hi guys, ive seen videos how you all shoot these prairie dogs on you tube and it looks like you have a whale of a time,also how many do you usually shoot in a session,and is it illegal to shoot them at night in your country,as i do most of my fox and rabbit shooting in the night time as you don't really see much in the day,cheers simon
prairie dogs
- Thread starter simon6ppc
- Start date
CatShooter
They are daytime critters.
I went to Faith SD last year and if you like shooting prairie dogs are the way to go. There wete 3 of us and we each shot 500 rounds a day out there. It was so much fun we are headed out there again. It has to be sunny for them to come out. Pm me your email and ill send some pics of how much we shot.
As to how many rounds you will shoot in a day or season really depends on the towns you can get on. I have had many 1,000 round days. I am not happy with a day of less than 500rds being spent. I have had many 5rd days. Those towns need to be killed off. When I find a good town I never tell anyone about it.
I bring 5 rifles with me and two extra uppers. The best day I ever had shooting pd was 1,200rds in just a few hours. Pro tip. If possible go after a few days of bad weather.
I bring 5 rifles with me and two extra uppers. The best day I ever had shooting pd was 1,200rds in just a few hours. Pro tip. If possible go after a few days of bad weather.
simon6ppc,
I have been an avid PD shooter for well over 50 years and have had access to some of the best towns in the west and I will have to say that 500 round PD shooting days are like the "half-inch group all day long", there are more of them on the internet than in actuality. Last year my shooting partner and I were in a completely virgin town that had never been shot before, at the end of the day between the two of us we had shot just over 600 rounds (total, not each), using multiple rifles, this is an above average day in my years of shooting.
As far as a 1200 round day - it just doesn't pencil out. Figuring a 12 hour day without taking a break that is a hundred rounds per hour, or a round about every 40 seconds. Now that would be not leave much time for a break to drink, eat, or clean a rifle, and darned little time to load magazines, change rifles, or relocate to a different part of the town as the dogs start to become gun-shy. That is not factoring in the eye strain and sore shoulder one would have, even using a light recoiling caliber like a 223. In other words a person would have to start shooting at somewhere around 6 a.m. and shoot a shot every 40 seconds without a break until 6 p.m. that night. I am not sure that is humanly possible, sometimes things are bigger when remembered than they were in actuality.
In my years of shooting and of those I know who have shot PDs for many years a good day is somewhere around 200 to 250 shots a day. I have seen very few towns anywhere that will support much more shooting than that. So don't be too envious when you hear tales of near unlimited shooting.
drover
I have been an avid PD shooter for well over 50 years and have had access to some of the best towns in the west and I will have to say that 500 round PD shooting days are like the "half-inch group all day long", there are more of them on the internet than in actuality. Last year my shooting partner and I were in a completely virgin town that had never been shot before, at the end of the day between the two of us we had shot just over 600 rounds (total, not each), using multiple rifles, this is an above average day in my years of shooting.
As far as a 1200 round day - it just doesn't pencil out. Figuring a 12 hour day without taking a break that is a hundred rounds per hour, or a round about every 40 seconds. Now that would be not leave much time for a break to drink, eat, or clean a rifle, and darned little time to load magazines, change rifles, or relocate to a different part of the town as the dogs start to become gun-shy. That is not factoring in the eye strain and sore shoulder one would have, even using a light recoiling caliber like a 223. In other words a person would have to start shooting at somewhere around 6 a.m. and shoot a shot every 40 seconds without a break until 6 p.m. that night. I am not sure that is humanly possible, sometimes things are bigger when remembered than they were in actuality.
In my years of shooting and of those I know who have shot PDs for many years a good day is somewhere around 200 to 250 shots a day. I have seen very few towns anywhere that will support much more shooting than that. So don't be too envious when you hear tales of near unlimited shooting.
drover
drover said:
Ah...the humbling ability of basic arithmetic.
I'm in Ohio, we don't have prairie dogs. what would be an average distance to shoot? Just wondering if someone could get away with a 17hmr at less than 150 yards?
Like drover I started shooting pdogs with my 2 brothers and a neighbor kid around '70 and long before a centerfire was ever used by anyone and long before the bus loads of out of staters changed things forever. My best day as for round count and KIA's was 4 yrs ago in a small town unknown as of yet on the grasslands and it was the opening day of the "pdog season" that we had for a while. I forgot to count and had a handful of empties but shot 470-480rds of Fireball, 223 and 6BR and again didn't count but about 350rds of 22's. May be off a handful but there were young'uns everywhere and my count was 454 fatalities. Didn't count leg shots but did count those getting down with a solid gut shot from a 22. It was hot and I started about 9ish and called it quits about 5PM. I was exhausted but stayed only because I knew the new town had been added to the maps and would never ever have another day like it again. I was correct in my assumption as I took a couple friends down to it 3 days later and there was little left except the tell tale garbage that let the world know pdog season was now officially open in SD on public land!
