Why don't you shoot at some of your area clubs monthly or annual matches?

[Colorado Sunset, SASS #45104L]

Clubs usually try to figure out how to improve attendance at their monthly and annual matches. The shooters are what keeps a club alive. What would encourage you to shoot at a club in your area at their monthly or annual matches? What draws you to a club or what turns you away?

[Gold Canyon Kid #43974]

Clubs usually try to figure out how to improve attendance at their monthly and annual matches. The shooters are what keeps a club alive. What would encourage you to shoot at a club in your area at their monthly or annual matches? What draws you to a club or what turns you away?

 

SASS sized targets at distances that are closer to SASS minimums. Target sequences and stages that are fair to all shooters including older shooters. Rapid scores following the matches. Non shooting stuff off the clock. Things seem organized, some shoot locations have too much chaos before monthly matches. Adequate facility for the weather, i.e. hot/bit of shade, typical rain/cover, etc.

[Madd Mike #8595]

a lot of clubs

form due to

a split from another club

 

please dont listen to the hype from either

 

try em both / all, cus they will split again (maybe)

tye em both //// all of em................................ more than once

 

ture story folks............

I did the opposite when I started,

and missed a whole lot of good shootin with em all.................

[Red River Ray SASS#33254]

I like Big and Really close targets with no competition in tha whole match! Oh an ABSOLUTELY no movement!!!!! Those are tha matches that bring me back.

 

I been liking them like that since tha begining.

 

 

RRR

 

 

 

Course I don't even like to shoot that kinda match wid an A$$hole whut wants you ta shoot their way, and tha HELL with what you want !

[Blastmaster]

Clubs usually try to figure out how to improve attendance at their monthly and annual matches. The shooters are what keeps a club alive. What would encourage you to shoot at a club in your area at their monthly or annual matches? What draws you to a club or what turns you away?

 

 

I have to travel a distance to any match, monthly or otherwise. Shooting both Sat & Sun (monthly matchs) is an attraction. Shooting 5+ stages (monthly) is another attraction. The lowest $/bullet downrange in the fewest number of days for an annual or above is an attraction.

 

I figure in motel/hotel/camping fees into the mix of going or not going. Oh yes, the back haul of groceries and supplies from the big city helps justifies the trip too.

 

I do go to new shoots from time to time, so I am not totally economic minded.

 

I want to say,,,, thank you very much to Palatin Pete, Pretty Pearl, Tailspin and Junction Jan for inviting me to stay at their homes while at their monthly shoots. The company and conversations around the kitchen table are priceless.

 

Blastmaster

[Grizzly Dave]

Monthly matches -

As you know there are no shortage of places to shoot around here during the summer months at least. Distance and schedule probably influence me the most. All things being equal I'd probably go to the club where I felt the most as home, with the people, stages, targets, etc. A challenge now and then is fun, a whole match of challenges not so much.

 

Annuals -

Lodging close to the range, prefer awards on the same day as the second main match day, so if I don't want to stick around for the team and other events, I don't have to spend another days motel bill just to attend the awards. Vendors, food, swap fest, etc are always nice too. Drawings for guns always grab my attention as well. For me right now the cost of spending several days in a hotel keeps me away from annuals.

 

Grizz

[Blood Washed SASS #79269]

Lets see, there are 4 clubs within an hour and a half from my home. They are on different weekends.

So it's easy to make them if I have the day available. Don't matter to me if the targets are big, tall, short, thin, close er far. If ya want my business,..................just let me kow what time the safety meetin is. I'll be there.

Lets shoot.............!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Blood Washed

[J-BAR #18287]

My present work schedule makes it difficult, if not impossible, to get off on Fridays. Those annual matches that hold part of the main match on Fridays are ones I have to pass up. Until I am able to retire in a few years, I can only get to matches on Saturdays or Sundays.

[Ricochet Roy, SASS #71853]

My own self, I'd shoot every annual match within 300 miles from my home if'n I could afford it, and look forward to End Of Trail one day which would be about 600 miles. It's all about money and our bad economy that's holding me back. Same with the other local So. Calif. Clubs. The Cowboys in Norco was the first club that I ever became a member. I have always called The Cowboys my home club. But for me what has made The Cowboys extraordinary is the club members, and how they come together with positive attitudes to make the club all it can be.

 

Roy

[Brother King, SASS #69031]

The shooters are what keeps a club alive. And what kills clubs is politics, petty bickering and jealousy.

