Building a great Traditional Shoot, suggestions please.

[M60gunner]

This may sound stupid but make sure you have plenty of Porta-Potties. It also helps to have a few that are for ladies only. Also if the crowd is big and your having a multi-day shoot get them pumped each day. As men we tend to think of targets, course layout, etc. but the ladies seem to ask about creature comforts first.

[SteveB]

Food, comforts and kids.
Mix of both fun and competitve courses and events.

The competitive rounds are optional and in no way take from those choosing not to participate or change the spirit.

Competing with the Trad Worlds for shooters and venders will only hurt both.

Steve

[KSdan]

My same ol' rant. . . get rid of the blasted stakes that a guy has to touch!  It makes absolutely no sense to contortion your body just for the stake.  I like to shoot as if I were taking a real hunting shot (seems to be the point of 3-Ds).  

Why not do it like golf, basketball free-throws, baseball, or any gun competition. Have a hoop or something staked on the ground that a guy/gal has to have one foot in, while they can move it a few inches either way to set their feet right for the shot.  It amazes me how this 3-D developed and the sheep continue to follow- there is no other sport in the world that makes you "touch the stake."

And please no one needs to tell me its about shooting through a "hole" in the brush.  I agree that is what makes the 3-Ds fun and realistic.  But what I am proposing does not take away that aspect.  Obviously if there is only one hole to shoot through, every one will need to use it while allowing their own proper shooting stance.  

My never ending 2C rant.  "Yes" I am still smiling though. . . bigger issues in the world, but you did ask for input!      

[horatio1226]

It sounds great to me Dave! I could see me and my 3 boys campin' and shootin' in Vermont. The farm is simply gorgeous. Good luck!

[vermonster13]

If anyone would like to do some classes, contact me and we'll see what we can set-up.

[vermonster13]

Jeremy and or Tippet doing some knife making would be a sweet offering I would think.

[gordie]

how about black swan demo bows,

sure would like to shoot that recurve.

[dragon rider]

Looks like it could really be great.  

For me the things that make a shoot fun, other than the obvious - namely wandering through the woods shooting - are well laid out courses - meaning among other things that there's some possibility of finding an arrow that missed the target, enough vendors to make touring their area interesting (Baltimore comes to mind in that regard), food and drinks for lunch at least and, as someone mentioned, Porta Johns that are in sufficient supply and are kept clean enough that they don't look/smell like they should be dusted lightly with napalm before entering.

[leatherneck]

Man Dave, those dates are real bad for folks this way. Jamboree in the hills is that week and it attracts over 100,000 people. Alot of them are from the North East. I usually work it every year doing security. I'll see what I can do cause I'd love to come! My wife and kids would love it as well.
Anyhow, regardless of if we make it or not, we would like to donate one new deer 3d target compliments of "Camp Bastard". Long story, but thats our camp name. I'll shoot you a PM and we'll go over the details.
A great thing your doing Dave.

Mike

[vermonster13]

The date isn't set in stone quite yet.

Here are a few ideas to mix it up. Bowhunter4life sent me this PM and I was thinking of the same.

"I was at a shoot once where they had an "Ironman" course. There was a string strung through the woods with a green ribbon and a red ribbon tied on it where each target was hidden. And when I say hidden, I mean hidden. You can go forward along the line, but you can't back up and you can only shoot between the green and red ribbons. Almost makes you hunt for the target, then once spotted you have to take your chances you may get a better shot down the line or take the shot you are presented with at that time. I think there was 10 or so targets with a bonus target put out there. The bonus target happened to be a squirrel target that the wolf was looking at, so kind of a 2 for one if you saw it... But if you didn't you did when you went to get your arrow for the wolf...

It was a really fun shoot, and I think it was an "extra" to the regular shoot. Pay for your chance (and each person only gets one chance) to go through, read and sign the rules, and go through on the honor system. It was a blast! Sometimes you are rewarded for going forward on the line, and sometimes you don't have a shot at all."

Another was a "Green Arrow Shoot Off" kind of a horse for bows. You random draw to folks and they do a shoot off Horse style and you keep going through the brackets until a "Champion" is named.

An Eagle Eye for only woody arrows and another for any arrow but with broadheads.

[adeeden]

Vermonster13,
              The rope stake is alot of fun one of the courses I used to shoot in Indiana used to put several of those out every month! Sometimes you pass the hole other times you shoot the wrong hole for the best shot but either way you couldn't help smiling about it.

[vermonster13]

Anyone else have anything to add?

[frank bullitt]

Dave, like anything in this world, you can't satisfy everyone! Come-up with another month of the year,vendors needs, shooters needs, your needs, get the point?

 I don't think you have to ask, you know what people want! And that's what counts. Good people will come, and that's all that's necessary!

  I hope I can come, cause it will be great! Good shootin, Steve

[Stiks-n-Strings]

I used to shoot some 3-D with a training wheel bow but now that I'm all trained up and shooting real bows I've been looking to get to some trad shoots and if the dates are right I'll be there.
Now you you just need another 450 or so.

[VTer]

Three days of 65 degree temps, much cooler at night, low humidity and sunshine, with cloud cover while I'm shooting aerials so the sun dosn't get in my eyes.  

[gsdmikko]

tupper lake does the rope shot..alot of fun!!
also a marble drop shot..