ELYSBURG — The week-long Pennsylvania State Trap Shoot that began Saturday and draws about 2,500 shooters annually to the Valley Gun & Country Club is normally a financial bonanza for the surrounding economy, but vendors are reporting relatively soft sales.
“We were busy this past weekend, and we expect we’ll be busier this coming weekend,” said Patty Dobeck, of Marion Heights, one of the managers at Masser’s Country Fried Chicken in Paxinos. “But right now, although I’m seeing a lot of customers, they’re holding back on what they’re spending. Maybe it’s the economy.”
Dobeck also works at Glosser Motor Inn in Paxinos. “This past weekend there were a lot of people staying at the inn,” she said. “But I work in the bar area, and there wasn’t much money being spent.”
Pennsylvania State Sportsmen’s Association tournament director Chuck Fritzges has been running the state trap shoot for 12 years. And in that time, he hasn’t seen a drop off in the number of participants. The tournament draws shooters from Maine to Florida and as far west as Iowa.
Motels full
“We’ve been in Elysburg for about 40 years. On our biggest day, we’ll have about 1,500 shooters,” he said. “I believe this tournament event is very much a boon to the local economy. We put a pretty good dent in the occupancy rate of hotels and motels within 25 miles of here. I know the motels in Danville, the Red Roof Inn and Hampton Inn, are usually heavily reserved by shooters. Some go all the way over to the strip in Shamokin Dam, others to Mount Carmel.”
Fritzges declined to say exactly how much money PSSA rakes in over the week. He did say PSSA is doing a little bit better this year than last year, revenue wise, but not as well as did two years ago.
He would not elaborate.
Economic pain
“The economy is hurting us some,” he admitted. “But it’s bounced back a little from where it was a year ago.”
Knoebels Groves’ campground is filled with shooters, Fritzges said. And those who come to the tournament Thursday through Saturday, will have a tough time finding a parking space. The demand for RV full hookup space at the country club is legendary. “We have hookups for 320 RVs,” Fritzges said. “We have regulars who are on five- and 10-year leases for this week.”
Despite the large crowds, many on-site vendors reported fair to middling sales over the first three days of this year’s tournament.
Sales down
Roger Furiness, a gunsmith from New Jersey, has been a vendor and a shooter since 1971. “Business is definitely soft,” he said. “People have lost their jobs in this area. The price of gas is high. No question, even my regular customers are looking for bargains, if they want to buy at all. I’m having to run sales of 50 percent off just to meet the competition. People just aren’t buying.”
Still, he said, he stands to net a few thousand dollars this week.
Jim Cunningham came from Jacksonville, Fla., to sell his wares. He specializes in eye and ear accessories. Cunningham has also seen a drop off in sales. “There’s a decrease in lead shot,” he said. “Last year, a 25-pound bag cost $50. Now, it’s $22 a bag.”
Lower prices translate into lower overall profits, but Cunningham said he’ll be back next year to sell his products.
Fritzges agrees that the biggest problem everyone is having this year is the price of ammunition.
Ammo prices up
The cost of ammunition has gone up significantly in the last two years because of the supposed lead shortage and shortage of the components to put the shells together. Fritzges estimated that prices have gone up at least 30 percent in last two years, to $5 to $7.50 a box. That doesn’t sound like a lot of money, but shooters usually buy by the 10-box carton, and those costs are now more than $50. “Shot shells are not scarce,” he said. “I don’t think there is anyone here who can’t find ammo. Affording it is another story.”
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Sales soft at trap shoot, vendors say
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