 

What would encourage you to shoot at a club in your area at their monthly or annual matches? Creative stages, plenty of movement (let's run like we're in a fight), plenty of shooting (like the halloween shoot where a couple of stages were FAST at 30+ seconds with eight s/g and split pistols and 20 yards from the first gun to the last gun) oh yeah! and the hawk throw! (but off the clock if it's for all the marbles)

 

What draws you to a club or what turns you away? Pure dedication to the sport of shooting and the concept of making it fun with my friends draws me in. Petty agendas drive me nuts and management that needs to prove the size of their manhood.

[Grizzly Dave]

Not too much movement, this ain't a track meet!

 

How are ya tonight King?

[Brother King, SASS #69031]

Not too much movement, this ain't a track meet!

 

How are ya tonight King?

feeling kinda frisky! don' cha know... thanks fer askin' Movement is good for the ol' constitution there Grizzer... I saw you been doing the WII with your cub there. This is a gunfight! We gotta moooooove, BAYYY BEEE

[Grizzly Dave]

LOL, yeah, that Wii liked to kill me. So ya think the snow is gonna mess up the match Saturday?

 

Sorry to hijack Sunset, you can kick me next time ya see me.

[Assassin]

One or two members can ruin a club. Bad news travels fast and good news seldom travels at all. We shoot at 3-4 local clubs. The one we like the best is two hours from Cheyenne. It's also the first club I shot at, it's always been a great shoot, with great people. They are always organized, with positive attitudes and some how they recruit new members to continue their legacy. Colorado Sunset you know who I'm talking about. The other clubs are not bad just have some attitude issues that need to be resolved, nothing an election won't cure. One of the clubs gets results out either the evening of the match or the next day. The others can take a couple days or weeks, I don't like waiting that long for results. Hell, after a day I can't remember what happened.

 

Old farts with too much time on their hands can ruin a club. One of the local clubs we shoot at is run by retired guys with tired ideas. They never go to any larger shoots and assume what they're doing is great. Some of the younger guys are trying really hard to change things. A club must be willing to change things around, and not become stagnant.

 

 

As for annual events, the date is pretty important. Unfortunately, EOT has dominance over the calendar. And, it really screwed things up for Colorado front range shooters. We had alot of shoots in June and July. Now they are changing their dates trying to find a good weekend to accomodate potential shooters. Working people have to make the most of their vacation time, take advantage of 3-4 day weekends when scheduling a shoot.

 

 

If you want to learn how to put on a match, go to Winter Range. They do the best job of making the masses happy.

 

 

LL'

[Madd Mike #8595]

Old farts with too much time on their hands can ruin a club. LL'

 

they can also be the makers of a club, due to available time

mileage thing again

[Pulp, SASS#28319]

Work schedule screws up a lot of things, including matches. I'm on 12 hour rotating shift work, so I'm off 2 week-ends/month, working the other two. Family obligations keep me from goin a lot of the times when I'm off. My wife is not in good health. Distance isn't too big of a deal, when you live in extreme SE OK you have to drive somewhere for everything. The closest club to me is BadlandsBar3, just across the Red River a spit or two. Then it's a toss up 'twixt the Shortgrass Rangers at Lawton and the OKC club.

 

Target placement doesn't bother me. I don't care if they're close or far. Wherever they're put, it's the same distance for all the shooters. I actually prefer a mix of mostly close and a few out there a bit.

[Assassin]

they can also be the makers of a club, due to available time

mileage thing again

 

Sorry, did not mean to offend you Mike, or anyone else.

 

I agree, but not if they have their own agenda. They must be willing to try new things. I've seen too many back door meetings and lack of vision by some. Some are power mongers and are afraid to allow others to attempt to run things. I can think of several clubs that have nice ranges, yet only 10-20 shooters show up at monthlies.

 

Just because they're older does not mean they have to act old.

 

LL'

[Dalton Masterson, SASS #51139]

When we first started this cowboy shooting thing, we shot at a nonSASS club an hour away. Great fun, great people, and pretty well run to our new eyes.

BUT, there were some people from another club that made us vow to never shoot there. And it was the same distance the other way from us, and the only SASS club near to us. They had poor attitudes, badmouthed the host club, and generally made us new shooters feel like dirt. We did finally go to that club for an annual match, but the people that were the problem were no longer there.

 

I think the people at the club make the difference. If they make me feel welcome, I could care less that the targets were big, small, black, white, etc.

If the club is organized, that also makes a difference.

 

That, and if they have a good lunch for a cheap price, they are set....

