Is anyone else seeing 3D shoots (or any other type of shoot for that matter) being closed? :noidea: We used to have 3 shoots a month around here (within 30 miles), but one of the clubs closed and when I was talking to the members of the other two, they were saying that there just wasn't enough participation and might have to close down too. There is another one about 80 miles away, but that's a long drive and a lot of gas. I joined one of the clubs to give a little finacial support, and am planning on joining the other next month. I also offered to come out and help set up targets at one of them. I am a little disappointed that there are not more archers out there willing to help these clubs out to keep the sport in the area.:mad:

Is anyone else seeing 3D shoots (or any other type of shoot for that matter) being closed? :noidea: We used to have 3 shoots a month around here (within 30 miles), but one of the clubs closed and when I was talking to the members of the other two, they were saying that there just wasn't enough participation and might have to close down too. There is another one about 80 miles away, but that's a long drive and a lot of gas. I joined one of the clubs to give a little finacial support, and am planning on joining the other next month. I also offered to come out and help set up targets at one of them. I am a little disappointed that there are not more archers out there willing to help these clubs out to keep the sport in the area.:mad:


Hell, they didn't have a shoot today in my area because its turkey season here in Ohio.:frusty: I know that the numbers have dropped off here, but if the people in charge of the shoots arn't worried about having shoots, some people might not care if they go to thier shoots when they have them. Gas prices have a lot to do with it too. People just arn't traveling. I hate to see it get worse, but I'm afraid its going to.:Cry:

Our clubs numbers have dropped off from what they used to be. Our indoor 3d/ 300 round tournaments have done....alright i guess. but our outdoor we might get 40 shooters over 2days on the weekend. kinda stinks....we have somewhere between 70-80 club members and still dont get good showings for tournaments:doh:




and only the board does the work....none of the other members do a thing:frusty: I just moved up a position on the board and I am hoping to change that. you know get more members involved with THEIR club

We still have a full schedule here(3-4 shoots every Sunday, pretty much)but shooter numbers are low. There is alot of competition for shooters and most clubs average under 20 a shoot. A few have stopped their 3d programs and others are considering it...

We have one shoot a month at our club and had 126 last month and 90 yesterday. Hopefully we can keep it up and even grow it more! The closest club to me doesn't really even have 3d shoots anymore, but I think they are having some internal problems.

People are leading busy lives, and some people cant put gas in the tank and spend $20 at a shoot anymore....I know, gas in the tank, WAS 1 OF the reasons, why I skipped out on the shoot today.....:noidea:

People are leading busy lives, and some people cant put gas in the tank and spend $20 at a shoot anymore....I know, gas in the tank, WAS 1 OF the reasons, why I skipped out on the shoot today.....:noidea:

I filled up the truck today.....100.00 :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: But I just can't miss 3d shoots, too much fun!!

We still have a full schedule here(3-4 shoots every Sunday, pretty much)but shooter numbers are low. There is alot of competition for shooters and most clubs average under 20 a shoot. A few have stopped their 3d programs and others are considering it...

Is that 3-4 shoots every Sunday? or 3-4 shoots every month held on Sundays? 'Cuz if you got that many shoots in one day, it makes for a long day:laugh:

I have been looking on the sight for 3D shoots in the CT area because I will be up that way mid-may and only found like 2 shoots but I don't know how well the dates match up:noidea: , guess I need to try the neighboring states since everything is so close.

I filled up the truck today.....100.00 :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: But I just can't miss 3d shoots, too much fun!!

Paid $80 yesterday and it was only down to just above 1/8 tank. I cry everytime I drive past the station. :Cry: Seems like the price goes up $.02 every day.:frusty:

It's only going to be worse come hunting season.:mad:

I filled up the truck today.....100.00 :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: :frusty: But I just can't miss 3d shoots, too much fun!!

I agree on the fun part, but I am on a pretty fixed income, till I get my dump truck fixed...so till then, its rabbit shows ( I can sell enough rabbits at each show to pay for gas), and cutting firewood......

