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BlackoutUT & @TheGerman- I was the First 'Hide Member to Shoot There- A Review

Desert Raven

Shooting in the Desert
Full Member
Minuteman
Sep 26, 2018
330
850
58
The Sonoran Desert 11S11E
If you don't want to wade through my scintillating prose, here's the bottom line- GO! I don't care how poor you are- find a way to make it happen (it's really not expensive). I would go there every damn day if I could- it's honestly THAT good. It's so unlike anything else, that it has to be experienced.

First, a few disclaimers- yes, @TheGerman is real- I met him, shook his hand, delivered apple pie moonshine to him, rode in the MRZR to the FOB with him and somehow managed to not be called a muppet during the nearly 3-hour adventure. Also, he has built a badass place in the desert to create the thoroughly immersive "Night time is the right time". So, sit back, relax, and enjoy the views and review of the first member of the 'Hide to participate in this experience.
DesertRavenNV.jpg
DesertRaven Range (2).jpg
Desert Raven FOB.jpg


It began on a gravel parking spot, just off the highway exit at 8:15 pm on Thursday, September 22, a few miles from the site. The German arrived right on time and after getting fitted for my helmet with night vision and some banter, waiting for it to get dark enough to get the full experience, and delivering the Midnight Moon Apple Pie Moonshine- (buy it as a tip- trust me), we raced off to the FOB totally dark, using only our night vision. Pick this as an option- totally worth it. To adequately describe the sky at night, while wearing anvis9s, would be to drain the world of superlatives. This being my first experience wearing NVG, I was awestruck by how well you can see everything in the sky- stars, the Milky Way, and a shooting star that looked like a nuclear missile.
Desert Raven NVG.jpg

Upon arrival, I went into a REALLY nice/cool/geez-I-could-live-here FOB, decorated with banners, lights, and various instructions and then met the instructors who would be guiding me in my experience- all good dudes who love what they do and treat you well. Then, it was time to sit in the ready room to receive my instructions and get a thorough safety briefing for the night's festivities from The German himself. After completing the briefing, I was given my ammo and chest rig and off we went to the "Bunny Hill" to make sure I was applying my safety instructions, getting familiar with the weapon, doing some dry fire and generally getting the lay of the land. There are several courses of fire and lanes which can be used. I don't want to give away all of the details, but suffice it to say this place is so well done and thoroughly thought out. I had a blast. My favorite was a shoot house called the Hallway of Doom. I liked it so much, I ran through it three times and improved in my accuracy and speed each time. My last time, I scored 16 K-Zone hits and 2 A-Zone hits.
Desert Raven Hallway.jpg
Desert Raven Breach.jpg
Desert Raven Target.jpg

For reference, I am NOT ex-military, so while I was new to night vision (which at first is a little disorienting and takes some getting used to), I was not new to shooting. I grew up with shotguns almost exclusively. Five years ago, I got into coyote hunting here in the desert and have a couple of carbines I use for that purpose. I also shoot a carbine equipped with an Eotech sight for home defense and drill with that weekly, so I have SOME experience, but nothing compared to many on here.

So, the final review is a 5 out of 5. No question, the best shooting experience I have ever had. The setup, variety of targets (moving, stationary, hostages, terrorists, shooting from a van, throwing a sim grenade at a truck, receiving helpful tips and instructions as you go through these evolutions)...well it all added up to something I will do again, and again. So my recommendation?? Go see @TheGerman in person. Meet the instructors. Experience the desert at night. Ride the MRZR out to the FOB. Pay for the photography package- Mike is awesome- he took these pics. You will NOT be disappointed.

Desert Raven Flash.jpg
Desert Raven Barricade.jpg
Desert Raven Squad.jpg
 
I went to the site and couldnt find anything about prices. Tried to book thinking that might show me but when I picked a date it took me right back to pick a date.
 
I went to the site and couldnt find anything about prices. Tried to book thinking that might show me but when I picked a date it took me right back to pick a date.

We re in the off-season from usually mid November (even tho we did quite a few around Thanksgiving) until March.

Main reason is that since this is at night, Temps can get into the low 30s and that doesn't make for too fun of an experience outside for 2+ hours.

