This resulted Raising shooting fees 33 1/3%

Our clubs Buddy shoots were very large, I know I was doing the Pulling and Scoring. A typical Thursday Night shoot I would turn in complete Score sheets showing exactly how many tickets for each shoot to the right side with a total at the bottom which was 48 tickets, Typical Thursday night I would turn in 3 score sheets with a total of 144 tickets.

144 tickets @$3.00 each would total $ $432.00 .

The best night I had 30 buddy shoots which would be 180 tickets. 180 tickets @ $ 3.00=$ 540.00

We would have an Annie Oakley once in a while and collect a ticket, Club would get 50% and Winning shooter got 50% this more than paid for targets.

At the next meeting on a Monday night, w/o notification to Membership or shooters that Buddy Shoot Fees were going to be increased from $3.00 to $ 4.00, we gave 21 tickets for $ 20.00 It was increased to 8 Tickets for $ 30.00
which amounted to $ 10.00 for more one more ticket.. Instead of, $20.00 for 7 Tickets it went to $ 32.00 for 8 tickets.

I refused to pull any more because I felt it was unfair w/o notifying/Posting an increase of tickets which put us higher than any Trap club shooting buddies in a 100 mile + Radius.

We buy Our Targets by the Tractor Trailer Loads of 21 Pallets and get a good Wholesale price.

I brought up Our Targets were missing from the Whse and suggested Accountability, the way Our Membership Night is run, That has Targets shot put on a computer and has accountability, and gives the club $ 4.00 for every 25 target event they shoot. The members shoot 100 targets each Wednsday Night 50 singles and 50 Hdcp

The first Monday night of the month they shoot 150mDoubles each

There was much bickering about target price increase, They used young pullers that did not know how to score buddies/ made mistakes in scoring that caused disputes in Shootoffs. They tried tom explain what was going on to former Pres. whom Talked Loudly so all could hear, I don't care I came to shoot and will Pay $4.00 to shoot.

The ticket taker behind the desk came out and SAID PAY $4.00 OR GO HOME.

Well they did not come and lost over 90% attendance, the following Friday night only 3 shooters came.

They raised member ship Targets from $4.00 to $ 5.00 They refused to collect $ 5.00 because they were never notified of the increase.

I only came to observe and said nothing when asked, I was accused of talking aboutm it, when asked by fellow shooters and SAID I WILL NOT DISCUSS IT AFTER BEING ASKED NUMEROUS TIMES, I ONLY CAME TO OBSERVE I LEFT AT 6:30PM AND CAME BACK FOR THE 9:OOpm Drawing then went home.

My personal feeling is there should be accountability, too many keys are out for the Whse, No ledger for targets taken, by whom and for what, DATE & Number of Cases Taken. should be posted to a Ledger.

We have a meeting this Monday Dec 18th, will see what transpires.

GB DLS

 

Merry Christmas Gary, Happy New year ....

 

Gary. Tell them to check the counter on the trap machine and compare it to the tickets collected. We had the same problem and accountability was not the problem. It was sloppy bookkeeping. People could not count and they thought the shooters were stealing targets Is the club oen off hours to shooters with supervision. One club put in a counter and did not tell the members and found someone stealing targets. This was before the pat trap counters

 

I went to the meeting Monday night, I asked for 5 minutes w/o interuptions and explained that the price increase caused our club to lose 92%+ shooters.
I told them the shooters would work on holding down the Shootoff targets to save the club money. Doing this by changing Location after each shoot off if still tied, to make the Target harder to hit, that is saying a lot about the shooters, Management does not know how many clubs have closed over the last 10 years.

I explained accountability using a ledger listing cases of targets taken and where they went, If sold to another club, the case amount and the cost given to the club and to whom it was given.

I was told and the 24 other members there they would take it under advisement, They better act quick it is hard to get those dedicated shooters back.

I do not want this club to close. I am hoping for a quick decision by this Thursday Dec.21st

Gary Bryant...........................................Dr.longshot

 

The club is Known as HOCKING VALLEY SPORTSMANS CLUB, On Enlow Rd just past Fox Lake Rd., Athens, County Ohio 45701

Thanx Target Manager for your Input

Gary Bryant................................................Dr.longshot

 

Some members came to me after the meeting and told me to make copies, I did that and took 3 copies to Our Club House , at 5989 Radford Rd.and put the names on 3 of them One for President, Treasurer and For Secretary, so they could read them and be informed for their decision, It showed annual Profits
for $3.00 as it is now, and what they would be for $3.25 & $ 3.50. it consisted of 3 pages stapled together. I also took 2 copies to gun club on Enlow rd, For
RD & Long Term Members to read, I asked the Ticket Sales & Money box caretaker RD to read the 3 page copies and he refused, He knew his request to Raise the FEES WAS NOT JUSTIFIED. There was no history for Friday Nights results, so I only used the THURSDAY NIGHT SHOOT RESULTS.

Those copies tweeked enough interest LONG TERM members are going to be at next meeting.
4 W.Va shooters came and cashed in their tickets and told them I won't pay $4.00 a ticket and left
These were Longtime shooters and they bought $60.00 worth of tickets at a time.
A young Husband & Wife team said Theym will not pay $4.00 and shot with the existing tickets
This is just a Partial list of what happened.

Gary Bryant........................................Dr.longshot

 

It has been proven that Targets are being shot on non-shooting days, as some members live close by and have noted it as an ongoing Thing and reported it.

More and More is coming out, It could come to charges being filed. It is almost like the Democrats Against the Republicans, HaHa

The latest happened this afternoon.

Gary Bryant...............................Dr.longshot

 

Tonite I went to the Gun club it was drizzling and only 3 showed up, I don't know if they brought their guns or not. Two of them asked what was going on and where are the shooters I told them the West Virgina Shooters 5 of them just cashed their tickets and left Thursday night, and said we are not paying $4.00 for buddy tickets to shoot, They said this makes this club the highest buddy shoot around, and we enjoyed shooting here, but not anymore, we will shoot closer to home in West Virginia.

Then all HELL broke loose a guy behind the counter came over to where is was sitting and VERBALLY ASSAULTED ME, put both of his middle fingers up at me and went into a 15 minute Tirade cussing me right and left, about why they should charge $4.00 per ticket, Where else are they going to shoot around here.
He came real close and put both middle fingers in my face and threatened Verbally again, trying to start a fight, after he finished and stood by the door to leave I asked WHAT OTHER GUN CLUB CAN YOU GO TO AND TALK LIKE THAT TO SOMEONE, HE SAID THIS IS A MAN'S CLUB, WE ARE GOING TO GET YOU KICKED OUT OF HERE. Then after he left I turned off the lights and locked up the Club House and went home. Liquor was talking was my thought.

ACCOUNTABILKITY is what they are afraid of to the Treasurer, The actual Cash for each buddy shoot for the night for tickets sold to be given in CASH to the Treasurerer, my prediction is stealing money has been going on for years, Someone does want it to be known how much money is being taken in.

My scoring is exact every night I pull, how many tickets I take in times $3.00 144 tickets X $ 3.00 = $432.00 on typical night. Score sheets are not put in money box but TORN UP. so nobody knows.

Gary Bryant...................................Dr.longshot