Paid $80 yesterday and it was only down to just above 1/8 tank. I cry everytime I drive past the station. :Cry: Seems like the price goes up $.02 every day.:frusty:

yeah...mine is diesel, 4.10/gallon :puke:

Is that 3-4 shoots every Sunday?.

YES thats 3-4 SHOOTS EVERY SUNDAY:frusty:

yeah...mine is diesel, 4.10/gallon :puke:

I think its 4.57 for deisel here.........

I agree on the fun part, but I am on a pretty fixed income, till I get my dump truck fixed...so till then, its rabbit shows ( I can sell enough rabbits at each show to pay for gas), and cutting firewood......

I hear ya...I am looking forward to the wife going back to work (in 3 more years, when the little guy starts school) so I can get a nice raise! We are going turkey hunting this weekend and it is a 250 dollar gas trip there and back. sorry, gotta do this again :puke:

I hear ya...I am looking forward to the wife going back to work (in 3 more years, when the little guy starts school) so I can get a nice raise! We are going turkey hunting this weekend and it is a 250 dollar gas trip there and back. sorry, gotta do this again :puke:

Yeah that would be a definate NO for me, if i told the wife, the hunting trip was gonna be 250......she wouldnt even laugh at me......:noidea:

I sure as heck hope not around here. Its kind of hit and miss as it is.

Last winter there was so many people that you couldnt even breathe. This winter I didnt shoot a lot (mainly because of house work) but I heard the turnout was pretty bad. :(

Its time for the outdoor shoots and theres always a pretty decent turnout.

I think its 4.57 for deisel here.........

OUCH! :Cry:

Yeah that would be a definate NO for me, if i told the wife, the hunting trip was gonna be 250......she wouldnt even laugh at me......:noidea:

yeah, but of course my unit is going too! Plus I have an Uncle Sam that is sending me a nice check next week :biggrin1:

Yeah that would be a definate NO for me, if i told the wife, the hunting trip was gonna be 250......she wouldnt even laugh at me......:noidea:

I'll laugh at ya for her.....:laugh: :laugh: :lol: :lol: :pound: :pound: :spit: :spit:






Had enough?

yeah, but of course my unit is going too! Plus I have an Uncle Sam that is sending me a nice check next week :biggrin1:

Mine told me that if I wanted money for entertainment to just take it, think she's crazy (or drunk :noidea: ):crazy:

I wish I had a place to shoot 3D in my area... There is one place about 5 miles from my house but you have to be a member and their membership is closed for a while.. Thats the only one around me.. I would have to drive 100s of miles to go to one in PA..

Thank god I have my family business who pays for the Gas and Fuel.. It costs about 25000 a month to run the business on Fuel and Gas.. I do Asphalt Paving... So everything is pretty much Diesel...

It is not gonna get any better anytime soon...

NJBB

hrm...sounds like petrol prices are the biggest reason that shoots don't get attended, so here are a couple of ideas that people are here use (where gasoline is > $5.50 a gallon and stuff tends to be farther apart). Since public transportation without a bow is out of the question:

Incent members with minivans to carpool a load of people to the shoots. A dozen people movers can bring a lot of gear and people. Yea, it's not "cool" showing up in a minivan...but would you rather chip in $15 in gas....or drive your own for double that (or more)? Manage the car pool via the club.
Combine two hobbies...motorcycles and bows. Make it a fun day with motorcycles...they eat a lot less gas than a truck. Who knows...passenger taking shots at stationary target? :doh: Okay...insurance nightmare...but it was a thought.
Tournament prizes could be gas vouchers? Work out a deal with a reasonably local gas station so you can pre-purchase gas at a discount. You'd be surprised how many will offer 4 to 10% discounts on prepurchased fuel (i.e. you pay $1000 for $1100 worth of fuel vouchers).
Rotate shot locations based on membership/participant locations. I know land isn't available in a lot of areas...so some research would be in order. Around here multiple clubs form partnerships and rotate shoots between branches to try to give people a chance to shoot at a closer club periodically while keeping average participation levels up. Another benefit of this is that shops and manufacturers are typically willing to sponsor events where there are enough potential customers to be worth their advertising $$. If you regularly pull > 100 to a shoot...then sponsorship may be viable.
Reduce club overheads: Yea, shooting top notch competition quality 3D targets is great, but what about lower quality targets, or even 50% silhouette/paper type targets if it meant your comp fees were halved? Maybe that one is too far outside for purists...but when "customers"/members are hurting financially...going to shoots is going to be pulled from the list before food and many other items.
It's all in the timing: Relating to the multi-club shoots above...if there is one per week with attendance of 20 people...maybe they are too frequent. Maybe pull back to big shoots once per month. Advertise via shops, get sponsors...use membership contacts, newsletters, word of mouth, etc. to really pump up the event. Given a bit of notice...most people may save for a quarterly BIG event....or bi-monthly event. (you get the point)
If desperate, I guess you could replace field points with great big suction cups and hold shoots in your nearest large parking lot. Just bring hay bales to form up the course. Suction cuts make it nice and safe so getting a permit should be reasonably easy. Just have to fit it all in someone's truck/trucks.
Finally, archery paint ball. screw in fat paint ball tips. You just go to your local skirmish/paintball field...armed with your bow...and shoot 3d targets for real (that can shoot back). Good fun...though tagging the wrong "deer" could result in a good air gun pelting. For the poor sports in the bunch...broadheads would have to be checked at the door. 30# max draw weight to keep from injuring someone too much?:DOkay....brain dump of all housed garbage between my ears complete. Feedback welcomed, even if not considered. :peace:

.. I do Asphalt Paving...It is not gonna get any better anytime soon...
NJBB

So should we start looking for the return of the dirt road and gravel parking lot?
:noidea:

With the way things are going you might see that pretty soon... I have over 1 million on the street now and not to many people doing much of anything around here... We are lucky to have work but just have to get paid as well...

NJBB

If the global warming guys are right about the rising sea levels and massive storms, you could re-equip with sandbag fillers and excavator equipment to build storm shelters and remove debris?

...okay okay... so it may not be a practical solution...but good luck to you. I know best wishes don't pay the bills....but it's better than a kick in the nuts, eh? :)

Ok boys quite your whinning and start your own club thats one way to support your habit.

Ok boys quite your whinning and start your own club thats one way to support your habit.
It may not get shooter numbers up...but it's a certain way to ensure you'll place in the comps. :lol:

Here's my thought on 3d shoots around my area. There used to be a big following of shooters and they - dispite trying to be, maybe - became very talented and because of that, competitive. In our club, we have about 125 members and at out own 3d shoots, we get maybe 25 club shooters. We have to draw from up to 100 miles away to get shooters and they are normally pretty serious about the course and results. My opinion is that we are fighting an elitist kind of attitude about scores, who's got the better set up, etc... I've asked countless members to shoot and the #1 reason why they don't is that they say they aren't "good enough to compete". We've gone so far as to advertize as a "family fun shoot" to remove that, but we still get a poor turn out from our own and it is getting worse. Until people get over the idea of having to be a top shooter, we are going to see this. That's JMO, though.



Is anyone else seeing 3D shoots (or any other type of shoot for that matter) being closed? :noidea: We used to have 3 shoots a month around here (within 30 miles), but one of the clubs closed and when I was talking to the members of the other two, they were saying that there just wasn't enough participation and might have to close down too. There is another one about 80 miles away, but that's a long drive and a lot of gas. I joined one of the clubs to give a little finacial support, and am planning on joining the other next month. I also offered to come out and help set up targets at one of them. I am a little disappointed that there are not more archers out there willing to help these clubs out to keep the sport in the area.:mad:

Well you don't want it to be too competitive, but for those that have been doing it for a while you do go out there to compete. You should be trying to beat your best score everytime you go out and ultimately you wanna win your class. If you don't care about winning, then it really shouldn't matter how competitive the other shooters are :noidea: . I am not going out there to lose....most of the time I do, but I am still trying to win! And if I don't win, it must have been the equipment's fault :biggrin1:

It is up to the club to make everybody feel welcome..no matter how good/bad of a shooter you are.

