Trap/Skeet Shooter Numbers

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stubblejumper

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How are the numbers doing in your club? This year the shooter turnout has dropped at both clubs I shoot at. We aren't even seeing the usual pre hunting season big turnouts that we normally used to see. The numbers do seem more stable at the club where I shoot sporting clays, but overall, the total turnout is down significantly.
 
I haven’t made it out to ours this year due to a knee problem but the skeet field was rebuilt and put back into service and I am told has been very busy on the two evenings each week the club is open. According to my buddy it’s seeing about 2:1 the number of shooters to the trap fields and overall shooter numbers appear to be about the same.
 
We have a beautiful facility just outside of town where we shoot once a week and we’re lucky if we can get enough guys for 1 squad. It’s pretty sad. It’d be nice to attract some new members but not sure how to go about that.
 
Rafoose said:
We have a beautiful facility just outside of town where we shoot once a week and we’re lucky if we can get enough guys for 1 squad. It’s pretty sad. It’d be nice to attract some new members but not sure how to go about that.
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We are in the same situation. We had several new younger members show up this summer, but most aren't showing up regularly. I tried to run a junior program last spring, but there was very little interest.
 
stubblejumper said:
We are in the same situation. We had several new younger members show up this summer, but most aren't showing up regularly. I tried to run a junior program last spring, but there was very little interest.
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It’s too hard to compete against video games. They are much cheaper with alot less hoops to jump through than acquiring real guns and ammunition not to mention much less effort required on the parents part.
 
Most younger people I know can't be bothered to get their PALs and I have seen a number of cases of the old farts essentially driving them away. We try to relax a bit and let the newer shooters play around a bit to get the feel of what's going on. It's better than when I started shooting trap 10 or so years ago. It was just me and two miserable old coots who considered it their own personal trap range. Now we have 10 or more on good days and always 5 or 6 even in the winter.
 
Our numbers are a bit inflated this year because they closed down the shotgun club at Connaught. As a result the skeet fields can get pretty busy on the weekends. I'm betting that once Connaught re-opens (they seem to be hopeful that it will), our numbers will drop back down a bit.

We are getting a lot of new shooters out this year, which is good, but I wish some of them knew how to load their guns and how to take off the safety before they stepped onto station 1. Some of the older guys have no patience when 4 guys are sharing a gun and no one knows how to use it !!!
 
Rafoose, are you in Kindersley? I heard they just re built there trap field, but it's like pulling teeth trying to get info on the club.
 
We are getting a lot of new shooters out this year, which is good, but I wish some of them knew how to load their guns and how to take off the safety before they stepped onto station 1. Some of the older guys have no patience when 4 guys are sharing a gun and no one knows how to use it !!!
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A person should at least know how to operate their firearm, before setting foot on the field. When a round of skeet takes an hour, I can't blame the other members from becoming impatient. And if a person is handling his firearm in an unsafe manner at our club, my patience will be very limited, and the person could be asked to leave the field.
 
Our club will also not tolerate unsafe shooters, they are set straight and if they just will not listen they are told to leave. it is somewhat bewildering to see someone who just watched 4 people shoot step onto station 1 and point their barrels way out into a field, 90 degrees away from the center stake !

Before I tried skeet for the first time I watched several rounds so I would have a clue before stepping on to the field. I have no problem with new shooters and will offer advice and encouragement if asked. At least half of the new shooters I've met this year have gone on to become regulars so I'm encouraged for the future.
 
I used to shoot skeet many moons ago with an old fellow who was the crustiest individual I ever shot with. He would get absolutely pissed at anyone loading and shooting one round at a time on the singles. He’d make comments about wasting time when you should load two, shoot your first single then keep swinging to the low house and call as soon as you get there. Also he got pissed if you didn’t shoot both your high and low 8 at the same time rather than all shoot the high in turn then all do the low in turn as in registered shooting. So he only used to get me in a confrontational mood by being an ass so I always shot the singles by loading for each of them. One day he really got crusty and I turned on station one and told him to shut up or shoot alone as I was sick of his crap. I don’t know how that changed anything but after that he was rarely crusty?!
 
I belong to a club that is located about 40 miles from Toronto. Toronto has been closing ranges over the last few years which has resulted in a large number of new members wanting to relocate. As a result our trap ranges are busier than they have been in years. Skeet fields are in steady use. Sporting clays are also busy. Our club has increased its size three times over its previous size and we are turning away potential members every week as we have reached our self imposed limit. Observations seem to suggest there are large numbers of new shooters trying to join the fraternity.
With regard to members who dislike shooting with new members who are learning the ropes, I would suggest they be kept away from the newcomers and a willing member volunteer to pull for them and instruct them as they go around. No sense in ticking off both old and new members - keep them separate!

Jim
 
A friend and I just joined Galt Sportsmen’s Club in southwestern Ontario a few weeks ago. Only shot skeet a few times so far. Many clay pigeons unharmed but lots of fun!!

Everyone at that club was friendly including the staff. I’m in my early 40s and most shooters there were older but welcoming to the new “younger” guys. Definitely is a nice feeling and makes me want to go back. I’ve been spreading the word on how much fun clay shooting is.
 
The membership at our local club is stable (small-ish club at about 95 members). Apparently we're going through a good number of targets though, so attendance is solid. A few youngsters and some new faces, so seems to be alright for us.
 
Falconflyer said:
Our club at Mossleigh has a very successful junior program. The summer trap league has had over 30 juniors for the last several years.
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When I started shooting there it was a couple juniors maybe a whole squad and 8 maybe 10 squads for Tuesday night league. When I left they could bare fit all the squads on the scoreboard.

In Fernie where I shoot now, it's 10-25 on any given trap night. No organized league as such but a fair number of new shooters that come and try.
 
As a younger shooter myself, I coughed up $2800 on a Beretta 686 Silver Pigeon, then it's a 1.5 hour drive (gas), ammo (if on special) is $79 for 250 shells on a good day, a single round (25 shells) is $8 at the Oshawa Skeet and Trap club... So for a lot of younger shooters, the cost of shooting really puts a dent on the wallet.
This sport is a pleasure to experience, however.
 
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