Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums  

Go Back   Parker Gun Collectors Association Forums Parker Forums General Parker Discussions

Notices

Reply
Thread Tools Display Modes
Maybe There's Hope After All
Unread 09-14-2019, 07:33 PM   #1
Member
John Davis
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
John Davis's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 1,824
Thanks: 3,619
Thanked 6,247 Times in 1,227 Posts

Default Maybe There's Hope After All

I apologize that this isn't a Parker specific thread but we've bemoaned the decline and death of shooting sports enough that I believe it appropriate. I volunteered this year to help coach the Varsity and JV high school shooting team at Southland Academy, Americus, Ga. We began the season today with a tournament at Flint Trap and Skeet Club in Albany, Ga. The kids shot Sporting Clays and Skeet. Normally they also shoot Trap but the machines were down. We had about 100 high school and junior high competitors from 7 different schools. I was fortunate enough to be in charge of three of our young lady shooters. They were squadded with two other young ladies and a young man from a "rival" school. All were wonderful ladies and gentlemen. They helped each other out and gave each other high fives no matter what school they were shooting for. Safety was foremost on their minds and their display of sportsmanship outstanding. I was very proud of each and every one of them.
__________________
"Life is short and you're dead an awful long time." Destry L. Hoffard

"Oh Christ, just shoot the damn thing."
Destry L. Hoffard
John Davis is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 09-14-2019, 07:57 PM   #2
Member
Drew Hause
Forum Associate
 
Drew Hause's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 2,084
Thanks: 323
Thanked 3,761 Times in 1,245 Posts

Default

Good for you brother. Enthusiasm is contagious.

This is the 1930 Georgia State Championship in Albany
https://www.gettyimages.com/detail/v...?adppopup=true
Drew Hause is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to Drew Hause For Your Post:
Visit Drew Hause's homepage!
Unread 09-14-2019, 08:07 PM   #3
Member
Dean Romig
PGCA Invincible
Life Member
 
Dean Romig's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 31,557
Thanks: 35,430
Thanked 33,039 Times in 12,321 Posts

Default

Great work John! Our sport needs a lot more men like you to allow it to perpetuate through the next generation.





.
__________________
"I'm a Setter man.
Not because I think they're better than the other breeds,
but because I'm a romantic - stuck on tradition - and to me, a Setter just "belongs" in the grouse picture."

George King, "That's Ruff", 2010 - a timeless classic.
Dean Romig is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to Dean Romig For Your Post:
Unread 09-14-2019, 10:47 PM   #4
Member
Twombly setters
Forum Associate
 
legh higgins's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Sep 2013
Posts: 189
Thanks: 583
Thanked 176 Times in 92 Posts

Default

one of My states chambers were "Locked down" one day last week. Someone entered with a black umbrella and all hell broke loose... not so much school shooting sports up here now. in Vermont
__________________
Lower 40 club rules...no rules
legh higgins is offline   Reply With Quote
Unread 09-15-2019, 10:51 AM   #5
Member
Bill Mullins
PGCA Invincible
Life Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: Nov 2008
Posts: 217
Thanks: 2,481
Thanked 1,069 Times in 169 Posts

Default

Thank you John for volunteering to do this for our young men and women who will represent our future in the shooting, hunting, and collecting sports. They could not have had a better teacher and mentor! 😊
Bill Mullins is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 6 Users Say Thank You to Bill Mullins For Your Post:
Unread 09-15-2019, 10:54 AM   #6
Member
Mike of the Mountain
PGCA Lifetime
Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: Feb 2014
Posts: 4,695
Thanks: 15,352
Thanked 8,669 Times in 2,629 Posts

Default

Thanks John! I will add that in the past 4-5 years we have seen a good increase in youth participation on our course.
Mike Koneski is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to Mike Koneski For Your Post:
Visit Mike Koneski's homepage!
Unread 09-15-2019, 11:19 AM   #7
Member
Mike Franzen
PGCA Lifetime
Member
 
Mike Franzen's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Dec 2008
Posts: 2,858
Thanks: 1,251
Thanked 4,361 Times in 1,310 Posts

Default

Thanks for that report. It does give hope.
Mike Franzen is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following User Says Thank You to Mike Franzen For Your Post:
Visit Mike Franzen's homepage!
Unread 09-15-2019, 12:01 PM   #8
Member
J.B. Books
PGCA Member
 
Pete Lester's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Jun 2009
Posts: 2,857
Thanks: 1,639
Thanked 4,793 Times in 1,365 Posts

Default

I saw the handwriting on the wall so to speak back around 2004 when I was heading up the NH Hunter Education Program. When I looked at our annual statistics I looked at the number of 16 year olds that were graduating the program (the first year they would need the course to be able to buy a hunting license). I looked at the number of graduates at age 16 state wide against the 260 cities, towns and unincorporated townships in the state. We were graduating on average fewer than two 16 year olds per municipality. Hunting license sales were also plummeting. In the late 70's and early 80's our Fish & Game Department estimated we had 10,000 waterfowl hunters statewide. By 2004 the estimate was down to 1500. With guns and hunting being demonized by the media, schools and in social media I don't hold out much hope for any significant improvement.
__________________
Progress is the mortal enemy of the Outdoorsman.
Pete Lester is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 5 Users Say Thank You to Pete Lester For Your Post:
Unread 09-15-2019, 04:53 PM   #9
Member
Kensal Rise
PGCA Member

Member Info
 
Join Date: Sep 2011
Posts: 1,768
Thanks: 580
Thanked 2,575 Times in 925 Posts

Default

Quote:
Originally Posted by Pete Lester View Post
With guns and hunting being demonized by the media, schools and in social media I don't hold out much hope for any significant improvement.
Every corrupt entity in the history of mankind has used media to subvert the minds of the masses to follow deranged ideas. Now, the computer/internet has made such foul propaganda a snap.
John Campbell is offline   Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to John Campbell For Your Post:
Unread 09-15-2019, 05:52 PM   #10
Member
Woodcock survey
PGCA Member
 
Daniel Carter's Avatar

Member Info
 
Join Date: Apr 2015
Posts: 964
Thanks: 1,292
Thanked 1,386 Times in 594 Posts

Default

When I duck hunted a lot, 90's, on opening day we could count on every puddle having some one to keep them moving. This past year all the shooting was my own. Deer season used to be a mob, now alone or one other truck. I hope other areas are different but even in Maine I see a big drop, a day will go by in which my group is the only shooting I hear.
Daniel Carter is online now   Reply With Quote
The Following 3 Users Say Thank You to Daniel Carter For Your Post:
Reply

Thread Tools
Display Modes

Posting Rules
You may not post new threads
You may not post replies
You may not post attachments
You may not edit your posts

BB code is On
Smilies are On
[IMG] code is On
HTML code is Off

Forum Jump


All times are GMT -4. The time now is 11:55 AM.

Powered by vBulletin® Version 3.8.4
Copyright ©2000 - 2024, Jelsoft Enterprises Ltd.
Copyright © 1998 - 2023, Parkerguns.org
Copyright © 2004 Design par Megatekno
- 2008 style update 3.7 avec l'autorisation de son auteur par Stradfred.