New 6br and a future P-dog hunt

[P1ZombieKiller]

Just built my first 6br for the purpose of poking holes in paper.

Rem 700 trued action
28' 1.250 straight PacNor barrel 1:8 with Harrell’s muzzle break
Bolt bushed and pin turned by Gre-Tan
McMillan A-5 stock
Badger 20 MOA base
Jewel trigger
NF rings
Sightron S3 8-32x56

Well… those paper targets usually don’t move too much,contrary to my excuses on my group sizes) so I needed a different challenge. Fortunate for me, I found a couple of guys that are allowing me to go P-dog shooting with them in a couple of weeks. I have never been, but read about those trips on here all the time. I am EXTREMELY STOKED about going and testing not only my skills, but the ability of my newest build. I’m hoping to start a page on my web site about this endeavor. I just don’t know how I’m going to find the time to write all that I want to write.

If you have any tips or tricks for me, please let me know. I am as green as it comes to this type of sport. I do know that I need to take 3-4 guns for the 4 day shoot. I have a couple of factory 204’s, and another custom 260 that will accompany my newest 6br. Should I bring a 22 rim fire too? Or just let those 204’s at 3900 fps take care of anything inside 100 yards too?

 

[Woody]

Nice!

.204 Ruger for the close suicidal varmints too. Try the .260 on those as well. I have a 10' vertical and 24' horizontal from a 60 yd dog with a 25-06. Awesome! You just don't get those kind of memories with a rimfire.

Woody

 

[patchhound]

Man, were do I start. The gear you bring will make or break a trip out to PDland. A lot has to do with were you going and how far you are from what you might need. Lots of water is a start, it will be hot were in Wy in a few more weeks but it dont hurt to bring warm close incase it snows...Its best to wear leather boots unless your real good at dodging cactose while walking around. Good sunsceen will save the day too. If your freinds been out before they should be able to let you in on most the stuff like that. It really maters on if your on some freindly ranch or 100 miles in the middle of BFE. Good survival gear is a good thing to have for the later!

I bring my 10/22 almost alway`s, running out of ammo sucks, and with all the 'little ones' that will be out soon, well, I let you figure out the rest

Anyway`s, hope that helped.

 

[RJinTexas]

Wes, I believe this should help you with your firearm decision process, I'll provide you with a list of necessities and helpful equipment in a later email. In most of the locations that we'll be shooting we'll usually set up a minimum of 200yds from the edge of a major dog town, this will help to keep us from putting the dogs down. The dumb young pups will be out this time of the year and they're hard to put down for long but they're only about the size of a ground squirel this time of the year. There's always dogs that will pop up from time to time that will be close, there will most likely be some mounds where we set up. I've had pups come out within a few feet of my shooting bench. We'll start by working over the close in dogs and shooting our way out, some of these towns may run in excess of 500/600yds deep. Last year we shot a field that was 880 ac and I honestly don't believe there was anywhere in it that there wasn't dogs, we'd just shoot and moving up to keep them within 400yds. When we drove out there seemed to be as many dogs out running around as we had seen before we started shooting, we actually shot this field for two and a half days and never put a dent in them. But we were the first group of hunters to shoot this field in years. I'm sure these dogs got well educated before the our outfitter's season ended. In several locations we'll be setting up on the upper rim of a large collie, there's a few places that you'll have a chance of getting into the 1000yd club. I believe that a rimfire will puts you at a distinct disadvantage. The only rimfire that will somewhat work is the 17 HMR and you can reload for your 204's for close to the cost of HMR ammo and you'll be less apt to be underguned. Your 204 will work well out to 300/400yds unless the wind is blowing hard which it does a lot up there. We classify a 10mph crosswind as a very calm day and what makes it a little more challenging is that usually also gusting. I only took my 17 HMR once, I've since even quit taking my 17 Mach IV because when the wind blows hard it range is limited to around 200 yds, gusting wind will play havick with 25 gr pills. Sure there's been days that I've wished I'd had it with me but not many. This low rolling hill country is full of wide deep long drywashes. We usually set up on top of a high edge of a deep collie where a couple of guys can be shoot across the drywash at the opposing hillside and down the collie in one direction while the other two guys are shooting the hillside behind them and down the collie the opposite direction. In the past we sometimes been able to shoot in one location for as long as half the day without running out of dogs and needing to move. The weather is the driving force and holds the key the our success. I've seen both of you guys shoot, you'll do fine.

