PELLET GUN SHOOT-OUT-May 22

[shootist]

FYI - the shoot I held Saturday brought in 2 people. I thought everyone wanted more pellet gun shoots?? I guess not. This was my third shoot with an open kitchen and full facilities. Better listen up folks. This is why there is only one publication in the USA on pellet guns. Because nobody supports the events they want. Imagine this, the only publication in the USA on air guns has 1100 clients, world-wide. At my shoot. I had 2 people. I can bet right now, the board is going to shut me down, period. They are in the game to support their club. With the kitchen losing what they did, why would they want to go on?? I am ashamed to go in front of the board again. At the next meeting, as a board member, I feel I have no choice, but to tender my resignation. As far as air guns, I
'll continue to do world class tunes and repairs, but as far as promoting the air gun world, I'm done. You want an air gun shoot, you go out and make the posters, drive and mail them all around, talk it up like it's the only fun you'll have all year and see what it feels like to have nobody show. You talk a good game, but you need to put up or quit. Only with a very serious response to this I can show my gun club will I have any argument at all. Wished you all loved the sport 1/10th as much as I do - Lee - AKA "shootist".

[bodiej]

Where was the shoot?  How many people were realistically close enough with enough notice to show?

[Gene_SC]

Where was your shooting event at?

[pgsmith]

Lee,

I do not know where you are located at, but I am always looking for a place to shoot. I was not aware of the shoot that you had sponsored or where it was located at if it was in or near Chicago Illinois I am sure that I would have been there.

Please don't quit on trying to bring people to the hobby it can only grow from here.

Thanks,

Pat

[bcshooter]

Shootist , I would love to come to shoot and talk airguns, nothing political, andbreak bread all day with you.. My dilemia is, you are about 200 miles away from me. Planning time off to accomplish this task, with family responsiblities is not always easy. This shootout has to be a minimumfor me atwo day trip. Doable, but with some planning ahead. If you are planning another email me or PM me........Shoot Safe and Enjoy.....Bill

[gamo2hammerli]

I feel for you shootist.  Hard to start up a shoot that`s for sure.  At my gun club a few fellows wanted to start up a friendly .22lr rifle target shooting match.  Maybe have a match once every month or something like that.  They`ve have been putting out feelers and mentioning it to any .22lr shooters.  It`s been a month already but there haven`t been any notices or posters up yet....

[shootist]

I have had the event in the "Regional Shooting Events" for months and placed reminders also. Sorry guys, no excuse. My club is done. They purchased guns for the events and bought pellets for the people, supported it all. Please, please support the "Airgun Hobby" magazine and any and every event you see. If you can't make it, send a donation, at least the club supporting the event will know there is support somewhere. Have a great evening - Lee

[CharlieDaTuna]

Not sure what went wrong but this was the first I heard about it. It does take a lot of work and planning, getting commitments and promoting. When we put something on, we usually have a pretty good turn out down here in SC. Usually between twelve and eighteen people and a couple of times more it seems. We usually have 2 or 3 a year with the last two being held down in Charleston.  In fact, Gene and I are going to get together for lunch later and I was going to bring it up to him.  

Gene and I had planned on and were going to go down to NATGM in Fort Worth Texas but he was just so far behind that we just couldn't make it.

 We haven't had one yet this year but Gene as well as myself have been pretty busy. Now that he has officially retired and WE... ... have more time on HIS hands, maybe we can put together another SC Shootout. Sorry to say that I don't have anymore guns to give away though:0  :0  :0 ...... but I'm sure Gene can come up with something.      

Anyone interested??

Don't mean to hijack the post.

[rocker1]

i would be interested  mr charlie, i live in nc  but with enough notice i will take a day or so to come i don't have any fancy ags but i will bring what i got. thanks david

[Gene_SC]

You bet Bob... I have a load of guns and it should be no problem giving one away at the fun shoot raffel this year. I will look again deeper in my closet and maybe come up with another suprise I forgot about.... See you later this week and we can discuss when to have it.

[CharlieDaTuna]

Great.... we have had guys come in from GA, TN, NC, SC, AL and all over.

 Shootouts and fun shoots are not about who has the best and nicest or most expensive guns. Ya don't need fancy guns. It's all about fun and guns. Fancy are just an extra and added attractions courtesy of those that have and bring them to share and show as well as shoot  and for others that don't have them to get a chance see and experience them. It's also sometimes referred to as "addiction sharing".  :p  :p    Usually everybody gets to share in the experiences.... so it's is a fun shoot.  

Let Gene and I discuss it and if we can come up with something, we'll post it and see what the response is.

[Big_Bill]

His shoot was posted in the

"Regional Shooting Events" : http://www.gatewaytoairguns.com/airguns/forums/thread-view.asp?tid=25034&mid=198024#M198024

Shootist is in Mass. as is the club.

Bill

[shootist]

Thanks Bill for bringing the thread back to the subject. I understand the south has more interest than the north, I was trying to raise both the interest and participation in such an event to maybe put together some teams of shooters for more regular shoots. Anyways, it is my opinion that the north is no place to have an event such as mine. Either the people just don't want it or are just too cheap. Take your pick. This is one person who is done. Good luck to anyone trying to put on a pellet gun event in Massachusetts. Lee

[crowpopper]

well i am in the north and i am not too cheap
and i have some nice guns in my collection
but i am not traveling anything over 2-2.5 hrs to go to a shoot
i have 2 lil boys and they dont like being in car a long time plus i work weekends
dont assume people are too cheap
maybe if someone does this again they can get tickets made up pretty cheap with a raffel and to get the raffel you need to be there that day   get people lined up ahead of time noting that if you dont have over a certain number of people there it will be canceled
this is how we do Bow shoots at a local club
we get something inexpensive for the drawing and then people sigh up
mail the their ticket for free ahead of time
if you come that day it is a 1 dollar entry
since doing this participation has gone up 80%

[Big_Bill]

Hey Lee,

Northerners live in a faster more uncertain climate !

I have been shooting for many years, and we have had difficulty getting everyone on rifle and pistol teams to show up at the matches ! Everyone up here is multitasking their lives the best that they can. And when you are married, it creates enormous difficulties to be in conflicting situations between families, let alone do what you would like to do.

As a Northerner, you should understand better than most ! I have not spoken to my mothers side of the family for over thirty years, due to unrealistic demands on our time and appearances at every family social function and holiday! And other matters that occurred when we were not able to make them.

So don't get mad, get people to make commitments to attend in advance ! And see if you can get them involved in the matches before the shoot. It worked for me ! People forget, and/ or other matters conflict for there time between the time they read about it, and your match is to occur !

Best of luck buddy, don't give up hope !

Bill