Why are some of the old timers at gun ranges such jerks?

I belong to Elverson Rod & Gun Club and the other week I had a run in with one of the older members. It was Wednesday and I wanted to do some shooting with my Steyr and CZ, so I arrived at the range at around 11AM. I noticed that three men were mowing the grass at the club, so I left and returned 1.5 hours later. I looked around as I walked down to the 20 yard line...I set up my targets and continued to look around for those three guys I saw earlier. I saw no one around, so I began shooting. About 15 minutes later an older man approached me...yelling at me...telling me that the range was closed. I told the man that I checked the website's calander and it did not state that the range was closed....there is also another calander at the range for everyone to view and it did not state that the range was closed. This guy was flipping out becase he said the range was closed...I said if you have a problem with me shooting then take it up at the board meeting. I made sure that no one was down range before I began shooting and I also check the schedule, so I don't waste my time driving to the range if it will be closed. I just don't get some of the old members who act like they own the range. He is a member in good standing just like I am, so why do some people act as if they own the place? I am not a hot head, but I refuse to back down to anyone...especialy considering I pay a fee to use the range. I feel that I am entitled to use the range on days that it is open. OK, I feel better after I vented to everyone.

Cuz they cant fire groups like you..

Did he say why it was closed?

Because they were mowing the grass...When I came back the second time...the grass was completely mowed. When I worked at the gun shop part time...I worked at the pistol range as the range officer, so I was not about to fire if I thought there was someone down range.

I've got an idea why.
Those old guys are members too! Membership dues are the basic minumum to keep most ranges open. However, members are expected to help out with maintenance from time to time. Most of the old guys are doing members a FAVOR by volunteering their time to the clubs to keep membership dues low for EVERYBODY otherwise people may have to be hired. 90% of the time its the same core old guys doing everything.

Odds are they saw a "strapping young fellow" drive into the club while they were doing all the work.
They then saw the same fellow come back 1.5 hours later after they did all the work to use the range...the fruits of THEIR labor!

They may not have been mowing...but they probably were tending the equipment.... setting things to "rights" before they got a chance to enjoy the range themselves...but some "young wippersnapper" beat em to it!

Imagine it being the same guy who drove off earlier without even stopping to ask if he could help out...or even finding them when he returned and thanking them for their hard work...Thats probably what annoyed them!

Actually, I do not know what annoyed them. What I do know is that our club has a "work night" every month. All members are encouraged to volunteer at the club. I may not have the time to volunteer with the landscape, but I have offered to get them a discount at The Home Depot. I would attend the monthly meetings, BUT a lot of the older members are chain smokers...and the club house is more like a smoke house. I will not subject myself to second hand smoke just to make a meeting.

As far as you reading into what I wrote...I don't know why they were annoyed and you don't either. My whole point to the thread was to ask why some people who have been members for xx years think they own the range that belongs to all members. If you cannot understand that...I just hope that this sort of thing doesn't happen to anyone.

It happens more often than people will admit.

I'd just forget about it. But next time it may be a good idea to offer some help when the same conditions occur.

They might not take you up on the offer but it's always nice to be asked.

Archiver is right. Maybe it doesn't seem that way to you but try putting youself in their position. I'm one of those 'old guys' always there, opening the club, closing, whatever it takes. Maybe if you had offered to help instead of driving away things would have been a lot different.

Aubie...not really getting on your case...just trying to figure out what might have happened....writing from the "old guy's" perspective.
Here's an example of something that happened just the other day. The family went to the range (Easton Fish and Game) and there was an older gentleman there already. I cant remember his name but he's very friendly and we've spoken on a couple occasions. We were all just shooting .22 rimfire and he left us and headed over to the pistol range. When one of us would reset the targets we gotten into the habit of tidying up the range by sweeping up brass that others had left (mostly people from across the river we've noticed) and when we left the range was spotless and tidy...hey..its OUR club too...if we didnt do it we KNOW the nice senior guy would end up doing it!

About an hour later we finished shooting but noticed that his truck was still in the lot but we didnt hear gunfire. Getting a little concerned...heck we all have a grandpa!...we looked for him. When we found him he was doing maintenance on the range! Was it scheduled? Nope! Was it needed..Yes! Sure enough he stated he was finishing up maintenance before he started shooting. Being the nice guy he is he asked if we wanted to shoot and he'd finish up later...but we just said we wanted to say "bye" and we made sure to thank him for his work.
I find this self sacrifice and respect for others,playing for the team,kindness to neighbors or whatever you want to call it, a great thing about older generations that we youngsters need to learn from their examples.

PS Thanks Joe for all your work...but being computer literate I'd hardly call you "old" ....dedicated volunteer maybe? :D

Frankly, I can see the point that it might bother older members if you didn't stop and help. But frankly, if all that is required of a member is dues: then they don't have any right to get an attitude with you for expecting that was all that was required of you. That'd be like your pastor treating you like crap because you don't volunteer on bath the elderly night.