When it requires a round trip that's close to being 1500 miles to shoot these varmints it's not often that one gets the chance to introduce new folks to a this great past time, let alone an adult father and son team. I'm looking forward to getting better acquainted with you and your dad and sharing this great experience with you both.

Regards
RJ

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

Believe me. My dad and I are really looking forward to this. I have to also thank Preacher who is helping me get things ready for this trip. Without his help the last few weeks, there is no way I would be in a place to go.

it's great that this forum has not only helped me move forward in my shooting skills, but it's introduced me to some really nice folks.

I truly hope I get to join your little PETA club.... Or at least do my part in your endeavor.

 

[mason]

That's a nice web page you have there,look forward to seeing some pics of your trip..

 

[AckleymanII]

Everyone is different, I leave the rimfires home. I discontinued even carrying a 22 Mag.

For me, if the dogs are not fly'en through the air, I'm not having fun.

 

[Stoner25mkiv]

I just got in Sat morning from a week long trip to South Dakota. It was the best weather we've had in 5 yrs of going out there. We always go the week before Memorial Day, and have always had little ones out, but not this year. They had a cool wet spring so maybe that was part of it.
Anyway, on to the rifles...17hmr, .223 Ackley bolt gun, .223 Ackley AR, and a 243 WSSM. Some years the 17 hmr isn;t removed from its' case. We had a couple windless days and the 17 was lots of fun. I'd walk into the dogtown and then lay down and wait. After 5 minutes or so I'd have dogs within easy rimfire range, and out to as far as I'd care to stretch the rimfire. 275 yards was about it.
I'd suggest an adjustable bipod if you are going to do any walking. A laser range finder is a huge asset. A fanny pack or backpack for extra ammo, water, bore snake, etc when you go on your walkabouts.
We also take a couple pivoting benches, heavy moving balnket, sanbags,Uncle Buds bullsbag) for shooting from near the vehicle. Boonie hat for blocking the sun, sun glasses, sunscreen. High leather boots.
The list goes on and on.

 

[CT10ring]

P1zombiekiller, Great rig-really sharp The 204 is a laser beam & good to 400 yds easy. Forget the rimfire! Do you have a portable bench that pivots? Bipod, binocs, Bring ALOT of water. I have a milspec sniper shooters mat/drag bag with shoulder straps- good to carry everything when you want to wander off & shoot prone w / tripod. Have fun & post some pix - info after you get back...
Here's a view from atop my 6BR in ND.

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

well... today is day 3, and we got rained out. Had a great time on the first 2 days. I'm shooting just under 50%. Doing more of my shooting with the 204 than the 6br. Mostly due to I'm just not ready to reach out past 500 yards yet. Trying to stay inside 350 with the 204, and having very good success since the wind has been under 10mph both days. Tomorrow is the last day we will be here, so I'm hoping the rain stops. Sitting in the lodge all day long makes me tired and bored.

I hit 1 triple, and a few doubles. Shot lots of video and can not wait to have it all put together in a DVD. I have seen the video's of people shooting the dog's, and them flying... well, I got to see that first hand this week, and I loved it. The weather this week has been AWESOME,except today). In the high 80's, maybe low 90's. very little wind. I was glad I brought the canopy so that I did not have to wear the sun block and the boonie hat.

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

Well.... finished up the hunt right at 50%. I had the BEST time. Longest shot was 434 with the 204,and it was a fluke).

I wanted to thank RJinTexas for inviting me to go,now that guy can reach out and touch some prairie dogs). He may have turned me on to something I hope to do for a very long time.

AS soon as I finish getting the Mpeg's together, I'll post a few of the pics. Got a few to fly several feet in the air.

 

[TheBlueEyedBear]

Hey Wes; sounds like you had a great time 'dog shootn'. Believe me, it will get addictive. And, 50% ain't bad. Especially since those little boogers are unarmed!! If shootn over in South Dakota is like here in Montana, that 50% with a 204 is pretty good considering the wind you can encounter on the plains.

