Observations at the NMLRA fall championships

[tecum-tha]

dixie: You don't need to justify certain things.
This list of comments is more like brainstorming.
Brainstorming needs no justification or evaluation.
After brainstorming, one develops possible solutions to identified problems. Than possible solutions will have to be discussed with their respective advantages/disadvantages. This will usually make one solution stand out as the most feasible.

I would donate my time, but as stated earlier,my home does not remodel itself. This binds most of my weekends and my sparetime at least for the next six month.
Who do you think will run the hopefully new re-enactor matches? These need military planing experience to work, target programs need to be written,etc....
I am single,36 years old and have disposable income. Don't forget the singles. Not everyone raises kids and even families have disposable income, otherwise there would be no weekend trips, no amusement parks, no movie nights, no eating out and people wouldn't buy $10 junk at the flea markets and yard sales etc.
We have to show people that participation is better than consuming. And with consuming I don't mean shopping at commercial or primitive row, but paying for constant entertainment.

 

[jethro224]

#1 A map of the faciliteies and calander of events day by day is in the shoot program avaliable at event and online prior to event.

#2 One day reg fee is $5.00 not $15.00 this was changed last year.I know because I was the one pushing to make this happen. There is a need for a 2 day reg fee, but if you preregister it is $20.00 only those who wait to get there are charged $30.00.

#3 The spring and fall shoots are and will remain self supporting no membership dues or other general fund money is used to make these happen including repairs and upgrades to campground.Your membership dues are not registration fees to the shoots , all other national type shoots charge a reg. fee.

#4 Camp fees for all areas except Frontier Heritage (full hook-up campground) and primitive are $15.00 a nite for one person and $5.00 per nite for ALL ADDITIONAL people in camp wehter it is one or four making the most you will pay for a rserved site all week long is $170.00. This includes elec only no water or sewer these are not avaliable.
Just spent 2 nites at Boonesbourgh campground cost $60.00 for 2 people with elec and water only.

#5 If you would like to keep primitive range open later I suggest you volunteer to run range,after taking range officer course and working traing hours to get certified. How much time have you donated to org.? PLEASE FEEL FREE TO PITCH IN TO MAKE IT BETTER FOR ALL OF US!!

#6 Sorry the facilities are not suitable for your family. The shower houses are painted often and cleaned daily,they are not new but are notnearly as bad as you insinuated. Most of the painting and upkeep are done at the yearly membership work party advertised in M.B. you would be welcome!!

I will not claim that the NMLRA is perfect as it is but myself and many others who VOLUNTEER OUR TIME ,time we would rather use shooting are working to improve it not setting around telling others what they should be doing to make it more like we want it to be!!

The main reason there are less younger people at the fall shoot is school is in session, parents and kids are tied up.The younger members with families who travel longer distances using vacation time to fully enjoy the shoot can't do so in the numbers that come to the spring shoot.

If you do the research you will find that the 45+ age group are the ones with disposiable incomes,they have raised or are close to moving the kids out and are able to do what they want when they want.

There is a weekend Turkey shoot this weekend at Friendship, since you lve close it would be a perfect time to come and meet some people and get involved hope to see you there.

1) You're right BUT people who just come for the day don't get a shoot program or look for a schedule online. A map painted on a piece of plywood and a stack of schedule flyers would be very helpful to them.

2) :surrender: I was not aware the one-day registration fee was lowered and when I told the lady at the desk this fall that I wanted to shoot for 2 days she charged me $30 and signed me up for the whole shoot. I could have registered two days in a row and saved $20? Nice of them to mention that...

3) I don't attend any other National type shoots so I don't know what they charge to register.
I still think my suggestion of a $5 fee and an additional $1 per match sounds more fair.

4) The times I have camped with a buddy they charged us both full price even tho we were on the same site. Maybe they screwed up but they did it all 3 times.

5) I believe I mentioned that the folks who run the primitive range need time off too.
I have never personally donated any time to the organization. So far I have only been able to get there for a weekend, never for even the whole shoot. I live 7 hours away and a weekend isn't even enough time to shoot all the matches I would like.

