Bend Oregon airsoft

[JTL]

My brother just got a recruiting gig in Bend and was wondering what kind of community there was. I guess he might be a little disappointed.

I don’t doubt that he will. You know why he’ll be disappointed? Is it because there’s no one to play with over here? No. It’s because no one plays. Its because any potential players in the area find these forums, with comments like this…

“Bend is an amazing place to airsoft, but unfortunately all of the action in Oregon is in the valley”

and…

“Regrettably, there's not really a lot of support for local games, since most of the paintball fields around here want 80+ people to "make it worth their while". Catch 22 there. Can't get people because the fields won't cooperate. People won't sign up for to go to a game where the field owner won't play ball”.

…and then they give up. They think airsoft is dead around here, and it is. But its not because there’s no one to play with, its because the people around here that could play simply don’t start playing. You don’t need “support for local games”…like you need some “field” or organizing body to be able to go play, that’s a crock. You just get whoever there is and go out to China Hat and play. And you don’t need 100 people to play airsoft, all you need are a few or even a couple of people to say ‘shazaam it, let’s go play’.

Then you know what happens? Then people start coming on the forum and seeing that people played last Saturday, and this Wednesday, and that people play all the time around here and have killer little games with cool people. Then they get excited, and they get involved. And then they come play…and so on.

So quit saying that ‘there’s no airsoft in Bend’, and just come play. Even if its just a few guys, its better than sitting around saying ‘poor us’ and wishing we could play.

[Variable]

Theres airsoft in Bend.
http://bend.craigslist.org/act/2343800502.html
For the most part any rural area has groups that play, they just usually don't make the connection to search for "Oregon airsoft forum", or don't sign up because the forum doesn't have a critical mass of locals.

[JTL]

>Theres airsoft in Bend.
>http://bend.craigslist.org/act/2343800502.html

Yeah, thats me...

For the most part any rural area has groups that play, they just usually don't make the connection to search for "Oregon airsoft forum", or don't sign up because the forum doesn't have a critical mass of locals.

Hmm, "a critical mass of locals.." Thats precisely what I'm saying with my last post: if people quit posting about how no one plays in Bend and instead start communicating and setting up actual games on the forum, we'd have something. Most importantly, again, they don't have to be super badass, large scale, organized battles at private fields, they can be random, fun little pickup skirmishes...just people getting out playing....thats how it grows.

[Johnny Mnemonic]

JTL, I think you have answered your own question, but let me take you the rest of the way:

you're probably the most enthusiastic player in the area, and have what sounds like lots of experience. I assume that's with both organized and pickup games.

If you have the time/energy/inclination, it would be natural for you to set up some games in the area. Getting the rights to the land would be the trickiest part, but since it would probably be a small group I think 10 acres might be enough, especially with good cover options.

Then just put it on the calendar here and see who shows up. It might be 2v2 or 3v3, but like you say you need to prime the pump. Interest will drive interest, but we need some dates to organize around to start with. And actually, small teams might allow for squad maneuver training that the big games are too busy for.

I can't commit to regular games personally, I have family etc. But if you put something on the calendar I could probably make one or two Saturdays this summer. There's folks I know in The Dalles that play regularly too, and Bend is about as far (or closer) as the big games in the Sandy area.

Looking forward to seeing what you can arrange. And I'd be happy to bring a case of your favorite beer to any event I attend for your trouble.

[Sleepy]

“Regrettably, there's not really a lot of support for local games, since most of the paintball fields around here want 80+ people to "make it worth their while". Catch 22 there. Can't get people because the fields won't cooperate. People won't sign up for to go to a game where the field owner won't play ball”.

…and then they give up. They think airsoft is dead around here, and it is. But its not because there’s no one to play with, its because the people around here that could play simply don’t start playing. You don’t need “support for local games”…like you need some “field” or organizing body to be able to go play, that’s a crock. You just get whoever there is and go out to China Hat and play. And you don’t need 100 people to play airsoft, all you need are a few or even a couple of people to say ‘f**k it, let’s go play’.

Then you know what happens? Then people start coming on the forum and seeing that people played last Saturday, and this Wednesday, and that people play all the time around here and have killer little games with cool people. Then they get excited, and they get involved. And then they come play…and so on.

So quit saying that ‘there’s no airsoft in Bend’, and just come play. Even if its just a few guys, its better than sitting around saying ‘poor us’ and wishing we could play.

Tell you what, JTL. Put a game on next weekend (June 12th would work best for my schedule, but I might be able to swing Saturday the 11th). My M14 is still down until I can grab some magazines, but if you're willing to let me run the KWA, Echo and I will come out and shoot somebody. We'll bring our woodies. Echo might even bring her camera and do some photog. Make it happen, I'm in.

[JTL]

you're probably the most enthusiastic player in the area, and have what sounds like lots of experience.

Beats me….all I know is that I want to play as often as possible. But I think a big part of attaining that goal is to keep things as simple and spontaneous as possible, so notions like these may be taking us in the wrong direction:


it would be natural for you to set up some games in the area. Getting the rights to the land would be the trickiest part…


See...you guys may be taking too formal an approach to this. First, we don’t need to get any rights to any land, we just go meet on public land and play. If we were talking about some large number of people, like over 50 or something, maybe then we’d have to worry about our presence being felt someplace, but with the sort of numbers were talking about we can show up just about anywhere and be ghosts…I mean that’s what we specialize in: we disappear. Shit, last summer I saw this group of like 20 guys playing up in that park on top of Overturf Butte on the Westside of Bend, like 100 yards away from a subdivision, and they said they played there all the time. I’m not suggesting we do something like that, but I think if a group like that can get away with it regularly, I think a few of us will be OK goofing around out off China Hat. So let’s do away with that ‘organized land use permission’ notion.

