Prairie dog rifle

[Peebles24]

If you have time , go to a big Gunshow and pick up a nice , clean , low round count OLD Rem 700 in 223 . Otherwise like a lot have said : go Savage . Adjust ( or have someone who knows how to ) adjust the Trigger . Load 40 Gr Polytips ( Vmax or whatever Brand you like ) or buy loaded Ammo as suggested above or Blackhills ( if it is still available ) . This will take you out to 400 Yards or maybe a tad more . Use whatever Scope you have as long as it is at least 16X ( unless you have eyes like an Eagle ) . Take a comfortable Shooting Chair and whatever Sun cover you can come up with . Take plenty of water , sun-block , insect repellent , and a windbreaker Jacket . Take a good Rest if possible ..... I have used sand-bags on the hood of a Camaro when I started out . I use Surveyors Tape but a Wind Meter is handy too . It will be plenty windy about 3/4 of the time so become used to Windage leads . I used to quit when the lead became more than three Pdog body widths . Also quit when it was difficult to stand up straight using a stand-up Tripod . If it starts to rain , leave the Fields fast and get to at least a dirt road . Follow the previous listed suggestions for a heavy bullet big case 224 or 6 mm long range Rifle . Make sure you have a good spare Tire . Have fun !

Spare tire could be a problem, ugh... i just bought a new jeep renegade limited and at least my 2019 comes with run flat tires and the tire air up kit... probably will do most of our shooting inside 250 with 17hmr and only pull out my centerfire if we happen to see one a ways out.

 

[Peebles24]

After owning my new legacy shooting bench it would be hard to build a shooting table

Ill have to look at those cause my shooting table design i have in my head will cost about 150ish.

 

[xring]

Peebles , I found my 17 HMR worked well on small dogs but had some crawl-aways for BIG Pdogs with body shots over about 175 Yards . So I limited myself to under 175 Yards . YMMV .

 

[sw282]

Until my 2018 trip l had not shot for 5-6 yrs. Took only one gun for the 2018 trip. Rem 700 LVSF in 221FB with a 3.5-10 VX3 Leupold.
250-300 was my Max.. Since then l have added a 223Rem and 22-250 USED Rem 700 VLSF. A couple
used 6,5-20 VX3s. Buying used saved me a bunch of money too. An added bonus was the Jewel trigger on the 22-250. 2019 was ROOF year. 2020 is set in stone for June. Will be taking a new shooter along this year. Presently he only has a Winchester Mod 70 Varmint in 223Rem w 6-18 VXII. He wisely chose Fiocche 55gr VMAX from laxammo over steel cased Tulammo 62gr jhp . A guided hunt for 3 days in the TX Panhandle. Outfitter/guide said plan on 250 reds a day.. Sure hope he becomes ADDICTED.. This old shooter could use a youngen along. Esp to help DRIVE.;-)

 

[VaniB]

I have never done a pd hunt and i dont like to see animals suffer either. I am confident i could not miss a head shot out to at least 50 but if they are tough to kill i will leave the 22lr at home.

Yes i do reload but will contemplate whether or not to even load for a 223 pdog hunt. Box ammo would save a lot of time but lose significant accuracy. Probably will load just hate to think of ladder testing and then single stage loading however many rounds i need to take.

How many rounds should i take?

As i have never even been to North Dakota and my friend just got there this week he hasnt started looking for a spot yet even. He just started a new job with a oil company, i think it is nw of bismark.

You remind me of me. lol. Like you I enjoy the hunt and anticipation of pulling the trigger, but not seeing animals suffer. Sometimes I wonder what happened to me from when I was a kid and had pet Gerbils, mice, and hamsters. lol.
I planned the hunt 20 years ago but never went. During those 20 years I enjoyed having dedicated PD rifles custom built for the dream hunt. If I never get to go it's OK anyway, as I have enjoyed handloading accurate loads and using the rifles for target shooting at the 100 yard range. My planned PD hunting was to start with a 20Tactical (similar to a .20 cal 223)for inside 200 yards, a 22x47Lapua (similar to a 22-250) for inside 350 yards, and a 6.5 Creed for beyond 300 yards. The 20tac & 22x47L have lead weight I've placed in the butt stock and weigh 11lbs & 14bs. Shots with those two rifles can be seen at 100 yards as I've tested them with water balloons. All have 6x24x Scopes w/side focus. If you want to use the standard weight 223 rifle of about 8lbs or so with the scope, I'd seriously consider having a muzzle-brake installed so you can be assured to see the hits at 100 yards.


