Falling numbers of shooters.

[westley]

Is it just my imagination, or are the numbers falling at clay grounds  ? I have shot at 3 different grounds in the North West area in the last 2 weeks and all of the car parks were decidedly empty, as were the stands. I was Instructing a guy today who had a previous lesson with me around 3 weeks ago,  even he commented about how few people were there. I suppose they could have been watching the last day of the football season but the numbers certainly appear to be down.

 

[TRINITY]

Well with the present econmic climate one thing is for certain, number of paricipants are unlikely to increase.

 

[Will Hewland]

The south is very different. The English Open sold 1100 spaces in 48 hours. There are 3-6 reg ESP shoots on per week around me and they mostly get 120+ entries, sometimes 220. 

 

[chippy]

The shoots I go to are all still very busy but I don't think the rising costs of everything have really hit yet.

 

[Charliedog]

Registered shoots still very well attended in East Anglia, the shooting grounds open for practice appear less busy but still enough I would think, probably what I would expect

 

[Westward]

The south is very different. The English Open sold 1100 spaces in 48 hours. There are 3-6 reg ESP shoots on per week around me and they mostly get 120+ entries, sometimes 220. 

This new era of working from home has done wonders for mid week shoot attendances. 

 

[Doctor Lecter]

shot 100 reg at grange  on sunday   cracking shoot   it was rammed  !! 

 

[Jan Powell]

Is it just my imagination, or are the numbers falling at clay grounds  ? I have shot at 3 different grounds in the North West area in the last 2 weeks and all of the car parks were decidedly empty, as were the stands. I was Instructing a guy today who had a previous lesson with me around 3 weeks ago,  even he commented about how few people were there. I suppose they could have been watching the last day of the football season but the numbers certainly appear to be down.

No, not your imagination, things are dropping off. I was at a well known ground last Friday doing some coaching. Absolutely empty, just three cars in the car park. The big ticket events are still popular. The English Open sold out quickly, the UCPSA have had to cap entries for the British Open in July as there was so much interest. Not so for registered competition though, some are very sparsely attended. It's hardly surprising given current and anticipated price rises.

 

[chesterse]

I think people are being a lot more discerning on how they spend their money so the grounds that offer better value and better targets and more interesting events will still do ok but the ones that don’t put the effort in will suffer.

Seen a change in how some grounds operate as well. Some have changed from being competition orientated towards the casual shooter, obviously less costs for them in terms of staffing levels.

If you go for a practise at one of my local grounds on one day there might not be many people around but if you go the following day the car parks will be rammed with corporate day shooters. Make sense for the ground it’s easy money compared to competitions.

However have seen a big increase in the attendance at local self run club shoots recently. One which used to have 15 to 30 entries had 180 the other Sunday. Obviously costs are much lower which is reflected in the entry cost drawing people in.

Lot of changes going on in our sport at the moment!

 

[Cosmicblue]

I don't shoot comps, but do note that the grounds I regularly visit - Barby Sporting/Kibworth/Edgehill/Barbury are generally less busy than they were pre-Covid,  I wonder if people just got out of the habit and found other things to do. 

 

[k80ben]

I don't shoot comps, but do note that the grounds I regularly visit - Barby Sporting/Kibworth/Edgehill/Barbury are generally less busy than they were pre-Covid,  I wonder if people just got out of the habit and found other things to do. 

Differs ground to ground. I’m at kibworth 6 days a week from open to close. No change in in numbers or clays thrown. 
 

i don’t think the cycle of cost has hit yet 

 

[Iggy]

People will either find the extra money needed to carry on shooting or they won’t.

I think a lot of people like me, may see where they can economise…there was a time, not long ago, that I wouldn’t be happy to pay £200/1000 for shells but I’d still pay it. 
 

For the same shell I’m now paying £250/1000….that’s a 25% increase….I either pay it or I downgrade to an inferior alternative…..I’ve chosen the latter. 
 

We will get to the point where this hobby/sport is priced out of reach for average earners, but perhaps that would actually suit the providers….I’m sure rich customers are better than poor ones for business, but maybe not always best for the sport?

 

[Doctor Lecter]

No, not your imagination, things are dropping off. I was at a well known ground last Friday doing some coaching. Absolutely empty, just three cars in the car park. The big ticket events are still popular. The English Open sold out quickly, the UCPSA have had to cap entries for the British Open in July as there was so much interest. Not so for registered competition though, some are very sparsely attended. It's hardly surprising given current and anticipated price rises.

i would imagine most people at work  on  weekdays   ? 

i would imagine most people at work  on  weekdays   ? 

so many changes being talked about in our sport ,  fibre wads  bio degradable   steel , plus I'm told clays going up  ,   this means one thing  its going to cost us more !     

 

[TRINITY]

People will either find the extra money needed to carry on shooting or they won’t.

.I’m sure rich customers are better than poor ones for business, but maybe not always best for the sport?

 Rich customers are better than poor ones for business, but maybe not always best for the sport?

I think that is a poor and flawed business model, because the more you pitch your business up the wealth pyramid the more your customer base shrinks.

From my experience I dont know of anyone who has packed in shooting for the sole reason of cost. However I know many who have scaled back their participation. I shoot with a group of around a dozen regulars. We had three prefered grounds, however we no longer go to one due to its clay prices. Its the best ground of the three, good targets and well run but price seems to be the ultimate overriding factor

 

[woody]

Perhaps another indicator of numbers dropping off is that my local gun shop in Kent, which is a well respected and fairly large set up didn't want to do a part ex with my cousin on a new gun last week.  His current gin is a beautiful condition Blaser F3 Super Sport.   They indicated that since covid they had taken in more second hand shotguns than they ever had now didn't have the capacity for more.

 

[westley]

Perhaps another indicator of numbers dropping off is that my local gun shop in Kent, which is a well respected and fairly large set up didn't want to do a part ex with my cousin on a new gun last week.  His current gin is a beautiful condition Blaser F3 Super Sport.   They indicated that since covid they had taken in more second hand shotguns than they ever had now didn't have the capacity for more.

Heard a similar story from a friend last Sunday, but that was Lancashire.

 

[bostonmick]

cant say i have noticed much of a dròp at a few grounds i use weekly.still plenty turning out midweek for practice.and judging by the cars in the car parks ie range rovers. .big audi's jaguars and the like there are still enough with the means to carry on shooting.i did see a post on another shooting forum a chap who was giving up shooting because his cartridges had risen by £20 per thou so was selling his kreighof i found it amusing that after paying 14k for the gun the 20 on carts was a stretch to far

 

[TRINITY]

  They indicated that since covid they had taken in more second hand shotguns than they ever had now didn't have the capacity for more.

Hmmm, interesting, i wonder what their reaction would be if you made a low offer for a nice second hand gun 

 

[Andrew Smith]

I had my gun fitted at E J Churchill during my lunch hour (I work 1 mile from the ground) by Ben Hustwaite about a month ago. It was a Tuesday and the place was deserted. 
 

but I honest.y don’t think the price increases have hit home yet, give it another month and it may be a different story.
 

And if you are reading this Ben, yes the gun shoots a lot better since you fitted it to me!