The booking side is down right now as it is getting a better/bigger booking module to handle the volume we've already seen. Onto of that we're redoing things like the splash page to include links to see the 550 acre facility, the staff and just get things to flow better. All of these changes are in the test/back end right now so they're not live on the server hence your problem.

If you want to book for 2023 or have inquires prior to the test site going live just email me at

[email protected]
 
We re in the off-season from usually mid November (even tho we did quite a few around Thanksgiving) until March.

Main reason is that since this is at night, Temps can get into the low 30s and that doesn't make for too fun of an experience outside for 2+ hours.

The booking side is down right now as it is getting a better/bigger booking module to handle the volume we've already seen. Onto of that we're redoing things like the splash page to include links to see the 550 acre facility, the staff and just get things to flow better. All of these changes are in the test/back end right now so they're not live on the server hence your problem.

If you want to book for 2023 or have inquires prior to the test site going live just email me at

[email protected]
Oh, come on, just admit that you don't want @Maggot anywhere near you. 😆
 
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Reactions: Maggot
If you don't want to wade through my scintillating prose, here's the bottom line- GO! I don't care how poor you are- find a way to make it happen (it's really not expensive). I would go there every damn day if I could- it's honestly THAT good. It's so unlike anything else, that it has to be experienced.
While you were out there with @TheGerman did you happen to notice any sort of aura around him? Like a glow of some sort?
 
  • Haha
Reactions: madppcs
Aren’t you a yankee?

You know... I don't think it's about Rebels vs. Yankees any more. That issue is 150 years+ old news.

Today it's about city fruits vs. Country patriots...

Because noone can tell me that some Southern city fudge-packing sissy from Atlanta or Raleigh or Austin... is worth the salt of a Yankee from a small town in Upstate NY or Maine or Ohio. Just like no schlong-gobbler from NYC can be a good Southerner... if they are living in a McMansion outside Knoxville.

We country folk are all salt-of-the-earth rednecks, even though we are called woodchucks or hicks or backwoods... We're Americans and our liberty is what we crave. Maybe we even wore the suits and trappings of city folks.... but we never really were. You can take a country boy into the city and they'll thrive. Even if they hate it. You take a city person into the country and most of them will flounder. It's just that way.

Let's get this straight... all of us country folk are rapidly falling into the 'Rebel' category. As the city fags try and turn our republic into a mob rule democracy and ram faggotry, communism and dependence down our throats.

As for the German glowing... only on thermals... only on thermals!

Sirhr

PS. If you thought Easyrider had a happy ending... you are one of us.
 
You know... I don't think it's about Rebels vs. Yankees any more. That issue is 150 years+ old news.

Today it's about city fruits vs. Country patriots...

Because noone can tell me that some Southern city fudge-packing sissy from Atlanta or Raleigh or Austin... is worth the salt of a Yankee from a small town in Upstate NY or Maine or Ohio. Just like no schlong-gobbler from NYC can be a good Southerner... if they are living in a McMansion outside Knoxville.

We country folk are all salt-of-the-earth rednecks, even though we are called woodchucks or hicks or backwoods... We're Americans and our liberty is what we crave. Maybe we even wore the suits and trappings of city folks.... but we never really were. You can take a country boy into the city and they'll thrive. Even if they hate it. You take a city person into the country and most of them will flounder. It's just that way.

Let's get this straight... all of us country folk are rapidly falling into the 'Rebel' category. As the city fags try and turn our republic into a mob rule democracy and ram faggotry, communism and dependence down our throats.

As for the German glowing... only on thermals... only on thermals!

Sirhr

PS. If you thought Easyrider had a happy ending... you are one of us.
"Let me say this about that." HHHumphrey.

I grew up way in the country. My whole family have been rednecks since 1604 when they got of the boat in Richmond. Put me in a city (except maybe San Diego) and one of two things will happen with in two weeks:

1-I blow my brains out.

or

2-I blow a lot of others brains out.

No city for me.

But I loved Easy Rider and though it was dramatic, I hated the way it ended BECAUSE, though they made mistakes, they were living that FREEDOM, that Rebel lifestyle you speak of, and which one of us hasnt made a mistake. If I had my choice of their life or a fudge packer in Austin, guess what???