Prairie Dog Towns?

[drop_point]

I used to do two dog hunts a year in SW KS. The last few trips to Elkhart, the dogs were just about shot-out. I was told Springfield, CO had some good dog towns on Federal lands. Anybody been to either in the last year or so?

We are in Missouri and that is about as far as we would be able to drive. We are wanting to do public land DIY hunts, hopefully where camping is allowed. Thanks for any input.

 

[redrockranger]

I used to do two dog hunts a year in SW KS. The last few trips to Elkhart, the dogs were just about shot-out. I was told Springfield, CO had some good dog towns on Federal lands. Anybody been to either in the last year or so?

We are in Missouri and that is about as far as we would be able to drive. We are wanting to do public land DIY hunts, hopefully where camping is allowed. Thanks for any input.

Federal lands i believe have a season on PD that starts June 15.

 

[drop_point]

Yup, you are correct about that...at least for Springfield, CO.

 

[Atvguns]

I went to Springfield CO 15 years ago there was dogs everywhere, last I heard the plague come through and cleaned them out but they my be back by now

 

[Mark W]

I can’t comment on the PD shooting on the federal land, but a few years back I was a guest on a 12k acre ranch in the area. We had a blast calling coyotes and shooting some prairie dogs.

 

[drop_point]

I went to Springfield CO 15 years ago there was dogs everywhere, last I heard the plague come through and cleaned them out but they my be back by now

That is what happened in the KS honey-hole we were hunting previously. Last trip not a lot of dogs, that was 2012.

 

[bighornbob]

Talked to my best friend in Lamar, Co this week regarding PDs. I would go out there 3 to 4 times a year for PD shooting. Drought and plague have depleted many of the towns I used to shoot over. Holly was always my favorite place to go.
He said populations are climbing but nothing compared to 10 years ago. Another two years of normal weather will help replenish the plague/drought kill off.
Last time I went I killed 835 in one day. My goal was 1000 PDs in one day. I could have accomplished that goal but cloud/fog did not lift until 10:00 am.. Great day of shooting regardless.

Bob

 

[RegionRat]

Another two years of normal weather will help replenish the plague/drought kill off.

Not looking good so far up on the Divide or in the NW corner of CO that I have seen. How are they seeing it over near Lamar as far as water and snow?

 

[swimster]

The biggest problem in Ks. Is the assault by the counties governing bodies of poisoning the local populations every spring. I hunted out there for 15 years. Not worth drive any more.. AND it's just 5 hours out there for me.

 

[JSH]

I guess in my years of shooting dogs I have never had any extraordinary days. I have shot matches of various sorts and types, 500 rounds of precision type shooting is a marathon in one day.

12 hour day, 12x60 minutes = 720. 835, that is 1.16 dogs a minute for 12 hours. 1000, is 1.39 dogs a minute for 12 hours. Mind you there is reloading and swapping of guns (I would hope) in this time frame as well.

So, those of you that want these type of high number hunts, with confirmed hits, save your primers, time, ammo and barrel life because I will tell ya it ain’t gonna happen this year, next year or the near future.

If you have patients, and are happy with highs and lows of targets through the day, you may be happy. I have my suspicions on some plague still around, or poison as mentioned. One large town that bordered an irrigated section was totally silent this spring. Nope it ain’t like the 80’s and probably never will be again.

 

[Tommie]

Last few years have been extremely dry. I don’t know what the poodles are eating but it aint grass. Yes there are still some prairie dogs but anyone expecting an endless sea of rodents is in for a terrible disappointment.

 

[drover]

Talked to my best friend in Lamar, Co this week regarding PDs. I would go out there 3 to 4 times a year for PD shooting. Drought and plague have depleted many of the towns I used to shoot over. Holly was always my favorite place to go.
He said populations are climbing but nothing compared to 10 years ago. Another two years of normal weather will help replenish the plague/drought kill off.
Last time I went I killed 835 in one day. My goal was 1000 PDs in one day. I could have accomplished that goal but cloud/fog did not lift until 10:00 am.. Great day of shooting regardless.

Bob

First of all let me clarify by saying that I am an avid PD shooter but shooting those numbers of PD's creates sustainablity issues of the population.
With the upward increase in the number of shooters on a population of PD with finite numbers it just will not work out in the long run and the situation will get worse.

