Since 1933 the NMLRA was the very glue that held together the common interest of Traditional Muzzleloaders, every where.
FWIW; The following is my understanding of how all this nonsense came about.
The 70 plus year tradition of the NMLRA beginning back in 1933, was all flushed down the drain in 2003 / 2004 when the Marketers and Manufactures of the then rather new Muzzleloader, referred to as a "in-line", convinced the BoD at the NMLRA, along with majority of State Game Departments, that it was a win-win for everybody concerned, including the Sportsman, as their adoption of this "new rifle" would sell more Hunting Licenses, and allow more people to enjoy the outdoors, all while increasing the membership of the NMLRA....their biggest positive argument for this enormous and risky move was; "it loaded from the front".
Many of us were around at that time, and many of us had been very active with the NMLRA, and had put up a lot of out-of-pocket cash lobbying State Game Departments during the 1970's, 1980's, for "a special Muzzleloading Season for Traditional Muzzleloaders using a side lock". Memberships in the NMLRA skyrocketed while all that was happening!
Many States even passed laws regarding special seasons for Muzzleloading ONLY.
At the time, our selling point to the Public to get these new seasons passed was that of "safety", as a traditional muzzleloader of the day was accepted as a short range gun.
If a Shotgun, shooting slugs, could safely be used to hunt with in that area, a traditional side-lock, which would be exposed to the elements, would most certainly be less of a danger to the General Public.
And, to separate the two, these "more primitive" guns would have their own season.
However, when the Game Departments heard from the Manufacturers and Marketers that they could sell a lot more Hunting Licenses, thus creating a lot more revenue by allowing the inline, many of these States, and "strapped for revenue" Departments, jumped at the chance to build that revenue in anyway they could.
One aspect of this was Game Departments would not have to go back to the Public for a Special Season as it was already there, these newer in-lines would use the same season, previously established for Traditional Muzzleloaders...and that my friend is when the fight started!
The 'bean counters' within the NMLRA wanted very badly to increase their own Membership along with their income, and the motion was brought before the BoD...my understanding is it failed once, early on because of the many write-in votes, but it did pass in 2003.
Active Membership of the NMLRA fell to a dangerous level about 2004, but has seen something of a steady growth ever since, trying hard to regain the levels of pre 2000 and 2001.... the in-liners simply have not provided that active Membership the NMLRA had expected.
However, at the same time, the truly traditional minded supporter left in droves in 2004, with cries to shut the NMLRA down.
That is also about the time I dropped my own Membership.
Looking back........I am now glad the NMLRA did not shut down completely, as it still provides a venue for the traditional minded shooter. Nothing like before, but nonetheless a National venue.
They still have a magazine that many enjoy, on both sides of the argument.
The Game Departments' across this Nation are more interested in income than any other segment of their purview....and the reason is simple enough, because income is a necessary evil for any program anywhere to be effective, and we all want to be effective, even us old knot head Traditionalist.
Just my opinion!
Uncle Russ...
Topic: NMLRA Dec 2017 (Read 465 times)