Here's my thought on 3d shoots around my area. There used to be a big following of shooters and they - dispite trying to be, maybe - became very talented and because of that, competitive. In our club, we have about 125 members and at out own 3d shoots, we get maybe 25 club shooters. We have to draw from up to 100 miles away to get shooters and they are normally pretty serious about the course and results. My opinion is that we are fighting an elitist kind of attitude about scores, who's got the better set up, etc... I've asked countless members to shoot and the #1 reason why they don't is that they say they aren't "good enough to compete". We've gone so far as to advertize as a "family fun shoot" to remove that, but we still get a poor turn out from our own and it is getting worse. Until people get over the idea of having to be a top shooter, we are going to see this. That's JMO, though.

I thought this thread was going to be about not winning at the shoots - I was all ready to commiserate, Oh Well.

I wish there was a way to tell people who are nervous about their own skill that "you shoot for yourself" - which is the right attitude- and to be comfortable. Should is alot easier to say that will. That is not always realistic when you get around people who talk up their skills, equipment, etc. I am not saying that a shooter shouldn't be proud, but rather I am saying that there are alot more people that might like 3d but they do not want to shoot around those types. I was one of those guys until I decided to ignore the talk.
I was in a club (another hobby) and we had one jack#$$ join. People told me that he alone will kill the club. Nobody (including me) had the guts to kick him out and he did exactly what was predicted. It's a tough spot: a. you have elitist-type shooters hang out and drive people away or b. you become the 3d police and have to try to explain why some of the best shooters are not allowed.



Well you don't want it to be too competitive, but for those that have been doing it for a while you do go out there to compete. You should be trying to beat your best score everytime you go out and ultimately you wanna win your class. If you don't care about winning, then it really shouldn't matter how competitive the other shooters are :noidea: . I am not going out there to lose....most of the time I do, but I am still trying to win! And if I don't win, it must have been the equipment's fault :biggrin1:

It is up to the club to make everybody feel welcome..no matter how good/bad of a shooter you are.

True, there are gonna be jerks anywhere you go and to the person who shows up as a single that may turn them off. But if somebody is causing people to flat out stop coming or making people uncomfy, they would get a nice talkin to at our club. I'll be their huckleberry :biggrin1:

I wish there was a way to tell people who are nervous about their own skill that "you shoot for yourself" - which is the right attitude- and to be comfortable. Should is alot easier to say that will. That is not always realistic when you get around people who talk up their skills, equipment, etc. I am not saying that a shooter shouldn't be proud, but rather I am saying that there are alot more people that might like 3d but they do not want to shoot around those types. I was one of those guys until I decided to ignore the talk.
I was in a club (another hobby) and we had one jack#$$ join. People told me that he alone will kill the club. Nobody (including me) had the guts to kick him out and he did exactly what was predicted. It's a tough spot: a. you have elitist-type shooters hang out and drive people away or b. you become the 3d police and have to try to explain why some of the best shooters are not allowed.

I wish there was a way to tell people who are nervous about their own skill that "you shoot for yourself" - which is the right attitude- and to be comfortable. Should is alot easier to say that will. That is not always realistic when you get around people who talk up their skills, equipment, etc. I am not saying that a shooter shouldn't be proud, but rather I am saying that there are alot more people that might like 3d but they do not want to shoot around those types. I was one of those guys until I decided to ignore the talk.
I was in a club (another hobby) and we had one jack#$$ join. People told me that he alone will kill the club. Nobody (including me) had the guts to kick him out and he did exactly what was predicted. It's a tough spot: a. you have elitist-type shooters hang out and drive people away or b. you become the 3d police and have to try to explain why some of the best shooters are not allowed.

Time to start explaining the promotion of archery aspect to the "best shooters". Also, there are different classes for a reason, unless of course everyone is shooting bowhunter.

