Information about the UPMLA
Founded 1976
![[img:UP-map]](imgs/up-map.png "upmla map")
About Us:
The Upper Peninsula Muzzle Loading Association is an organization
committed to preserving the skills of our nation's early settlers,
pioneers, and mountain men in the use of muzzle loading firearms
and the equipment and accouterments that accompanied such use.
The UPMLA endeavors to promote and maintain high standards of
safety, sportsmanship, and good fellowship.
The UPMLA is a small and friendly group, and membership is open
to individuals interested in sharing its committment and in
participating in its events. Club activities are centered in the
Upper Peninsula of Michigan. (Link: U. P.
Information).
Our current activities include:
- Three-day rendezvous the third weekend in July.
- Gatherings to shoot muzzleloaders in fun competition on the
first Saturday of the months of January-June & October,
with lunch after the shoot.
- An open invitational shoot in October for muzzle loaders in
the upper midwest.
- Conducting a monthly postal match for individual shooters.
For more information on these activities, go to the
Events page.
UPMLA Officers:
The officers of the UPMLA are a President, Vice-President,
Secretary, and Treasurer, who are elected to one-year terms. The
UPMLA Board consists of three members who are elected to staggered
three-year terms. Elections take place at the annual meeting
during the Rendezvous in July each year. For a list of current
officers, go to the Contacts page.
Some UPMLA history:
Notes from 2002:
Our group in Menominee started shooting Black Powder in 1974 and
started a project to restore a Homestead that belonged to the
Rechardt family. With the coming of the Menominee Centennial in
1976, the group put on pre-centennial events at the homestead each
summer to raise money. A black powder shoot was part of those
events and shooters came from all directions.
The UPMLA really got their start as an organization from the
membership at Negaunee, by holding shooting events where UP and
Northern Wisconsin muzzle loaders were brought together. The
official UPMLA was born on May 15th of 1985 at Route 1 Box 48
Trout Creek, Michigan. I give credit to Sidney L. Lichtenfelt,
president, for doing most of the legwork. Sid asked the following
to volunteer to serve until we could have an election by the
membership at large: Bonnie Willcock of Marquette, Wayne Thoune of
Menominee, Don Curtis of Paynville, Tom Filcek of the Soo, and
Dave Bilski of Iron Mountain.
The Postal shoot has always been the glue that seems to hold the
UPMLA together along with the UPMLA Championship Shoot.
The Rendezvous that we always looked forward to was Le Sault at
the Soo put on by Cotton and Bea Volrath. Another that I always
liked was the Sesquicentennial Shoot in Rapid River, it being one
of the best; we can give credit to Jim and Robin Phillips for
those.
People who really put UPMLA together? My picks are: Sid
Lichtenfelt, Bonnie Willcock, Ralph Dollar, Greg and Ann Nyberg,
and the originals.
--Written by UPMLA then-President Clyde Mikkola.
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