What would it take for the NMLRA to become a true "national" organization?

[OldMaineWoodsman]

I stopped paying memberships to National organizations with the exception of Delta Waterfowl and the Ruffed Grouse Society. I now pay membership dues to State organizations who in my opinion do a better job at fighting for both firearm and hunting rights. Some examples:

Sportsman's Alliance of Maine (multi-year member)

New York Houndsmen Conservation Association (multi-year member)

Virginia Bear Hunters Association (multi-year member)

Virginia Deer Hunters Association (Life member)

I'll never rejoin the NRA until Wayne is gone and there is a top to bottom leadership and mission direction change. I also quit Ducks Unlimited because I got sick of reading articles about leadership going on world-class duck hunting trips that the average member can't afford, or big money award banquets. They show little to no interest in supporting local projects.

The Ruffed Grouse Society got it. They changed leadership and ruffled feathers (no pun intended) by cleaning house. They got rid of "field and or area reps" who never responded to emails or inquiries and replaced them with Foresters and Wildlife Management Specialists. They then shifted the focus and mission back to habitat restoration, preservation and conservation.

I was an on again, off member of the NMLRA. I no longer am. They seem focused only on Friendship and made a mistake (IMHO) when they embraced modern unmentionables (unless that has changed).

 

[Okie Hog]

Also, I would say that blaming people for not participating is also a foolish tact to take.

Exactly!!!

Those who are pushing the NMLRA, riddle me this!!! Why should i spend hard earned money to become a member of an organization rotten with nepotism and run by people in their own best interests.

As for the NRA, i've been a Life Member since 1960. For decades i contributed until it hurt. Then Wayne La Pierre took the organization into the cesspool of partisan politics. After the NRA dumpster fire flamed up at the convention in 2019 i stopped contributing and clawed back a bequeath of property.

My contributions to the NRA may resume after WLP and the current board of directors are gone.

 

[Hayes Cooper]

Yes there nice to have but 50.00 is way to high of a price,,,more like 20.00

Not for everything they do, maintain, and cost of a magazine, if 50 is too high then you need to look at prices these days, sound very in educated if you think 20 covers anything

 

[sturmkatze]

It would be easy to fix the NRA, get rid of Wayne and his cabal.

And do what? Put in more appeasers? Before Wayne, the NRA had crap for leadership.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Exactly!!!

Those who are pushing the NMLRA, riddle me this!!! Why should i spend hard earned money to become a member of an organization rotten with nepotism and run by people in their own best interests.

As for the NRA, i've been a Life Member since 1960. For decades i contributed until it hurt. Then Wayne La Pierre took the organization into the cesspool of partisan politics. After the NRA dumpster fire flamed up at the convention in 2019 i stopped contributing and clawed back a bequeath of property.

My contributions to the NRA may resume after WLP and the current board of directors are gone.

Do you have any examples of this nepotism?
The people who are elected to office at the NMLRA are elected by people that attend the shoots and participate. Much better way than what the NRA does.

 

[FishDFly]

There is an example, Mike Yazel's son was put on the payroll.

Mike Luma proposed a change to the bylaws to let the "membership" elect the President instead of the BOD. It was quickly shot down.

The current situation is like letting the Senate elect the President instead of the American people.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

Mike Yazel's kid was the best thing that ever happened to the NMLRA. Of course we couldn't have anybody working there that was actually doing a great job. I got to know him while I was teaching there. He's the only reason the Kibler kit class had any exposure on you tube.

 

[FishDFly]

He is the Social Media Manager at Muzzleloader Magazine, he must be doing something correct.

 

[Uncle Miltie]

And do what? Put in more appeasers? Before Wayne, the NRA had crap for leadership.

I think they do a great job.

 

[alcessapiens]

And do what? Put in more appeasers? Before Wayne, the NRA had crap for leadership.

And now they have gold plated flaming crap for leadership. A gun club I was in in Southern California in the early 80s did it right. They had a womens’day where city dwellers could come out and learn about safety, precision, and marksmanship in a hands on experience. We had quite a few show up, some with preconceived notions that shooters were knuckle dragging murderous imbeciles. They left with a much more positive idea of shooting and shooters and several became members. Membership, due to word of mouth, rose. Then we got a group of guys (all wealthy, all related) who apparently wanted a special forces shooting range rather than a shooting club and it fell apart. Money always wins. Oddly, the club closed and one of these guys bought the land very quietly and cheaply and subdivided it.

 

[Comfortably_Numb]

He is the Social Media Manager at Muzzleloader Magazine, he must be doing something correct.

Good! He will excel there, I'm sure.

 

[LongWalker]

Do you have any examples of this nepotism?
The people who are elected to office at the NMLRA are elected by people that attend the shoots and participate. Much better way than what the NRA does.

Examples of nepotism--you mean like BOD member's kids getting scholarships? The Association contracting to have work done by family members of officers/employees? That nepotism?

This may not be nepotism or conflicts of interest: after all, the BOD claims there is a Conflict of Interest policy and maybe they followed it--but they won't let anyone see it, which calls the whole thing into question. Perhaps the positions were filled by family members after an actual search for the best fit, or through competitive bidding--but if so, no announcements of the search or requests for proposals, etc, seem to have been made.

So if it isn't nepotism or conflicts of interest, what is it? I'm more than willing to be shown it isn't, but I'm tired of being attacked for asking questions. Or are there levels of membership, beyond being a member, that you have to achieve before you can ask a question and actually get an answer?

Mike Yazel's kid was the best thing that ever happened to the NMLRA. Of course we couldn't have anybody working there that was actually doing a great job. I got to know him while I was teaching there. He's the only reason the Kibler kit class had any exposure on you tube.

Based on what little information is available, "Mike Yazel's kid" got the position because he is "Mike Yazel's kid". From the BOD minutes, it seems he got the interview and was offered the job without the position being posted.

They publish a legal, technical financial disclosure in their magazine every year. The NMLRA really isn't an NRA, by way of comparison. Readers of Muzzle Blasts know how they must comply with all legal codes as to handicap accessibility, etc. They also publish a yearly mailing disclosure so we can see circulation, etc.

They do publish a financial disclosure every year. What is the relationship of the firm preparing the disclosure to past/current members of the BOD? How and why was the firm selected? That's a serious question, one that no one is willing to answer but information a non-profit should have available when members ask.

Did you mean to write "members of the BOD and all employees" rather than "readers of Muzzle Blasts"?

Quick example of the NMLRA's non-compliance with "all legal codes as to handicap accessibility": if you are a member (but not a life member) of the NMLRA, sign in to the membership page so you can see your profile. On the left, under "Account Details" click on "Membership Renewal". If you aren't a Life Member, click on "Renew with a Different Membership Type", then "Next". Under "Membership Type Details" click on the drop-down box and select "Endowment Life". Under "Description" it says, "Receive all members benefits. Payment plan is available of $200 down and $80 paid quarterly until balance is paid in full. Call the main office at 812-667-5153 to set up payment plan. This option is not available online."

Drop down a little further, under "Groups and Committees" and you'll see "Below is a list of Groups and Committees you are in. Please call us at 812-667-5131 if you have any questions or concerns about your Committees."

In other words, if you are a member but can't use a phone because of a disability, you aren't eligible to use a payment plan for Endowment Life membership, and have no way to ask questions or express concerns about committees you might be in. If you don't have that disability, you apparently are eligible, and can ask questions. This seems to violate Title III of the ADA. (Usual disclaimers apply: I'm not a lawyer, this is not legal advice, etc.)

I'm not saying this was a deliberate choice on the part of the NMLRA, just that this is NMLRA membership policy. This is kind of funny, because it would be relatively easy for a half-decent software developer to set this up so it was available online. That it hasn't been done makes it look like a choice, rather than what it probably was: an oversight. Normally something like this would be reported to the organization's ADA compliance person, or ADA contact person, or however the org designated it. The NMLRA doesn't have one.

 

[sturmkatze]

I think they do a great job.

They do. I meant the turds before.

 

[sturmkatze]

Good lords. Just a circle jerk of crotchety heinous who will look at their smooth gun cabinets after they're taken away and wonder why. Most of you make reading here unpleasant. If you don't like it, get off your fat butt and help. Or shut your yap. Complain, complain, complain. I've been on boards and the biggest whiners are the ones who didn't do anything and wanted it all done for them.

As to Ethan Yazel, he's brought a breath of fresh air into this. I know, old geezers (older than me) don't watch YouTube, but he's helped a lot.

 

[springfield art]

There are many thousands of muzzle-loading hunters that only have muzzleloaders in order to extend their hunting season. They largely have no interest in the historical aspect of ML's. Not saying that's bad, just the way it is. Simply not enough people join the NMLRA to make it have a national impact.

 

[Brent]

There are many thousands of muzzle-loading hunters that only have muzzleloaders in order to extend their hunting season. They largely have no interest in the historical aspect of ML's. Not saying that's bad, just the way it is. Simply not enough people join the NMLRA to make it have a national impact.

Well for darn sure the NMLRA can't get bigger if you don't join.

Why don't we all complain about the weather? Might be more constructive.

 

[alcessapiens]

Good lords. Just a circle jerk of crotchety heinous who will look at their smooth gun cabinets after they're taken away and wonder why. Most of you make reading here unpleasant. If you don't like it, get off your fat butt and help. Or shut your yap. Complain, complain, complain. I've been on boards and the biggest whiners are the ones who didn't do anything and wanted it all done for them.

As to Ethan Yazel, he's brought a breath of fresh air into this. I know, old geezers (older than me) don't watch YouTube, but he's helped a lot.

If the reading here is unpleasant, put everyone you disagree with on ignore so you’ll never have to consider different viewpoints or opinions. Life’s simpler with less noise.

 

[roundballman]

Like all organizations they are staffed and governed by people who devote their time to it. Same goes for church boards, school boards, gun clubs, bridge clubs, etc. If you can't or won't participate you can't change the direction of the organization. NMLRA is our national organization and it deserves our support (relatively cheap) and our participation to make it what it needs to be.

 

[sleepingbulldog]

I don’t know anything about how he got the job, but I’m a big fan of Ethan Yazel. He’s doing a great job of promoting muzzleloading to younger generations and creates a ton of interest. He’s exactly the kind of person we need to keep the sport going.

 

[hunter thompson]

I GET a few that want to learn the fun of accuracy..and how to have shooting fun at 1/3 the cost....saving money from the semis. They dont want to hear about history or nothing about dressing up in primitive clothes and cooking on a outdoor fire.everythings pre done ..the balls and patches are there to just load and shoot over a certain charge,,,i teach them stance /safty and techniques and get them on the lines to shoot and enjoy.Thats ALL the new generation cares about...not a membership and a magazine with shiny pages of scores from out in indiana and recipes They n me have other info to feed the fun of the black powder There not going.... end of story. I LEND A GUN ... ILL LOAD THE GUN AND LET THEM PLAY then there part of us...TAKE A KID SHOOTING.18-50...Be a momentor and advocate to save the ranks which are dwindling fast,been there done that there not going 1 out of 20 will stay part time. YOU COULD OFFER A FREE TRUCK ...TO THE NEW WINNERS OF NOVICE CATAGORY...There not there...might be 1 or 2