Now over the years I have shot 300+ shots numerous times and perhaps a day or two over 400 in my 40+yrs. After 300rds to me it is starting to get to the point of work instead of pleasure! I sure could understand firing 1K+ if you were just trying for a record on how much ammo you could shoot in a day. My intent was always as high a percentage of fatalities for rounds fired instead of how many rounds I could shoot in a day! I usually ended up with sunburn, headache from mirage and just general fatigue long before ammo ran out! If you found a place in these parts anymore that permitted over 300rds in a day it would be a miracle and surely an exception and not the rule. With over 100 out of staters every year anymore around here to shoot 1K of ammo would be either you are a very poor shot, you didn't want to haul it home and unload it or were trying to impress your home boys with numbers.
When it is 90+ in the shade rifles won't cool fast enough to shoot 1K rounds, well unless you have a dozen or more or a walk in freezer to put them in.
Darn I miss the good ole days when it wasn't all about numbers and BS!
Now over the years I have shot 300+ shots numerous times and perhaps a day or two over 400 in my 40+yrs. After 300rds to me it is starting to get to the point of work instead of pleasure! I sure could understand firing 1K+ if you were just trying for a record on how much ammo you could shoot in a day. My intent was always as high a percentage of fatalities for rounds fired instead of how many rounds I could shoot in a day! I usually ended up with sunburn, headache from mirage and just general fatigue long before ammo ran out! If you found a place in these parts anymore that permitted over 300rds in a day it would be a miracle and surely an exception and not the rule. With over 100 out of staters every year anymore around here to shoot 1K of ammo would be either you are a very poor shot, you didn't want to haul it home and unload it or were trying to impress your home boys with numbers.
When it is 90+ in the shade rifles won't cool fast enough to shoot 1K rounds, well unless you have a dozen or more or a walk in freezer to put them in.
Darn I miss the good ole days when it wasn't all about numbers and BS!
[quoteI'm in Ohio, we don't have prairie dogs. what would be an average distance to shoot? Just wondering if someone could get away with a 17hmr at less than 150 yards?[/quote]
A 17HMR will kill them at 150 but you won't get much shooting at those yardages. Also PDs are larger in some areas than others (different species or sub-species) and I have never felt that the 17HMR put them out their misery quite quick enough, a 204 or 223 is much more humane. If you find a town that has shot been over then you may get some shooting but it won't be long before they are down and only the longer range dogs will be up.
A 17HMR will kill them at 150 but you won't get much shooting at those yardages. Also PDs are larger in some areas than others (different species or sub-species) and I have never felt that the 17HMR put them out their misery quite quick enough, a 204 or 223 is much more humane. If you find a town that has shot been over then you may get some shooting but it won't be long before they are down and only the longer range dogs will be up.
Instead of just calling me a liar maybe ask a few questions.
So here is the story and questions of my own.
How many rounds of .223rem fit into a 30cal ammo can? Same question for a 50cal ammo can?
Give up? 30cal is 870 to 900 rounds and 1500 for the 50cal ammo can. Why am I bringing this up? I will let you ask that question. Seriously ask it.
Your “best towns in the west†are not sounding like the best or are very small. How large are the towns you have access to? Not that it matters at all a very small town can bring great shooting. This is just a guess but you shoot a bolt and single load possibly dial in each shot?
On this particular day as stated above it had been raining for almost three days. It was very windy and cold well in the 50s any way. As to the rifle I use it is a AR-15 with a flattop receiver an a 1:8 twist tube on it. I shoot a 50gr speer tnt at a modest speed. I feed from two 20rd mags loaded with 15rds in them. I have a piece of netting to catch the brass. That day I was shooting from a four wheeler as it is kosher in ND. We have a wooden box strapped to the front rack. The opening to the box is facing me so I can just toss spent brass into the box.
Protip #1 PD do not like to get rained on so they only venture out in the rain when hungry. When the rain stops and the sun shines they come out in droves. Some times when you are lucky they do not care if the dog beside them explodes.
If you made it this far cool. My Grandpa and I went to a town that has never been a let down. These dogs must be stupid or want to die. The best year on this town had three batches of pups. This year it was right after a batch of pups came up.
Protip #2 shoot the big ones first.
We got out at the town at 1400 to 1500 do not remember that any more. This town is almost one section long and any where from 300yds to 700 – 800yds wide. The wind was perfect to allow shooting the short way. Grandpa set up on the long side and I moved way from one side to far side and back. Shooting with the wind is easy it is just a point and shoot deal. Combat hits are what I go for. On my first set up I burned through my first mag not missing a single adult dog. Mag two was spent almost as fast as I could work the trigger. It is easy to acquire a new dog shoot and move to the next one and shoot.
