A few things to think about
I have been on 3 sides of this issue, shooter, range owner and long range committee.
The IBS just like any other organization has flaws, (I belong to a few) but it has great people that are trying very hard to make it better each day, these are volunteers, businessmen, family men, taking time away to help all of us. I have always said the fees are to cheap, if we as members paid more so a full time job could be created for some hardworking individuals to stay on top of this, to look ahead just think where we could be as a organization.
As a past long range committee volunteer, my hat is off to all of you! It is a thankless job.
In the short time I was involved everyone (but one guy) was a team player and had the ibs at heart, trying to find new ways or make it better for the entirety of the Ibs. During this time I only saw one person doing things with his own agenda at heart, he was not telling the truth and was playing both ends ends against each other, he got caught!
The spineless POS caused this issue to explode to where it is now.
Range owner, I have always been treated fair and square by the ibs. Stover and the committee have went out of there way to help get us off and going and when we screwed up, they helped to straighten us out, without an organization we have nothing.
Shooter
I definitely have seen both sides of this, from just wanting to sit down and shoot my gun to the full on SOY points chase, not once but twice, and never again.
I see people knocking the soy chasers, it is very to get wound up in the points chase when a shooter enters that arena. It takes a huge commitment of time and money, it will lead you to the edge of insanity, but with that said it is very rewarding to travel to all the different ranges and try to shoot great week in week out.
Wether a soy chaser or casual shooter we all get carried away at times, maybe do and say things we shouldn't.
SOY matches
We as shooters in the midwest and for that matter Northwest know we are not 1000 soy chasers unless we want to spend a small fortune , you dont hear complaints from them, not once. If we wanted to , we need to man up , move closer, spend more money traveling, but not Whine!
At 600 yards we are blessed to have many ranges, but we still have to travel 4 to 9 hours in several directions. Everyone has the same ability, if you dont like to travel, or cant afford to, that is not everyone else's problem.
With all that out of the way, I have a few questions
1. Do you really, honestly believe 20 soy matches at one range is ethical, a good thing, who does it help?
For those of us that just want a place to go shoot and enjoy, which is most of us, it does not matter if they are soy or not.
2. If you think they need 20 soy matches, then wouldn't you also think that Montana being so geographically challenged should get 30 Soy?
(No one from that club has ever said that, all ME!)
Just to wake you up.
Lastly I see alot of people adding there 2 cents to these discussions that do not even go to IBS matches and haven't for years, just stirring trouble!
Life is short find a new hobby
We all started this because it was fun!
Keep it fun , keep it real, we are not getting PGA size checks here for a win.
Dont take yourselves so seriously
Maintain
Rant off
TomE