DM

[Blue Steel Duke]

Several reasons, most of which are economic. With my Rheumatoid Arthritis it's a cycle of good days and bad days, and it seemed like most of my bad days were in cold weather around weekend shoots this year, but we also have to consider the 4 hour round trip drive time, coupled with the high price of gas and ammo (not physically able to reload), so a single days shooting costs us nearly $300. I wished we lived close enough to do maintenance and prep work during the week to help, but again it's a 4 hour round trip to our closest club here in Indiana.

 

 

BSD

[el Gato Gordo - SASS #15162]

The Sand Creek Raiders have very well run matches, with drinking water available, good stages, and fun folks with whom to socialize.

 

What keeps Calico & I away (more than we would like to be away) are the other distractions in our life: horses to be ridden, fed, trained; miniatures that we are training to drive; hay to be put up for winter, and generally the maintenance to keep up the buildings and ranch. Also, work, and being "on call" every 3 weeks.When we are able to go to more than one shoot per month, it is Sand Creek that we attend.

 

Buena suerte,

eGG

[Smithy]

I only have a couple of venues to choose from as the next few are way too far to travel to for monthly's and the edge goes to the Saturday shooters since I attend church on Sundays. Close proximity to my home also holds an edge as I'm usually running a bit behind schedule and it makes it easier if I'm heading to a close range. The targets have all been pretty much the same at all the ranges I've shot at so that is not a concern, just the above mentioned issues. Smithy.

[Noz]

People and attitude.

[Oklahomabound]

...like to shoot, enjoy things that go bang!

 

...the downside - unsafe acts and attitudes.

[Ktown Kid]

people!!!

 

Im blessed to have 4 clubs less than an hour and 4+more within 2 hours...

"and" they shoot different days...

each has its "own" flavor & varity and i enjoy the differances....

Also, want to thank each club for putting on GREAT monthly matches!!!

[RLMartin]

Well, for me, who hasn't actually shot a match yet and it will likely be Jan or Feb, or even March before I do, depending on the weather, its about location. The two closest clubs to me are both roughly an hour away. Since the guy responsible for getting me into this here shootin' match is a member of the club that's an hour north of me, that's the one I'll likely go to most, though the other club an hour south of me will be a possibility once I get into this more and make more firends. The next closest club is roughly 80 miles away and takes about 2 hours, maybe a little more, to get to. I can't explain it, but for some reason the club an hour south of me gives me a strange felling, not the SASS club, just the gun club in general. I've been there a couple of times, but always feel strange about being there. Bad Mojo I reckon. Maybe its built on a long forgotten Indian burial ground or something. Anyway, travel time and distance will be the deciding factors for me. 45 minutes to an hour doesn't sound so bad, but when I'm on the road for hours and many miles almost every day, the last thing I want to do is get up at 6 AM or earlier and spend even more time on the road on a Saturday. Though its a price I'm pretty sure I'm willing to pay once a month to go make some steel ring and be around like minded people.

[Blackwater 53393]

I like Big and Really close targets with no competition in tha whole match! Oh an ABSOLUTELY no movement!!!!! Those are tha matches that bring me back.

 

I been liking them like that since tha begining.

 

 

RRR

 

 

 

Course I don't even like to shoot that kinda match wid an A$$hole whut wants you ta shoot their way, and tha HELL with what you want !

 

Ray, you ain't right. A feller what only come on the wahr this mornin' might take you serious. Most evabody knows you'll shoot most any match that you kin git to if folks are treated right! But you're right, big an close is best. As fer as movement goes I've run the timer fer ya' and I needed track shoes and oxygen to keep up.

 

RRR has always been one to take all comers. Competition is like good whiskey ta' him from what I seen.

 

We can all agree on yer post script.

 

MERRY CHRISTMAS PARD!!

[Uncle Joe]

I don't care how big the targets are or how small, how close or how far, I shoot at 2 local clubs,,,in my honest thoughts, for what it is worth, its all in the people, you get 40 shooters in a group there are sure to be a couple of malcontent among them, a wise old man once told me if you can keep 60% of the people in any group, be it church, scouting, riding or shooting club you have done well..I like the folks I shoot with, I laugh at my mistakes, my misses, and they join in, but you know what, I like to think they are laughing with me, not at me..I'm not out to be a threat to anybody as far as competition goes, and thats what I like about it..a nice social event with shooting involved, just don't get any better then that.

[Hacker, SASS #55963]

Thus far I have enjoyed the SCR matches I have attended.

With the new berms and the parking so close by it is much more convenient.

 

For me the problem with being at any match is time.

SCR is a solid 1.5 hour drive and the starting time means an early up time.

I am unfortunately a late sleeper.

I wish they would start at say 10am.

And have lunch.

[Fingers McGee]

People and attitude.

