Prairie dog safari: take-aways

[Tommie]

After a hiatus of several years (too much life getting in the way) my buddy and I finally got back into the poodle patch last weekend . Seems like every time I hit the fields, new revelations emerge. I'll share a few things that became clear for me.

a) I am not a good enough marksman to shoot a moving rodent past 500 yards. My windage estimation gene is defective. Truth be told, I'm most comfortable inside of 400 yards.
b) I have zero interest in pulling the trigger and not seeing the hit/miss. The 17 and 20 calibers do a great job and don't buck the gun enough to lose sight picture. My only "large" caliber is a 6mm-250AI that weighs 18 pounds...and even that heavy thing can jump if I don't hold it solid into my shoulder.
c) The 17 Hornady Hornet is a viable prairie dog weapon and a ton of fun. 200 yards is a gimme but it will stretch a little further. Past 250 yards I was grabbing a larger caliber.
d) I do best with a FFP scope with subtentions. Variable power is the only way to go and 25X is not too much magnification.
e) Bipods work better for me than a front rest or bag. Maybe not as accurate but the gun can be quickly pointed in a different direction by simply grabbing the bipod leg and sliding left or right.
f) After witnessing what the 20's can do I have lost all interest in 22 calibers.
g) Having the loading port in your face is a good thing. RBLP is my future direction.

YMMV

 

[Rustytigwire]

Great post. I glanced at the header and thought it said "Take Always" so was looking for a gear list. Doh!

 

[snert]

I learned so much my first and only time in a poodle patch. Agree...it doesn't have to be far or loud to make it fun! For me, the thing I took away was to velcro a 50 round Berry's box to the tripod set up i have so I can reload easy. I shoot contenders and single shot bolt guns. i have not gone 20 cal...shootng small 22 and 17s so far.

 

[JSH]

I see a left bolt left port in my future.
I can keep the critter/critters in the glass, hold the rifle with right hand,head on the stock. Eject and load with my left.
After getting serious with 20’s and 17’s I am way more appreciative of them than I imagined I ever would be.
I could run over 14x till about 11 or 12 o’clock. To much mirage after most days, so I stuck to 14x and had my focus set for that on both my 20 and 17’s. It worked for me and my eyes.

 

[DogBuster]

The RB LP would confuse me I think.....I use all s/shot Savage RB RP

I like my 20's...but this year screwed my heavy 223AI 9T together

Jeez....killin' machine...picks 'em up and tosses them out to 600+

Moving p/dogs add to the fun.........ammo is cheap

 

[hunter67]

hey dog buster what load are you using in your 223 AI?

 

[centershot]

+1. I am taking a .223 AI with 53 v-max and X-terminator. Also trying Berger 52 varmint and 40 v-max. I shot a 1.175" group with it at 300 meters.

 

[DogBuster]

hey dog buster what load are you using in your 223 AI?

Powders.....IMR8208....Benchmark......H4895......Rem 7.5 primer

Ass't brass stamps......Rule of thumb is 10% over std 223 load..

28" 9 twist barrel & moly bullets......this link has a lot of useful info on the AI

My main bullet is the 53 V max & Nosler 55 BT.....my 223 AI is an 18# table gun

https://www.accurateshooter.com/cartridge-guides/223rem/

 

[hunter67]

Thank you. Im using 8208 with NBT right now and H4895 with 69TMK. I just shot again this week so I have about 300 rds fireformed now all Lapua brass. I shoot PD every time I come home from town when I go to town.

 

[moorepower]

I use my .17HH out to 300 yds. I will be taking a Bmag out this year also, less noise, less reloading. I like the .22H, and .222 and .204 for the same reasons. I do plan on taking out my new .257 WB with some 90 grain Blitzkings at about 3650 this year, but obviously not shooting it much. It would be one of those group of pdogs on a mound shots. This year I am taking a .25 Benjamin Marauder, Bmag, 17HH, 6br and .257 Roy

 

[tstowater]

As much as I appreciate the 17's and the 20's, I really like the bigger calibers for the better "action" of the hits. That said, I do enjoy watching the hits with a pair of binoculars as much as doing the shooting myself. I took up the 20VT last year and really enjoyed it. The new toy for this year will by a 6BR with 65 grain V-Maxes. I have 400 of the 6BR's loaded and hopefully they will all be empty when I come back. Really impressed with both of these calibers so far. The 220 Swifts will still be along for a lot of the shooting.

Sounds like you had a great trip. Don't wait as long next time.

 

[JSH]

I went with the 17’s and 20’s just so I could see my hits myself. My heavy 17R weighs right at 21 lbs and needs a bit more up front. My 204 recoils straight back and let’s me see the air time.

There is not a fine line, maybe a stripe of caliber and weight to see your own hits. After this year I am a bona fied member of the red mist society, along with a start in the art of lobotomy aka, snerting. A little carried away, could only find one ear.

When one really stops and thinks, a right bolt gun is actually left handed.
Jeff

 

[Aero]

I don't do much dog plinking and went for quite a few years without hearing that warm and fuzzy sound of a high velocity bullet connecting with a distant dog. Then a few years back I got permission to shoot on a huge ranch not too far away with some good sized towns. Couldn't pass it up.

