• This Forum is for adults 18 years of age or over. By continuing to use this Forum you are confirming that you are 18 or older. No content shall be viewed by any person under 18 in California.

Praire Dog Hunting Why do you shoot them?

l have shot prairie dogs in Texas, New Mexico, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska since the early 90s. Ground squirrels in 0regon and Kali. They ALL eat each other. PERIOD... Seen em do it with my own ONE eye... Protein is natures perfect food.. lt doesn't get wasted;-)
 
What does infanticide by lactating females in the burrows have to do with eating killed or wounded adults in the field?

Do Richardson or some other ground squirrels do it? Don't know, don't care. All I know is it doesn't happen in S. Dakota -- ANYWHERE in S. Dakota, with any degree of regularity. Can I say it has never happened? Of course not. But I can guarantee you that anyone who says it happens routinely with black-tailed P-dogs in S. Dakota is either delusional or needs a better scope, because they are seeing what ain't happening.
 
The Prairie Dogs was considered a delicacy by the Lewis and Clark Expedition. The men would run baited trot lines with hooks through the dog towns. Many early settlers dined on P-Dogs. In later times these rodents carry the the Bubonic Plaque. Over time 25 million have died from the Plaque. When shooting P Dog do not handle dead ones. They carry the fleas that cause the Plaque.
 
baited trot lines with hooks through the dog towns

WOW... I can just picture that one...LOL. Yum Yum..LOL

I'll stick with catfish.... no furry rodents in my mouth today.... but back in those days... everything was food.
 
The P'Dog out on the deserts cannot hurt the land. But they are just an infestation of disease carrying rats. We have a number of Mexican P'Dog towns. The White Tail P'Dog is also numerous. My .220 Swifts are true annihilators.:eek:
 
As far as to the "why" of shooting prairie dogs, or any other species of animal, I've got my theories.

Whether you believe that we were evolved, or created by our Lord or even evolved by our Lord, I think that the act of killing has been added to our genetic make-up. And for good reason; we humans need to be skilled at killing for several reasons.

Killing and eating creatures of all kinds has been an incredibly important part of our survival and success as a species. And through the history of mankind, you better believe that prairie dogs, rats, bats, lizards, bugs, birds, and --- everything that crawls, swims, flies, burrows, and hops has been converted into a meal.

Even though I am a towering intellect among modern man, I have turned many of these small creatures into tasty meals. I started killing critters when I got my first BB gun at the age of 9 or 10.

Getting good at hunting and killing these ummmm sub-species, helped me to acquire the skill and the nerve to kill more conventional large species, as well as domesticated animals that were raised specifically for table fare.

It has probably also prepared me to endure the ordeal of helping several dogs and cats which I've loved and shared my life with, in their trip to the other side. I'm sure it probably has helped me in some small way, endure the death of humans that I love.

I've never had to kill a human being, and hope I never do, but I bet I could do a decent job of it if it was necessary. Heck, I've killed truck-loads of other living creatures for food and recreation, and gotten pretty good at it.

The "if I don't eat it, I won't kill it" philosophy is fine for anyone who feels that way. But don't try to ignore or discount the tremendous instinct, skill, and love for killing that apparently lives within our genes.

Prairie dogs, and other "pest species" have always been perfect for teaching kids about killing, but I still don't think that their deaths should be taken too lightly. A life has ended, and it is permanent. I often wonder if these punks who kill their class-mates might have benefitted from a day shooting ground squirrels. They may not understand the finality of death.

I could go on and on, but I hate long posts.:rolleyes: I'll just add that as a 63 year old killer, I find myself enjoying many of the same things that I did as a kid. Life was so clean and simple then, and sometimes now. I still love catching 8" trouts and perch, shooting squirrels, picking night-crawlers, picking off starlings from the tree-tops, and smacking a tin can with a slingshot. :) jd

IMG_3815.jpeg
 
l have shot prairie dogs in Texas, New Mexico, Wyoming, North Dakota, South Dakota, Nebraska since the early 90s. Ground squirrels in 0regon and Kali. They ALL eat each other. PERIOD... Seen em do it with my own ONE eye... Protein is natures perfect food.. lt doesn't get wasted;-)

It's true, they do that. Not real uncommon. I've seen them dining on another one with it's guts hanging out. Seen them running with 5' of guts trailing and another chasing it to eat on it's guts. Blacktails in S. Dakota, seen it with my own eyes, yessir. Seen it with whitetails in Wyoming also. And groundsquirrels......I've shot then on a flat rock only to watch another jump up there immediately and start dining, shoot that one and another one go up there, shoot that one and.....get a bunch off the same rock. Had it happen more than a couple times.
 
The best one of all is I killed one and it's partner came running over and started humping it. I think I got him on the downstroke. NO B.S. Was wondering if I should have let him finish first.

Ha!

I've seen ground squirrels munching their dead buddies for the 50+ years I've been shooting them, but that's a new one on me! :)
 
Funny how with all the dozens of videos on YouTube of p-dogs being shot there isn't a single one of any dogs "munching" on a shot or dead one.

Funny how Hoogland, who has observed p-dogs for 45 years, all day, every day for months at a time, does not report ever seeing a p-dog "munch" on one killed by a predator. When a bird kills one they leave the carcass, guts and blood scattered all over, and every dog in the town knows there is a dead one there because they stood and chirped at the bird (eagle, falcon, whatever) the whole time the bird was tearing it apart.

Like I said, some of you need better scopes.
 
Excessive compulsive ( obsessed with cannibalism). Wow.
I’ve sprayed praire dog guts on other prairie dogs and watched them begin to lick off the “over spray.“ Watched them exhibit all types of behavior, from fear, sympathy to couriousity.
Never witnessed a praire dog eating another praire dog. Please post a video of such behavior.
 
Last edited:
Excessive compulsive ( obsessed with cannibalism). Wow.
I’ve sprayed praire dog guts on other prairie dogs and watched them begin to lick off the “over spray.“ Watched them exhibit all types of behavior, from fear, sympathy to couriousity.
With regards to videos on the internet ( YouTube) of prairie dogs getting shot, it appears the management of YouTube has removed these videos. Violates their policy.
Never witnessed a praire dog eating another praire dog. Please post a video of such behavior.
I see it all the time. Eatin roadkill then being roadkill.
 

Upgrades & Donations

This Forum's expenses are primarily paid by member contributions. You can upgrade your Forum membership in seconds. Gold and Silver members get unlimited FREE classifieds for one year. Gold members can upload custom avatars.


Click Upgrade Membership Button ABOVE to get Gold or Silver Status.

You can also donate any amount, large or small, with the button below. Include your Forum Name in the PayPal Notes field.


To DONATE by CHECK, or make a recurring donation, CLICK HERE to learn how.

Forum statistics

Threads
165,844
Messages
2,204,300
Members
79,157
Latest member
Bud1029
Back
Top