 

 

+1. That's really what it boils down to. Friendly people with a good attitude means I'm comming back. Unfriendly clickish people with a poor attitude means I'm not gonna shoot with them much, if at all.

 

Fingers (Show Me MO smoke) McGee

[Creeker, SASS #43022]

Good shoots. Period.

If an area club puts on a good shoot - I will attend.

If an area club puts on so-so shoots, but IS TRYING to improve - I will support them.

If an area club puts on so-so shoots (and the folks running the club should know better) - then I can find something else to do that day.

 

I guess I am in the tiny minority - I don't care how "nice" the folks are that run the shoot - I will not attend a shoot that I don't enjoy.

 

I go to shoots to visit, socialize and have fun - but PRIMARILY to shoot.

 

If you put on a poor shoot - I can see my friends at one of the other area matches next weekend.

[Phantom, SASS #54973]

Attitude.

 

I'll shoot whatever target size and distance...well...to a certain point...but if the club has an attitude where they think that their poop don't stink, then I'll probably not go there very often.

 

Cheers!

Phantom

[Buck D. Law, SASS #62183]

If you want your club to grow and you're in a position to actually make decisions within your club or feel that you can affect those who make the decisions, then my suggestion is to attend the bigger matches and see for yourself what they are doing. Based upon what I have seen in my travels, I'll venture to guess that you'll find that people like stages that are fast and fun. Leave out the puzzles, avoid P traps and consider how the stage design affects the different shooting styles.

 

I have yet to see a large match that has failed to have friendly people, it's just the nature of cowboys and cowgirls. Some friendly people are well informed (because they have travelled) and others are not so informed. The well informed ones put on the best matches. It's great that you're asking.

[Charlie Whiskers]

Mostly the people bring me back.I'm a member of a club that has a lot of good people that want to see it improve and over the last few years we must be doing something right.Our State shoot has grown to where we put a 120 shooter limit on it.The down side is it's not real close to a big city.Closest one is about a 45 minute drive.There are small towns nearby and some have limited hotel/motel space but we do have dry camping on site.We're lucky in that we own our land so we can build what we want and where we want it and without having to drag everything out then put it away at each shoot.I also am joining a small club this next year that has a 2 day shoot every month but is about 300 miles away.Why....The PEOPLE.As for targets...I like a mix of big,small,far,close as long as it's fair for everyone of all ages and catagories.

[Max Montana, SASS #23907]

I feel fortunate that within two and half hours drive there are multiple shoots every saturday and sunday to choose from. Where I go is most often dictated by my schedule, driving time to club (again because of when I need to be back). I travel and shoot a lot of weekend matches so that interferes with local shoots. I try to get around to all of them, but not always succesful at that. Some say clubs are bad for different reasons, but even a bad club is better than not gitten ta shoot. I can tolerate most things, targets, scenarios, lax safety, even bad atttitudes can be over looked in the interest of having some shootin' fun, after all ah figgered that's what the earplugs are for. Huh? whadd you say?

 

Ah reckon, when ah really git down to it, ah'll go outa my way to go where the guys and gals have a heck of a lot of fun, measured by the amount of laughin' goin' on and not by the grumpin' bout this or that. Heck grumpin' is what the wire's for. Secondly, if ah cain't shoot gunfighter(split pistols) then thar ain't no reason fer goin'. Lastly, if a club shoot lasts from morning till after dark, ah just cain't make that work. It needs to be less than 18 holes of golf. Add 2 hours onto both ends of that and at best yer lookin' at a 8 hour day! Frankly, the only clubs that have that problem do so for lack of follerin' their schedule. They start late, they break for lunch and dilly dally around, then take forever to put out scores.

[Gateway Kid SASS# 70038 Life]

I like to shoot at my local club match. They have a nice mix of sweeps, target placement and movement.

The people are great, the weather is (usually ) good and it is close to me.

When I travel in state I like to go to the Sand Creek Raiders in Byers CO (5 1/4 hours one way) or Pawnee Station near Wellington CO (5 1/2 hours one way)

Both mean I load up the wagon the day before and leave about 3 AM to get there for the safety meeting. I usually go home the same day.

 

Why?

 

Because I like their folks, the ranges are nice and the scenarios are fun!

 

Some I don't go back to like to have their targets way out there (6" at 30-40 yards +), small wierd shaped targets shot from uncomfortable or cramped props, or the same-O same-O scenarios each month (stage 1 nevada sweep, stage 2 nevada sweep, stage 3 nevada sweep, etc etc).

 

As the Madd one would say - Mileage always varies!

 

Regards

 

 

Gateway Kid