6) The bathrooms are cleaned every day but paint ain't ever gonna fix what's wrong with them. They are useable. But, I'm telling you, I hear LOTS of people complaining about them every time I'm there. During the 2 days I was there this fall I heard at least 7 different campers talking about the need for better bathrooms. I bet if you took a survey of all the campers about what should be done to improve the campgrounds, updated bathrooms would be very high on the list.

I will not claim that the NMLRA is perfect as it is but myself and many others who VOLUNTEER OUR TIME ,time we would rather use shooting are working to improve it not setting around telling others what they should be doing to make it more like we want it to be!!

Thank You! :hatsoff: to you and others who volunteer your time. But I thought this topic was about suggestions on how to make it better and more attractive to new members.
IMHO one way to make it more attractive to new members is to make the grounds a nicer place to be. Sorry if that ticks you off.

And I'm sorry that I don't live close. If I did I would get more involved. 6.5-7 hours each way and the price of gas these days will keep me away. I'm lucky to get there for a couple of days at each of the big shoots.

 

[Roy]

Sounds like maybe more volunteers should show up and help on the work days. Amazing how a group of people can really get a lot of the things you all have mentioned fixed/repaired. Also amazing how demoralizing it can for the few people are doing the most of the work and get told how it could be better. Sorry but the house don't fix itself is a poor excuse. Everyone has the same or more problems and some of them still show up to do the work. I've seen this with groups here on a local level... probably multiplied on the National level. :v

I will be a member by the end of the week.

 

[hrchotaw]

With the present economic situation what it is you are in the minority with the "disposable income",and also you are single.I really believe the reason there aren't many younger members could be due in part to the economy.I thought this topic was about ideas.I really appreciate people like dixie,but I think most of this is constructive criticism and I hope he doesn't take it personally. Jethro is definetely right about the campgrounds and facilities,they are nasty .All the paint in the world won't fix nasty.And I think stakes to mark the campsites couldn't cost anymore or take any more time than paint marks on the ground. :idunno:
Again,thanks dixie and also the others like you.

 

[tecum-tha]

Sorry, but the bad economy is not this bad after all....
Seeing how full our restaurants are, looking at the parking lots of the bars/liquor stores and what they charge, the economy can't be that bad.
And the families in there are happy to pay $10-15 for one meal and $2 for a soft drink per person, but complain about gas prices.
It is bad and will not get much better for people who made questionable decisions in the first place, based on poor assumptions like:
+ house values can only go up
+ I am entitled to luxury
+ believing the bankers what they can afford (which is always more than they really can)
+ marry extremely young and have kids without having built up any financial backing (divorced with 25, 2-3 kids, no education)
+ the government will help you out
+ think they own something, when in reality the bank does
+ having no financial reserves built up, because they consume all their money.
+ have too many kids without realizing that they cost you an arm and a leg to raise
+ have a sense of "entitlement"
+ won't work for less, because they made more money in a job before
+ waste their money to go to college and get useless degrees where there is no demand for in the job market (most social subjects/ creative writing and other :bull: courses) and later wonder why no-one wants to hire them and pay the anticipated high salary they were "promised" by the college recruiter (which is another s...bag living of provisions like realtors/insurance agents/investment sales people etc.)These "professions" do not take the interest of the customer first, because they are not paid directly for by the customer, but a percentage of the sale volume. Result: the more they succeed to sell you, the higher their bonus is)
+ refusing to realize that living above our means for the last 40 years will get us in serious trouble very fast, but refuse to adjust the systems to make them robust for the future, because they may loose a little.

Sorry, I had to vent....

 

[flintlock50]

I am not ticked off and do agree this is about suggestions thats why I was suggesting people get personally involved,and remember that much of what happens there is done by people who chose to volunteer time, time that could be used to do other things such as remodel their homes or shoot which is why we come there in the first place.

A map would not be a difficult fix and I will see what can be done.

The one day fee is for exactly that one day, signing up for 2 one day fees is not going to happen. Do believe we need and am working on a 2 day shooting fee for those who can't stay longer.

Raising match fees and lowering reg. fees would benefit those who shoot a couple of matches but would be a major imposition on those who shoot 50+ matches at a shoot. The current cost per shooter as of June 2011 is $41.00, this an average of all shooters be they one day or 8 day participents.

