ihmsa forums

So much of this conversation has been centered around Internationals, which is the least of our problems, but I'm going with it anyways.

Ft. Stockton blows. And it is windy there too! If we want to get "younger" people involved, which I'm one of, I think we have to look at destination points--where are some places that people would actually want to stay for a full week with the wife, kids, etc. Ft. Stockton has treated the shooters so well over the years, so I'm certainly not talking bad about the people--but nobody would ever say, "Hey, let's go to Ft. Stockton for our one family trip of the year!" And the results show it--almost half as many people there this year as compared to OKC last year.

I hope LASC follows through with their bid for 2015, people would go there--it's a destination point. OKC is the same. Centrally located, there are things to do as a family. Grants Pass--that would be a heck of a place to hold an Internationals! Wouldn't have the heat that July brings to the lower latitudes. Raton, NM would be an ideal place--huge range, beautiful country with lots of history. I'd even propose Pringle, South Dakota. Smaller range than those others, but we run 250 guns for Region 8 in 4 days and it isn't overly crowded, and there is no place I have ever been that has so many things to go and do within a short radius (Deadwood, caves, Mt. Rushmore, etc.).

In this current time period, we don't need ranges with fire lines that are as long as Ft. Stockton. People sign up in advance, and if the range has automatic resets, you can run a lot of guns in 8 days. I'm like Ole95 in that I have tried to go to new ranges each year, and every one of them has been a great experience. But it isn't all about the shooting, it is the total experience. And for me as a shooter, I could have that experience anywhere. Good people shooting steel. But there is no way I would ever ask my wife and child to go with me for an 8-9 day trip to Ft. Stockton, TX. There would be nothing for them to do. But I will go back to the WCC, and for our international friends that make such a sacrifice to come to the States every year, we could give them a much better experience of what the United States has to offer as far as scenery and entertainment. People that have just one big trip a year as a family would be much more inclined to go to places such as that.

That's a good point, having a something for the family to do while the shooter is shooting,

A related problem we had before we lost our range, we were so far from anyplace that had food to eat, we made it a point to have lunch available as part of the entry fee. (of course, anyone who showed up was welcome to eat whether they were shooting or not) Most of the places we shoot, finding a place to eat is not a problem. At our range it was.

Maybe having something for the shooter's family to do might entice more folks to attend our local matches. (besides setting targets )

Any thoughts? Games, drawings, prizes.

Yep no problem to talk the wife and kids into it if the
Range is right down the road from the beach, Disney world
Or a outlet mail. But sell them on the fac that in the 100 deg desert
50 miles from life as they know it

Running coast to coast would be a stretch for me, but Pringle sounds like a good idea. A few years ago they had proposed to have the Internationals, but were turned down. If you are into seeing the USA, that would be a fine trip.

Someplace new sounds good.

We shoot the Extravaganza every year at LASC and never had a problem.

Mugs

Encore and others that do "shooting vacation" the WCC is must do don't cheat your self out of making one
Kick bass has been talking to me about Pringle's big yearly shoot and it's in my 2015 planning 23hr. Drive
OKC will be 10 hr. but when you figure I have to drive 3hr. One way to shoot to single day BB match and 4+ for SB
Not a bad deal
Just sitting hear thanking with all this venting and preposed changing who in "management" comes to this sponsored
Forum to listen
Hope to get release from here tomorrow 7 days of stir crazy

ole95 wrote:Encore and others that do "shooting vacation" the WCC is must do don't cheat your self out of making one
Kick bass has been talking to me about Pringle's big yearly shoot and it's in my 2015 planning 23hr. Drive
OKC will be 10 hr. but when you figure I have to drive 3hr. One way to shoot to single day BB match and 4+ for SB
Not a bad deal
Just sitting hear thanking with all this venting and preposed changing who in "management" comes to this sponsored
Forum to listen
Hope to get release from here tomorrow 7 days of stir crazy

The WCC is certainly one that every shooter should try to experience. My tentative plan is that if the Internationals goes back to Ft. Stockton, then in those years I will make the WCC my big shooting trip of the year.

KickBass: Your right about Ft Stockton`s weather.

The people out in Ft. Stockton LOVE having the shooters come to town. We had our Texas
State Championship match out there, in 1985 and I believe 1988, and the one in 1985 set a record
for Texas championship matches, think there were over 500 entries. I know some of the folks from
the northern areas probably arent used to the heat, but we in Texas arent used to the cold, either!
But, the city and county out there has kept the berms up, kept the range clean, and put in the
restrooms. The last time I was there, in 1997, there were only port-o-potties. This is a nice range,
with great contrast between berms and targets. I dont think we should just walk away from these
nice people if its determined that the Internationals will continue.