Praire Dog Hunting Why do you shoot them?

[Prose]

A few days only worrying about the wind and your trigger finger can do a lot for a persons wellbeing.

 

[Tommie]

You shooting grasshoppers?

What would you consider minimum caliber for large insects?

Oh man. It’s actually a thing and I’ve done it. Load up a pump or lever action .22 with ratshot then start walking through a field. Best wing shooting ever!

 

[Ackman]

Years ago at a party, talking with some liberal anti-gun/anti-hunting woman. She asked that same question "...why......." I told her "God gave man the potential to enjoy blowing those things up. It's my duty to God to fulfill that potential." She didn't know what to say.

 

[bobm]

In my life I have shot a dump truck full of dogs. Most recently I had the opportunity to kill 128 dogs that were slated to be poisoned by my town. I got them with a .22 airgun between Nov. 15 and Dec. 30th. These were "city" dogs in the town limits with little fear of humans. Easy pickings out to 60 yards. The raptors and scavengers ate well those weeks. I did not leave many for the exterminator.

 

[sw282]

Shooting prairie dogs is the MOST fun l have ever had with a gun. At my age more fun than ANYTHING;-)

 

[jpx2rk]

In my life I have shot a dump truck full of dogs. Most recently I had the opportunity to kill 128 dogs that were slated to be poisoned by my town. I got them with a .22 airgun between Nov. 15 and Dec. 30th. These were "city" dogs in the town limits with little fear of humans. Easy pickings out to 60 yards. The raptors and scavengers ate well those weeks. I did not leave many for the exterminator.

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When I was out in Colorado last year, as we were leaving the city, I saw lots and lots of PD's along the interstate we traveled. Oh, how I wish I had brought my little 22 RF, could have picked off several dozen while sitting in a traffic jam. LOL

 

[Larryh128]

What has been stated , a large colony will EXPAND 10-20 acres a year. Imagine that!

 

[mongo chicago]

Other ways they are dangerous.

 

[Bill K]

P/dogs are of no value......food source for Eagles...Badgers.....Weasals...

They do make fun targets.....especially with a heavy 20 cal dog gun....partial to 20's

Where you can watch the bullet impact and then a second later feel the recoil pat

Yes......the Plague.....you can be infected by this.....picking up your carcasses is a no no...no BS

pic.....a pair of these guys in your field can ruin a day of shootin'

These Golden's and other raptors, even the gulls don't ruin our day shooting squeeks. In fact they land and start eating on the little critters after we have given them acrobatic lessons. SMILE.

 

[sw282]

Not true that prairie dogs are of no use on the praire.
All the animals that live on the prairie live in holes dug by prairie dogs. Untold numbers of Indians and pioneers depended on them for food

 

[powderbrake]

I once explained that shooting prairie dogs was like shooting beer cans, except these beer cans have legs, and can run and hide.

 

[markT]

I’ve seen places where the owner either poisoned or they had the plague and now the grass is very green and looks great. I guess the burrows have filled in with time or maybe not. But it sure seems that those rodents aerated and somehow made the soil very fertile.

 

[Randall Hardy]

The ones we shoot have adapted. South Dakota hood rats

 

[Sieg]

I've been shooting digger squirrels in Oregon with basically the same group for 27 years now. It's the annual 4 day event that I look forward to more than any other. Some years we make two trips.

I like to shoot (bad day 300rds, great day 800rds), like the challenge, constant varying distances and conditions, highly reactive targets, the raptors love seeing us, enjoy driving backroads where just about everyone waves at passerbyes, and the sanity of conversing with the farmers and ranchers in small rural communities at morning coffee/breakfast or after work at the local watering hole.

 

[sw282]

Seig. I was fortunate enough to be able to shoot the Goose Lake area some yrs back. Flew in with a 77/17HMR and 1200rds of ammo. Left empty. Fingers sore from loading 4/8rd magazines. Shot em in the snow even/early May..Talk about RED MIST. Golden Eagles are HUGE!!!!
ps.. l refuse to shoot a chipmunk. Just too cute.

 

[Downeast]

I was raised to eat what I killed. So it may be a lot of fun killing them but unless someone has a good recipe I'll pass. I have to admit though, young groundhog (woodchuck to you city folks) are good eating.

 

[Lefty Trigger]

I have never been hunting for prairie dogs but it would be fun, like "whack-a-mole" with a rifle. I remember going on vacation to the Devils Tower and we stopped for pics and there was hundreds of them in this huge field with signs on the fence stating "Do not feed the prairie dogs because they have the plague" which is spread by the flees on them so the park rangers said.

 

[Jtate]

For fun, the only thing that comes close is shooting Velvet monkeys out of trees.

 

[GrocMax]

I guess you have never been charged by a large boar prairie dog?
Popping their teeth and trying to slash you with their claws. They will then run to the mound after one of these charges and rear up on their hind legs giving warning of the next charge.
Yes sir nothing like it to get the adrenaline flowing and the heart pounding.

(South Park Referance:ON)

"They're a comin' right for us!"

Coyotes are the vector for sylvatic plague spread. See nothing but mangy ones, its plague time. DO NOT touch a mangy looking coyote, leave them lay where they dropped.

 

[JSH]

I won’t say they don’t serve a purpose. A little reading and one will get a fair idea.
Only varmint I have not seen a good use for was a democrat, other than the comedy the produce at times.