Enjoy our all-inclusive shooting experiences in the beautiful high desert of Central Oregon, near Silver Lake (about 75 minutes south of Sunriver). Let us do the work so you can focus on fun.
We offer a variety of shooting weekend shooting vacations:
- Sage rat hunts (ground squirrels)
- PRS-style practical rifle, multi-gun, and extreme long range
- Long range marksmanship class
Our standard weekend includes two nights of lodging, meals, and two days of shooting. Mid-week outings can also be arranged upon request. Call or email to plan your Oregon high desert gun-cation.
Sage rat hunting
We hunt sage rats weekends mid-April to mid-July (minus a few weeks in June before the first alfalfa cut). We have contracted access to 37 fields that are normally closed to the public. We’ve done the hard work of finding best rat hunting fields and getting the permission to shoot on them.
Plan for up to 500 shots each day. No hunting license required.
Practical rifle, multi-gun, and extreme long range
Steel targets range from 5 yards to past a mile. Most long range targets are equipped with hit indicators (red flashing light when you hit the target). Our practical rifle and multi-gun course has a variety of barricades, tank traps, prone platform, and shingled roof.
Long range marksmanship class
Arrive and check-in on Friday, class will be full days on Saturday and Sunday. In this two day class, we’ll teach the theory of long range marksmanship and test your skills in a competition. We’ll cover:
- Fundamentals of marksmanship
- Principles of adjustments for elevation and wind
- Collecting and using dope
- Configuring and calibrating ballistic apps
- Reading wind
- Positional shooting basics
In addition to the standard requirements for all of our outings, students will need:
- Rifle with suitable rifle scope
- 300 rounds of quality match grade ammunition, all the same load, preferably the same lot
- Ballistics calculator (e.g., Applied Ballistics phone app)
- Pen and book for recording dope
- Spotting scope or binoculars
- Prone mat (optional but nice)
Standard weekend format
Arrive at the Christmas Valley Desert Inn Friday night. No check-in required, late arrival is OK. Let us know if you will have a pet so we can book you into a different motel.
On Saturday and Sunday mornings, we meet for breakfast across the street at the Christmas Valley Farmhouse Cafe at 8:00. We provide sack lunches and snacks in the field. On Saturday, we shoot until 4:00, then head to dinner at the historic Cowboy Dinner Tree.
Cowboy Dinner Tree is a destination, as there isn’t a whole lot around it, and when you do arrive, you feel like you entered the set of a Clint Eastwood spaghetti western. The only thing missing is the sound of your spurs as you walk to the entrance.
If you are the “white napkin, chef explaining the meal at the table” type of person, you might want to reconsider Cowboy Dinner Tree, as this is eating in what I call the “Old West” style. Big, rustic and so good you will wish you brought pants with elastic in the waistband.
Your guides
We are insured and registered with the State of Oregon as professional outfitter guides. Tom and Patrick hold NRA ratings as Rifle Instructors and Chief Range Safety Officers. We are trained in first aid/CPR/AED. Safety is our top priority.
What to bring
Rifles and ammunition
Bring your own rifles and ammunition. Bring both rimfire and centerfire rifles. For sage rat hunting, we recommend a rimfire rifle with a scope. We limit certain fields to rimfire, but you’re welcome to use centerfire rifles on the fields with suitable backstops. We also have steel targets for handguns, carbines, and rifles.
Now’s the time to order a new scope for your rat rifle. (help me choose)
What else you should bring
On the day of the hunt, you will need:
- Eye protection
- Hearing protection
- Boots or sturdy footwear
- Hat
- Appropriate clothing layers
What we provide
In a standard weekend of two days of shooting, lodging, and meals, we provide:
- Two full days of shooting (Sat and Sun)
- Motel lodging (Fri and Sat)
- Dinner at the Cowboy Dinner Tree Restaurant (Sat)
- Breakfast at the Christmas Valley Farmhouse restaurant (Sat and Sun)
- Lunch in the field (Sat and Sun)
- Snacks, cold water, and cold sport drinks in the field
- Shooting benches, shooting chairs, and/or shooting sticks
- Range set up, safety briefing, and guide supervision
If you forget something or need help with items, there’s a good chance we can help you. Let us know your special requests.
Book a weekend
Sounds fun? The next step is to call Patrick at (503) 716-2479. He can answer all of your questions and make things happen.