Paying $$$ for a Prairie Dog Hunt

[centershot]

So do you consider $300 a day plus tip for shooting prairie dogs a bit high? Lodging is included but not food. Thoughts?

 

[L1986]

I think that is subjective a little. Are you up for a DIY hunt or not want to mess with the hassle? What is the lodging like? Awesome lodge or someone's shed/guest house? How much acreage do they have access to? I would want to be sure the place was highly reviewed and vetted before I dropped that kind of money for sure. I think there are a lot of "guides" out there that are shady and looking for a quick dollar, much like the waterfowl guiding around here. The DIY this is doable if you are willing to knock on a few doors and are respectful and polite. All that said, if the dogs are out in numbers and you have a good guide that will put you in them all day, it's quite a lot of fun for 300 bucks a day! I have spent a lot more for a lot less! It's all about what you want/expect from the experience. And what that experience is worth to you.

 

[Prairiedogger]

It comes down to what your time, and work is worth to you.
Do you want to drive in and shoot for a period of time? Or are do you want to put in some time, and effort in some homework?
Sometimes one is worth the price. You get to decide.. Which one???

 

[jepp2]

So do you consider $300 a day plus tip for shooting prairie dogs a bit high?

I have hunted with an outfitter in SD several times. His package hunt runs $900 + tax for 3 days 4 nights. All food, vehicles, equipment (less rifles) are provided. A real first class operation.

I have seen ads for the Sheridan WY area where for $200 per day, they take you to a pasture and drop you off for the rest of the day, You are on your own.

 

[retired]

i have paid but no where near those prices.
100 per person for three days in a modern furnished bunkhouse.
access to over 2000 acres had to promise to not shoot he buffalo.
i like shooting them but they have been thin and the prices have gone up.

 

[rflshtr]

How much time are you willing to spend looking for towns and driving to lodging at end of day? For the group I shoot with, we like to go to good towns, shoot most of the day and not drive very far at end of day to lodging. We like cooking and socializing at end of day. Costs for us with us providing some of food and using hosts vehicles are between $250 to $300 per day per shooter and include four nights lodging for a three day shoot and well worth it for us since the host also stays with us all day and spots for us. If you have lots of time to search for towns and permission to shoot and have vehicles and camping gear, maybe a DIY deal is better for you. I personally want to stay close to towns rather than drive 50 to 100 miles to lodging at end of day, eat restaurant food and do it all over again the next day. YMMV.

 

[centershot]

Another question. How large of a group do you consider too big? 5?

 

[mongo chicago]

In the last seven hunts, I have hunted with two top line outfitters. One in Wyoming, one in South Dakota. Both hit around the $600.00 per day mark. Hunt - food - lodging included. One even drove you to the towns in their vehicles. Although on the expensive side, I consider it money well spent. Have hunted with five other less expensive outfitters and the outings were disappointing to say the least. In the cheaper hunts, if you factor in the lodging and food and extra gas to get to the hotel and diners, it really isn't that much more costly. For me, I am not about to drive a thousand miles to knock on doors and hopefully shoot at couple of dogs. Just my two cents.

 

[L1986]

Another question. How large of a group do you consider too big? 5?

A lot of that would depend on how big the towns are and rather you are willing to split up. I have been in towns where we could park in the middle and shoot in all directions and we had six and could have had a few more without problems. I have also been in towns where three was too many. If everyone is on the same page and nothing gets "western" I would think five is doable. Last time I went a buddy's buddy and dad tagged along. Huge mistake! Tweddle-dee and tweddle-dad would start popping dogs with 22s out of the truck window on every field we would drive into! Just make sure you are familiar with all going and someone needs to be the "boss" in the group so things go as planned and all have fun! No if you go with a reputable guide this should be his responsibility, other than not bringing jackasses and their dads Have fun with it and be safe. It's one of my favorite things to do!

 

[Liven The Dream]

I am old .
In our day a drive to South Dakoda , cheap Motel , drive on the reservation Pay a local Indian $10 t0 $30 per person a day.
Gas was .98 a gal.

 

[mongo chicago]

I am old .
In our day a drive to South Dakoda , cheap Motel , drive on the reservation Pay a local Indian $10 t0 $30 per person a day.
Gas was .98 a gal.

I can remember when parking meters in Chicago accepted pennies!!!!!

 

[drover]

I am in the camp that would urge you to find a reputable outfitter and pay the price. You could spend most of your time knocking on doors and asking around cafes, feed mills, etc and still come up empty handed or having wasted so much time that you miss most of your shooting days.

drover

 

[North Fork]

I remember when the ranchers would pay you to shoot the sage rats

 

[Rick in Oregon]

I remember when the ranchers would pay you to shoot the sage rats

Yep, I remember that too. A couple of ranches we used to shoot here would always have a large stash of 22LR HP's, and would give each shooter a brick and say to us "go have at 'em!" 'Course that's when a brick cost around $7.99. Unfortunately, those days are now only a memory, and most ranches in these parts have their properties tied up with varmint shooting outfitters, thereby denying the locals the free shooting we've enjoyed for decades. Can't really blame them, as making a living off the land is a tough haul anymore, but it sucks for those of us who have enjoyed "economical rat shooting" for so many years.

If I were to head out for PD's again, I'd just bite the bullet and pay an outfitter to make sure I was shooting on the trip, and not knocking on doors and driving every county road in the area. Lucky for us here though, we're blessed with a sustainable crop of Beldings Ground Squirrels every year for our shooting enjoyment. (Enjoyable for us, not so much for the squirrels..... )

 

[markT]

Your post" paying $$$ for prairie dog hunt"
Anyway you do it is going to cost. I used to use a great outfitter that has since past. Craig Smith at Tripple Three. He was super nice. Always had dogs and would gear his hunts to the guys hunting. He would take me by myself out past the guys shooting from his wobbly tripod benchs. and he would spot for me or just drop me off..it was fantastic.. he would check on everybody and make sure we had targets. His price was reasonable.. everything was done for us. One morning he drove up in his F250 and said. If you want t to get the 500 yard club now is the time. I had not idea what the heck was talking about and he finally said "there ain't no wind" get in the back and i'll spot for you. I ended up hitting a dog at 729 yds. We looked and looked and looked for that dog. Finally he said there's that little b'strd.
Anyway sorry for rant, just brought back some good mememories and a "good" outfitter should give you that..
I have no idea what the going rate is..

 

[284winner]

Too each there own on what they believe is fair vs too high. I paid 125.00 per day for a ranch house on a 10,000 acre property full of dog towns plus the owner escorted us to the towns each day for 5 days. Pretty darn good deal. I shop around and research...ALOT before pulling the trigger on an all inclusive hunt. Many guys just find one and pay. It's easy, fast and one and done. To each there own. If your looking for the answer "yes 300.00 is too high, well, it is for me. Especially when I know I can find a better price with the same productivity in dog towns. Short answer is...How much time do you want to spend looking ? Good luck.

 

[people]

I would just hit up a café and talk to the people there to get access. Unless it is wet you can take a car to any of the towns I have ever been to.

 

[nmkid]

When I lived in Wyoming I hunted, (or had access) to thousands of acres of BLM land. Was there last summer and went out with my brother-in-law and had some fun. The area around Rock Springs has more open land than you could hunt in years.

 

[Prairiedogger]

YEP^^^^^^^^YEP^^^^^^^YEP

 

[centershot]

I believe that at the place I were to go to, the owner would just unlock the gate and let you on the property. Not an "outfitter."