The way I read the camp fees this should not be happening. Check camp fees on website and see if you agree,if you come in june will look into this with you and see if i am correct.

Since i have the pleasure of serving on the camp comm. I also hear what our problems are and we are attempting to address them as time and moey allow. The major complaint currently is the sub standard elec. and this issue is being addressed starting this fall.Actually the majority of comments we are recieving on the bathrooms have been positive.Still not claiming there is not room for improvement.

Everyones circumstances are different and would much prefer that a person come for 2 days than not at all, but there are many who chose to spent significantly longer at these events and we have to balance things out to attempt to please everyone. All of the matches ,meetings etc. can't be fit into a weekend schedule.

More will be accomplished if complaints about anything are addressed to comm. members, board members and officers at the event where they can be addressed then and there.I personally like to hear from members whether good or bad comments it helps me make decsions for the good of the association.

Will be happy to continue this discussion over a cold beverage in June good Lord willing and we are both able to get there.

 

[flintlock50]

dixie: You don't need to justify certain things.
This list of comments is more like brainstorming.
Brainstorming needs no justification or evaluation.
After brainstorming, one develops possible solutions to identified problems. Than possible solutions will have to be discussed with their respective advantages/disadvantages. This will usually make one solution stand out as the most feasible.

I would donate my time, but as stated earlier,my home does not remodel itself. This binds most of my weekends and my sparetime at least for the next six month.
Who do you think will run the hopefully new re-enactor matches? These need military planing experience to work, target programs need to be written,etc....
I am single,36 years old and have disposable income. Don't forget the singles. Not everyone raises kids and even families have disposable income, otherwise there would be no weekend trips, no amusement parks, no movie nights, no eating out and people wouldn't buy $10 junk at the flea markets and yard sales etc.
We have to show people that participation is better than consuming. And with consuming I don't mean shopping at commercial or primitive row, but paying for constant entertainment.

Did not feel I was justifying anything just trying to clarify some miss conceptions.

You have mentioned period correct guidlines etc. and re-enactor matches , you do understand that juryed events at Friendship will eliminate most if not all of our current participents on the primitive range,yourself included based on what you what wearing in Sept.This would be a huge finacial set back for the org.I previously mentioned doing a juried encampment at national matches and none have responded with a desire to see this happen.

I am not forgetting anyone all are welcome and needed but you need to remember the person who drove 16 hours from Texas and plans to stay all week, if everything is based on the weekend person not much need for them to put out the effort.

 

[hrchotaw]

Not everybody is a civil engineer.I talked to you personally while attending,and you have already made your feelings on AMERICA crystal clear to me!Perhaps when you have solved all of the NMLRA problem,maybe you can straighten us up next. I don't see how anything in yoyr last post was anything constructive fo what were dicussing! :shake:

 

[tntx]

dixie,

I admire your willingness to exchange ideas in a forum. It is clear that your intent is to serve members of the NMLRA. I would expect nothing less from a board member. Take what is presented and evaluate for improvements at the shoots for the members.You are a diplomat. Thanks.

 

[tecum-tha]

Dixie,
back to the topic of this thread.
I have mentioned period correct guidelines.
But not affiliated those with the NMLRA primitive area. We don't want to enforce harsh rules like those rendezvous do (they do that to get the paying audience a period correct impression).
I think this publication is excellent when it comes to education, what is period correct (for this period)and what is not. It contains a lot of historical accurate information in a short read and is structured very well. One of those for each respectable time period, would enhance the quality automatically through education. One for F&I period and pre-revolution/ revolutionary war/ war of 1812/fur trade. Every guy or gal interested in a certain period would find the information needed and would affiliate this with the NMLRA. Lots of people look for guidance to enter the hobby, why not educate them and invite them like that to participate?
A lot of people who are interested in the hobby look for this kind of information as well, because it most likely means to spend money only once on the right stuff. I strictly think it is a great piece of information for the "How -to resources", which should be linked to from the NMLRA site.
I get all the times questions from people on other forums about links to good information about these subjects. Wouldn't it be great if I could send them a link to the NMLRA website and refer them to the "How-to resources?". Another instant affiliation with the NMLRA. As Ray mentioned, from these links young people use cross links/related links and usually read more about the NMLRA and may want to join.