Protip #3 any hit is a good hit
Protip #4 turn your rifle to allow the wind to cool your tube.
Protip #5 if you want lots of kills shoot a AR
Protip #6 barrels are cheap get two on order.
Protip #7 have at least three complete uppers for your AR.
Protip #8 on your swing shoot from the end of the town to the center.
I have shot 100,000 plus rds of 5.56 and .223 and can pump rds into a mag very fast. Once my 30rds were loaded I was back in to destroying my tube. This went on and on until the dogs were too far due to wind.
Protip #9 do not crank your scope unless the dogs are few and far between.
Protip #10 your AR should be drowning in oil (makes it run longer and cleanup easier).
This went on until my first ammo can was dry. I opened my spare full ammo can and continued to shoot and move. The out side of the tube was warm but not hot. Thank god it was cool.
This day I do not know how far my farthest shot was but I would guess less than 225yds. These stupid dogs did not care. Granted protip #2 is key in these instances.
Protip #11 dogs in ND go down about one hour before sundown.
When the shooting was done Grandpa asked if I had any rifling left. Tube was warm but not hot. We drove back to the pickup and went back to his place.
The next day I counted my spent brass and it was in fact 1,200 and some change. That tube was never the same after that. It went from a solid ¼ to more than ½ at 100. It was sad because it was the best AR tube I have ever had.
I have been shooting pd for over 20years and these days are few and far between but they exist. I have tried to get high round count days with bolt actions but I can not run the bolt fast enough to get the easy seconds or thirds.
Like I have said before once I find a good town I keep that information to my self. I will only take Grandpa or my brother to them. Loose lips destroy good towns. My friends get to go to ok towns. Once I find a town where you shoot and they go down I will almost never come back.
Protip #12 KEEP LOGS! I have a ND map book with hundreds of towns marked in it. I have stapled paper into it with land owners information in it. Keep times you were able to call or stop in. No reason to call at 1800 if they only answer before noon.
If you take only one thing from all this text shoot the big ones first.
So here is the story and questions of my own.
How many rounds of .223rem fit into a 30cal ammo can? Same question for a 50cal ammo can?
Give up? 30cal is 870 to 900 rounds and 1500 for the 50cal ammo can. Why am I bringing this up? I will let you ask that question. Seriously ask it.
Your “best towns in the west†are not sounding like the best or are very small. How large are the towns you have access to? Not that it matters at all a very small town can bring great shooting. This is just a guess but you shoot a bolt and single load possibly dial in each shot?
On this particular day as stated above it had been raining for almost three days. It was very windy and cold well in the 50s any way. As to the rifle I use it is a AR-15 with a flattop receiver an a 1:8 twist tube on it. I shoot a 50gr speer tnt at a modest speed. I feed from two 20rd mags loaded with 15rds in them. I have a piece of netting to catch the brass. That day I was shooting from a four wheeler as it is kosher in ND. We have a wooden box strapped to the front rack. The opening to the box is facing me so I can just toss spent brass into the box.
Protip #1 PD do not like to get rained on so they only venture out in the rain when hungry. When the rain stops and the sun shines they come out in droves. Some times when you are lucky they do not care if the dog beside them explodes.
If you made it this far cool. My Grandpa and I went to a town that has never been a let down. These dogs must be stupid or want to die. The best year on this town had three batches of pups. This year it was right after a batch of pups came up.
Protip #2 shoot the big ones first.
We got out at the town at 1400 to 1500 do not remember that any more. This town is almost one section long and any where from 300yds to 700 – 800yds wide. The wind was perfect to allow shooting the short way. Grandpa set up on the long side and I moved way from one side to far side and back. Shooting with the wind is easy it is just a point and shoot deal. Combat hits are what I go for. On my first set up I burned through my first mag not missing a single adult dog. Mag two was spent almost as fast as I could work the trigger. It is easy to acquire a new dog shoot and move to the next one and shoot.
Protip #3 any hit is a good hit
Protip #4 turn your rifle to allow the wind to cool your tube.
Protip #5 if you want lots of kills shoot a AR
Protip #6 barrels are cheap get two on order.
Protip #7 have at least three complete uppers for your AR.
Protip #8 on your swing shoot from the end of the town to the center.
I have shot 100,000 plus rds of 5.56 and .223 and can pump rds into a mag very fast. Once my 30rds were loaded I was back in to destroying my tube. This went on and on until the dogs were too far due to wind.
Protip #9 do not crank your scope unless the dogs are few and far between.
Protip #10 your AR should be drowning in oil (makes it run longer and cleanup easier).
