Oh, its fun. But I'm also addicted. I've killed 2,020 since 2011, almost all of them within a 10 mile radius of my home. So they're getting a little thin around here, too.
Prarie Dog Hunting?
- Thread starter gene10pntr
- Start date
Oh, its fun. But I'm also addicted. I've killed 2,020 since 2011, almost all of them within a 10 mile radius of my home. So they're getting a little thin around here, too.
long40shot
Gold $$ Contributor
Do you run a laminate stock?
Yes, laminate and thumbhole.
Check out the "Shoulda worn longjohns" to see a photo of a bald eagle feeding on a groundhog kill.
The first time I shot PD's, three of us took 9 rifles, 21,000 rounds of ammo and were overwhelmed by the experence - we had to leave early cuz we ran out of ammo. Burned up a new 22-250 barrel in 9 days
But three more trips, and I was burned out on PD's. It got old - put the wind in your face or at your back, and they get boring.
I prefer woodchucks on New England farms any time - prettier country, and smarter, more challenging targets, and no 3rd. degree sunburn on the first day.
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Ya my love for shooting ground hogs and just before getting to my favorite pasture is like a kid on Christmas morning. Sitting down binoculars glued to my face for maybe 20-30 minutes before spotting one. Takes many visits to the fields to get very good at identification of the quarry. In the beginning finding ground hogs was tough for me. Now it's like you said about the locals in prairie dog areas. Just comes natural. Setting up for the shot and really, really knowing your ready for that shot because one more may not come for another 30 minutes. Shot preparation is defined during this game unlike prairie dogs. Just wish I had good numbers near me. Michigan has good numbers but not in Northern Michigan.I am a groundhog shooter. Thought I knew what PD hunting would be like. WRONG. Different game, similar guns.
I have only PD hunted one time. I took a Contender carbine 22K Hornet and 500 rounds, a 40X 222 and 500 rounds, and a 17 HMR HR Sportster with 400 rounds. I took a bench and rest, and a Mcfadden Tripod, as well as using a table provided by a friend. I shared a day of shooting with my daughter and my son. I WISH I HAD A PUSH BUTTON COUNTER!! I had to rely on two other daughters who were reading, listening to the radio and generally sunning themselves to keep count as we called out "five more" for the talley sheet. I think the count was WAY off. We ended the day with an "official" count of 237, all under 350 yards, most from 100 to 300. We fired about 525 rounds. The K Hornet got so dirty I stuck a brush in it. Sure glad I had a bottle of bore cleaner to pour in the barrel! We had a blast. Since all guns were single shots, we had to take care to aim and plan better between shots. We did not try the real far shots because we did not have the gun and frankly, since we were shooting a bunch of pups, it was tough enough in the wind at 300 anyhow. It was very rewarding. I can see where an AR would be fun, but shooting the single shots kept it sane, and sorta made us care about our shots missing (but nothing like missing a chuck, never to be seen again)
i do admit to shooting several PD hat were not the intended target...several on the mound, pick one, wind blows, buddy bites the dust...cool, "I planned that!"
I also learned that residents of the area can see a PD at 300 yards or more and say "he is next to the sage brush" while I say "Whaaaat sage bush..???" Now, I am sure he would think the same when I pick a chuck head out of a field of alfalfa at 500 with a glance. It is all in learning what you are looking at, and to me, the PD looked like the rocks, which looked like the bushes, which looked like the grass...
At the end of the day i was hot, tired, had a minor headache from sun and not enough water (We had it, I was just so busy I did not stop to drink any). For this kind of shoot i was so glad I left the BR, the 22-250 at home. It was a joy to shoot the K and Duece. I decided I NEED a 20 Vartarg. I learned that the 17HMR is a gas on PD. Perfect for them at appropriate range, whereas it is NOT so much for a 15 pound chuck. I fell in love with the Duece all over again. The Mcfadden is the cats behind for this kind of shooting. truckable, quick to action, swivels and is rock steady, even in the freakin wind that stole every thing that did not weigh 100 pounds.
Like 284 i too was sated at the end of the day, did not feel the need to shoot real far, and the experience was wonderful, but sure made whackin hogs this year at home feel like I was shooting bears.
I will go back if my generous host will have me, and this time I am bringing him a nicer gift! It was very fun, and I hope to do it again.
Rick in Oregon
Gold $$ Contributor
Great thread. I too have been virtually addicted to what I call "BR Varmint Shooting" now for exactly 52 years. Living in Oregon, we have an abundant supply of alfalfa-munching ground squirrels (Beldings Ground Squirrel) and rock chucks.
I've shot PD's in SD, MT, and SD, and groundhogs in TN and VA visiting a friend. For the time, expense and actual shooting conditions for PD's (hot and windy!), I've found that the shooting right here where I live is actually much more enjoyable, less expensive, and no third degree sunburns.
A good day out for rock chucks with my 20VT:
Young squirrel pups coming up to see what all the commotion is about:
For a day in the rat patch, nothing is better than a rotating bench, and my BR Pivot Lite is the hot ticket for all day comfort and rock-steady shooting platform. For sneaking about in the junipers for rock chucks, I use a home-built gizmo I refer to as my "Varmint Stake" for a solid, more portable rest.
And as other have noted, on these colony rodent shoots, a good .22LR belt pistol, a 17HMR, and a 223 or 204 will do the trick for all but the longest shots (500 yds+). I quit taking six or more rifles, as you never really get the "feel" of any one of them if you switch back and forth all day. Better to really learn one rifle and stay with it IMHO.
