Please Help Promote Traditional Muzzleloading

[RobD]

Please click on the image below and help us all ...

[Hawken]

We're the last of a dying breed!

Dinosaurs gentlemen!!

[Flinchlock]

We're the last of a dying breed!

Dinosaurs gentlemen!!

No, it's just a brave new world. Things that worked in the list century, or even 10 years ago don't today. There are 6k members of the TMA fb group, but there is no way, or apparently desire, to convert them to members here. This forum is powered by smf... The version we are on IS mobile compatible... Why not turn that on?? The website is difficult to use, nigh on impossible for people looking to join to do so AND not mobile friendly. If a site is not mobile-friendly, Google down rates it in search. If, you change pages to a new address, boom!  same thing.

How many dues paying members are there right now? 

[SharpStick]

If I'm interpreting this from the 2020 TMA Monthly Postal Match Schedule correctly, I was thinking of enlisting a youngster in my neighborhood to be my partner for the Mike Fink Partner shoot come July.

(Mike Fink "Partner" Shoot  / Offhand - 25 Yards - TMA Target - (MF-TC Target)
(5 Shots Each Team Member - Non TMA Members May Take Part In This Match
But Must Partner Up With A Paid Supporting Member...

Actually I was think of inviting him, his brothers and his dad to do our own muzzleloader shooting match to decide who would get to shoot the official target for the TMA Postal Match.  Of course, this would be a way to get them all interested in TMA.

Any reason this wouldn't be acceptable for the Mike Fink shoot?

[Ohio Joe]

If I'm interpreting this from the 2020 TMA Monthly Postal Match Schedule correctly, I was thinking of enlisting a youngster in my neighborhood to be my partner for the Mike Fink Partner shoot come July.

(Mike Fink "Partner" Shoot  / Offhand - 25 Yards - TMA Target - (MF-TC Target)
(5 Shots Each Team Member - Non TMA Members May Take Part In This Match
But Must Partner Up With A Paid Supporting Member...

Actually I was think of inviting him, his brothers and his dad to do our own muzzleloader shooting match to decide who would get to shoot the official target for the TMA Postal Match.  Of course, this would be a way to get them all interested in TMA.

Any reason this wouldn't be acceptable for the Mike Fink shoot?

Sharpstick, that was (and always has been) the intent, when the TMA came up with the Mike Fink Shoot... Introducing the TMA through an old (not to bright back in the day)  shootin' match... Many clubs frown on our Mike Fink Match, but many embrace it into their shooting Matches...   

[dave951]

Guys- I'm going to get on my soap box here

The FUTURE SURVIVAL of our sport is in getting youth interested. I don't care if it's PRB, N-SSA, NMLRA or reenacting. Sitting back and bemoaning what's happening isn't going to change things, you'll just get depressed. To change things, get involved, take a kid to the range, promote black powder shooting in general. I see far too many griping about this issue, while they're unwilling to put aside their personal entertainment and get involved in working to fix it.

To the above point, we at the North South Skirmish Association have embarked on a project to work with youth organizations. To do so, most youth orgs require NRA Muzzleloading Instructor credentials, 4H is it's own world. Get those credentials, go work or volunteer in a youth org in muzzleloading or black powder shooting sports.

Last weekend, we held a training session at Fort Shenandoah, our home range, to train new Muzzleloading Instructors. Friday was over 12hours, and we did the shooting component in the snow and finished the shotgun component in twilight with smoothbores (that was a hoot). Saturday was over 18hr long and very intense. Sunday was more of the same ending in the Instructor Exam. At the end, there are now 16 new NRA Muzzleloading Instructors on our team to work with youth orgs.

In the next months, we will work with various youth orgs both in instruction and to help develop their programs. If the numbers track similar to our pilot project last summer, we will work directly with over 1500 youth and youth leaders and give 1 on 1 marksmanship instruction in muzzleloaders to over 500. As this progresses, we're going to try to expand even more.

Will this require time and effort on our part? Darn right it will, but if you/we don't get crackin, it will never, ever get fixed and our sports in muzzleloading will fade into the pages of a dusty old history book.

[RobD]

American trad muzzleloading will never die and fade away unless the ever encroaching anti-gun laws strip Americans from that right.  without grassroots support, the numbers involved in trad muzzys can radically diminish.  the TMA provides a solid source to inspire and progress with all things trad muzzy.

there is NO question that the youth of today will be tomorrow's future for traditional muzzleloading firearms and history.  this is a, if not THE, prime focus of the TMA.

the great side benefit of increasing adult TMA forum and contributing membership is expecting some of that trad muzzy adult fun rubbing off on their youth.

there is a special theme mod that is recursive and will display forums in a linear "social media friendly" mode on cell phones, while remaining the same views when viewed on a computer.  i'm currently testing this out and will report back on my progress. 


 

[Ohio Joe]

I know of no western Fur Trade Rendezvous that does not promote traditional muzzle loading, not only to their own participating kids and grand kids, but to both adult's and youth that come and visit these historical reenactment of the Fur Trade Era Rendezvous, and (at least at our doings) the visiting parents bring their kids down to watch some of our shoots on visiting day...

Now, with the above said, when the shoot(s) are over, the shooters many a'times will mingle with the visitors and offer Mom & Pop, and the kids, a chance at take some shots with their muzzleloader...

You see, it's not hard to hook a young person on this type of shooting, but at his/her young age, the purse strings lay with Mom & Dad - and they are the primary ones you will need to win over with a common interest between the children and their parents...

No promotion is poor promotion...

Promotion to both young and old is great promotion, especially if you can make it a family event...