Since the weather is getting nice (in Minnesota) it's time to start hitting the range. I've been thinking of ways to make it more interesting instead of just shooting for groups all day.

I was wondering if you guys had any other ideas on fun shooting games to play at the range with a muzzleloader.

I put a few ideas in my blog ( http://muzzyuniversity.blog.com/ ) but I'm sure you have ideas I haven't thought of. The pistol, carbine, and shotgun guys have all kinds of fun shooting games but I don't see a lot on muzzleloaders.

Having fun at the range sure helps recruit new people to the sport and keeps the youngin's attention.

Let me know your thoughts!

Tic tac toe... if you miss the square, it doesn't count, the other shooter gets to go again. This would make it so not every game is a draw. You'd have to keep score on paper though to know who's X and O.

Matching games? Get two sets of playing cards and spread 10 cards of 5 pairs (i.e. 2 Jack of Spades, 2 Ace of Spades, 2 Queen of Spades, 2 King of Spades, 2 10 of spades) randomly over the target board, and whoever shoots both cards of the same type gets to "claim" those pairs.

If you get a pair, you get to shoot again.

Person with most pairs at the end wins.

Or, have person A call out what card they are going to shoot, person B must shoot it's match. If they miss, person A "gets" those cards and vice versa.

I dunno... that's all I can think of right now.

One that I've heard a few times from the 22lr crowds is to try to draw a picture with your shots kind of like connect the dot pictures.

I could see making a smiley face - or print a smiley face off and 'trace' it with your shots. Cool idea.

Take string and tie charcoal briquettes to the string and hang them from trees or off a stand. When you hit them, they explode in a black cloud. For a real challenge... swing them. And then shoot them while they are moving.

Another thing we used to do is drive a double bit axe into a stump. Then put a clay bird on each side of the blade. With a roundball rifle.. shoot the axe blade and split the ball, hitting the clay birds. Before you scoff at this.. at 25 yards it is possible. I have done it off a bench rest. Maybe not every time, but I have done it. And it sure makes you smile when you accomplish it.

A empty 12ga. hull on a block, open end facing shooter. Object is to blow the back of the shell off by shooting down the tube.

On our Army range days we always shot for beer. Low score buy's! Not much of a game for the kids though.

Shotgun hulls are always available. Stand them on end at various ranges. Call your shot or have your partner call your shot.

HA