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Field target club name

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Iowa Airgunner

Iowa Airgunner

Member
Jul 8, 2024
174
307
Iowa City, Iowa, United States
I am trying to build a field target club in IOWA. I live in the Iowa city Cedar Rapids area and figure an hours and a half drive is about as far as I would want to drive every month to shoot. More like forty five minutes.
But let’s see where people live before scouting a location

I think the first thing to do is a name.

let’s have some ideas and make sure the name is not taken or mean something that will cause problems or embarrassment.

My first choose is IFTA. Iowa Field Target Association.

It is taken by some other entities but might work.

I will probably have to start a Facebook page that can function as a center point for scheduling and rain out information and dates. Field target does not rain out but Iowa can have weather without rain that keeps you home.

The name is the first thing they need.

Any suggestions?
 
Iowa Airgunner said:
Any suggestions?
Click to expand...
First off ... Do you have any cohesive group of air gunners currently ? and do you currently get together with any structure of why & where your getting together ?

As one who with 2 buddies started a FT club from scratch 12 years ago, this starting point above is far more important than a name sake ... you must have committed solders to the task of creating a foundation first.
 
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I am starting from ground zero. I have a couple places that are promising for different reasons.I have three or four people that are interested. But nothing put together at this stage.

I was thinking a Facebook page would draw people from the area together and then we can see what options there are. All we need is a farmer that lets us rent a space for a Sunday . The tree line wind block area and around the farm could work.
 
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These 4 others .... START GETTING TOGETHER first & foremost !!
Private property, public range etc ....
Get a couple partners to talk threw it, share ideas and most importantly if or not the general feeling is if or not "They will come if you build it "

Think of it as a Horse or Cart first .... Egg or the Chicken.

Get your couple buddies established doing SOMETHING and then put the word out these get together AG shooting sessions are happening and grow from that only if & when you can draw folks out of the dark having them participate in what this group is doing. Going about it & work involved to build a lets say Large Billboard but has no substance IMO will be an exercise in frustration.

All I got and wish you all the best in achieving your club goals :love: (y)
 
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So for this is what I have .
I know of a public place to shoot.
I know of a private place that will probably work for a group up to ten people.
There is a rifle range with an unused tree area that could be worked into a proper corse.
I have three knock down targets
A 60 yard tape measure
And a moving target stand for sight in.

AAFTA has all the forms and waivers to print out.

I even have a couple loaner guns for people that just bring a friend that does not have a gun. I can lend them a springer or a PCP for the day.

But that is it.
 
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Iowa Airgunner said:
So for this is what I have .
I know of a public place to shoot.
I know of a private place that will probably work for a group up to ten people.
There is a rifle range with an unused tree area that could be worked into a proper corse.
I have three knock down targets
A 60 yard tape measure
And a moving target stand for sight in.

AAFTA has all the forms and waivers to print out.

I even have a couple loaner guns for people that just bring a friend that does not have a gun. I can lend them a springer or a PCP for the day.

But that is it.
Click to expand...
Agree with no worries on a name right now, get a group of regulars going and see how it grows.
Loaner rifle +
Location to shoot a must and you seem to somewhat have that covered. The old TVA -Tennessee Valley Authority - club (Brad Troyer) was excellent however eventually the farmer sold his fields so no more. So at least to some extent such locations are all temporary.
Now Roz's GOB -Good Ole Boys (aka Playgroud of Champions)- was well over 100 acres he purchased with FT in mind planting trees & cutting lanes with 3 full 60 shot courses and a ton of money invested in the best targets...... .
Invicta club is in a city park in Miner Hill TN but it is a small town (no stop light no gas station... and a Bunch of airgunnners many from the above mentioned clubs as they are/were all so close. One huge advantage of already having the people to shoot in the area or accustomed to traveling there and a collaboration of many of the best names in airguns all helping each other out. Widder Stephens (Thanks David & to the Misses for the eaten treats) but again within 40-50 miles of the above clubs and between all the work of keeping a full 60 course maintained believe the family land needed to be put to other use. Now Pat near (in sort of) Nashville wasnt a "club" but everyone from the other clubs was welcome and we shot in the backyard (100+ yards? which was tall tree lined) and sometime we just set out 5 close lanes 2 targets each then simply moved back a randon number of yards and shot them all again.
Now you need (would be nice to have) more targets the CIA club -Central Indiana Airgunners- the cost was everyone had to bring one or more targets everyone could shoot at (then take them back home with you). worked pretty well for a number of years while keeping the organizers cost way down good target costing $80 & up.
Find the people 1st in your case esp. might be one of them happens to own a nice 20 acre yard of such.
Wouldn't worry about a name so much (have a loaner gun eh? Heck I might come just to shoot someone else rig, a large part of the fun for me was seeing all sorts of other rigs and give them at least a brief try.

Let people know then let people know then remind them then hope for core group then worry about name and make it fun. Now in these modern times it might well be FB or a website is the way to promote FT in your area.

Personally appreciate you interest in and effort to get more FT happening in the U.S.