This went on until my first ammo can was dry. I opened my spare full ammo can and continued to shoot and move. The out side of the tube was warm but not hot. Thank god it was cool.
This day I do not know how far my farthest shot was but I would guess less than 225yds. These stupid dogs did not care. Granted protip #2 is key in these instances.
Protip #11 dogs in ND go down about one hour before sundown.
When the shooting was done Grandpa asked if I had any rifling left. Tube was warm but not hot. We drove back to the pickup and went back to his place.
The next day I counted my spent brass and it was in fact 1,200 and some change. That tube was never the same after that. It went from a solid ¼ to more than ½ at 100. It was sad because it was the best AR tube I have ever had.
I have been shooting pd for over 20years and these days are few and far between but they exist. I have tried to get high round count days with bolt actions but I can not run the bolt fast enough to get the easy seconds or thirds.
Like I have said before once I find a good town I keep that information to my self. I will only take Grandpa or my brother to them. Loose lips destroy good towns. My friends get to go to ok towns. Once I find a town where you shoot and they go down I will almost never come back.
Protip #12 KEEP LOGS! I have a ND map book with hundreds of towns marked in it. I have stapled paper into it with land owners information in it. Keep times you were able to call or stop in. No reason to call at 1800 if they only answer before noon.
If you take only one thing from all this text shoot the big ones first.
Well, I live less than an hour from some excellent pdog shooting. On a good day I will get to shoot around 300 rounds before the wind comes up and my hit rate goes way down. I rotate rifles and my contenders too. I enjoy the longer (400+) shots more. I set up a little farther out, but there are usually lots of shorter shots. I have heard of those 1200 round days but never had one myself. That sounds like a barrel burner to me.
well either way it sounds like a serious sport,i have lived and breathed rifle shooting for 25 plus years now and have always wanted to have a do at prairie dogs but as we don't have any its just the way it is,at certain times of the year we have good days on the crows,rabbits,foxes but thats about it realy.i keep laughing to my self as them rifle barrels must be on fire in that heat,my 6ppc would be ok but a 22.250 must get like a lightsaber,lol.....
How many rounds depends on the town you are shooting and the time of year. I go every June. South Dakota, North Dakota, Wyoming and Montana. I'd say average day for 2 guys is 500 rounds. Depends on your rifle and shooting style too. Need to use multiple rifles if you want your barrel to last. No need to hunt at night, as they are active all day. It's a good time for sure.
For me it's not a question of how many I shoot, but the quality of the overall hunt. We have a new town picked out for this year since our old favorite has been getting a lot of pressure and the numbers have been falling. We park our camper in a good shooting spot and spend a few days picking off the unlucky few that show us some fur. I keep hearing about 500 - 1000 rounds per day but I've never seen them in my 60 or so years of shooting. I really don't need that many to keep me happy.
I usually take about 1000 rounds and 3 -5 rifles with me for a five day shoot. I always bring ammo home. Shooting prairie dogs at 200 - 300 yards requires little skill and most of our shooting starts at around 400 and goes out to 1000. To be honest, I haven't hit one at 1000 yards yet but I've come close. 925 is my farthest hit. The new town we'll be shooting over this year has plenty of 1000 yard opportunities so maybe my luck will change.
Resting after a tough morning of shooting
Rangefinder and Ballistic calculator.
6MM BR and bench set up.
I usually take about 1000 rounds and 3 -5 rifles with me for a five day shoot. I always bring ammo home. Shooting prairie dogs at 200 - 300 yards requires little skill and most of our shooting starts at around 400 and goes out to 1000. To be honest, I haven't hit one at 1000 yards yet but I've come close. 925 is my farthest hit. The new town we'll be shooting over this year has plenty of 1000 yard opportunities so maybe my luck will change.
Resting after a tough morning of shooting
Rangefinder and Ballistic calculator.
6MM BR and bench set up.
I can vouch for 1200 round days and I could have more of them if they would re-open the military bases to prairie dog shooters. I shot my first dog on Fort Carson here in Colorado Springs in 1984.The town went on for 3 miles non stop.I thought I died and went to heaven. I didn't count anything but all 300 empty cases when I got home.Next day out to the gun shop to buy more 6 mm brass.Got pretty sunburned in that town.Shot on that base for a long time. Always ran out of ammo.It was about 20 miles from my house so the next weekend I would be back in another town on base.Shoot all weekend-load all week.
They are in fields,motor pools,military housing and the airport on base.They closed the airport one year as the dogs had the plague.Sometimes I work in the military warehouses and the dogs bark all day long at me.
They are in fields,motor pools,military housing and the airport on base.They closed the airport one year as the dogs had the plague.Sometimes I work in the military warehouses and the dogs bark all day long at me.
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