But mostly, I think the idea of ‘organizing games’ inflates the importance of it and makes it cumbersome, difficult, and time consuming. Yeah, I think putting a date on the calendar is a good idea, but we also have to be able to get little games going informally, spontaneously, and QUICKLY. For example, I want to play as often as possible, at any time, so if anyone wants to play, just hit me up. That sort of thing is important. I don’t want to have to wait for the damned calendar date to come around so I can play.

With that in mind, we should have a way of getting in touch with each other THAT PEOPLE WILL SEE AND RESPOND TO IN A TIMELY MANNER, and apparently email isn’t it (sorry Sleepy). Anyone feel like making a Central Oregon Airsoft Facebook page? There are some goofballs that have something like that currently, I think in Sunriver, but there’s no activity on the page, and they don’t respond to emails or anything, so they are effectively dead and useless. Time to start a new one….that way we can put out the call on a moment’s notice and get some ‘flashgames’ going.

Tell you what, JTL. Put a game on next weekend (June 12th would work best for my schedule, but I might be able to swing Saturday the 11th). My M14 is still down until I can grab some magazines, but if you're willing to let me run the KWA, Echo and I will come out and shoot somebody. We'll bring our woodies. Echo might even bring her camera and do some photog. Make it happen, I'm in.

Fine. But if you could put it up, that’d be better, because I don’t know how to do it yet. In any case, count me in. In fact, that’s a long time from now, so, again, if anyone wants to go get shot at sooner than that, talk to me. I go out to China Hat every Sat and Sun looking for people to play with, so if anyone wants to go, you can count on me being out there. Just call or email to set up a meeting place. As far as the KWA, yeah, you can use it, but in rotation…whoever is defending the objective or is at a strategic disadvantage gets the hot gun. Agreed? And bring some GOOD AMMO….Bioshot .25 is my preference.

Looking forward to seeing what you can arrange. And I'd be happy to bring a case of your favorite beer to any event I attend for your trouble.

I hope I just arranged it…or made progress in doing so. I think the Facebook page is key, that works really well for my friends in Washington when they want to get games going on short notice. And as for the beer, I don’t drink much, but you know, I do love that Bioshot ammo in .25 and .30…

[Nails]

…and then they give up. They think airsoft is dead around here, and it is. But its not because there’s no one to play with, its because the people around here that could play simply don’t start playing. You don’t need “support for local games”…like you need some “field” or organizing body to be able to go play, that’s a crock. You just get whoever there is and go out to China Hat and play. And you don’t need 100 people to play airsoft, all you need are a few or even a couple of people to say ‘f**k it, let’s go play’.

Then you know what happens? Then people start coming on the forum and seeing that people played last Saturday, and this Wednesday, and that people play all the time around here and have killer little games with cool people. Then they get excited, and they get involved. And then they come play…and so on.

So quit saying that ‘there’s no airsoft in Bend’, and just come play. Even if its just a few guys, its better than sitting around saying ‘poor us’ and wishing we could play.

Been there. Done that.

Good for you that you're trying to get things going. However, everything you're saying has been done 5-6 years ago and nothing came of it. We played small games every weekend, we drummed up the chatter about Bend, we even hosted several games (to which many signed up and VERY few came), but nothing happened. Hopefully things will work out better now, but don't get your hopes up.

Much of the China Hat Rd./Highway 20 are you are talking about is either Forest Service land or BLM land, thus you don't need get any 'rights' to play on it. Also, the land out there that is private, chances are the owners will never know you were there (if you don't destroy it, of course).

Anyway, good luck!

[JTL]

Been there. Done that. Good for you that you're trying to get things going. However, everything you're saying has been done 5-6 years ago and nothing came of it.

Well, I'll venture to say that airsoft is more popular now than it was 5-6 years ago, most notably because of the Call of Duty proliferation, etc....perhaps not around here but certainly among the general public.


Much of the China Hat Rd./Highway 20 are you are talking about is either Forest Service land or BLM land, thus you don't need get any 'rights' to play on it. Also, the land out there that is private, chances are the owners will never know you were there (if you don't destroy it, of course).

Exactly.

Anyway, good luck!

You coming to play, then?

[JTL]

So I was hoping Sleepy was going to post a game on the 12th on the calendar, but nothing's up there, and I tried to do it and it wouldn't let me, so if anyone can do it that would be great. The plan is to go out to China Hat this Sunday, the 12th, meet at the first large turnout on the right around 10am, play airsoft. Pretty simple. If no one can post it, I'll be out there in any case with my gear. People can call or email for specifics, 541 788 5448.

[Audible]

Just moved to Bend, OR and was wondering if anyone still got together to play airsoft in this area.

[Johnny Mnemonic]

To bump an old thread, has anyone tried the biak facility?

http://www.biaktrainingcenter.com/

Apparently their rates are pretty reasonable, I'm doing a corporate event there in the next month or so. We went with paintball because you can't rent airsoft gear, and purchasing an office worth of airsoft is prohibitive.

[karak]

I have not. We play in Bend often on some private land. Only 10-12 of us. I will check that out.

[drpepper475]

if i am ever in the bend area ill play with you guys haha

[karak]

EDIT:
Sure anyone is welcome. We are most likely playing the month after next for an entire weekend In Bend.

[Johnny Mnemonic]

karak--if/when you organize a game, might as well put it on the main calendar. I think the more publicizing of activity we can do around here, the better. It'll let folks know that there's games happening in CO even if they're not watching these threads.

Looking forward to it! I think this could be a fun site to organize around, even if it's maybe not the most suited to airsoft. It seems like a lot of good space that's really pretty cheap.