Target Shooting Clubs - Winter Leagues

Hello to all.

Like many, throughout the winter months, I am in regular attendance at my local target rifle club where I get the old Anschutz out, and we shoot competitively in different leagues if we are lucky enough to get enough members to attend and fill a team positon.

Throughout the years, looking at the minutes book, membership has dwindled down to a small number where we only have 2 teams of 4. We don't have junior members in attendance anymore maybe due to a lack of interest or education in this sport, and some members have there reasons for not continuing to support the club which is fine. It is a social event, a commitment to the club, and a reason to get out the house to come to the range, shoot your card and then get the crack.

Are other clubs suffering with attendance? I'm 32 and I feel young in the sport, as when we meet at other clubs, the majority of people are at least a generation ahead of me.

I look forward to hearing peoples opinions and what it's like for other clubs, for context we are the last club left in Sutherland.

Duncan

What's the discipline? the target clubs in Cornwall have had a few of the old coffin dodgers finally hand club roles over to younger members (50s and 60s) and they have opened the clubs up to all disciplines not just prone .22. Talking bench rest, semi autos, gallery rifles, free standing etc making it more inclusive and enjoyable. There biggest problem is to many members! see what other successful clubs are doing and copy it. don't be afraid to ask them I am sure they would be happy to advise.

We shoot prone, small 3 lane 25yd indoor range when we have visitors, 2 lanes when its club night. I'm also chairman and scorer, my father is the secretary. Our previous chair was in the position out of obligation as other committee members were also, many many stories of the old club nights and the way things used to be. A few members in the past have felt obligated to attend just to keep numbers up and stop the club folding.

Diversifying could well be something worth looking into, but as our club is situated in a community centre (originally a TA drill hall and range) change of current use may be more difficult.

that will be your problem and answer, the ones doing well have their own dedicated ranges, with club guns of varying sorts and various more inclusive disciplines. which in time has lead to people getting into prone, trouble with prone the kit needed and yep of shooting can be off putting to people looking to get into the sport.

bench rest facilities and air guns will help your numbers.

I'm the gallery rifle captain at the Dorchester Rifle & Pistol Club. Our club offers quite a variety of disciplines, 25,50,100 prone, 20yd gallery with .22, .38/357 rifle and LBR/LBP, black powder, 10m air rifle & pistol. We have two sites a 25yd indoor range and a 100yd outdoor.
We have quite a strong membership, people do come and go but mainly on the air rifle side. Those with FACs tend to stick around a lot longer especially if their licence is conditional of being a member of a home office approved club. Quite a majority actively take part in formal competitions within their declines and a few (myself included) shoot for Dorset county teams. We also host a number of friendly in house competitions.

I don't know exact numbers but we do have a considerable amount of retirement aged members. I would guess they do out number the younger generations by some margin. That being said we do have a good number of juniors who are mostly shooting the air disciplines which is encouraging. In the working age category its a bit lean but we have had a handful of new members over the last year or so who have stuck with it, which is also good to see.