My 11lb 20Tactical at top, 6.5CM at middle, 14lb 22x47Lapua at bottom

 

[Peebles24]

You remind me of me. lol. Like you I enjoy the hunt and anticipation of pulling the trigger, but not seeing animals suffer. Sometimes I wonder what happened to me from when I was a kid and had pet Gerbils, mice, and hamsters. lol.
I planned the hunt 20 years ago but never went. During those 20 years I enjoyed having dedicated PD rifles custom built for the dream hunt. If I never get to go it's OK anyway, as I have enjoyed handloading accurate loads and using the rifles for target shooting at the 100 yard range. My planned PD hunting was to start with a 20Tactical (similar to a .20 cal 223)for inside 200 yards, a 22x47Lapua (similar to a 22-250) for inside 350 yards, and a 6.5 Creed for beyond 300 yards. The 20tac & 22x47L have lead weight I've placed in the butt stock and weigh 11lbs & 14bs. Shots with those two rifles can be seen at 100 yards as I've tested them with water balloons. All have 6x24x Scopes w/side focus. If you want to use the standard weight 223 rifle of about 8lbs or so with the scope, I'd seriously consider having a muzzle-brake installed so you can be assured to see the hits at 100 yards.

View attachment 1160539
My 11lb 20Tactical at top, 6.5CM at middle, 14lb 22x47Lapua at bottom

Beautiful rifles. I have just decided to go basically as cheap as possible and still have a good time. Still need to pick up at least 1k rounds of 17hmr. After shooting the new hmr today it will hold minute of poodle but barely with the 400 lb trigger. I guess I am spoiled by my comp rifles all under a pound but that 4 to 5 lb trigger feels like a ton. Plan to see about a spring swap and some polishing, if i can get it close to a pound I'll be ecstatic.

 

[Alguapo]

Beautiful rifles. I have just decided to go basically as cheap as possible and still have a good time. Still need to pick up at least 1k rounds of 17hmr. After shooting the new hmr today it will hold minute of poodle but barely with the 400 lb trigger. I guess I am spoiled by my comp rifles all under a pound but that 4 to 5 lb trigger feels like a ton. Plan to see about a spring swap and some polishing, if i can get it close to a pound I'll be ecstatic.

Try a toothpick full of dry mollycoat on that trigger. May help cut the lbs. down.

 

[SPQR70AD]

I have shot many a prairie dog in my "hunting life".. It has been my experience that a good 22-250 shooting 50-55gr bullets above 3700f.p.s. is death on prairie dogs out to 500 yards!

a fast twist 223 shooting 85 gr bullets will out range the 22-250 with light bullets

 

[ShootDots]

a fast twist 223 shooting 85 gr bullets will out range the 22-250 with light bullets

The problem with heavy bullet anything is the unknown distances out to about 400 yards. The very flat trajectory of the 22-250 with 55 gr bullets made hitting prairie dogs at UNknown distances out to about 400 yards easier than a less flat rifle. I had an 8 twist 22-250 that I shot 75gr, Berger's out of. I used it to try and hit prairie dogs W-A-Y out there where if you were lucky enough to get about 3 shots at it before it took off. You had to have a spotter to see if you could see where your bullets landed so you could "walk" the shots in. Hits out there were more of a matter of luck combined with the spotter seeing where the bullet hit if possible. However, closer in, flat trajectories were where it was really at..

 

[SPQR70AD]

The problem with heavy bullet anything is the unknown distances out to about 400 yards. The very flat trajectory of the 22-250 with 55 gr bullets made hitting prairie dogs at UNknown distances out to about 400 yards easier than a less flat rifle. I had an 8 twist 22-250 that I shot 75gr, Berger's out of. I used it to try and hit prairie dogs W-A-Y out there where if you were lucky enough to get about 3 shots at it before it took off. You had to have a spotter to see if you could see where your bullets landed so you could "walk" the shots in. Hits out there were more of a matter of luck combined with the spotter seeing where the bullet hit if possible. However, closer in, flat trajectories were where it was really at..

yes I have a 22-250 1x8 twist shot 80 gr hornadys. what I would do wood chuck hunting was to move far as I could and aim at the piles of dirt next to the hole. I was able to figure out the wind after a few shots and the drop. made hits to almost 700 yds. I kept a record and it seemed more fun to shoot at the dry dirt where you could really see a hit then to wait to see a woodchuck. but you are right your rifle and load is perfect for 98% of all shooting which is out to 400 yds.

 

[sundance]

Do not skimp on your optics. They are as important as the rifle they are going on.

 

[Peebles24]

Do not skimp on your optics. They are as important as the rifle they are going on.

Agreed, and why i have a nightforce 12-42×56 on my fclass rifle. This little 17hmr good to 250ish maybe, a 400 dollar scope is plenty good. I am not about spending more on a scope than the rifle.

 

[Terry_M]

I've shot thousands of them in Montana, none in North Dakota, but it's safe to assume the winds will be the same. 87gr V-Max from a 243 has been by far the most productive for clean kills out to 500. Good splatter factor also. 223 is the go to for everything under 300yds. I bought a cheap build kit from Palmetto Sate Armory and have a nice 20" Tactical Rem 700 bolt, both in 223 and shooting the same ammo. It's already been stated, but a cheap 223 is a fun rifle no matter what. Hope you have a good trip and many more in the future.

 

[CT10ring]

I have shot many a prairie dog in my "hunting life".. It has been my experience that a good 22-250 shooting 50-55gr bullets above 3700f.p.s. is death on prairie dogs out to 500 yards!

there you go. nuff said.