Keeping Our Clubs Alive Article in MB

[TexiKan]

1st off, you should have realized your membership was getting older, many moons ago.
2nd Recruiting new members should always be an ongoing agenda.
3rd MERRY CHRISTMAS and GOOD LUCK ON NEW RECRUITING....KEEP IT ALIVE FRIEND....

Of course...but having previously held three board positions in the past, I am not an officer nor am I taking the issues and running with them on my own. I continue to volunteer and help but I am not in charge nor do I set the agenda.
When I first joined the club, they intentionally kept the membership fairly low because our range insurance would go up past a larger membership number. Like other clubs, folks moved away, did not renew or lost interest. Then membership became a priority. Yes, recruiting should always be an ongoing effort and not all members are effective recruiters. (I have been in sales and business much of my life yet not all folks are comfortable doing sales.) Fortunately our club has survived since 1972 and we have some good people who go above and beyond. We're working at it and we're making progress.

 

[jdw276]

I will add a little fun card shoot idea that seemed to work that day as folks have asked to do it again. Dollar tree deck of cards. Shuffle etc and glue 50 to a large piece of cardboard fscedown and remaining two go in a sealed envelope. All off hand shot, pick a distance. I did 20 yards or so. Line up single file 5 shots. Shoot a card, any card, hand your gun to next in line and go get your card. Repeat until everyone shoots 5 times. Gets tougher as the cards come off so if you miss no card. Now done guns in the rack, gather around the poker table called a shooting bench, open the envelope for the two hole cards and who has the best hand. Even if you only have one card you can still win with 3 of a kind for example. Put couple of bucks in the pot, a blanket prize, something for best hand and everyone takes their cards home as a prize with holes in em. Anyone got a varation of this? Not referring to cut a card novelty shoot. Game of chance everyone can win just by shooting. If someone does not feel comfortable shooting off hand, use a shooting stick. It is a random game and skill level needed is more to make your gun make smoke.

 

[Pilgrim]

WOW, what an article I just read in the October 2022 issue ( page 14-16 ) of Muzzle Blast.

View attachment 169440

The things written in this article is the main reason why I seldom attend organized shoots. Most of you know I really could care less whether I win, lose or draw.....I'm just out there for the shooting fun. Others may not look at matches the same as I do.

Peter Allen writes:

"This is actually a way of guaranteeing that the low
class shooter will never get anything, including the desire to shoot another match."

View attachment 169441

WOW, that's the harsh reality of the truth. I've talked to shooters that has been to club shoots where they are shooting at a 9" gong targets at 100 yards away. Geez....I can barely see a small target out that far, let alone hit it. Am I likely to attend another shoot at that club?? Probably not, because we know the best shooters usually wins.

I had an wise shooter once tell me:

If you are hosting an 18 target woods walk:

* 6 of those targets should be easy enough that a novice shooter could hit them.
* 6 of those targets should be of medium size so the average shooter can hit them.
* 6 targets can be tough so the experienced shooter can hit them.

That would be a VERY fair woods walk course than anyone could attempt & feel good about trying.

Outside of the WoodsWalk match at Friendship, I've only been to 2 matches with local clubs in the 10 years I've been shooting.
I've read about how tough the matches are at certain clubs & decide not to attend. I did try one last year at the Boones Trace M/L Club where the shooters were given exactly 1.25 oz ( I think ) of #6 shot to load in your smoothbore. The shot was at 40 yards into a 9" paper plate. The # of holes counted in that plate was your score. That's a fun match that anyone can feel good about attempting.

So...where am I going with this?

If you're interested in shooting paper...why not put a 100 yard target out to 40 yards & count a score based off an equal number of shots? This way...even the newest shooter feels he has a chance. Lets face it, shooting zeros will almost guarantee that shooter would not come back. Another potential member -- lost.

The last page of the article puts a different perspective to the story:

View attachment 169448

Check out the 2 photos. For kicks giggles & grins, the shooter puts some 50 yard targets at 25 yards. Taking several different targets and placing them on top of each other, the respective shooting earned the shooter a score of 10 on the squirrel. He received a score of 43 on the other target. WOW, that's big difference! New shooters are inclined to return with scores like that.

I'm in 110% agreement of this article. If the hosts would make the targets easier to shoot for a newcomer, the chances of the new shooter coming to your event is much better. Do whatever it takes to keep your shooters coming back. The Boones Trace Muzzleloading Club in eastern KY changes their format every time they shoot. Their matches are designed so anyone can win or in my case...at least place.

I like how the article is summed up:

Heed those words written 50 years ago by Peter Allen:

"There are a lot of ways of building up clubs into a big happy family,
but making it tough for the shooters is not of the ways."

View attachment 169449


Something to think about.....

Mark I read the same article. As a beginner with traditional (flintlock ) ML I am working on a 40+ yd shooting range on my property. I realize not everyone has this option. I don't have a local club anyway. I want to develop skills, have fun and I hope make new friends.

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

Mark I read the same article. As a beginner with traditional (flintlock ) ML I am working on a 40+ yd shooting range on my property. I realize not everyone has this option. I don't have a local club anyway. I want to develop skills, have fun and I hope make new friends.

That is a great privilege. I have a place to shoot that belongs to a good friend.
I can shoot all I want and do so.
I'm out for the fun aspect of the hobby and make new friends, not the accuracy in shooting as much.

 

[TexiKan]

Additional consideration--WIFM

Instead of thinking we exposed others with a one time session and our job is done, put yourself in their shoes and ask, "What is in it for me?" (WIFM) This is a sale and marketing concept. Yes, WHY should I spend the funds to join this hobby? Remember, my first note included "fun." If it isn't fun, there is little incentive to become involved. Yes, it was fun to shoot the first time by using someone else's gun, powder and lead. Didn't have to spend a dime! Yeah, they had to listen to someone tell them the history of the gun and safety issues but once all of that was done, it was fun to pull the trigger, hear the bang, smell the smoke and see what they hit.

