Cash Crop Prairie Dogs

[EvanB]

Last thread I saw on the rising costs of Prairie dog shooting was in 2018. It has gone through the roof and has become a cash crop for many ranchers that have established "trespass fees" for shooters. No need to rehash the good ole days, I have been shooting them for 15 years. Was, free access most anywhere, "get them all". Now, after my rancher has "eradicated" his in effort to increase cattle production, I have searched for other grounds. Lowest price for package is $200 a day per shooter. Package includes use of old ranch house and exclusive use of ranch for booked days. Acreage over 10,000, most dogs right at ranch house or within 1 mile.

What really spurred this thread, I was quoted from $300 to $800 (called guided) hunts without lodging, and starting at $400 depending on lodging. All inclusive with meals was over $1000 per day per person.

I live in Georgia so adding fuel and ammo even at $200 a day, it really bites. It used to be fun but I think I am being priced out of the game, sort of like Pro Baseball, Football and NASCAR.

 

[Bocephus]

Last thread I saw on the rising costs of Prairie dog shooting was in 2018. It has gone through the roof and has become a cash crop for many ranchers that have established "trespass fees" for shooters. No need to rehash the good ole days, I have been shooting them for 15 years. Was, free access most anywhere, "get them all". Now, after my rancher has "eradicated" his in effort to increase cattle production, I have searched for other grounds. Lowest price for package is $200 a day per shooter. Package includes use of old ranch house and exclusive use of ranch for booked days. Acreage over 10,000, most dogs right at ranch house or within 1 mile.

What really spurred this thread, I was quoted from $300 to $800 (called guided) hunts without lodging, and starting at $400 depending on lodging. All inclusive with meals was over $1000 per day per person.

I live in Georgia so adding fuel and ammo even at $200 a day, it really bites. It used to be fun but I think I am being priced out of the game, sort of like Pro Baseball, Football and NASCAR.
View attachment 1252849

If the component shortage continues much longer, you just might make a buck shooting...

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

I stay in a small motel, meals and snacks has to be 100/day. About 75 miles around trip for some towns, with Joe in office everything will cost more. Being able to shoot nearby would be nice, and cook my own food.

 

[1raggedhole]

Yeah, low cost hunting opportunities were unique to USA, but I think they are disappearing. Eventually it will become a wealthy persons “sport” just like most places around the world.

 

[markT]

OSB is $36/ sheet.
12 ya Wire is $134/ 250’.
Brass, bullets and powder?
Surely you don’t think hunting praire dogs should be free.

 

[moondog]

I'm spoiled with the Ranch next door. P-dogs galore! It's a job for him, fun for me!

 

[Dgd6mm]

I'm going in June.

 

[mongo chicago]

I pay for the inclusive meals, lodging and shooting. Open bar in the rec. room. Got spoiled in my old age. Worth the money in my opinion. Dog towns reasonably close and lots of them. Through the years, EVERYTHING goes up - nothing ever goes down. Enjoy it until you can't anymore. Life is too short.

 

[sw282]

Got lost in Illinois once coming home to Augusta after shooting Prairie Dogs on the Rosebud in SD. After crossing the Miss River at St Louis l went STRAIGHT instead of turning South. Ended up in East St Louis Ill.
l suddenly felt like a Rosebud Prairie Dog:-(

 

[jpx2rk]

Got lost in Illinois once coming home to Augusta after shooting Prairie Dogs on the Rosebud in SD. After crossing the Miss River at St Louis l went STRAIGHT instead of turning South. Ended up in East St Louis Ill.
l suddenly felt like a Rosebud Prairie Dog:-(

How was the shooting on the Rosebud?? Been near there, but did not shoot the Rosebud.

 

[JSH]

A lot of years shooting them, dunno if I have shot $200 worth of prairie dogs yet.
I understand taxes and so forth on property, but when the pied piper comes to town to eradicate pest.......
Have the same thoughts on hogs. Charge me so much a day, then so much per hog. Must not be as much of a PITA as I have been led to believe.

 

[Kurz]

I'm fortunate to have a couple of friends who own large ranches here in the Southwest. I camp and shoot for free as long as I don't shoot any of the cows or calves... But if I want one of their elk tags, it's $2,000!

I don't pay for hogs either, that's a never ending crop which cannot be eradicated. I use them for testing bullets.

 

[Cemetery21]

Rosebud used to be good in places. It probably still is, but we quit going when they changed the regulations to require a guide. Not so much that we didn't want to pay the guide, but we could not be sure he would put us on fields as good as we already had established. We would shoot 10 days, 14 hours a day and never saw another soul in the fields we had. We moved to NE, then NM.

 

[sw282]

How was the shooting on the Rosebud?? Been near there, but did not shoot the Rosebud.

We now call it the ''RoseDud''. Didn't go back.

 

[rebel]

I know y'all love to go guys, but if most of you would say "nope, not doing that" for a few years I bet they would be begging you to come for free - here wife has breakfast - shoot all you want boys. Let them get over run with the damn things.

 

[sw282]

1990 l was tdy@ Ft Hood Tx from the Signal School/Ft Gordon helping with a new field radio. While there l actually SAW my first prairie dog. I just HAD to shoot one. That had to wait due to lraq invading Kuwait.. Army business FIRST. Reading Varmint Hunter Magazine was better than Playboy. l booked a hunt thru VHA magazine for the next year. Exact moment l pulled the trigger on my first prairie dog l was HOOKED for life. Still am too. Like a street druggie. l have ALWAYS paid to feed my habit. Always will. Living 1300-1500 from the nearest dog town is a trek. As l age those towns seem farther every year. But NEVER too far

 

[L.Sherm]

I didn't used to think of it this way but how many of us that has went to the bar one night and spent 2-300 or more and what did ya get out of it most times BIG HEADACHE next mourning.

 

[Dgd6mm]

I didn't used to think of it this way but how many of us that has went to the bar one night and spent 2-300 or more and what did ya get out of it most times BIG HEADACHE next mourning.

Yeah, think of it like this, take your wife out to a decent dinner and drop $100.00, just to crap it out in the morning.

 

[Medic505]

Paying to shoot a Sod Poodle just baffles me. I guess it's like anything else, somebody is going to figure out how to make a buck off it. I've had farmers and ranchers offer to buy my ammo. Come to my house, pick me up and drive me around their pastures to shoot the damn things. Maybe it has something to do with where you live. Beats me.

 

[Cemetery21]

Used to be that the ranchers you were on would give you directions and references to neighbors who needed dogs shot. Although, from what I could tell shooting in multiple fields over the years, shooting them does not seem to affect the numbers next time you show up.
Many times, they have said "everyone you shoot means more grass for my cattle."