Support Our Sport

I saw this article on Bitch Girls. My first impression is that there's surprisingly little anti-gun yapping. Sure, the VPC (Violence Policy Center) gets a quote in, but it’s pro forma almost like quotes most other articles get from NRA spokespeople.

The article discusses gun industry attempts to get more young people into the shooting sports including hunting. In mentions high school programs that teach skeet shooting and hunting and many others programs. The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF) coordinates much of this activity.

The NSSF is making headway with young people, enough so that the VPC spokesman described skeet as “a gateway sport” designed to entice more youths into shooting. I hope the VPC is right and many more kids get into shooting. It’s the future of our sport.

I also found an interesting statistic in the article: “The average hunter, according to NSSF data, spends $17,726.59 on hunting equipment in his or her lifetime.” I don’t know how they calculated that number, but it’s not that large of a number.

Average shooters might spend more on their sport than a hunter who may not shoot much. Still, I bet that amount isn’t all that large either. I’ve never sat down and added up how much Yosemite Sam and I spend on shooting and how much we spend on hunting. We’ve bought hunting gear and also spent a lot on ammunition for our target (rifle, pistol, and shotgun) activities and our guns.

I also collect older firearms and I know I’ve spent more than $17,726.59. However, a gun company doesn’t make a profit when I buy a 75 year old gun. On the other hand, ammo companies make a profit when I but cartridges for an old gun, particularly those like Old West Scrounger that sells obsolete ammo. I’ve also made several gun store owners very happy.

I guess my point is, if I have a point, is that we hunters and shooters are all part of one family. We end up supporting pretty much the same companies no matter what discipline we shoot. Those companies in turn support our sport through NSSF and other organizations. They need our money in return for their products in order to increase the number of shooters and hunters out there.

I think Yosemite Sam and I will be spending more money this weekend in support of our favorite ammo company.