So seriously, from their perspective, WHAT is in it for ME!? Why should I spend the money and participate? The next step is often overlooked by those one time demonstrations. Someone needs to follow up with how they can help them move to getting the equipment and to getting them to your organization. Most clubs will allow a certain amount of visit before they have to make a decision to join. During that time, GIVE THEM INFORMATION and introduce them to people who can HELP them. Encourage. If they make a pilgrim mistake, don't jump down their throat! Be respectful. Talk to them and ask questions to overcome their concerns. As in sales, if they have unanswered questions, then they most likely won't buy it.
If you have not worked beyond the basic introduction and have not followed up, then you will likely lose some potential members.

 

[hunter thompson]

I had a club member tell me that when some of my gear was not PC. I was shooting a Lyman GPR from a bag using a brass powder container. I had some altoid tins and a plastic pill bottle to hold caps and tools. I didn’t go back.

A FEW traditionalist used to kinda say that..I tell them that if Danieal boone was here ,,that he would have a ak-47..because they used the best gun that they could get there hands on Thats why they all wanted a hawken

 

[TDM]

It’s a shame that organized matches end up like they do in most cases. I spent 50 plus years marching to the beat of other people’s drums. Now I only march to the beat of my own.

 

[oldwood]

From the mid 1970's onward , I was forced to work 60 hour weeks. Wife was a 2nd shift RN , and we raised a wonderful son under a stressful work situation as this. Our local NMLRA Charter Club from the early 1970's did it's best to survive , w/o me. It was a paper punching outfit , and shoot attendance dwindled due to shooter boredom , and employment situations. For me to even get some rifle practice , I joined five different clubs w/shooting ranges , so where ever I was done work that day , over a 150 mile radius , I could fire a few shots just to keep shooting. I was younger , back then , with energy to spare ,mostly shooting by myself. These days , when I can get time away from a sick wife ,I still shoot alone , and cherish the time to do even that. I can see why organizations fail. Friends die, time gets short. It is what it is...........oldwood

 

[B P Maniac Shooter]

It’s a shame that organized matches end up like they do in most cases. I spent 50 plus years marching to the beat of other people’s drums. Now I only march to the beat of my own.

I already figured that out.

I RARELY get involved in shooting matches with the occasional Woods Walks being the exception. I don't want to deal with endless rules, shaders or not, someone accusing others of cheating somehow just to win a pound of powder or a twenty dollar bill.

When I do shoot the occasionally WW, I tell the others up front I'm here for the fun, ( most shooters already know that anyway ) I'm going to applaud a hit, and razzle you & expect to get it back in fun. I could care less about my score at such matches.
If someone shooting with us doesn't like that, I concentrate on those that are there for the social fun.
I was invited by members of this web page to shoot the WW. Below is an example of what I'm talking about:
( I'm mostly like @TDM ...I shoot by myself 95% of the time. )

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

When I started shooting in 1980 I sucked, but I stayed with it. With in 5 or 6 years I was always at or near the top. That's the way it ought to be. You have to put in the hard work if you want to do well. The harder the targets the more I buckled down. Easy targets are boring.
I was out shooting silly wets a couple days ago. The most fun target was the one that had lost one chain and was facing me edge wise. I hit it more often than not and giggled myself silly.

 

[hunter thompson]

I Started in the 70s shooting my fathers custom made Pennsylvania rifle..never got the bug until the 90s and the new black powder seasons.Then friend and me shot milk jugs in his field out to 150 yards all the time we could find to do it.I told him that we should go to some matches around here,so we went.WE had 15 people on the line back then but now they are all passed away or just cant from age.The younger people are trying it but just as a passing thing to find out about it but just seem to have other dedications.Ive brought a few there gave them all the stuff to participate..helping and taking no time to myself ,except teaching. Theres just to many distractions for younger to become dedicated to go to at least 1/2 of the shoots which amount to about 10 in various ranges with a hour.Another state that i go to,to shoot have a bunch of teens getting into it with there fathers taking them.IF someone wants it bad enough they will go and keep going getting better. i never loose even if i miss everything...and cheer the winners.

 

[Raz]

We too are having difficulty getting new members. When someone new shows up, we do what we can to make them comfortable. We use emails to remind them of shoots and keep them connected.

 

[CaptainVane]

Old thread, but what the heck….
In MD, every local club in this state requires membership in NRA, and I refuse to give a dime to those embezzling crooks.
My point? I am a local guy, retired, with a lot of time to support/help local clubs, but as long as they bowing at the altar of WLP they won’t get my support.

 

[Iceman]

Old thread, but what the heck….
In MD, every local club in this state requires membership in NRA, and I refuse to give a dime to those embezzling crooks.
My point? I am a local guy, retired, with a lot of time to support/help local clubs, but as long as they bowing at the altar of WLP they won’t get my support.

It’s most likely for the insurance, not for buying Wayne new suits. It’s a requirement of the NRA to be able to purchase insurance through them that 100% of club members be NRA members. I wouldn’t hold that against a club, or its members. It’s what some clubs have to do, the alternatives for them are probably to expensive to remain open.

 

[jdw276]

It’s most likely for the insurance, not for buying Wayne new suits. It’s a requirement of the NRA to be able to purchase insurance through them that 100% of club members be NRA members. I wouldn’t hold that against a club, or its members. It’s what some clubs have to do, the alternatives for them are probably to expensive to remain open.

An alternative is join the CMP as an affiliated club. $30 annual fee. Opens up member benefits for modern stuff but also price shop lockton for club insurance....will be shopping club insurance next fall......