jepp2
Gold $$ Contributor
Drove back yesterday from my annual prairie dog hunt in MT. Seems like lots of folks are getting ready, or have left on their hunts about this time. Thought I would share my experience this year. I have a super secret spot that I will never reveal the location of, so don't ask.
But I will share that it is an excellent spot, and I always have a good time with plenty of shooting. This year I decided to change up my routine just a bit. The last 2 years I have shot exclusively with a 17 HMR. Really enjoy the change from centerfire. Less work to get ready for me, and more sport, and more shooting. This year I added a 17 HM2 to my planned attack.
I went for 15 days, with 14 days to shoot if the weather cooperated. Well, I lost 4 days due to rain and was only able to shoot 10 days. I started with the 17 HMR, and switched to the Mach 2 for the last 4 days of the hunt. I shot at least 200 rounds every day, with 3 days at 300 or above. Total # of 17 HMR rounds fired through a Bergara BMR was 1407. And I fired 1120 rounds of the Mach 2 through my CZ 457 American wearing a Lilja barrel. I try to start early as soon as the dogs are up, and finished around 11:00 each day. The reason I didn't shoot later into the day? With the effort spotting and ranging targets, then the actual shot, I've spent about as much time looking through glass and making careful shots and the fun diminishes. Also the wind picks up typically around 11:00 and makes things even more challenging. Most of my shots are between 75 to 150 yards, so some really good shooting.
I found excellent population of pups, and they doubled in size the 14 days I was there. Some days over 3/4 of my shots were on pups. I killed 11 off one mound. If you haven't hunted them with a rimfire, you just can't imagine how much they ignore the lower muzzle blast and their siblings falling right and left of them. I got many doubles on pups when they lined up for me.
Since I didn't take many pictures this year, I'll share one of what I shot, and few from previous years I have taken. Good luck to everyone going this year!
But I will share that it is an excellent spot, and I always have a good time with plenty of shooting. This year I decided to change up my routine just a bit. The last 2 years I have shot exclusively with a 17 HMR. Really enjoy the change from centerfire. Less work to get ready for me, and more sport, and more shooting. This year I added a 17 HM2 to my planned attack.
I went for 15 days, with 14 days to shoot if the weather cooperated. Well, I lost 4 days due to rain and was only able to shoot 10 days. I started with the 17 HMR, and switched to the Mach 2 for the last 4 days of the hunt. I shot at least 200 rounds every day, with 3 days at 300 or above. Total # of 17 HMR rounds fired through a Bergara BMR was 1407. And I fired 1120 rounds of the Mach 2 through my CZ 457 American wearing a Lilja barrel. I try to start early as soon as the dogs are up, and finished around 11:00 each day. The reason I didn't shoot later into the day? With the effort spotting and ranging targets, then the actual shot, I've spent about as much time looking through glass and making careful shots and the fun diminishes. Also the wind picks up typically around 11:00 and makes things even more challenging. Most of my shots are between 75 to 150 yards, so some really good shooting.
I found excellent population of pups, and they doubled in size the 14 days I was there. Some days over 3/4 of my shots were on pups. I killed 11 off one mound. If you haven't hunted them with a rimfire, you just can't imagine how much they ignore the lower muzzle blast and their siblings falling right and left of them. I got many doubles on pups when they lined up for me.
Since I didn't take many pictures this year, I'll share one of what I shot, and few from previous years I have taken. Good luck to everyone going this year!
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