Is that 3-4 shoots every Sunday? or 3-4 shoots every month held on Sundays? 'Cuz if you got that many shoots in one day, it makes for a long day:laugh:

I have been looking on the sight for 3D shoots in the CT area because I will be up that way mid-may and only found like 2 shoots but I don't know how well the dates match up:noidea: , guess I need to try the neighboring states since everything is so close.
Yeah we generally have 4 shoots every Sunday within 30-40 miles of each other...it makes it hard to draw shooters...

Where you gonna be in CT??? There are quite a few in NY in May near I-84...

Here's my thought on 3d shoots around my area. There used to be a big following of shooters and they - dispite trying to be, maybe - became very talented and because of that, competitive. In our club, we have about 125 members and at out own 3d shoots, we get maybe 25 club shooters. We have to draw from up to 100 miles away to get shooters and they are normally pretty serious about the course and results. My opinion is that we are fighting an elitist kind of attitude about scores, who's got the better set up, etc... I've asked countless members to shoot and the #1 reason why they don't is that they say they aren't "good enough to compete". We've gone so far as to advertize as a "family fun shoot" to remove that, but we still get a poor turn out from our own and it is getting worse. Until people get over the idea of having to be a top shooter, we are going to see this. That's JMO, though.

Ever tried using handicapping (like in golf) to make things a bit more interesting for those that can't practice for a living?

I have been looking on the sight for 3D shoots in the CT area because I will be up that way mid-may and only found like 2 shoots but I don't know how well the dates match up:noidea: , guess I need to try the neighboring states since everything is so close.
Here are the local shoots for May...



MAY 11 Sunday Walden Sportsmen’s Club– Mother’s Day
MAY 18 Sunday Otisville Sportsmen’s Association
MAY 25 Sunday Black Rock Fish & Game Club


May 18 Northern Dutchess (3D Shoot)
May 25 Ti Yogi Bowmen (3D Shoot)

May 18 Southside Rod & Gun

I understand what people say about always shooting against yourself...but if that's the case I have a back yard for that (or can shoot off-times around the course).

Only "competing" against your personal best is great if you're into that sorta challenge....but I place it right up there with junior socker leagues and peewee baseball games where no one keeps score to keep their children from becoming overly competetive. News flash...the parents DO keep score...even if it's not on the scoreboard.

Competition with others is a must...but giving EVERYONE a chance to win is necessary if you don't split the categories by skill. In combat pistol comps we had 4 classes for shooters based on their handicap scores. Still, we didn't shoot against people in other classes because there were enough of us. With a pure handicap scoring system...everyone can shoot against everyone else. I play golf against guys that are semi-pro...and I REALLY suck at golf! (big time...lucky to finish 9 holes without losing a ball or two). Still, my embarrassingly high handicap makes it possible to play with them.

Another thought is "teaming" the elite nuts with the newbies to encourage mentoring. Our local clubs struggle to get the good shooters to help the newer people. It's usually the semi-newbies helping us total newbies. If the elite guys "shared" score with the newbs...I'm betting their desire to win would encourage them to help one another. Then again...they might choose to take their arrows and go home.

Giving everybody a "Chance to Win" sounds like some kind of Liberal Catchphrase. He don't give trophies or payouts, except at tourneys. We have Unlimited, Hunter, Traditional/Youth, and Cub stakes. We don't post scores, except for tourneys. Our 3D shoots are the most challenging in the region, and our targets are easily the best condition, and the best selection.
Every body's a winner isn't the way to go. You shoot against your own limits, and challenge them. "Every body a winner" is no winner. Sounds like the Boulder Co. Public School System. No Dodgeball, "Tag", "It", or individual sports. Girls wanna play Football, so no tackling, and no running, and don't throw the ball, especially at the girls. They might get hurt, and sue. Or cry.
The clubs that give a plaque to every "winner" down to third place, in 6 or 7 classes, don't get any better turnouts than us. I don't even pick up mine. How many do I need that say "First Place" (or second, or third) in a monthly shoot that had maybe a dozen or so in my class? I just let them recycle them. I got trophies shooting in the Marine Corps. I don't need a $4 plaque to stroke my self esteem.
And it only takes a couple sandbaggers or cheats to screw things up. They feel they "should" win, even if they don't.

