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POSSE WEEK Click on SCHEDULE to the left to view the schedule for Posse Weeks Click here to read a past Posse
Week Cowboy Log - THE GAME -
Here's how it works: Sunday evening it's decided just who will be an outlaw and who will be posse. (It may be a matter of drawing straws, seems everyone wants to be an outlaw!) The outlaws receive a map showing five of the six locations where treasure is stashed. The outlaws have to find each sack of riches, keeping it with them till they have all six, then get back to ranch headquarters, but they may not return before Friday. They can go to any location they wish, there is no set order. The posse will receive their own map showing five of the six loot locations. Each team’s map shows the other team’s missing location, got the idea? You must get the other team’s map or wait until they get your missing location loot, then steal it from them. (How accurate is this map anyway?) After breakfast on Monday, we pick horses and saddles, a three or four hour ride usually lets us know if we need to make changes. Back at the ranch for lunch, we make adjustments and get out the paintball equipment. We spend the afternoon learning how to use the weapons and then a couple hours of skirmish on our excellent playing field here at headquarters. This can set those grudges to growing and gets everyone ready when the real game starts. Tuesday morning the outlaws gear up and take off, getting a half hour head start on the posse. The posse gears up, then takes off and the adventure begins! Course the good guys (dependin' on how you look at it) are up against the same hardships as the outlaws, taking the weather as it comes, and sleeping wherever night finds them. There's two goals: the first is to kill of as many of the other team as possible, either by gunfire, or sneaking up and killing them with your trusty knife. The second goal is to secure the six lootbags that are hidden out on the range. Once the game gets going, the outlaws often have to track the posse, and vice-versa. Just like in the Old West, the line between lawman and renegade becomes quite blurred.
Sounds easy, right? A warning: the going can get pretty tough. Each loot location is a long ride from the others, some more than that. And don't forget the other group is always somewhere close by, so close you can smell the insides of their boots. This means covering your tracks, back tracking, camping in hidden spots, posting lookouts, smokeless fires or no fire at all, eating canned food and not much of it, and washing it down with warm water. And don't forget those sleepless nights watching the herd and standing watch-- this is a 24-hour-a-day adventure. There will always be a ranch guide with each team, but only to keep you from leaving the 125 square mile adventure zone, and to look after the horses. All decisions, scouting, and watches are left to the team members. -BAD GUYS PILFER WITH ABANDON- On both maps are marked caches of food that either team may use. The two cowboy camps within the 125 square mile playing area are open to either team for good food and a soft bed, but no promise of safe haven. Beware you don't get ambushed while there. Horse rustling is encouraged. Don't let it happen while you are on lookout, or you won't be real popular with your partners. Speaking of partners... don't trust them... especially low down outlaws. We are talking real money here for the winning team, and only surviving members collect. That person with whom you have ridden so many miles and shared so many laughs and good times, why he might just turn on you at the end of the week and take you right out of the saddle. -THE LOOT- If either team is lucky enough to get back to the ranch with ALL six sacks of gold before getting caught, the SURVIVING members split the loot, $500.00. -THE WEAPONS-
We use paintball guns for all non-horseback engagements. These are top of the line single shot pistols. Each holds eight rounds. They are very realistic, and have the accuracy of an old six shooter. A hit anywhere in the torso constitutes a kill. This means you can ride with your group but may not take part in any engagements or loot hunting for the next three hours or until midnight, which ever comes first. A kill at anytime during the week means you may not share in the real loot money if your team should win. There is nothing like being holed up in the rocks of a hot canyon for half a day with paintballs breaking all around you waiting for your best shot. Each player will have a 6 inch ribbon pinned to their shirts. This is your life! This ribbon must stay on you at all times, even in your sleeping bag, which makes those nighttime raids so much fun, trying to sneak in and "count coup" by pulling a sleeping opponent's ribbon. -THE CHALLENGE- The ultimate goal for each team is to get all six loot bags and return to the ranch before 3:00 pm on Friday. If neither team gets all six bags a winner is determined by the number of kills each team has scored. If by some chance that is a tie, we take the dollar value printed on each loot bag and the team with the highest amount wins. Remember please that prize money is only given if a team gets all six bags.
Please be ready for this adventure! Riding experience is helpful and be in good shape. It rains; it gets hot; it gets cold. Please no whiners. Once out there, there is no option of returning to the ranch headquarters, except in the case of illness or injury. There are no hot showers (just a few streams and ponds); there are no bathrooms (just lots of trees). There is no gourmet cook (just you, your pards and some canned food). Be ready for anything! Click here to read a past Posse Week Cowboy Log Click here for 'Anything Goes' Andrea's Posse Packing List |
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