Wyoming does not consider prairie dogs a game animal. I have called Game and Fish many times and I have never got an answer that will do me any good.
Help: Wanting to Prairie Dog Hunt
- Thread starter Angela71
- Start date
A friend went there a few years ago. Terrible experience. They tried to change their rates after he got there. The accommodations were disappointing. Swore never to go back.
Rockin 7 ranch in Wyoming is great. Hunted there several years until they reduced their season. First class accommodations, great food. A bit on the costly side but I always felt it was worth it.
Prose
Silver $$ Contributor
I shoot a lot of reservations and have found it to be a good time and free of charge. Had some incidents over the years but taking the time to get to know folks has helped.
If you are looking for low-fee, no-fee shooting you'll have to knock and ask at each farm. Someone always knows somebody that is willing.
I once asked a fella if I could shoot in his stable and he said I could so long as I helped him brand a couple cows. Been shooting there ten years now.
If you are looking for low-fee, no-fee shooting you'll have to knock and ask at each farm. Someone always knows somebody that is willing.
I once asked a fella if I could shoot in his stable and he said I could so long as I helped him brand a couple cows. Been shooting there ten years now.
DirtySteve
Gold $$ Contributor
Anyone know if you can shoot at Thunder Basin in WY?? That would be a good do it yourself hunting if it is allowed there.
Thunder basin has a lot of public ground, but you have to be careful. Things change because of protecting some grass or animal.
Do your homework now, as it will payoff when you want to head out. A lot of western Dakotas have been decimated with drought. Many ranchers do not want potential fires started by gunfire or their shooters. Mission, SD area used to have thousands right along the highways. Look around on Google Earth, you can see the pockmarks in pastures, those are prairie dog mounds.
jepp2
Gold $$ Contributor
My information is a couple of years old, so it might have changed. I made a big loop through Thunder Basin entering off 59 by the very small town of Bill. I had marked my Grasslands map to show the area you CANNOT shoot PD's. They have this available in the office in Douglas.
All the PD's I saw were in the CANNOT shoot area where they are re-introducing the black footed ferret. It was a big disappointment to me.
I Hunted them on Rosebud Indian reservation in Rosebud SD, in 2003 . The reservation charged a 25$ fee per week for hunting and offered a list of guides they charged $25 to drive you to a field and point you in the right direction. The only thing that slowed down the shooting was the barrels would get to hot to touch and needed cleaning.
THIS
The farmers in SD Hate those PD's. If they find out you are a hunter, they will most likely buy you a cup of coffee, borrow your map and point you right to the dogs!
If you do a Google search, you'll find a map that shows prairie dog populations of the United States and you will see that Southwestern South Dakota has more prairie dogs than all other states combined. that doesn't mean you can't find prairie dogs to shoot in other states it just means your odds of finding large towns are better in that area. I shot in the grasslands out of Bill last year and there was no shortage of prairie dogs. they had been protected for a number of years because of the reintroduction of the ferret and the ferrets main food is prairie dogs. If you're going to hunt the grasslands, I suggest a GPS with the Onyx map so that you are sure of what land you're on public or private. Getting permission to hunt shoot on private land can be time-consuming. locating the landowner it's not always easy. But most landowners we run into are happy to have you. Good luck
Boyd L.
Witty comment under development
I’ve been in this boat as well. When visiting my son at Minot AFB, I inquired at a local gun shop about shooting the Richardson ground squirrel. The proprietor pulled out a map and shared a location south of Williston that required an hour and a half or so of driving. A pile of 17HMR ammo and some accessories that I dropped on the counter sure seemed to encourage his glasnost.
I'd like to go out there to hunt coyotes as well. The first time I shot pd's, I learned real quick that if your recoil is too much to keep your eye in the scope picture so that you can watch the show... then it's really missing out on the cheap thrill... I had to use 17hmr the whole time... but 1200 dogs never saw another sunrise after we spent a week after them.
No license needed for prairie dogs & other rodents in Wyoming & Montana, not having hunted rodents in other states I cannot comment on licensing requirements. I believe that Washington has some license requirements. The other rodents being gophers & rock chucks. If new to the area I would suggest hiring a guide or outfitter. Prices are not cheap at about $200 per day per person for a unguided hunt. Landowners don't like the rodents but appreciate income from hunters and are cautious about potential liability from hunting. Go on line and search for prairie dog hunts. The Montana Dept. Parks (fish & feathers) has a list of private land open to hunting. BLM info is also there. Some Google map satellite views are good enough to spot prairie dog mounds.
Be aware that there are potential hazards when hunting these rodents, the biggest one is getting stuck in the notorious Montana gumbo (mud) if off gravel roads, if on 2 track & if it starts to rain retreat. Other hazards are flash floods to occur in what might appear to be a dried stream bed - I have seen a wall of mud, water, & debris come down with little or no warning. Then there are rattle snakes, the hides make a nice trophy of your adventure but don't step on one - normally the snakes will retreat but not always. A good place to hunt or avoid snakes are areas near water like boggy areas and streams with cover near small rodent populations. The rattle snakes vary in color from green brown to brown and the biggest one I have seen was close to 4 feet long. So much for snake stories, Texas members would be able to surpass anything I could come up with.
Check out areas using Google maps satellite. After sizing up the situation with an outfitter and when driving back home stop at some locations that look good for rodents and introduce your self - a nice card with name & address & other info might help to get you a hunting spot. Being a NRA member helps, Mrs. Fyrewall has an good track record of getting hunt permission. More than once a land owner has interrupted our retreat to our vehicle to grant permission. A gift or $$ help. Act nice.
Bring at least 2 rifles, 3 is better, and lots of ammo - up to 300 rounds per day. I like the .20 calibers but many like .223's, especially AR types.
Be aware that there are potential hazards when hunting these rodents, the biggest one is getting stuck in the notorious Montana gumbo (mud) if off gravel roads, if on 2 track & if it starts to rain retreat. Other hazards are flash floods to occur in what might appear to be a dried stream bed - I have seen a wall of mud, water, & debris come down with little or no warning. Then there are rattle snakes, the hides make a nice trophy of your adventure but don't step on one - normally the snakes will retreat but not always. A good place to hunt or avoid snakes are areas near water like boggy areas and streams with cover near small rodent populations. The rattle snakes vary in color from green brown to brown and the biggest one I have seen was close to 4 feet long. So much for snake stories, Texas members would be able to surpass anything I could come up with.
Check out areas using Google maps satellite. After sizing up the situation with an outfitter and when driving back home stop at some locations that look good for rodents and introduce your self - a nice card with name & address & other info might help to get you a hunting spot. Being a NRA member helps, Mrs. Fyrewall has an good track record of getting hunt permission. More than once a land owner has interrupted our retreat to our vehicle to grant permission. A gift or $$ help. Act nice.
Bring at least 2 rifles, 3 is better, and lots of ammo - up to 300 rounds per day. I like the .20 calibers but many like .223's, especially AR types.
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colorado has a season and requires a license.
if it is "damage" control, you can shoot them on private land all year.
if it is "damage" control, you can shoot them on private land all year.
I avoid the little rounds like 17 hornet and even 223. It is far more fun to use a 22-250 or its ackley cousin for proper prairie dog flights and explosions.
Unfortunately, we have never been on a pdog hunt. is it best to go in Summer, or anytime? we were thinking about going in late June, early July. We would consider a guide, but was in hopes to locate a private land owner that would accommodate our adventure! any recommendations on guides or how to get in touch with private land owners? any information would be GREATLY APPRECIATED...
Thank you for reaching out to me on this forum
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