Dont sweat a name at all. And no matter the shoot, 2 people, 40 people, 5 lanes or 90 people LIKE Pictures. Always post your fun no matter what, wont hurt a bit.


John
 
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John spysir Blount said:
Agree with no worries on a name right now, get a group of regulars going and see how it grows.
Loaner rifle +
Location to shoot a must and you seem to somewhat have that covered. The old TVA -Tennessee Valley Authority - club (Brad Troyer) was excellent however eventually the farmer sold his fields so no more. So at least to some extent such locations are all temporary.
Now Roz's GOB -Good Ole Boys (aka Playgroud of Champions)- was well over 100 acres he purchased with FT in mind planting trees & cutting lanes with 3 full 60 shot courses and a ton of money invested in the best targets...... .
Invicta club is in a city park in Miner Hill TN but it is a small town (no stop light no gas station... and a Bunch of airgunnners many from the above mentioned clubs as they are/were all so close. One huge advantage of already having the people to shoot in the area or accustomed to traveling there and a collaboration of many of the best names in airguns all helping each other out. Widder Stephens (Thanks David & to the Misses for the eaten treats) but again within 40-50 miles of the above clubs and between all the work of keeping a full 60 course maintained believe the family land needed to be put to other use. Now Pat near (in sort of) Nashville wasnt a "club" but everyone from the other clubs was welcome and we shot in the backyard (100+ yards? which was tall tree lined) and sometime we just set out 5 close lanes 2 targets each then simply moved back a randon number of yards and shot them all again.
Now you need (would be nice to have) more targets the CIA club -Central Indiana Airgunners- the cost was everyone had to bring one or more targets everyone could shoot at (then take them back home with you). worked pretty well for a number of years while keeping the organizers cost way down good target costing $80 & up.
Find the people 1st in your case esp. might be one of them happens to own a nice 20 acre yard of such.
Wouldn't worry about a name so much (have a loaner gun eh? Heck I might come just to shoot someone else rig, a large part of the fun for me was seeing all sorts of other rigs and give them at least a brief try.

Let people know then let people know then remind them then hope for core group then worry about name and make it fun. Now in these modern times it might well be FB or a website is the way to promote FT in your area.

Personally appreciate you interest in and effort to get more FT happening in the U.S.

Dont sweat a name at all. And no matter the shoot, 2 people, 40 people, 5 lanes or 90 people LIKE Pictures. Always post your fun no matter what, wont hurt a bit.


John
Click to expand...
Thank you for all the great information.

The name part was just so I can start a Facebook page. And surprising that was super easy. The whole reason I started this thread was to get a discussion going.
Getting a group together is the problem I have faced for eight years now. I had to give up a couple years ago because I did not know anyone in Iowa.
Now because I race RC cars I have found a large group of people that have the interest in hobbies and also hunt are fish. They like to fiddle with toys and have some disposable income.
People in this area are not familiar with adult precision airguns. So getting past that has been a hurdle.

I have this thread posted on three forums. I feel like I am trolling and I apologize for that. I am hoping to just get people that are interested together to talk and hopefully then we can find an area to shoot.

I have targets and would expect anyone getting into the sport would want to purchase a couple targets. With the investment in the gun and accessories that is not a big deal. And moving the targets during a match at first would not matter. I would expect the first season of the club would be learning for everyone.
I really do appreciate all this input. I am going to start the Facebook page. It will be a private page with a trick question and approval for membership. But hopefully that will draw in some local people.
I know it’s putting the cart before the horse but the name of the Facebook page at least will be HFTA Hawkeye Field Target Association.

Please join if you want. The password will be .177

If it’s OK when that happens I will start another thread. Just to keep a discussion going . I don’t mean to cause trouble. I want to create these threads so people can find them in the future.
 
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I know a few FT shooters and the drive means almost nothing GOB , @ Roz's hollow drew people (monthly shoot) from at least 4.5 hours one way . Now they shoot @ Invicta so add another 30 minutes drive .
More learning to do : you need to learn the Troyer scale to set up your target lanes . (how difficult the lanes and Corse is )
 
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Do hit every forum, post match reports with pictures over seas... . Fabebook sounds great (I am just a bit older out of date) to draw from your area. And start your own page of any kind. Harold Rushton has some FT stuff posted here there & everywhere you might look at for more ideas on promotion. Dont know if the Tryoer scale has changed (loved when you still had tiny targets at any range but) : Troyer_Scale_for_FT_800 (2021_05_10 08_17_41 UTC).jpg
Dated perhaps but Brad's page still is great. Made 6 of his FT target designs back when for a trip to the barn and $1.00 hardware and that added to the fun too.

American Airguns - Airgun Field Target

American Airguns Website - The first website about airguns, air pistol, air rifle, and accessories.
airguns.net
A couple of Targets Brad made & used at a TN State match at Invicta club:


TN State Field Target match 2013 127 (2021_05_10 08_17_41 UTC).jpg

Pleases do post in advance of any shoot! Then a full report whether 2 or 20 people.

Godspeed,
John

gator.jpg
 
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