2025 NRL Hunter

[kharb22]

I too shot the Oregon match, it’s a bummer people left because of the hike or weather but they also need to know what they’re signing up for. Weather is an unpredictable variable that no one can plan around and a shuttle to get from stage to stage is a nice bonus but is not something that anyone should have counted on based on the match description. Nowhere does it say a shuttle would be running to get you from one stage to another, granted we did get picked up Saturday morning when we were probably just over half way to our stage but I would not have been upset if they passed us by for whatever reason.

I could care less about weather. It's 100% out of the MDs control. I believe in competitive equity. If your giving rides on Saturday, you better on Sunday as well. A father and son had E-Bikes. If I had known that was an option, I would have had one with me. You can't make it easier on some and harder for others. I packed my fat ass and my gear all by myself, no help. I was wore out and beat by the last stage of day 2. By the time I hiked into 16 and back to stage 1, I had 2.2 miles in. And they did say in the shooters meeting Saturday that they would try and shuttle you from 18 to 1.

 

[lintond]

I too shot the Oregon match, it’s a bummer people left because of the hike or weather but they also need to know what they’re signing up for. Weather is an unpredictable variable that no one can plan around and a shuttle to get from stage to stage is a nice bonus but is not something that anyone should have counted on based on the match description. Nowhere does it say a shuttle would be running to get you from one stage to another, granted we did get picked up Saturday morning when we were probably just over half way to our stage but I would not have been upset if they passed us by for whatever reason.

All that to say if you say you do this for fun and didn’t find the entire thing fun then maybe it really isn’t for fun… I was smiling the entire time (except for when I dropped too many points on a couple stages) but that had nothing to do with the physicality or mud or rain etc. Without a doubt it could have “flowed” better in more ways than one but for it being Nate’s first match I have no doubt it will get better as he continues. I wanna see NRLhunter grow just as much as anyone but people leaving early when they should have read the match description (or counting on things not mentioned) is not the fault of the MD.
Quick question for anyone who didn’t have fun, what would have made it more fun given we can’t control the weather or conditions?

• Physical conditioning will enhance your experience and performance. 
• Physical Activity: Competitors should be prepared for extensive walking, as the course layout requires traversing rugged terrain and potentially long distances between stages.
  • Base Layer: Moisture-wicking fabric to keep you dry. 
  • Footwear: Sturdy, comfortable hiking boots suitable for variable terrain. 
  • Weather Considerations: March in Eastern Oregon can be unpredictable, with temperatures ranging from 30°F to 60°F. Participants should prepare for a mix of sunshine and possible rain or snow. We recommend dressing in layers to accommodate changing weather conditions including: 
  • Outer Layer: Waterproof and wind-resistant jacket. 

I had a blast but I have nothing to compare it to as my first match. So it could suck compared to other matches. These are small changes IMO.

- Late start followed by no way finding to hike to target combined with stress of “we are going to shoot 18 targets today” set the tone on a downer. Give OnX waypoints for a few targets to point people in the right direction, or markup a map. The flags were a waste of time.
- Get the down target issue fixed. That killed the flow and we lost probably 90-120 minutes just on that over the weekend.
- Organize a shuttle from 18 to 1. Would’ve been easy to run the ridge with SXS.
- Put water by the stage description, not by the RO.

I think the hiking was fine and probably would’ve been disappointed if we had a paved path with golf carts (extreme example). I changed my kit a bit for day two as I figured out what I didn’t need. So glad I wore my long John’s to keep me warm with lots of down time.

I’ll 100% be back next year if life doesn’t conflict. I’m hooked!


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[codym]

I love NRL hunter, my only concerns are the running up to stages. With all that gear and the terrain someone is going to eat it and get seriously ****** up at some point and it’s un necessary. I would like to see suppressors not count toward rifle weight as they are a safety measure and should be considered as such sort of like a sling. I think it would be a little better to have a magnum class or tweak the power factor a bit to allow for 6mm’s as a viable option. Lots of shit get killed with 6mm’s every year. It’s a great format though, just hope it evolves into something a little more hunting oriented and less gamey.

 

[bajeep93]

I shot La grande this last weekend. It was a blast. It kicked my ass! I think Nate did a great job for his first match. There is really nothing that can be done about targets going down. It happens at every match. I shoot matches almost every month and it happens at almost every one of them. There was some major holdups at a few stages over the weekend. I am not sure why. That is to me what seamed to slow things up. I sat at stage 14-18 and 1 for an hour each or a little over an hour. The mud was crazy at some stages but that’s part of being outdoors. It forces you to rethink your plan. I am comfortable kneeling and shooting of my tripod. So that was the path I took instead of shooting prone in the mud. It worked for me. But I shoot off of my tripod a lot. My crazy ass wife hiked with me and I got some good photos.

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[Juan_ID]

I didn’t once think did the guy who shot better than me get a ride from 18 to 1? Or would I have shot better had I gotten a ride? I guess it is what it is, it was physical and muddy and messy but I had a blast. We sat at multiple stages both days for well over an hour, one wait was over 2 hours. That sucked but again it was beyond our control and obviously nobody wants that to happen but I did not once think “would I have shot better had we not gone “cold” for so long or “did that guy beat me because he didn’t have as much down time between stages?” Shit happens, it’s an outdoor rifle match in the mountains, saying “we will try to have a shuttle going” vs “we will be running a shuttle” are 2 different things and either way there are things at play that can change those plans.

 

[JohnJohnson]

Regardless of gear rules, the same top shooters will win the matches. They win because they are better, period.

Morgun King could outshoot me with a slingshot and an eyepatch.

 

[lintond]

I love NRL hunter, my only concerns are the running up to stages. With all that gear and the terrain someone is going to eat it and get seriously ****** up at some point and it’s un necessary. I would like to see suppressors not count toward rifle weight as they are a safety measure and should be considered as such sort of like a sling. I think it would be a little better to have a magnum class or tweak the power factor a bit to allow for 6mm’s as a viable option. Lots of shit get killed with 6mm’s every year. It’s a great format though, just hope it evolves into something a little more hunting oriented and less gamey.

Idea I just had would be to combine power factor with rifle weight and use it to adjust scores to keep people from gaming as much. The gap between 12 to 16 is a lot in terms of gear/accessories. A light weight 12# 6CM might be comparable to a 6.5 PRC at 14#. Would be an interesting data experiment they could play with during the year before making any changes.

I’ll be back, and as of now I’m there to become a better shooter not necessarily to get 1st place with a kitted out setup. Everything I used I’d take hunting minus I’ll probably forgo the triple pull for the gunwerks elevate.


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[JohnJohnson]

I would like to see suppressors not count toward rifle weight as they are a safety measure and should be considered as such sort of like a sling.

That sounds like a great idea.

I think it would be a little better to have a magnum class or tweak the power factor a bit to allow for 6mm’s as a viable option. Lots of shit get killed with 6mm’s every year.

I realize they didn't want the sort of gamer cartridges used in the PRS to be viable but it does send a bit of a misleading message that could be confused with the ol' "knockdown power" belief when you do that for a hunter competition.