Starting in the 80's there was a perfect storm brewing. Guided PD shoots entered the picture which resulted in a lot of PD land that had formerly been available for shooting being leased to the PD outfitters which resulted in more pressure on the population that could be accessed on unleased or public land.

Then came Varmint Hunter magazine which raised awareness of PD shooting, suddently hunters who had never seen a PD or had previously had no interest in shooting them discovered that it was possible to get in a lot of shooting for very little money.
Then it almost became a contest to see just how many some could kill in a day. When you are working with a finite number of animals that in itself is not a sustainable plan.

Throw in the plague which seems to hit the towns at random intervals and results in a near devastation of PD's in that particular area. Add a drought on top of it and all of sudden PD shooting becomes PD hunting when more and more shooters put more pressure on the remaining population.

I always considered 200 - 250 shots a day a good/fun day of shooting them. I do not go with the intent of exterminating them or having a bragging rights day about how many I killed in a day. Even when shooting ground squirrels, which are much more prolific, I tend to limit my shots to 200 - 300 a day. For me that number is a good days shooting, and it leaves plenty of seed stock.

drover

 

[sundance]

There is a new issue showing up in my area of Southeast Colorado and probably other areas. Solar arrays are sprouting up in some of my towns and when the land is leased one of the rules is no shooting on the property. I went to a sweet town I have been shooting for a few years and the rancher said it was off-limits now -solar array going in. Bummer.

 

[Damon555]

2021 was the best year ever for our group. 9k private acres to shoot with many towns having not been shot in years........One that had never been shot.......my 223 AI dominated that poor virgin town......so much so that I shot up all my ammo.....but that wasn't a problem.....it was our last day and I was at that spot alone!.....but my 6XC and my brothers 6.5 CM were able to really stretch their legs.....500+ yards away and they still aren't safe!

It's been 20+ years since I'd been to that spot. A rekindled friendship will see to it that I'm able to go for many years to come.......

 

[redrockranger]

First of all let me clarify by saying that I am an avid PD shooter but shooting those numbers of PD's creates sustainablity issues of the population.
With the upward increase in the number of shooters on a population of PD with finite numbers it just will not work out in the long run and the situation will get worse.

Starting in the 80's there was a perfect storm brewing. Guided PD shoots entered the picture which resulted in a lot of PD land that had formerly been available for shooting being leased to the PD outfitters which resulted in more pressure on the population that could be accessed on unleased or public land.

Then came Varmint Hunter magazine which raised awareness of PD shooting, suddently hunters who had never seen a PD or had previously had no interest in shooting them discovered that it was possible to get in a lot of shooting for very little money.
Then it almost became a contest to see just how many some could kill in a day. When you are working with a finite number of animals that in itself is not a sustainable plan.

Throw in the plague which seems to hit the towns at random intervals and results in a near devastation of PD's in that particular area. Add a drought on top of it and all of sudden PD shooting becomes PD hunting when more and more shooters put more pressure on the remaining population.

I always considered 200 - 250 shots a day a good/fun day of shooting them. I do not go with the intent of exterminating them or having a bragging rights day about how many I killed in a day. Even when shooting ground squirrels, which are much more prolific, I tend to limit my shots to 200 - 300 a day. For me that number is a good days shooting, and it leaves plenty of seed stock.

drover

The Varmint Hunter mag created pigs. Then went belly up after about 10 years. Anyone know what happen to those folks in Pierre ?

 

[Coyotefurharvester]

Wind and solar will be a bigger land use issue in the years to come, battery tech is at a peak now. And transmission line easement are a problem. So green energy will need to move to public lands.

 

[5spd]

Pdogs are all over around here since the weather has been pretty decent this late still, even with a tad of snow and darn cold/ windy days.
If the sun is out the grounds are moving like wheat on the ranches I shoot em on. I consider myself lucky.

 

[AckleymanII]

All my dog shooting went to crap after the ignorant "Area Coordinators" in VARMINT HUNTING MAGAZINE put an X on the spot of all my many dog towns.. IDIOTS!

 

[Tommie]

All my dog shooting went to crap after the ignorant "Area Coordinators" in VARMINT HUNTING MAGAZINE put an X on the spot of all my many dog towns.. IDIOTS!

Seriously? They “outed” poodle spots?! Unreal.

 

[JSH]

Thats like giving out the location of all your Crappie beds.