Just got back from PD shooting in SD!

[Viperdoc]

We just returned from a five day trip to western SD and a prairie dog shoot. All of it was on private land, since the public hunting season opened on the 15th. Weather was 70-80 every day, mostly dry, with some showers every evening. Fields were accessible.

Shooting was great- we had a Volquartsen 17HMR, an AR in 223, and a 6.5 Creedmoor. In three different locations we set up and shot continuously until we got too tired and hot and called it a day. We averaged 400 HMR rounds, 200 of 223, and 100 in 6.5 every day- it was great. My best shot was with the 6.5, with the laser indicating somewhere between 780 and 1100 yards, and at this range I was able to recover from the recoil to see the PD go flying. Most shots were under 200 yards, and there were plenty in this range.

Just driving around we saw antelope grazing by the side of the road, lots of rooster pheasants, and a bunch of mule deer. Luckily, did not see any rattlesnakes.

So, there are still places to go where the shooting was great- have fun this year. There was certainly no lack of prairie dogs.

I've already started reloading for next year's hunt, and am thinking about going out again even this summer if time permits- it was a blast!

 

[RJinTexas]

Doc, four of us Texans just returned from our 10th annual four day shoot in Kansas but unlike you our shooting was way down this year. They must have had the plague go through that area. We talked with ranchers who said they didn't poision and yet in a lot of the towns located on their lands they had very few dogs and in some towns there were none at all. The four of us only averaged less then 100 shots each per day and as a group we shoot under 1500 total rounds for the trip. We each typically average somewhere between 1000 to 1200 round for a three and a half day shoot, we always knock off around noon the last day. I hate to see this once target rich enviroment play out but the dogs have been steadily declining the last three years. Damn it's a long ways up to S.D. from Texas.

 

[jonbearman]

You ought to call the dept. of natural resources and ask what is going on,but they will deny any knowledge of the problem like they do in new york. It may have to do with the increase in coyotes and the like. They have done a job on our deer population here in upstate new york.

 

[Martin S]

Where did you shoot in Kansas? I shot Hatcher's out side of Syracus, Kansas last year and it was the same way. Thousands of holes but no dogs.
Viperdog...glad you had a good shoot.
Martin

 

[Viperdoc]

Our hunts were arranged through the B and B we have stayed at for the past few years, so the ranchers all know the owner well. It is an area of the country where honesty and integrity mean more than making a few dollars. All of the ranchers wanted to make sure we had a good time, which we did.

Already planning our return trip, maybe even again this summer.

Sorry to hear about the poor hunting in other areas.