Praire Dog Hunting Why do you shoot them?

[Sieg]

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.

And..... Chipmunks are a protected species in Oregon.

We had a day in far eastern Oregon before .17HMR when a buddy shot 1250rds from his Anschutz .22mag Sporter. 1 day, 4rd mags.

Hard to believe it was 18 years ago...…..

We shot the same field the next day with similar results. The Good Old days

This is why I love Sage Rat shooting, nothing will replace the memories of these trips.

Where we stayed, also surrounded by squirrels.

The best of times!

 

[sw282]

VHA magazine was THE BOOK back then. Wanna go shoot in Oregon¿? Or maybe Wyoming¿? Just pick up the BOOK and choose!!

 

[bobm]

Here is a couple of pictures of me and the bud's from '78. Digital pictures of Kodak 3.5" square paper 110 cartridge camera. Location is 20 mi. NE of Red Shirt, SD on the res. Harris bipods, Win. and Ruger .22-250's, 16x Redfield 6400's. PD heaven.

That one PD "rocket shot" was at 75yds. with me on the camera, buddy on the trigger of .22-250. Did a 3-2-1 countdown. Perfect timing. He went another foot higher, that's a chunk of him six feet left and high.

When things got slow we would chase coots in that pond at 1200 yards. Never hit one and they would come right back. Good times for sure.

 

[daniel brothers]

It's time to go make some more memories....isn't it???????

 

[Rick in Oregon]

It's time to go make some more memories....isn't it???????

Why yes it is! It won't be too long now, only a few weeks until the next sage rat safari. It's memories like this that keep us old guys young and looking forward to the upcoming season.

How could any of us NOT get excited, looking at a pic like this?



Tick-tock, almost time to rock!

 

[powderbrake]

Sometimes they stop for lunch, and you can smack them then.


But you have to watch out for the ones who are "packing"

 

[Tommie]

Why yes it is! It won't be too long now, only a few weeks until the next sage rat safari. It's memories like this that keep us old guys young and looking forward to the upcoming season.

How could any of us NOT get excited, looking at a pic like this?



Tick-tock, almost time to rock!

That photo is pure porno!
The pups are pretty large so I’m guessing the photo was taken late summer or early fall.

 

[markT]

Sieg, what is the guy on the ground in the green shirt doing?
I bet that platform would move when the wind is blowing...

 

[jepp2]

especially the alfalfa growers, they eat a whole lot of plants that takes a larger chunk out of the profit, than most people realize.

Where I hunt them, it isn't as much the alfalfa the PD's eat (which is plenty), but when the alfalfa gets to a certain height, overnight they cut it down in huge circles around the mounds, so they can see overhead dangers. Not eaten, just bitten off at the base. And these aren't there one day, and they are everywhere the next day.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Simple pleasures..... epic rat launches on an early sunny spring morning in the rat patch!

And the much sought after elevated position is a big plus!

 

[sw282]

South Dakota is truly "Prairie Dog Heaven". I've shot the RoseDud a couple times. The best shooting off the Rez was in Maclntosh SD on the SD ND border. I'd love to shoot SD just one more time before l am too old. Or maybe TWICE

 

[B S]

Shooting PDogs is great practice, reading wind, trigger control, reading ranges, and testing out the loads you built. Living in Eastern Montana on the ND border I have plenty of replaceable targets. A .204ruger is So much fun, no recoil and good scopes make for a good show. Just watching the bullet impact is awesome. Ive shot them with 204's (I have 2 of them) 6CM, 260. 6.5-284, 300winmag. We will shoot in one spot till there are no more brave targets popping there heads out in our sights. Long range -900 yards plus, we will grab the bigger guns and take care of those as well. Again, Great Practice for hunting season.

 

[MrMajestic]

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!

I've done Carpenter Bees on the wing with a S&W 617 and birdshot. Crowd on the back porch would go wild with a hit.

 

[CaptainMal]

It is a great opportunity for the wife to read her magazines.

IMG_3803 by Larry Malinoski, on Flickr

 

[bobm]

The few times my wife has gone with me, she prefers the .220 Swift over reading.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

My wife started spotting for me in 1982. The first time she saw a rat get smacked properly when looking through her bino's, her comment was "My, that was disgusting!"

Love it!

 

[daniel brothers]

You should have said... Honey... it looks better through a 24 power scope...

 

[CaptainMal]

IMGP0011 by Larry Malinoski, on Flickr

.17HMR, as pictured for the close stuff, or set up with table, rests and her .223 - she can do more than read magazines. Remember she is 71 years young and a cancer survivor that went through hell. She is eager to go this coming June.

 

[fyrewall]

Because they are filthy, disease spreading, destructive, and practice cannibalism. Kill the rodents and improve your shooting but practice good hygiene. Don't track poop and body fluids into your motel room, house, or truck. Don't handle the dead creatures and provide a new host for fleas wanting to abandon their cold dead rodent home.

IMGP0011 by Larry Malinoski, on Flickr

.17HMR, as pictured for the close stuff, or set up with table, rests and her .223 - she can do more than read magazines. Remember she is 71 years young and a cancer survivor that went through hell. She is eager to go this coming June.

great use for our shooting bar stool

 

[PRR1957]

They can really take over an area quickly, as mentioned.

The National Zoo in DC. has a walled in colony. Bad thing is the rats taking it over.

The rats are long term Democrats that refuse to leave office.