Northern/NE Indiana Appleseeds?

[Hawkeye]

Are there any plans for additional shoots this year at Nappanee or Ossian? I know we jsut had them htere recently but due to previous commitments I was not able to attend. So jsut wondering if plans are in the worksss and not up on the official schedule yet...

 

[TJ Kackowski]

[FONT=&quot][/FONT]Lake Village, IN, Niles, MI, and Watervliet, MI are close to Warsaw. It looks like there's plenty of room on the line for all of these events.

 

[Hawkeye]

TJ, close is relative, I guess. 2 to 2.5 hours isn't too far in the grand scheme of things, but not what I'd classify as close. Hoping to see something at Napanee or Ossian to try to coerce a friend into attending at least for one day.

 

[TJ Kackowski]

Here's a link to a recent thread about starting an Appleseed in your neck of the woods ... https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/appleseed/339321-walkerton-plymouth-area-interest.html

Maybe you can join forces with these guys to get something scheduled. If you do get something scheduled, and it fits my schedule, I'd be glad to help as an Instructor.

 

[grunt soldier]

TJ, close is relative, I guess. 2 to 2.5 hours isn't too far in the grand scheme of things, but not what I'd classify as close. Hoping to see something at Napanee or Ossian to try to coerce a friend into attending at least for one day.

I believe there will be another Napanee this year like sept 6-7th is when it was penciled in but who knows because I'll be honest with you, Our turn out up north is horrible. everyone posts threads saying they want to attend a shoot but no one ever shows up when they are on the schedule. at the last 2 shoots up there we got a total of 4 shooters to each event and 2 each time didn't make it back on sunday. We can't figure out the problem. we promote and promote it, everyone says yes we are going to come if you have a event around FT wayne. so we do, we get instructors lined up and 2-4 shooters make it out on ranges that should have 30 plus. I just don't understand it. That makes it hard to put a lot of them on schedule when we have the ability to send our instructors to ranges in the middle of the state and down south where the shoots typically have 10-25 shooters per day.

 

[Hawkeye]

Here's a link to a recent thread about starting an Appleseed in your neck of the woods ... https://www.indianagunowners.com/forums/appleseed/339321-walkerton-plymouth-area-interest.html

Maybe you can join forces with these guys to get something scheduled. If you do get something scheduled, and it fits my schedule, I'd be glad to help as an Instructor.

Im aware of that thread. I believe I posted in it. Since I have recently joined NCC, I'll try to see it discussed there at the next meeting.

 

[Hawkeye]

I believe there will be another Napanee this year like sept 6-7th is when it was penciled in but who knows because I'll be honest with you, Our turn out up north is horrible. everyone posts threads saying they want to attend a shoot but no one ever shows up when they are on the schedule. at the last 2 shoots up there we got a total of 4 shooters to each event and 2 each time didn't make it back on sunday. We can't figure out the problem. we promote and promote it, everyone says yes we are going to come if you have a event around FT wayne. so we do, we get instructors lined up and 2-4 shooters make it out on ranges that should have 30 plus. I just don't understand it. That makes it hard to put a lot of them on schedule when we have the ability to send our instructors to ranges in the middle of the state and down south where the shoots typically have 10-25 shooters per day.

Grunt, thanks for the post. I have been to two Appleseeds. One about 4 years ago at Wabash, early October or late September, I think. One last June at NCC. Both seemed to be pretty full on Saturday and on Sunday.

I understand the issue with folks only making it to Saturday of a two day shoot. But with most folks, its a stretch to block out an entire weekend - gotta have a very cooperative family for that! And an Appleseed in its best form is all day both days! Some folks probably don't even sign up based on that. Schedule a one-day?

I know we had one at NCC and one at Ossian in the last month that sounded a bit light. I'm sorry that i couldn't make it to either, but like I said, I did have things at work and home that interfered those weekends. Maybe I should have registered and come only on Sunday which were a bit "freer' for me?

I've talked to a friend - another shooting aficionado - to try to get him to go. Ossian is "right around the corner" for him. But he always says he can't take the time. Can't take a whole weekend, so I say just go a day, preferably Saturday. Mumble, mumble, mumble... He doesn't have a 10/22 - and I tell him about loaners or ways to shoot his tube fed Marlin.

Who do you try to promote Appleseeds with? What media do you promote through? How do you promote events like this? (Its got to be hard!) Media the day of the event might get the message out, but it doesn't do much for getting folks to attend and much of the effect wears off I'm sure if there isn't another for 4-6 months.

Do flyers in local gun stores or clubs work to promote Appleseeds? If so, I'll volunteer to distribute. Just get me the flyers or posters and I will take them around to several in the area. Give me a good excuse to visit them!