Hrm...don't think I'd ever agree to giving everyone a "participation" trophy, which, in a sense, is what having a dozen classes does (especially the ones few people ever shoot in). I'm all for one winner, but you'd at LEAST have to handicap people (or split the guys you all know and love into a "wanker league" of their own).

I'm happy to shoot against people with $10k in bow equipment...especially if we are compared with a fair handicapping system so I can win on occassion. I'd rather shoot in a "handicap" league against 50 other shooters, than in the class I prefer (or can afford) to shoot in against 3.

over here in central VA the clubs are rolling out shoots every weekend
sometimes sat and sunday
Pred if ya can spend the gas money there here
we have got DixieBowman..Goochland Archery..Fort lee archery..all around 40 miles of me
The gas is a real problem and i think the clubs should do payouts instead of trophys
the reason
Well i stopped shooting to play in golf tournaments every weekend
the payouts are huge
Im in a 2 day tournament right now with 180 players and an $8000 purse
down in williamsburg,,near you
the entry fee was $120 but ive allready been in 7 tournaments and have cashed in on $2000 in two months
ive spent around $700 not counting the gas so im a little above even..i think
So with that said if the prizes were a little bigger i would shoot at the archery clubs and travel as far as it took
Ive already been to the TPC at Va Beach last month and won 400.00
thats worth my gas...:D

Here are the local shoots for May...



MAY 11 Sunday Walden Sportsmen’s Club– Mother’s Day
MAY 18 Sunday Otisville Sportsmen’s Association
MAY 25 Sunday Black Rock Fish & Game Club


May 18 Northern Dutchess (3D Shoot)
May 25 Ti Yogi Bowmen (3D Shoot)

May 18 Southside Rod & Gun





I leave for New Londond, CT on Tues the 20th and am supposed to come home on Friday the 23rd unless something goes sideways. So I guess I won't be able to make any shoots unless there is a problem, then I don't know if I would be able to come anyway. :frusty: I'll probably bring the bow just in case. We travel up there quite a bit, so maybe next time?

over here in central VA the clubs are rolling out shoots every weekend
sometimes sat and sunday
Pred if ya can spend the gas money there here
we have got DixieBowman..Goochland Archery..Fort lee archery..all around 40 miles of me
The gas is a real problem and i think the clubs should do payouts instead of trophys
the reason
Well i stopped shooting to play in golf tournaments every weekend
the payouts are huge
Im in a 2 day tournament right now with 180 players and an $8000 purse
down in williamsburg,,near you
the entry fee was $120 but ive allready been in 7 tournaments and have cashed in on $2000 in two months
ive spent around $700 not counting the gas so im a little above even..i think
So with that said if the prizes were a little bigger i would shoot at the archery clubs and travel as far as it took
Ive already been to the TPC at Va Beach last month and won 400.00
thats worth my gas...:D

Sounds like your quite the golfer. I don't play myself (mostly because I really really suck at it). With that kind of prize money and you being good enough to win, I would be doing that too. :amen:

I've shot Ft. Lee a few times, the guy who set that up did a good job bringing it back. I actually like that shoot, I just don't drive up there unless there are two or three of us to share the gas. In fact I wanted to go up there today, just no one could go today, so I guess I'll go shoot the rifles to make up for my depression:sad:

As far as the handicapping goes, doesn't the stakes at different ranges make up a form of handicap? Traditionalist and Cubs shoot much closer than the Open class does because they use different equipment. I know that doesn't work so well on spots or vegas, but on the 3D course that kind of keeps things equal (although it doesn't always show in the scores).

The last 3 or 4 years I have taken it upopn myself to baddger clubs into putting on shoot's, I was putting up my on money to put out schedauls but have been getting help for some clubs and donations to put them out, most clubs are now only doing 1 day shoots and we have free weekends every month , like most we use to have to pick and choose where we wanted to shoot and even had a State championship put on by a different club every year. The good news is for the past 2 years attendence is goinging up sllllooowwllyy a couple new shooters each year but 25 - 30 shooters a weekend is still not great