First time I went out there was late in the year, actually early December and the dogs were really skittish. They knew when a truck pulled up it was bad news. My favorite dog rifle is an original Rem 722 in 222 Rem. Incredibly accurate for a light barreled factory rifle even after many thousands of rounds. I shoot off a bipod and can easily see hits and misses with it, but typical wind here becomes a real issue with the loads it likes (lighter bullets). And at farther distances the effects aren't nearly as spectacular as my 22-250, Swift, or 6BR, but seeing hits and misses becomes a problem with them............until I started screwing a suppressor on the muzzle. Not only can you recover quickly enough to see the impact, the dogs have no idea a gun is being fired and with a little cover they have no idea I'm there. The shooting is also much more pleasant without all the blast

 

[KY_Windage]

I've added 3 lbs of lead to the butt of this 700 Varmint .204, a heavy NF, heavy base and heavy rings to get the weight up over 14 lbs. Even with suppressed 32-gr. VMax and a firm shoulder I still can't see all my hits unless I turn the power down. But I LIKE shooting with some magnification! So I wish I was up to 25 lbs or so.

Yes, wind affects the 32's more than 55's but so what? I shot one at 358 yds a couple of weeks ago in a stiff breeze -- it took 5 MOA of windage to nail him. A heavier bullet would have taken 2 or 3 MOA. Who cares, because you're still going to miss if you don't read the wind right and adjust accordingly. It is just a matter of how much. I find the 32's respond very predictably to the wind. As I have gotten better at reading the wind, it has become less and less of a problem.

That education is the main reason I go, truth be told.

 

[fyrewall]

I take all this in with interest, always looking at rodent removal efforts of others.

Sort of like some expedition to Mars...

Two .20's, a light weight .20 Practical (6.5 pounds) and a heavy .204 (12 pounds) both with 40VMax
One long range, like below the horizon rifle, .22-250 (75 ELDM), 6mm AI (87 Vmax)
One big rifle, just making an excuse to shoot it, 6.5-06 (120 ELDM), .280 (150 ELDX) , .300 WM (200 ELDX)
20X50 Binocs on tripod, 10X40 Binocs hanging on neck, Sig-Sauer Range Finder
A variety of scopes, all with a minimum of 20X
Stable table and Shooting Tripod
1/2 gallon liquid bleach, 5 gallons water, shallow 18X24 inch plastic tray, slosh boots
.45 1911
smart phone with maps app, note book
lots of other stuff, sun protection, insect repellent for boots & pant legs

Sometimes, I get tired of all the gear and stuff and roam around on foot with the .20 P, taking 10X40's, range finder and light weight bag (shooting from tops of rail road ties for fence tensioning)
The bleach and stuff is to decon the rodent filth that could carry plague, insect repellent for fleas -other than rattle snakes the big hazard is the bio stuff that the rodents put out.

I picked up on "dogs were really skittish. They knew when a truck pulled up it was bad news" This goes along with my thoughts that the rodents are smart enough to connect a truck with death - policy for this is to avoid parking truck on crest of hill, park below or try to get behind brush or trees (hard to find). I often park below rise and transport gear over rise and avoid silhouetting against sky. The light weight tripod is easier to lug around than the stable table. I am looking for light weight military type camo screen to hide stuff behind, cut up volley ball net with dull brown & green fabric strips? (driving around town with an amateur camo paint job would attract attention)

 

[fyrewall]

I forget to mention - digital camera with moderate zoom lens - good to review photos of shoot in combo with maps apps on smart phone after event helped with cold beer. Always looking for badger photos and observations - I like badgers.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Always looking for badger photos and observations - I like badgers.

Well then, here you go!



Most landowners tell us to "shoot 'em all!"



Some of the badger holes around here could conceal a 4-year old kid if he/she fell into it. We've got some big buggers about. I smacked one two years ago from 340 yards with a 32gr NBT from my 20VT, heard the "thunk", but he waddled into his hold before I could load another round.....tenacious!

 

[fyrewall]

Thanks for taking the time to post the informative photos. Yes, they do make big holes; sort of like somebody with a backhoe. Effective policy/protocol controlling my operations forbids use of .20 caliber on anything bigger than 12 pounds. I heard Wyoming badgers are protected as fur bearers. This old guy I met in Wyoming told me about a single badger that faced down a pack of coyotes. The badgers do look sort of cute except for those claws. Is that blood on the badger's right ear tip? Looks like instant death with wound at or near brain stem.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

Thanks for taking the time to post the informative photos. Is that blood on the badger's right ear tip? Looks like instant death with wound at or near brain stem.

You're welcome. And 'yes' that is indeed blood, his, not mine. The end did come quick for that old boy....40gr HP out of my Kimber .22LR Conversion mounted on one of my .45 frames.

I believe most of the wild badger stories I've heard over the years. Spend enough time in the field with them, and almost anything is believable. They are one tough critter.