What about promoting at local gun shows in the area? I don't know if Appleseed does that or not, but it might be effective to raise awareness.

 

[grunt soldier]

we have passed out flyers at the local ranges/stores. there was info put in the paper in that area. all kinds of stuff. we just haven't had any luck up there. As far as only showing up on Saturday's or Sunday's I have absolutely no problem with that. I was just stating our numbers for the last shoots we worked in the area. I'm down in Indy basically so I'm not sure what could be done up there to drum up more interest. the ranges there especially Ossian are beautiful and offer awesome camping arrangements right on a lake. finish up the day of shooting grill out and fish some. seems like a dang good weekend to me.

we did promote at gun shows but mainly just the large ones. as most gun shows are on weekends and during the weekend most of us volunteers are out on the trail seeding so it ends up being a volunteer issue. as in we just don't have enough. I'll check and see about the other napanee shoot this year and hopefully it just got glossed over on the schedule or something.

our absolute best promotion tool is word of mouth by other shooters! so just keep talking to folks for us and spreading the news

 

[Wild Deuce]

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[jedi]

Need to read the entire thread but alas nwi is a lost cause at this point and I'm not sure why.

 

[Hawkeye]

Wild Deuce, Thanks for posting the link. I'm aware of the Lake Village one. Again, not geographically very desirable given driving time. Might be able to make it for one day, though. Need to work on the calendar.

Jedi, jump into the discussion and lets try to make NWI, or better yet, Northern Indiana not such a "lost cause"!

 

[grunt soldier]

NWI isn't a lost cause but it's going to require a lot more work. I won't get into the workings of appleseeds out here but what I think would really help is a many more volunteers up that way. we have a few but they can't do it all. We need a group of folks to hit the gun stores and clubs regularly to keep fresh fliers, posters and speak with people. anyone who will listen. It doesn't have to be instructors just word of mouth ect up that way. it's going to take a lot of work but I do believe it can be done.

Have a few libertyseeds would probably help also but we need to get folks to show up to those also.

 

[Iroquois]

Need to read the entire thread but alas nwi is a lost cause at this point and I'm not sure why.

There you are! I half expected to see you and the gang from last fall back this June, but alas...very low registration this time....could I get you to roust some of them back down here for another try @ a rifleman patch ?

 

[Iroquois]

This is @ Hawkeye. We do allow camping on site. I would be fine if you want to come out Friday night so you don't have to rise so early. Just know it's all primitive, no showers etc. Just a clean new Porta potty.

 

[Bapak2ja]

I attended one Appleseed at Ossian. I learned the basics, but I need to practice a lot more before I try that qualification test again. I want to do another Appleseed, but all the dates since the one I attended were impossible. I was working in Asia, so the commute was just out of the question. If you schedule an event in the Fort Wayne area, and my schedule is open, I will attend. I would like to be more involved with Appleseed. The history aspects are as important to me as the marksmanship training. It is just a question of timing.

 

[Hawkeye]

NWI isn't a lost cause but it's going to require a lot more work. I won't get into the workings of appleseeds out here but what I think would really help is a many more volunteers up that way. we have a few but they can't do it all. We need a group of folks to hit the gun stores and clubs regularly to keep fresh fliers, posters and speak with people. anyone who will listen. It doesn't have to be instructors just word of mouth ect up that way. it's going to take a lot of work but I do believe it can be done.

Have a few libertyseeds would probably help also but we need to get folks to show up to those also.

Grunt,

As you know, I volunteered up-thread to try to spread the message at local gun shops and clubs. But your reply seemed to say that you didn't think that helped? Drop me a pm if you want to discuss further. My offer still stands!

Personally, I am not sure i "get" the concept of Libertyseeds. They seem to be an alternative ot Appleseeds, without the marksmanship...

 

[Hawkeye]

I attended one Appleseed at Ossian. I learned the basics, but I need to practice a lot more before I try that qualification test again. I want to do another Appleseed, but all the dates since the one I attended were impossible. I was working in Asia, so the commute was just out of the question. If you schedule an event in the Fort Wayne area, and my schedule is open, I will attend. I would like to be more involved with Appleseed. The history aspects are as important to me as the marksmanship training. It is just a question of timing.

Ossian is on my list, too. Have not had a chance to go there, but have heard good things about the range. Wabash and Rochester have held them in the past, too.

 

[cwillour]

Hawkeye,

If you just want to avoid some solo drive time (cost) and don't mind camping out, I could likely pick you up on my way to Seelyville (sponsored by A&A )

 

[Iroquois]

Lake Village is back in September. ..last of the month. Last one in 2014 for us.

 

[Wild Deuce]

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