BLM near Bend, OR.....and here come the cops

[RVTECH]

Dobanion I apologize - you did NOT reference being in the China Hat area as I originally thought - I must have gotten some posts confused - but I am familiar with the Gerking Mkt Road area and knowing the "element" that lives in the area I would find another area to shoot. Stay East of hwy 97 and I am sure you will have a much better experience.

 

[therifleman]

Every time someone picks up and leaves it gives the bad guys the idea that their complaint was valid. Hold your ground soldier!

 

[Generator]

If your looking for the China Hat Areas - shoot me a PM, Usually a few people out there on the 4 spots I'll go to and all but once safe and a good place to go.

 

[RVTECH]

Every time someone picks up and leaves it gives the bad guys the idea that their complaint was valid. Hold your ground soldier!

The issue here is not standing our ground against the "Bad Guys". The area Dobanion was shooting in (at least from the road he mentioned) happens to be a very affluent area - very affluent in that houses in excess of 10k Sq. Ft. are common with a few pushing 25K and one (probably the largest) is 40K + with acreage size to match. It is easy to understand why areas such as this may get a little more emphasis in the arena of LEO response when complaints are called in. In Central Oregon we have no shortages of great places to shoot close to all the towns that comprise Central Oregon so choosing an area like this would best be left for something better.

 

[dobanion]

The "feel" in this area is certainly strange as **** to me. Bunch of multi millionares pretending to be cowboys.

I just went shooting up there cause it's a couple minutes to my Dad's place. I go see him for a weekend a few times a year, I take my guns cause I know we will go shooting. He drives to "the range."

Next time will probably be somewhere further from the rich guys who think their personal bubble extends to 1000 yards.

 

[RVTECH]

The "feel" in this area is certainly strange as **** to me. Bunch of multi millionares pretending to be cowboys.

That it is my friend - and I understand the convienence of shooting close to you dad's place but in this case I think finding something a little farther out will be to your advantage.

 

[badclam]

So I guess that's why you get a suppressor. Even if you are legal it's still a problem if anyone in the area hears you shooting and doesn't like it.

Didn't stop us from going back to the same place on Sunday.

You guy's were cool. The LEO was cool.Happy ending. I would make it a point to go back and shoot there when ever it was handy.
The only way to keep our right's is to keep exercising them.
Flock those urbanites gone country.If they keep calling in false report's, they're the one's that'll be in trouble.

We had the same problem hear.Some very rich people from Seattle moved here and built a house at the entrance to some public lands. The people posted and gated public land we'd been hunting and shooting on our whole lives.We tore out the gate and proceded to empty some brass when the LEO showed up. Luckily I grew up with both the LEO's. (It always helps in a dispute when you know the Deputies.)They informed the Seattle dictator wanna be's that it was illegal to post land that you don't own and not to do it again or they would be cited. They still go out and tell people that drive in there that it's private property,but not when they see my truck.

 

[Generator]

The "feel" in this area is certainly strange as **** to me. Bunch of multi millionares pretending to be cowboys.

Not all of us! Married into a real cowboy family and Mine is certainly not Millionares, just NYers, Some of us out here just don't fit in with Bend's image I guess.

 

[RVTECH]

Some of us out here just don't fit in with Bend's image I guess.

I agree with you but for the rest of us who "Don't fit in with Bend's image" but have been long time Central Oregon residents who have made our lives here, raised children, built businesses, etc. simply don't "buck the system" and use our established shooting areas we have been for a long time with no problems. (and find new areas all the time)

 

[MountainBear]

I've lived in Bend since the population sign said less than 10,000. I really never gave a poopy if I fit in with some wanna be Portland/Californian cowboys vision of how Bend was supposed to be. But then again, I always shoot out China Hat to avoid the problems encountered by those of you who like to push the issue by shooting next to the paranoid rich people...

 

[kerbyj]

It's not just Bend; it's happening all over Oregon. And it's not just doing a little shooting that's under attack. More or less, we are in a sort of war over our regional culture in Oregon and Washington and we are losing.

As a 9th generation Oregon native, I've got no problem with people who move here because they love this place and wish to be part of our unique culture, but I personally think the time has come to put our foot down and draw a line in the sand and make it clear to the people who move here and seek to force us to adopt their ways and ideas that they are not wanted.

Regarding this situation, though it sounds like you guys handled the whole thing right, I would say that the LEO's did not. Though they may have come off as being cool, as no crime was being committed, they had NO LEGAL RIGHT to ID you and you also have a legal RIGHT to not identify yourself. This should have been one of those incidents where the cops had the smarts (and the respect) to just say "Well, it looks like you're shooting safely. Have a good day."

We don't live in 1970's Romania or in China. (Not yet, at least).

But if we tolerate this sort of thing, we will get there for sure.

 

[gryghin]

I've lived in Bend since the population sign said less than 10,000. I really never gave a poopy if I fit in with some wanna be Portland/Californian cowboys vision of how Bend was supposed to be. But then again, I always shoot out China Hat to avoid the problems encountered by those of you who like to push the issue by shooting next to the paranoid rich people...

I'm taking the family to Sunriver this weekend. So, I was wondering how the situation is at China Hat Road. Any pointers on where to go would be great.

 

[MountainBear]

Out China Hat. About 1/2 mile past Horse Butte Rd turnoff, large cinder road on the left. Leads to a cinder pit.

 

[thorborg]

I lived in Bend in the 50's, now thoes were the days, but ain't no going back. I thank God for a life most will never know.