Starting an event??

How do you start an event?Their are no muzzle loader clubs here but after checking around I have only heard about other people shooting them,most are inline How do I get the traditional shooters together.Its like they dont know other shooters exist.I thought about an add in the paper and flyers in some of the stores.What kinds of events do you guys have?Should inlines be aloud,no scopes?Not really thinking of a rendevous,just maybe camping and shooting events.What do you think?

 

[RC]

STARTING A ML EVENT IS A GREAT IDEA..may take some doing,but if you can get even 5 shooters together it's a start,our club events don't allow inlines,although I sorta wish they would,(course I'm only the shoot dir.)get some people involved in shooting ml's, as long as it's open sites and patched round ball,i'd shoot against them,we shoot against 22's at our 50/50 shoot & chicken bake.like one of the members of the international team told me,he'd shoot against anything...anybody ...offhand. targets are what you got, playing cards, poker chips, paper plates, gongs, buttons, paper targets, whatever ya got,even a woodswalk,everybody gets the same shot,you could do a 50/50 or $1 shoot or a round robin...if you can find an open weekend and can make it an overnite thing,better yet, the company at nite is worth it. start small and ask the shooters what they want..makes fer a great day,course you'll have problems,and not everyone will be happy,but normally it's worth it. just my opinion,and i've been director for 5 years,and help do shoots at the n'eastern and original..GOOD LUCK! and if ya have any questions drop me a line.i'll help ya all i can..! RC

 

One more thing.What about safety.Not all people are really safe This ofcourse would be a non alcohol event.Would like to have kids involved also.I know their would be some belly acres,so should their be like a suggestion box if there was another event later?And what about location?

 

[miki]

One thing you might want to do, is give a yell over to the State Rep of the Coalition of Hitorical Trekkers. They get together and go period hunting. Don't worry if your not that into it, they still would be willing to help you out. The website is[url] www.coht.org[/url]

Miki

 

[Randal Zartman]

Crowhop, first thing you might want to do is go into your profile and list your location. You might find someone local here on the forum. If you have a friend, start small and keep building by inviting other friends. I asked around at work and found two clubs that have shoots in my area. I also found several guys on the forum that go to them. Fact McCoy won it last year.
Good luck
Z

 

I had posted before about shooters in the 4-corners area but no bites.Went to the gun shop here in town and they said there were no ML clubs,they run the rifle range mostly.E-mailed the Colorado BPA about local clubs and no reply.Been trying but no luck.Their is supposed to be a rendevous here in June but no ML club,thats kinda weird dont ya think?

 

[CrackStock]

It takes a lot of work, but some thoughts are:

Get a range lined up -- no place to shoot = no shooting club.

Get someone certified as an instructor -- preferably through the NMLRA. As you said, safety is important. This guy will know how to handle unsafe people. Train them quickly or move them along to the gate.

Travel to some other clubs to see what works or does not work.

Advertise on the internet, in local guns shops, in the paper, and even on TV. We got the local press out and they took some pictures of a match. Lots of smoke and fire made for good coverage and got a few members.

Seek out youth hunting events such as Jakes International.

Gun shows might help.

Go and support activities of your neighboring clubs. Speak well of them -- always. Do not compete with them, but support each other.

Hold some range events and some alternate shoots such as steel silhouettes along a woods trail. (Be sure of backstops here) Mix things up.

Set up a fun atmosphere, but a safe one.

Look at the calendar and work activities up throughout the year. We had themes such as getting ready for doves with a smoothbore day; prepping for deer season with deer targets at various distances; holding a Thanksgiving meat shoot in November... You can build from there.

We also set up some traditions such as paying a dollar to try cutting a playing card off hand at the 25 yard line. Proceeds went to supporting our local YHEC shooting team. If a guy cut a card with a round ball, we glued the card to a board, printed the details on a paper and sealed it all with acrylic as a plaque. I really like mine -- got it hanging in the office where it attracted interest and a new shooter.

We gave out home made awards which were simply some luan cut out in the shape of the targets we shot. We had one of our artistic types fancy up the cut out with some paint and/or drawing and wrote the date and details of the shoot with the name of the shooter.

We kept points for the year to keep people attending regularly to stay in the running for the annual bragging rights.

We counted only the best 8 so nobody would get too discouraged if he had to miss a few shoots.

Two classes are a good idea. A class for the very serious shooters who are in the high scoring class and a B class for new shooters, shooters with problems or the social types who are not serious, but want to come and make smoke with the rest of the herd.

Food helps. It really makes the events more enjoyable when we break bread together. Pass this task around; start a traditional meal such as BBQ or find a chef.
(Don't laugh -- we had one. In Louisiana, there are a few of those. Great fella who owned a restaurant and brought us all kinds of food. I miss his cooking badly)

I hope that some of this helps.

CS

 

[miki]

Have you contacted any of the folks involved in the rendezvous? If it is the Rocky Mountain National Rendezvous it is being held in Creede, CO. There website is[url] http://www.rockymntnatlrendz.com/[/url] I am sure they can help either way.

Miki

 

Wow!Havent checked here for awhile.Thanks guys :thumbsup:

 

[Two Trails]

Our club has been running for a number of years and the best thing I can say is before you seriously start into event planning you should look at insurance. It doesn't come cheap but is necessary. If you are bringing together a group of shooters that you aren't familiar with to start with,all the more reason. The policy has to be taken out as at least a rider to the property owners coverage. :nono: