Recruiting shooters..

[Roger Fisher]

Turning this over in my mind and wondering if it would be worthwhile and has anyone done this with any success.

If a dedicated shooter would stop off at area gun clubs in his/her area and jawbone any and all shooters he could find there about do you have a muzzleloader.  Are you in to m loading?  Do you have a bit of interest in competitive shooting and so why not come in to XYZ club and try us out.  Here's our flyer and we invite you to look us up etc etc yadda yadda... !

Has anyone out there done this with any success to speak of?  We have to consider the drop off in shooters at the matches and what to do about it.

I wonder if an eyeball to eyeball invitation to some folks may work.

What say you...

I'm really asking if any of you out there  has wandered in to other clubs and jawboned the few shooters standing around there holding on to their plastic inlines or suppository high powers about coming in to your scheduled shoots and the question is did it work did it turn out worthwhile or was it a waste of your time.   I have found if you invite a dozen or 15 and one shows up it's a surprise.   How did it work out for you

Oh, and another thing, when I wander around Chuck's Gunmakers show eye balling the gi  - guns, I often wonder:: If only 5% of the folks attending there would show up at a shoot, we wouldn't know where to put them.  Do they buy and/or build these long rifles just to look at them..   Kinda like hooking up with a pretty gal just to look at!

[chuck-ia]

Probably depend on the area you live. Seems to be very little interest here in north west iowa, I have tried though. Lately I have pretty much given up though, pretty much keep to myself at the range. Most are into how many rounds you can put down range, (without putting up a target). We have 2 shoots a year and are lucky to have 15 shooters at a shoot. Same range, back in the late 60s, early 70s there were 100 shooters for a weekend shoot. I think the muzzleloader is just too much work for the average person today. Quick and easy comes to mind. Sorry to sound negative. chuck

[smylee grouch]

Roger: great and important topic even if it has been brought up several times before. It might be alot more productive trying to get an existing shooter out to try muzzle loading but I think we need to try to get some nonshooters out too. Its kinda like preaching to the choir if we only try to recruit already shooting people. I have had a small amount of succes introducing young hunter saftey students to the sport but I think I should be going after their moms and pops too, or the guy down the street, or that fellow at work,etc. I am trying to get one of our local holy men out to shoot but havent found the right time for both of us yet.    Smylee

[volatpluvia]

Roger,
I sure do miss you smiling countenence at shoots.  I knew I could always have a pleasant conversation with you.  Buuuuuttt... I went to México.  I just can't get back to PA and other states to go to shoots.  hmmmnnnnn...
I don't know how to recruit more shooters any more than I know how to recruit more church goers.  But at least i understand your frustration.  I couldn't even keep my own son shooting.  Whenever I visit him I ask him to get out the nice English Flinter I made for him for his twelfth birthday.  At least his wife lets him keep it in the house now.
Volatpluvia

[zimmerstutzen]

I suggested inviting scouts, both sexes.  to a "Colonial Day" at the black powder club.  Flint and steel, camp fire cooking, leather work, quill pen and ink,  other colonial crafts and a chance to shoot a flintlock. 

feed them some food and let them take beads and leather work home.

[The other DWS]

years ago when I was reenacting we set up a booth at a large local fall festival, I don't remember how we worked it all out but one of the guys figured out a way to mould hard wax balls we could shoot out of our smoothbore muskets (besses, charlevilles and a few of Curly Gostomskie's trade guns we had built) in a shooting gallery type booth into a safe backstop--heavy soft flappy drapes we got at goodwill if I remember correctly.
 We had large easy to hit targets. staffed it with members in costume, charged 50 cents a shot and if they hit it they got to keep the target.  We loaded and coached the shooters and worked a local history spiel into the process.  Finished up with a bit of recruiting. got a lot of teenagers but a lot of adults too. Many had never fired a gun let alone a BP flintlock.  We also told them if they brought their target back with 2 friends who wanted to give it try they'd get another free shot themselves.   We made a nice little bit of change above our cost for targets wax and powder and wound up with half a dozen or so recruits.  It was a 3 day event and we had to work every night casting up more wax balls.
  I wish I could remember what the wax was, it was brown, light weight and pretty hard, I sorta think is was some sort of industrial casting wax---but not real sure.  I know we melted all the balls down when we were done into a couple bricks and the wax went back to where ever we got it from.  I think we put like half a Kleenex sheet between the powder and the ball as a wad.  distance form the shooter to target was maybe 25 feet and the ball and powder charge were so light it was more flash and pop with not much recoil.
Probably could not do that now without getting homeland security. the FBL, AFT state and local cops, and the EPA and half a dozen other alphabet agencies down your throat.

[Candle Snuffer]

Pretty much in the same boat as Chuck-ia (above) out here in northwest Nebraska.  Starting this year we dropped our ML schedule from 7 shoots a year to 3 shoots.  On the up side, (if I feel I can afford the gas) I can always make a 200 mile round trip once a month to Bridgeport, NE and shoot with Camp Clark Raiders - which would actually be pretty darn enjoyable and fun as they have (as I understand it) a great reactive metal target range!

I need to check my schedule and CCR schedule now.  I'm up for the trip.

[Don Getz]

Shooting muzzleloaders has to be considered a  sport, and is like many others we take on.   Golf, archery, etc.    You will
find that they all suffer these ups and downs.    You can't make someone come out and shoot with you, they have found
another venue to occupy their time, that's just the way it is.   How can you pry some young lad away from his computer
games........I hate to think this but I'm afraid it will get worse before it gets better.   Check out Friendship....old shooters,
and not many visitors.   The good old days are gone.........Don

[The other DWS]

We've always had "outdoors folk" and "indoors folk"  looking at it from the historical point of view, as our population has increased it has shifted toward the urban/sub-urban which has effectively reduced the "outdoor folk".
  Electronic media generated entertainment and amusement from the early days of TV to today's computer created forms has sucked a whole generation and a half, (almost 2 of 'em) down its electronic throat.  Almost all outdoor activity has lost ground, and for the "outdoor folk" remaining all sorts of new sports have developed that have further decided that already reduced segment of society.
  While there seems to have been a surge of interest in firearms, it appears (to me at least) to be dominated by our social fears.  Visit the NRA show sometime and see how "defensive" and "tactical" arms seem to dominate.
  I guess we need black plastic multi-shot flintlocks and black buckskin clad ninja warriors

[zimmerstutzen]

I post the black powder match schedules for clubs on a local hunting site, even though I am not a member of most of the clubs. 

I even post club flyers at sporting goods stores and other places.  I really have no idea if it does any good. 

[Canute Rex]

Here are a couple of data points for you:

Mid April I'm going to a local ML target shoot in Bristol, VT. It gets about two dozen shooters on a good year.

Back in January I was at the Smugglers Notch Primitive Biathlon (ML and wooden snowshoes around a 2 mile course) and there were around 200 people in attendance.

So where did those other 176 people come from? Partly I think it is due to good marketing. All the primitive biathlons promote each other, and they keep up an email list. Partly I think it is cabin fever - people are looking to get out and run around. And maybe that's part of it - running around. I see younger people at the biathlons.

Given the state of my knee cartilage I'm not really a contender in the running part, but I like to get out there and compete against my previous times and shooting scores. The aging of our sport naturally makes us think less about any athletic element, but maybe we should see about reversing that.

There's a place in the competition for someone younger who isn't necessarily a canny old 10x shot, but can make up for that with a good set of legs. The organizers encourage period clothing, so there's an incentive for the reenactor folks.

I guess the overall message is that there is a sweetener for all sorts of different people at the biathlon.

Some interesting examples at the Manchester Primitive Biathlon:

They have a "King of the Hill" shoot which is scored on the shortest time to get three hits on a relatively large gong. That gives the smoothbore/reenactor folks an advantage.

They have a "Five Card Draw" with five shots, every hit getting a card to make up a poker hand. That puts raw chance on the side of the novice.

It makes it more welcoming for someone who can't put five balls in a cloverleaf. The Natty Bumppo types can compete in the paper target event and show their stuff. I should note that the Bristol shoot doesn't distinguish smoothbore from rifled in the scoring. It's gongs and 25 yard targets, but still...

I know a lot of reenactors who hardly ever actually shoot live ball. They are a perfect group to make a lateral move into ML target shooting. Maybe a military musket and paper cartridge event would lure a few in. A few gong hits and we've got them hooked.

So, when am I going to hear about you Canadians (up to your hips in snow) starting your own biathlons?

[Paul Griffith]

Along this train of thought. I've always splashed around what I do locally & from time to time, over the years some interest would be shown & now & then people would take interest & so on.

Back probably 10 years ago or so I wrapped up a double English flint shotgun & took it to the local hardware/sporting goods store for show & tell. Showing it to a youngster (20 something) he asked how it was loaded. I give him a brief rundown on loading. He looks at me & says "what a pain in the ass" I couldn't help but feel that it was a different world from the one I grew up in. At that same age I'd ave sawed a cord of wood under water with a dull hacksaw to have handled & shot that same gun. This kid, who was into hunting & shooting couldn't have cared less. I realize he's only one but it seems like a more common outlook these days. Something has to happen to spark interest from the young again. Not sure what???

[Bob Roller]

Neither of our two sons have any interest in muzzle loaders. The oldest one. likes the 45ACP and the S&W 44 Magnum and his .308.He watched a man load a Colt Walker repro at the range and commented that he could wash and wax his car in the lenght of time it took to get that big revolver on line.
The younger son has a Colt 1911 that I gave him but has not fired it in years.
If I get to the range twice a year,I consider it a minor miracle. Level of interest fades and is replaced by other activities.

Bob Roller

[Roger Fisher]

Neither of our two sons have any interest in muzzle loaders. The oldest one. likes the 45ACP and the S&W 44 Magnum and his .308.He watched a man load a Colt Walker repro at the range and commented that he could wash and wax his car in the lenght of time it took to get that big revolver on line.
The younger son has a Colt 1911 that I gave him but has not fired it in years.
If I get to the range twice a year,I consider it a minor miracle. Level of interest fades and is replaced by other activities.

Bob Roller

Funny thing, I also have 2 sons neither interested in ML at all.  Oldest in his young 60's and retired has the time but still has no interest in his old man's hobby.  Seems we are correct when we feel the younger generations simply are in to instant gratification and not much else..Darn little interest in history.  Well I intend to continue.

I'll ask again, has anyone out there visited other clubs etc etc and found success in recruiting shooters for ML and/or shooters for your own home club?  If so, what seemed to be the key to your success.? (Bribery and pole dancers are excluded)

[Robby]

I have belonged to an Archery club here for over forty years. It is probably the finest field archery course in the state, with forty-two targets ranging from fifteen feet to eighty yards spread through a beautiful woods, and a practice range with twelve targets. We have no overhead, the dues are twenty five dollars a year. Over the years I have seen the roster ebb and flow but never as it is now. Myself and one other fellow have been trying to keep up with range maintenance for the last few years. If you can figure a way to get people back outdoors to participate  in these shooting sports, I sure would like to know. Its really sad!
Robby

[lakehopper]

Roger, I have posted letters in our club news letter, on our bulletin board and asking for interestes members to join a muzzleloading club within our club, percussion and flint only.

Still waiting for a response.

glenn

[stuart cee dub]

There is such thing as a free lunch ....

I was range officer at a Twin Cities Muzzleloading Club event this past Saturday.Normally on one of their winter shoots they might have 10 shooters .
There were at least 21 this Saturday .Most of them were new to this shoot .It was an amazing turnout .
I was told they handed out free tickets for lunch and the shoot but kept the 50 cents a relay intact  .Normally the shoot fee is 15 bucks .The weather was promised to be good as well .
A number of the shooters were cowboy action shooters wanting to try their muzzleloaders.
Most were were cap lock shooters there was one guy with a flinter.

People came out to give it a try .Afterwards there was some discussion .
There is a lot of interest in guns .Look at the gun sales statistics .
People need a place to shoot .Now some of those ,a small fraction ,have muzzleloaders that they bought and want to try them out.No indoor range I know of tolerates BP smoke .

Cowboy action shooters might be looking for something new as well.
Muzzleloaders are very inexpensive to shoot and does not require three guns with two or three kinds of ammunition and a two wheeler to haul them around in  .Perhaps there is a gold mine of opportunity here .
Not all the news is grim .

Regards Stuart

[Roger Fisher]

There is such thing as a free lunch ....

I was range officer at a Twin Cities Muzzleloading Club event this past Saturday.Normally on one of their winter shoots they might have 10 shooters .
There were at least 21 this Saturday .Most of them were new to this shoot .It was an amazing turnout .
I was told they handed out free tickets for lunch and the shoot but kept the 50 cents a relay intact  .Normally the shoot fee is 15 bucks .The weather was promised to be good as well .
A number of the shooters were cowboy action shooters wanting to try their muzzleloaders.
Most were were cap lock shooters there was one guy with a flinter.

People came out to give it a try .Afterwards there was some discussion .
There is a lot of interest in guns .Look at the gun sales statistics .
People need a place to shoot .Now some of those ,a small fraction ,have muzzleloaders that they bought and want to try them out.No indoor range I know of tolerates BP smoke .

Cowboy action shooters might be looking for something new as well.
Muzzleloaders are very inexpensive to shoot and does not require three guns with two or three kinds of ammunition and a two wheeler to haul them around in  .Perhaps there is a gold mine of opportunity here .
Not all the news is grim .

Regards Stuart

Well now thats the way it should work.  Looks good for your area.   A local cash shoot yesterday turned out exactly 8 shooters, re entry agg, egg shoot and 100 yd bench reentry.  Had a good time.  The single person that runs that shoot called 7 or 8 shooters that shot there in the past and one 'had the flu', another a grd son's 'banquet', another now works weekends, a couple no answer.......  Maybe too much going on around here..

[yip]

  yesterday (4/1/12) at powder patch and ball we had 19 shooters, we normally get somewhere around 8-10, although it was our yearly ham shoot, i was supprized to see 19. everything went good without a hitch,  i hope this number of shooters carries on for next months shoot, but i doubt it. our club has around 1,200 members,i know many have black powder guns but show no interest in shooting them, if they only knew the enjoyment we have with our, i know its creaper than shooting skeet or trap