Glad you had fun!!

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

Addictive is so right on. I am still pumped up about that trip, and all I can think about is going next year. There are soooo many things I was not ready for. The good thing is I have a whole year to get ready for it. The 1 thing that I did bring that no one told me about was a canopy. I'm so glad I did. Even though the weather was on the perfect side, I know that sun can/will humble you real fast.

We sat on shooting benches that pivot 360 degree's, and are fast and easy to set up. The shooting rests are not the greatest in the world, but they worked alright. I just sat down on a town, got my set up all nice and ready, and just shot when I had the opportunity. I never shot more than 150 rounds a day, and I like it just fine. I hear of guys shooting 500 rounds a day. I just don't want to do that. I'll be the first to admit, I whimper out a bit on the distances I shot at. Most all shots were 175 - 250. I just felt comfortable at that range. It was more fun for me to be able to film the hits, and that camcorder I was using just did not get good film past 350 yards. The digital zoom distorted the image too much. I knew I would only get this one chance to film my first P-dog outing, and I wanted to get it on film for looking back on when I can't remember the story any longer.

 

[CT10ring]

Wes,

Thanks for the report...good shooting! -the .204 is super, isn't it? I am headed out to ND & MT in a couple of weeks, and this gets me stoked... I have the same bench-you clearly got good advice for your set-up...

 

[Preacher]

Wes---

How come the 6br didn't get in on the fun ???

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

Wes---

How come the 6br didn't get in on the fun ???

Well... that's a sad story, and a rather embarrassing one too. I was invited to go on this hunt 2 weeks before it was to take place as 2 other guys dropped out. With very little time to prepare, I did not have time to go out and zero my scope on the 6br. I got down there, and could not hit squat. I was too embarrassed to tell the guide that I needed to zero, and so it did not see much time in the field. Pretty sad huh? But i knew the 204 was good to go, and it took care of business. I was just limited on the range I could shoot, but that actually worked in my favor, as I was not ready to go long range yet. I needed to take small steps.

 

[Preacher]

I'll buy that....
Little steps are better than no steps
Next time then.......

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

Here are a few pics from the video we shot. Not sure if we can add video to these threads or not, so I snapped a few images from the video. The quality is not all that great since they came from a camcorder.


******** delete as I have posted video now **********

 

[RJinTexas]

Folks, Wes is much to modest, let me tell you this young man can flat out shoot. Inside of 250yds he seldom missed and inside of 200yds he didn't miss at all. On the first day we experienced the only wind we had the three days of shooting and I observed him get a triple kill with his 204 at somewhere close to 400yds in a gusting x-wind. The last day both he and his father Charles shot for a very high percentage somewhere close to around 75%. I didn't shoot nearly as well as either of these men on my first P-dog shoot. As most p-dog shooters know it's very easy to get a little intimidated when faced with multiple unknown distances. I'm absolutely sure he'll do well and be better prepared for his next trip, now that he know what to expect. I'm sure he'll probable be prepared to teach this old man a thing or two. I'd like to say a man couldn't have ask for any better people to have shared shooting time with then the Johnson's, I really enjoyed introduce them to my favorite pass-time and watching them share this experience, seeing a father and his son enjoy quality time together warms ones soul no matter what their ages are.

I never did tell Wes the reason I choose to shoot at slightly longer distances is it gives me an excuse for missing which I do way to often. And Preacher I'll bet he'll have that 6BR Zeroed in and ready for his next trip. You sure did a fine job truing and chambering his rifle, that rig shoots exceptionally well, I've seen his groups at the range.

Regards
RJ

 

[P1ZombieKiller]

Well...my buddy Black Sabot has finished putting together a 1 minute video clip of some of the hits. We called it SPLAT. I am unsure if video can be posted here, so I put it on my web site and you can watch it here.

http://www.p1huntclub.com/1st_Prairie_Dog_Hunt.php

I sure did have fun. I now see what all you guys have been raving about for years. Just wished it would not have taken me 40,ish) years to finally figure it out. I'm sorry for my silly school girl laughs when I was shooting,not really). :lol: