Spent a week in SD prairie doggin' with my friend, Terry. It turned out to be one of my best trips ever....been doing this since the 80's.
Day 1: Drove out on Thursday against a 40+ MPH wind. Mileage was poor, 13 MPG on the diesel, with 6x6 Polaris in the pick up box but I figured I'd get a tail wind on the way back to even things out.
After a 9+ hour drive I arrived at about 7:30 at Terry's place. Another friend Greg had arrived earlier.
Day 2:
Next morning we took off about 9:00 for a ranch nearby. My results for the first day were 181/240.
My rig set up:
Day 3:
We went to an egg shoot match nearby, 100 and 200 yards. We shot eggs to qualify and pool cue chalks in the finals. It took a clean 15 eggs in a row to make the finals in both events.
Gregg won the 200 shooting a 6 BR, I won the 100 with a PD Triple Deuce, and Terry was 3rd in each event with a 30 BR. In the 100, 5 shooters made the finals, shooting round robin one at a time until you miss. 3 dropped out by the 6th shot. We shot 5 more, now 11 in a row before they halted us and switched to bullseye target, one shot closest to the center. We both missed a wind switch on the flags but I just cut the bull circle for the win.
Greg's finals in the 200 were much tougher in the prairie winds although there there there were only two shooters who cleaned 15 eggs to make the finals. They alternated hitting and missing the chalks until Greg finally prevailed after about 5 or 6 shots.
Day 4 Gregg left for home and Terry had other friends arrive for PD'n. I stayed in.
Day 5 more of the same.
Day 6:
I set out on my own to check out some towns about 50 miles away I have shot over the years. I'd heard that they might be off limits due to ferret introduction but they were not posted. I left Terry's about 2:00 PM to catch the 4:00-8:00 shooting time.
On the way I met two shooters with tables set up right in the middle of the county road. They moved them away for me to pass.
I checked out a favorite location but there were already shooters there so I backtracked and ran into the guys on the road again. As I passed we talked and I mentioned "I'm not sure, but I don't think you can shoot PDs off a county road". They said they were first timers and were grateful for the advice. I later confirmed with my warden friend that I was correct.
I went to a town that was close by, but secluded from county road and shot the rest of the afternoon. It appeared to have not been shot all year, dogs everywhere and not spooky....lots of half grown pups.
Shot till about 8:00 PM.
Results: 138/161
Day 7:
By myself, 50 miles, PM shoot:
I chose a location that has always been good, three separate towns over about two miles. I skipped the first town because it's visible from the county road and heavily shot. Unloaded the 6x6 and drove to the middle town, it looked good, lots of PDs, so I set up. By the time I was set up all dogs were down...oh oh...not good. But I stayed and took a few shots and the dogs gradually gave me a steady diet of shots from 100 to 300 yards. I never did make it to the larger town at the end of the two track.
I left at 7:30, a little early, to visit my warden friend on the way back to Terry's.
Results: 96/129
Day 8:
Terry and I tried a town on the Missouri I hadn't been to for 20+ years. I couldn't remember which two track to access it and of course I chose the wrong one. We had some shooting on part of the town but couldn't access the main 2-3 mile part due to an impassable creek/drainage....Shoulda chose the other two track! Shooting was poor so we decided to pack it in and head for home.
I drove one of Terry's rigs this day:
Results:
21/29
Day 9, last shooting day:
By myself again, PM shoot, back to the day 6 town:
This town is about a section in size maybe a little less based on Google Earth photo. Day six I had shot about 40-60 acres of it. Figured I'd cover most of the town today.
Started shooting where I left off. Dogs were again everywhere, pups galore, 2s, 3s, 4s and some 5-6s on a mound.
I only moved my 6x6 two times after initial set up over 4 hours of shooting and still only covered about 80 acres of this virgin town. Shot up all the 5+ year old 223 ammo I had left first and switched to my 20 Vartarg for the last 150+ shots.
Results:
250/261 with 14 doubles and maybe an uncounted triple or two
90% of shots between 100-150 yards with a couple 250s taken just to see if I could keep up the pace.
Rifles and loads:
1.
Stock Rem 700 Varminter 223, Rifle Basics, 4 oz trigger, suppressed.
LC brass, 40 V-Max, CFE 223, CCI 400s, @ 3400.
Action Bedded and lead shot and epoxy in forearm and lead shot only in buttstock....17+ lbs.
2.
Rem 700 Varminter 20 Vartarg, X-Caliber 11T, 3G. Action blueprinted and bolt sleeved, Jewell 2 oz trigger, bedded and lead shot as above.
LC brass, 40 V-Max, CFE BLK, CCI 400s @ 3400 fps.
3. Savage 12 single shot, .222, Rifle Basics 4 oz trigger, bedded, 3 inch aluminum forearm, 9T Shilen, re-chambered from 22-250 @ 500 rounds. Didn't use PD'n.
LC brass, 50 TNT, Benchmark, CCI BR 4s, @ 3250.
OBSERVATIONS:
1. Suppression:
PDs stay up longer and reappear quicker when suppressed.
2. .224 vs .204 40 V-Max:
Despite the smaller diameter, .204s appear to hit harder than .224s, both @ 3400 fps. PDs are frequently dismembered.
3. PD Cannibalism:
I have always thought PDs were omnivores based on years of observing them biting on dead companions. This year I saw one carry a dismembered leg in its mouth up onto a mound and begin eating it. It was his "last supper".
Day 10:
Good bye to friends, new and old, and head for home, 538 miles in Minnesota Arrowhead. Another head wind....no luck. Diesel truck started running rough about 100 miles from home. Limped in and lost power next day on test run......lucky to be home.
Summary: 686/820....83.7 %
By far my best PD shoot ever in % of hits. I shot PMs only when by myself.....very relaxing and little exhaustion from heat and long hours on the prairie.
Until next year.....
Day 1: Drove out on Thursday against a 40+ MPH wind. Mileage was poor, 13 MPG on the diesel, with 6x6 Polaris in the pick up box but I figured I'd get a tail wind on the way back to even things out.
After a 9+ hour drive I arrived at about 7:30 at Terry's place. Another friend Greg had arrived earlier.
Day 2:
Next morning we took off about 9:00 for a ranch nearby. My results for the first day were 181/240.
My rig set up:
Day 3:
We went to an egg shoot match nearby, 100 and 200 yards. We shot eggs to qualify and pool cue chalks in the finals. It took a clean 15 eggs in a row to make the finals in both events.
Gregg won the 200 shooting a 6 BR, I won the 100 with a PD Triple Deuce, and Terry was 3rd in each event with a 30 BR. In the 100, 5 shooters made the finals, shooting round robin one at a time until you miss. 3 dropped out by the 6th shot. We shot 5 more, now 11 in a row before they halted us and switched to bullseye target, one shot closest to the center. We both missed a wind switch on the flags but I just cut the bull circle for the win.
Greg's finals in the 200 were much tougher in the prairie winds although there there there were only two shooters who cleaned 15 eggs to make the finals. They alternated hitting and missing the chalks until Greg finally prevailed after about 5 or 6 shots.
Day 4 Gregg left for home and Terry had other friends arrive for PD'n. I stayed in.
Day 5 more of the same.
Day 6:
I set out on my own to check out some towns about 50 miles away I have shot over the years. I'd heard that they might be off limits due to ferret introduction but they were not posted. I left Terry's about 2:00 PM to catch the 4:00-8:00 shooting time.
On the way I met two shooters with tables set up right in the middle of the county road. They moved them away for me to pass.
I checked out a favorite location but there were already shooters there so I backtracked and ran into the guys on the road again. As I passed we talked and I mentioned "I'm not sure, but I don't think you can shoot PDs off a county road". They said they were first timers and were grateful for the advice. I later confirmed with my warden friend that I was correct.
I went to a town that was close by, but secluded from county road and shot the rest of the afternoon. It appeared to have not been shot all year, dogs everywhere and not spooky....lots of half grown pups.
Shot till about 8:00 PM.
Results: 138/161
Day 7:
By myself, 50 miles, PM shoot:
I chose a location that has always been good, three separate towns over about two miles. I skipped the first town because it's visible from the county road and heavily shot. Unloaded the 6x6 and drove to the middle town, it looked good, lots of PDs, so I set up. By the time I was set up all dogs were down...oh oh...not good. But I stayed and took a few shots and the dogs gradually gave me a steady diet of shots from 100 to 300 yards. I never did make it to the larger town at the end of the two track.
I left at 7:30, a little early, to visit my warden friend on the way back to Terry's.
Results: 96/129
Day 8:
Terry and I tried a town on the Missouri I hadn't been to for 20+ years. I couldn't remember which two track to access it and of course I chose the wrong one. We had some shooting on part of the town but couldn't access the main 2-3 mile part due to an impassable creek/drainage....Shoulda chose the other two track! Shooting was poor so we decided to pack it in and head for home.
I drove one of Terry's rigs this day:
Results:
21/29
Day 9, last shooting day:
By myself again, PM shoot, back to the day 6 town:
This town is about a section in size maybe a little less based on Google Earth photo. Day six I had shot about 40-60 acres of it. Figured I'd cover most of the town today.
Started shooting where I left off. Dogs were again everywhere, pups galore, 2s, 3s, 4s and some 5-6s on a mound.
I only moved my 6x6 two times after initial set up over 4 hours of shooting and still only covered about 80 acres of this virgin town. Shot up all the 5+ year old 223 ammo I had left first and switched to my 20 Vartarg for the last 150+ shots.
Results:
250/261 with 14 doubles and maybe an uncounted triple or two
90% of shots between 100-150 yards with a couple 250s taken just to see if I could keep up the pace.
Rifles and loads:
1.
Stock Rem 700 Varminter 223, Rifle Basics, 4 oz trigger, suppressed.
LC brass, 40 V-Max, CFE 223, CCI 400s, @ 3400.
Action Bedded and lead shot and epoxy in forearm and lead shot only in buttstock....17+ lbs.
2.
Rem 700 Varminter 20 Vartarg, X-Caliber 11T, 3G. Action blueprinted and bolt sleeved, Jewell 2 oz trigger, bedded and lead shot as above.
LC brass, 40 V-Max, CFE BLK, CCI 400s @ 3400 fps.
3. Savage 12 single shot, .222, Rifle Basics 4 oz trigger, bedded, 3 inch aluminum forearm, 9T Shilen, re-chambered from 22-250 @ 500 rounds. Didn't use PD'n.
LC brass, 50 TNT, Benchmark, CCI BR 4s, @ 3250.
OBSERVATIONS:
1. Suppression:
PDs stay up longer and reappear quicker when suppressed.
2. .224 vs .204 40 V-Max:
Despite the smaller diameter, .204s appear to hit harder than .224s, both @ 3400 fps. PDs are frequently dismembered.
3. PD Cannibalism:
I have always thought PDs were omnivores based on years of observing them biting on dead companions. This year I saw one carry a dismembered leg in its mouth up onto a mound and begin eating it. It was his "last supper".
Day 10:
Good bye to friends, new and old, and head for home, 538 miles in Minnesota Arrowhead. Another head wind....no luck. Diesel truck started running rough about 100 miles from home. Limped in and lost power next day on test run......lucky to be home.
Summary: 686/820....83.7 %
By far my best PD shoot ever in % of hits. I shot PMs only when by myself.....very relaxing and little exhaustion from heat and long hours on the prairie.
Until next year.....
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