New blood?

[Damon]

Hi all,
Just wondering if things are similar in the US and a lot of builders and suppliers are advancing in years or if you guys have younger people starting to offer their services as well?

Thanks,
Damon

 

[necchi]

Young fellers are steppin up.
I don't think there are as many that'll make a living at it as the older ones but folks fill in where there's a need.

 

[ohio ramrod]

A few younger builders are starting,but not near as many as are passing on.The whole buckskinning scene is in danger of dieing out if more younger people don't get involved. :idunno:

 

[George T.]

That is a good question. The shooters are not getting any younger either. I have known a couple of builders and it is not the money that they do it for. All in all it is a sad picture but it may turn around. We can hope so anyway. Geo. T.

 

[Zonie]

The guy who bought Muzzleloader Builder's Supply from Suzie is pretty young.

I'm not sure how well the business is going for him. A while back his site was saying the business was for sale.
http://www.muzzleloaderbuilderssupply.com/index.html

 

[David W.]

Unfortunately, it seems to be a dying art. I don't believe many young people as as interested in history as we are. Coupled with that, the "modern" muzzle loader has turned off many a new comer after they find out what a piece of bull hockey they are.

 

[Vaino]

Judging from photos of MLing get togethers, most of the participants are OLD and have gray hair and beards. Perhaps the "younger set" is hesitant to participate because of the "grumpy ole men" of which one is pictured below?....Fred

 

[wattlebuster]

He does look a tad grumpy but I would love to have his building knowledge :thumbsup:

 

[Rifleman1776]

Yeppers. My club most of the members are north of 70 years old. A few under that but they don't come consistently. We changed rules to allow the use of peep sights for all matches to accomodate the older eyes. Helps a lot.

 

[Billnpatti]

That's a good looking gun, good looking country and the gun is in the hands of a good lo......uh....well.....a friendly looking man.....yeah, that's the ticket....friendly looking man. :haha:

 

[Vaino]

Thanks..my wife of 55 years isn't as generous as you.

Yes, there is a declining interest in all phases of MLing and allied interests by younger people. Could offer some reasons for this, but we've heard about them often enough... so won't repeat.....Fred

 

[Tommy Bruce]

The Brigade of the American Revolution also appears to be aging in a rapid manner. It is so expensive to get started these days and with the economy being what it is, well I think that has been an influence as well. My 13 year old still likes to attend events with me and shot his first trail walk this weekend. I'd like to get some of his friends involved but most are stuck on the ipod or gameboy.

 

[cynthialee]

I don't see how a Gameboy competes with shooting a real gun...

 

[tenngun]

Our whole culture has stripped us from the world.There are young folks steping in but for the most part self relince,do-it-yourself is a dieing game.You play" Deerhunter" you allways get your deer,you dont get blood on your hands no You tick bites and you dont have to clean your gun.you can camp in down,sleep under nylon an a ranger will rescue you if you get a skeeter bite."beaver gone Bill Tylor,soon I be gone too"

 

[Loyalist Dave]

It's skipping a generation that's all. I'm 50, and the betweens are in their 30's, but the folks in their teens are starting to look at older stuff, as they are realizing they are going to be "on their own".

We have Nine new folks in our group this year, five are under 20, and two are girls. The adults are all my age. That's more new people added than in the past decade to our group. :grin:

LD

 

[Carl Fowler III]

Have to agree with ye....kids today think everything should be easy, they don't want to work to hard to get their game...with all the food plots and treehouses, being dropped off in an ATV and using same to get their game out....their heads filled with dreams of monster deer where nothing else will do....seems like a death toll to me....hope I'm wrong! :shake:

 

[Spikebuck]

kids today think everything should be easy, they don't want to work to hard to get their game...

Kids....you just described 90%+ of the adults in the woods! Also doesn't help that "hunting" shows pretty much only portray killing and not hunting.

So for those of you lucky enough to have clubs within a reasonable distance that you're a member of....what is the club doing to promote traditional muzzleloading to kids? I mean having them come out and actually shoot, not just walk through a rondi. Maybe recruit a parent along with a kid.

We have some very good young people post now and then in our forums here. If you're reading this, what do you think works? What got you involved?

 

[AWsaddles]

I consider my self as a young person in this field , sort of as I am younger than 30 and started when I was about 12. I was a bit intimidated when I first started but there was a guy I met at the first ronde I went to that took me in under his wing and showed me the ropes and for that I am truly greatful. I still look forward to the two times a year there is a local match that we still get together, visit and shoot with each other. Several of the guys I work with have shown interest in traditional black powder and most of them are in there 20 s also. This is not a cheap hobby and the cost of everything turns some people off.

 

[flyfisher76544]

The problem I am seeing is money. Got a bud right now who is looking to get a flinter but the cost is holding him back right now(style he wants). Another issue is some of the "clubs", now I know not all clubs are this way..... but one club here wants the same amount of money that it would cost me for a hunting lease. Which is insane for a once a month shoot, plus if you don't show up on a work day to lend a hand.....you get fined. The other clubs are all 4 plus hours away. So a 1 day shoot really isn't worth the drive, now a weekend shoot would be but not very many around here offer that.

 

[Loxahatchee]

We have some very good young people post now and then in our forums here. If you're reading this, what do you think works? What got you involved?

Well, I became interested in this mainly because I like history. And since I hunt a lot, this seemed like a good way to combine hunting and history. Plus hunting with a traditional ML is more of a challenge than using a modern CF with a 10 power scope :idunno: But since that is what all our hunting rifles are, its what we use. However, I have tried to convince my dad to sight in one of his open-sight .30-30 lever actions. Thatd be a little more of a challenge, plus itd be cool :grin:

But, I cant really think of ways to get other kids involved. All you can do really is expose them to this style and leave it up to them to take it up. The majority of kids though will turn it down without a doubt. I mean, who wouldnt, when they can grab the latest and greatest rifle where all you have to do is put the high-powered scope crosshairs where you want and pull the trigger, and then walk back to a vehicle, drive that to the game and load it up and take the whole thing to a butcher instead of doing it yourself??? :surrender: :redface: