Monthly Shooting Contests

Hi Guys and Gals,

I am the host of the monthly members only shootin' matches down in the "Members only shooting contests" section. The current format is a mail in postal match with each participant shooting a target and mailing in for judging. Despite the large membership this forum has we seem to have the same 8-12 shooters participating every month. So now I am reaching out to you for ideas.

What can I do to grow the contest and drum up more membership participation. I'm open to any and all ideas so throw 'em at me. The more excuses to go out and make smoke the better right?

Chris

I partici[pated for a while. Not having a printer made it difficult. To much work for just five shots. To cold here in winter.

Increase the amount of shots and use standard targets we can all get without a printer. Make Idaho warm in winter.

Good luck!

For people near the city like me its probably range access that is an issue. Closest range is expensive and full of old grumpy range officers. Free ranges are 50 minutes+ drive one way. So pay money to shoot for an hour before sunset after work, or wait for a weekend which leads to problem #2.

I think its hard for us younger (non retired) folks to get the time to shoot. For me it feels like the planets align when nothing is happening on a day off for me to make time to shoot. Then I get calls asking when I'm going to be home after about 4 hours at the range because the misses misses me.

EDIT: Just realized there was an asking of suggestions. Is there any particular reason you need us to send a target through the mail? Is it to prevent photoshop/fakes?

I think you would probably get more participation if we didn't have to mail the targets in. If we just took a picture of the shot targets end e-mailed them in it would be faster and easier to do. For the most part, you could still get a fairly accurate score since we would all be shooting the same target and if someone was going to cheat, they could do that just as easy with a mail in target. Besides its just for fun anyway.

Boomerang said:

I think you would probably get more participation if we didn't have to mail the targets in. If we just took a picture of the shot targets end e-mailed them in it would be faster and easier to do. For the most part, you could still get a fairly accurate score since we would all be shooting the same target and if someone was going to cheat, they could do that just as easy with a mail in target. Besides its just for fun anyway.

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I agree with this, people could easily cheat with mail in targets. Or shoot multiple times and pick from the best pattern, or just push a ball through a piece of paper haha.

Not having to mail it would make it more likely for people to participate I think.

Range availability (closed due to fire danger but it's raining today) has been my issue for not participating.
I do agree with many others that an emailed/texted picture of your monthly target should suffice AND make it easier to play. I mean, how many times have you mailed a letter USPS this year besides a check for a shooter?
As noted, it's for fun and if someone wants to cheat...I don't know what to say.

wm

Printer is the problem for me, I see the appeal of "novelty" targets. But targets that could be purchased locally or even paper plates would be enough for me to participate, I'm at the range most weekends anyways

Push a ball through the paper?…dang why didn’t I think of that???

RanchRoper said:

Push a ball through the paper?…dang why didn’t I think of that???

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Because Canadians be polite.

wm

Getting some great suggestions! I don't see how taking a photo vs mailing a target would make cheating more or less likely.... don't know why someone would want to cheat in our shoot either.

The problem I see with off the shelf targets is that not everyone's local sporting goods store or gun shop may carry the same ones, what is available to me here in Kansas may not be available elsewhere and vice versa.

I will experiment with a homebrew target f as well as an email scoring option in the coming months so stay tuned for that if that's what's holding you back.

Chris

That will give time to perfect my ball pushing skills.

RanchRoper said:

That will give time to perfect my ball pushing skills.

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If you are good enough you can do it once and just claim the rest went through the first hole. Perfect score!

Osseon, he may need those skills on next month's target! It's going to be nice and big and easy to hit.... but with a twist........

Chris

Number one issue is mailing in targets. It's just enough of a hassle to stop me. I'm probably being snotty, but for an internet forum - even for muzzleloaders (!) - doesn't make sense to me.

I have no problem mailing in targets. I still mail checks to pay my bills. Some of us old guys just be like that.
I mailed in a lot back when Audi was doing it. Or was it Jethro? Anyway, I just got too busy to shoot, period. Perhaps once every 6 weeks, and thats in my own back yard. Walk out the door and shoot. The waaaay life should be.
Just too much work.

I have no problem mailing in targets either. I do like the ones that we make with instructions . either way it gets me practicing more off hand.

I like the paper plate idea. Do you have a shoot for revolvers ? I have two flintlock waiting on powder, but I have two revolvers and two pounds of pyrodex.

We got some old junk cars I could draw targets on and email pictures. That would be fun.
Five shots aint enough for me. Once I have got dressed and loaded the vehicle and gathered up all the stuff and finally get out there to shoot. A measly five shots don't hardly seem worth it. Up the amount of shots and use targets we can all make or get and I'll start shooting again this coming spring.

Ok, here is an easy target. A 10” paper plate with a 3” black circle. Use an elementary school compass to draw a circle and a black marker to color it in. This is why we all went to kindergarten and first grade, right? Everyone can get a 10” paper plate. Now shoot at the black circle for score, take a picture and email it. This is not rocket science.
Steve

Fly103 said:

Osseon, he may need those skills on next month's target! It's going to be nice and big and easy to hit.... but with a twist........

Chris

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Chris, I also feel like not a lot of people know about the shooting contest because its nestled away in its own section of the forum. I personally didn't know it existed in its own section for many many months after I joined the forum. Getting a signup for a reminder after a big push on the general forum might help. Maybe an email list. A watched sticky topic, a group PM for people who have signed up. Something to remind people to participate.