 

[tecum-tha]

About my dress:
The only thing not period correct were my boots. I shot the archery course and the regs state this is ok. I had my moccs with me, but did not wear them to the meeting because they're not safe to drive a car back home after the meeting.
All the rest: Linen shirt, 100% silk bandana,brain-tan buckskin broadfall-pants,wool sash, bark-tan deer possible bag, powderhorn,haversack,antler powder measure, antler grip carbon-steel patch knife, linen patching,.50 cal late Lancaster style flintlock rifle were period correct for a hunter from 1790-1800. My quiver is basically a 1:1 copy of the Oetzi (the ice-man) quiver, a quiver design used for thousands of years in slightly varying styles all over the world and also in the western part of the eastern woodlands. Wooden arrows, self-nocks, real wild turkey feather fletching,linen thread wrappings, modern target field-points for 3-D targets.Osage Orange self-bow backed with snakeskins (I won it at a raffle like that).I refrained from wearing my narrow eastern breach-cloth and my braintan buckskin leggings, because it shows a lot of skin, which may offend some modern visitors....

 

[hrchotaw]

Ya' left out your type of drawers.I bet they were in a knot! :rotf:

 

[tecum-tha]

I didn't wear any :grin:

 

[Keb]

My question is:
Are you a member of the NMLRA?
Yes, or no? If no, please tell in a short statement why not.

I am a member of NMLRA. I will not renew next year since I get nothing I want for my money except a $10.00 discount to NRLHF events. I'd have to go to 4 events to break even. I did/will attend 4 this year but not next. I'm only planning on EPR & SEPR next year. No more OldNorthWest & MidWest for me. Oh, the magazine makes a good cage liner for my bird but junk mail will also work. Lord knows I get enough of that. :/

 

[flintlock50]

I would appreciate it if you would let me know what it is that you want and are not getting from NMLRA? Do you participate in any events other than rendevous? If not why? Thanks in advance for your help.

 

I would appreciate it if you would let me know what it is that you want and are not getting from NMLRA? Do you participate in any events other than rendevous? If not why? Thanks in advance for your help.

I'm not a member, but was a long time ago. If people live too far from the NMLRA events, all they get is a magazine. $40 is way too much for that magazine. People get more information on this forum for $18 than from the magazine.

 

[flintlock50]

I don't disagree with you,but we have shooters from AK,CA,TX,and NY at our spring and fall events also have the winter shoot in AZ. And these are not all rich folks, just people who choose to participate and enjoy it enough to keep coming back.

The Sept. shoot had the most targets scored in 4 yrs. and reg. shooters were up,while the numbers are not where they need to be it appears some of the work we are doing is paying off.

Until we can figure out how to come to everyones backyard and hold an event it will come down to individual choice as to their level of participation and this will affect what they get out of membership.

 

[Stumpkiller]

I would appreciate it if you would let me know what it is that you want and are not getting from NMLRA? Do you participate in any events other than rendevous? If not why? Thanks in advance for your help.

Not sure I really want anything from the NMLRA. I shoot where guys get together, don't take target shooting too serious other than to make sure my sights are set and I can judge impact at various distances, hunt for myself and my own reasons and don't need a national "book" to enter in when I get one.

 

[Rifleman1776]

Until we can figure out how to come to everyones backyard and hold an event

Amen.

I belong to NMLRA because of a long time affilation and dedication to it's founding principals. Despite it's outmoded format, I like the magazine. It has great value for fanciers of old guns, shooters and others. And, a plus for members of charter clubs is the insurance. That is a practical, and real, asset.

 

I don't disagree with you,but we have shooters from AK,CA,TX,and NY at our spring and fall events also have the winter shoot in AZ. And these are not all rich folks, just people who choose to participate and enjoy it enough to keep coming back.

I don't doubt that there will always be people who can participate. The question for any organization is... are there enough participating to support it? I wish the NMLRA well, but the value just isn't there for me.