Youngsters

[Silky921]

I didn't figure Donald as the rendezvous type......

Special trip to come camp with us.

 

[andy52]

Special trip to come camp with us.

I wasn't sure anyone caught that one...

 

[smo]

This Donald’s ready....

 

[billraby]

30% of my total viewers are under 30 and 5% are female. That’s pretty solid in my book. Of course, 50% are over 55, but by my back-woods finger counting arithmetic, that means a similar number are 54 364/365ths and under. Not too bad.

I have about those same numbers. My You Tube is focused just on building so it is is going to have a smaller audience, but there is more interest in it than I would have thought.

It is not all a sea of white either. About 2/3 of my viewers are American. The rest are from all over the world. And it is not all white people countries. People all around the world are just the same as us when it comes to history and tradition.

 

[Bob McBride]

I have about those same numbers. My You Tube is focused just on building so it is is going to have a smaller audience, but there is more interest in it than I would have thought.

It is not all a sea of white either. About 2/3 of my viewers are American. The rest are from all over the world. And it is not all white people countries. People all around the world are just the same as us when it comes to history and tradition.

Amen brother. Folks is folks. Slightly more than that are in the US for me but it’s close. And you’re getting a bit of a cult following. It’s pretty darn awesome. The famous gunmaker who videoed his progress every step of the way. You’re like the gun making Frank Zappa.

 

[megasupermagnum]

I turned 26 in September, so I just missed your cut off. My first muzzleloader was a Knight TK2000, I ran into by pure coincidence at a gun shop I decided to check out just for fun in Pillager, MN back when I was in college. I was likely 18 maybe 19. I walked out with that for $110. It only grew from there to rifles and more shotguns, and even a couple pistols.

 

[Ethan Yazel]

I’m 27, but I’ve grown up with it. Because I’m always curious, for the other young folks, how did you find or get into Blackpowder?

Also, 75% of the NMLRA YouTube Audience is less than 50 years old, seeing a lot of bright days ahead!

 

[Magungo1066]

I’m 27, but I’ve grown up with it. Because I’m always curious, for the other young folks, how did you find or get into Blackpowder?

Also, 75% of the NMLRA YouTube Audience is less than 50 years old, seeing a lot of bright days ahead!

I bought a flintlock rifle Sophomore year of college and there has been no looking back since...

 

[RG96]

I just turned 24

 

[Magungo1066]

This thread has suprised me more than I had anticipated. There us more of us than I assumed!

 

[Musketeer]

I’m 27, but I’ve grown up with it. Because I’m always curious, for the other young folks, how did you find or get into Blackpowder?

I'm no longer young, but I got into MLs by chance in my mid 20s. I took an intense interest in modern guns when I was about 10 and began learning all I could about them, then when I was about 25-26 I was in a bookstore (no interwebz back then), looking at books about modern guns, and I came across one of Sam Fadala's Black Powder Handbooks. I started paging through it, and I ended up reading half the book right there in the store, then I bought it and brought it home. I had never given MLs much thought until then, but looking at Sam's pictures and reading his prose lit a fire under me and opened up a whole new area of interest. I started diving into MLs the same way I'd done with modern stuff, learning all I could and eventually picking up a couple guns in my late 20s. The rest is history.

 

[smo]

I’m right there with you Musketeer, I’m no longer young either.. but started my m/l adventure in my 20’s..

It’s great too see so many of the younger generation here, Guys & Gals the future of the sport belongs too y’all.

 

[Bob McBride]

Smo, I was going to add, “..and in the end all our guns belong to the young too”, but as the words formulated in my head so did the idea of a Norse funeral. I think I’ll be buried with all my BP guns, just in case you actually can take it with you....

 

[Musketeer]

Hey, you never know...

 

[Silky921]

Alot more young guys around here than I anticipated. That's awesome to see. Also made me feel old just saying that.

 

[megasupermagnum]

I’m 27, but I’ve grown up with it. Because I’m always curious, for the other young folks, how did you find or get into Blackpowder?

Also, 75% of the NMLRA YouTube Audience is less than 50 years old, seeing a lot of bright days ahead!

More chance than anything. My family had hunted the muzzleloader deer season a time or two, but never consistently. I didn't know anybody who enjoyed shooting muzzleloaders regularly.

 

[Spikebuck]

... I came across one of Sam Fadala's Black Powder Handbooks. ... looking at Sam's pictures and reading his prose lit a fire under me and opened up a whole new area of interest.

Sam's Black Powder Handbook also had a big influence on me. I was never into guns at all....bowhunter only (for big game) since a young teenager. At 40 I was kind of looking for something to give me a little more edge during December when the deer were super-spooky from all the pressure the last several months. I picked up Sam's Handbook and the thought of a traditional muzzleloader really appealed to me. Still a big challenge....still one shot...beautiful like a fine traditional bow. Just a little more range to reach out there a little bit further. 21 years later...still doing it.

I'm encouraged that there is a good population of younger men (and maybe women?) here on the forum and watching Bob and Bill (and others I'm sure) on Youtube. But I've also had the experiences of trying and failing to engage others who just don't want to invest the time it takes to be a good traditional muzzleloader shooter/hunter. But, I think it's always been a small and "exclusive" group in terms of the total shooting sports population, so perhaps that hasn't really changed that much.

To all the younger guys/gals here...thank you...I hope to keep hearing more from you.

 

[flashpoint]

That's great Silky that you turned your group into BP enthusiasts. Now about that "Golden Turkey" ???

 

[billraby]

Amen brother. Folks is folks. Slightly more than that are in the US for me but it’s close. And you’re getting a bit of a cult following. It’s pretty darn awesome. The famous gunmaker who videoed his progress every step of the way. You’re like the gun making Frank Zappa.

Having my own cult might be kind of fun. I could have a hippy camp out in the woods with a bunch of old guys wearing bathrobes living there. On second thought, having my own cult would just be too weird. I did get recognized once so I guess that means I am famous. Actually the only difference between me and anyone else that builds guns is a camera. I am not doing anything that anyone else could not do.

Ethan Yazel is doing some great building videos. He is showing what building a gun is like for someone new to this. I can't wait for his next one.

 

[megasupermagnum]

Having my own cult might be kind of fun. I could have a hippy camp out in the woods with a bunch of old guys wearing bathrobes living there. On second thought, having my own cult would just be too weird. I did get recognized once so I guess that means I am famous. Actually the only difference between me and anyone else that builds guns is a camera. I am not doing anything that anyone else could not do.

Ethan Yazel is doing some great building videos. He is showing what building a gun is like for someone new to this. I can't wait for his next one.

The only problem is that if you are going to have a cult in the woods, it needs to be with a bunch of young women.