. The interest just went away. I was considering shutting down the organization but decided to give it a few more shoots just to see what would happen. (It can be very expensive to keep something this size going without the support). Attendance starting to pick up again by 2000. Don’t ask me why. I have no idea. We did not change anything. During the lull time, we continued with the magazine and mail outs to the members and flyers to all the past shooters we had the information on and attendance at the shoots increased prety much on it's own. That is why I asked how it was 10 years ago.
I cannot seem to get a good feel if the this Traditional Muzzleloader Society even wants to educate the general public and generate more intrest or not. I would think all of us would. Once we saw things pickink up this is what we did;
1.Open Invitational. This really went against the grain but I went along with it. I was hard core traditional and a convert from the compound bow. However, the opportunity to perpetuate the sport outweighed my personal feelings. As Smokin .50 said on this post, just because it is not traditional does not make it a bad thing. When I say open I mean open. If it would fling an arrow and legal to hunt with then bring it. This generated a good deal of interest and we had a lot of converts. Can’t remember exactly how many but it was substantial. I know how hard it is to invited modern equipment to a traditional range and convince the old diehards (like me) to do it but it works if you want to increase interest.
2. Traditional only Charity Shoot; this was the biggie. We contacted to local media. They were all over it. Free very positive publicity. It bloomed from there. TNN was the 2 years in a row with a few TV celebrities. The check to the charity was presented on national television on behalf of all the Traditional Archers in the country. Here it is early 2010. I got a note from a new friend on this forum that told me there were about 500 shooters the spring arrow fling the first weekend in March. I suspect based on history that a decline is on the way.
We have a celebrity among us that has the contacts to put on a NATIONAL charity rendezvous WITH NATIONAL MEDIA COVERAGE. An annual event. If you want (as I do) the interest and participation to increase then, WE, I, US need to step up to the plate. I will do what I can. Will you. Besides all else, you have the opportunity to help someone in need and show off your sport and heritage at the same time.
Sorry for being so long winded. This will work. I know it will.
