4H Shooting Sports

[OldFaithful]

Hello, I've been involved in our little county 4H shooting sports program for several years. Its currently in a slump and the numbers have dwindled.

Anyone else here involved in their county? Any suggestions for getting through an attendance slump?

 

[Tradesylver]

I was asked to restart the program in Brown County after the shutdown. Numbers the last three years run about 9 to 12 4Hers very little interest as we only offer air guns and archery. I lost four instructors last year so down to three of us, if another one drops out I'll shut the program down. I can't seem to get anyone new instructors to expand the program. Seems to be a general lack of interest from the 4Her's and volunteers.

 

[OldFaithful]

I was asked to restart the program in Brown County after the shutdown. Numbers the last three years run about 9 to 12 4Hers very little interest as we only offer air guns and archery. I lost four instructors last year so down to three of us, if another one drops out I'll shut the program down. I can't seem to get anyone new instructors to expand the program. Seems to be a general lack of interest from the 4Her's and volunteers.

I was the coordinator for almost 20 years and recently handed that role over to another volunteer. I started with 0, and due to my wifes friendly personality we got up to 40 or 50. It has dwindled back down to about 5, and I attribute that to some bad apples that discouraged her. She no longer participates.

BTW...We do 22lr and 20ga and 50cal black powder.

I wonder if that is typical, or if it can be built on anything else?

 

[Barry in IN]

I’ve been a 4-H Rifle and Pistol instructor for around 15 years now. We split most of the disciplines up and do Archery on one evening, Shotgun on another, then Rifle, Pistol, and Muzzleloader (RPM) on Saturdays. Therefore, I don’t always see all the disciplines.

In RPM, we had around 40 this year. We had a little over 100 kids in it 8-10 years ago. Shotgun is about the same, but I don’t think they ever peaked as high.
I don’t know much about archery numbers now, but I know they are definitely not as high as they once were.
I would say all the disciplines have more or less plateaued in the past few years.

But I think that’s how it is all over.
Our conservation club was at the membership cap and turning members away for years, but we’re almost 100 below the cap now.

I was in a motorcycle club for a while, and the numbers declined there too. You can include me in that, since I’m no longer a member.

I’m hearing the same from others in photography clubs and the like.

 

[Creedmoor]

Both of my sons did 4H rifle growing up in So Maryland. They shot 4H and JROTC.
I volunteered when they were involved.
It was a great leadoff to what they are doing for a living now.