My Cooper M38 in 20VT cooling off after a hot string of 25 in the rat patch here:
As for the AR for this type of shooting; many land owners here will not allow them on their property, saying they just don't like the image it presents. No problem for me, as I'd much rather shoot single shot anyway with a high degree of precision instead of needing my Dillon RL550 close by to feed an AR.
In the end, it's all about fun, right?
I've shot PD's in SD, MT, and SD, and groundhogs in TN and VA visiting a friend. For the time, expense and actual shooting conditions for PD's (hot and windy!), I've found that the shooting right here where I live is actually much more enjoyable, less expensive, and no third degree sunburns.
A good day out for rock chucks with my 20VT:
Young squirrel pups coming up to see what all the commotion is about:
For a day in the rat patch, nothing is better than a rotating bench, and my BR Pivot Lite is the hot ticket for all day comfort and rock-steady shooting platform. For sneaking about in the junipers for rock chucks, I use a home-built gizmo I refer to as my "Varmint Stake" for a solid, more portable rest.
And as other have noted, on these colony rodent shoots, a good .22LR belt pistol, a 17HMR, and a 223 or 204 will do the trick for all but the longest shots (500 yds+). I quit taking six or more rifles, as you never really get the "feel" of any one of them if you switch back and forth all day. Better to really learn one rifle and stay with it IMHO.
My Cooper M38 in 20VT cooling off after a hot string of 25 in the rat patch here:
As for the AR for this type of shooting; many land owners here will not allow them on their property, saying they just don't like the image it presents. No problem for me, as I'd much rather shoot single shot anyway with a high degree of precision instead of needing my Dillon RL550 close by to feed an AR.
In the end, it's all about fun, right?
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Rick in Oregon
Gold $$ Contributor
Thanks, she's purty dear to me too. (Nicknamed "Scooter".....another story)
Pretty much factory stock Cooper M38 in 20VT, with the exception of a Jard 10oz trigger and wearing a Leupold VX3 6.5-20X LR 40mm with VHR and their excellent M1 elevation turret in Leupold rings/mount. She shoots in the .2s with boring regularity with any of the tipped 32 grainers over 18.5grs of RL-7 (I save the 39/40's for my 204's, one being an 11-twist).
Results using both the Nosler 32gr BT and the flat-base 32gr Varmageddon:
I've got lots of others, but for the past five years or so, the little 20VT has stolen my heart, and enjoys most of my varmint shooting while other rifles languish in the safe. It's just plain fun to shoot!
Thanks Rick! the fore-end told me it was a Cooper but I wasn't positive. Nice stickThanks, she's purty dear to me too. (Nicknamed "Scooter".....another story)
Pretty much factory stock Cooper M38 in 20VT,
jepp2
Gold $$ Contributor
And sometimes they are easy to see. Gotta love it when the pups are out.
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[URL=http://s860.photobucket.com/user/jepp2/media/Prairie%20Dogs_zpsrleksjnr.jpg.html]
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Rick in Oregon
Gold $$ Contributor
Now THAT is a target-rich environment!
A center-mass hold on the group on that mound would qualify as "flock shooting"!
A center-mass hold on the group on that mound would qualify as "flock shooting"!
Why would anyone want to do harm to such a cute little fur-ball?
Just make sure the caliber is small enough to let you see the action but large enough to give you action.
Comfort is important so you can keep at it for hours.
This is one afternoon worth of fun.
Oh, and watch out for the competition!!!
Just make sure the caliber is small enough to let you see the action but large enough to give you action.
Comfort is important so you can keep at it for hours.
This is one afternoon worth of fun.
Oh, and watch out for the competition!!!
Great pics. Thanks for sharing. Hard to beat that kind of enjoyment...with your cloths on.Great thread. I too have been virtually addicted to what I call "BR Varmint Shooting" now for exactly 52 years. Living in Oregon, we have an abundant supply of alfalfa-munching ground squirrels (Beldings Ground Squirrel) and rock chucks.
I've shot PD's in SD, MT, and SD, and groundhogs in TN and VA visiting a friend. For the time, expense and actual shooting conditions for PD's (hot and windy!), I've found that the shooting right here where I live is actually much more enjoyable, less expensive, and no third degree sunburns.
A good day out for rock chucks with my 20VT:
Young squirrel pups coming up to see what all the commotion is about:
For a day in the rat patch, nothing is better than a rotating bench, and my BR Pivot Lite is the hot ticket for all day comfort and rock-steady shooting platform. For sneaking about in the junipers for rock chucks, I use a home-built gizmo I refer to as my "Varmint Stake" for a solid, more portable rest.
And as other have noted, on these colony rodent shoots, a good .22LR belt pistol, a 17HMR, and a 223 or 204 will do the trick for all but the longest shots (500 yds+). I quit taking six or more rifles, as you never really get the "feel" of any one of them if you switch back and forth all day. Better to really learn one rifle and stay with it IMHO.
My Cooper M38 in 20VT cooling off after a hot string of 25 in the rat patch here:
As for the AR for this type of shooting; many land owners here will not allow them on their property, saying they just don't like the image it presents. No problem for me, as I'd much rather shoot single shot anyway with a high degree of precision instead of needing my Dillon RL550 close by to feed an AR.
In the end, it's all about fun, right?
And sometimes they are easy to see. Gotta love it when the pups are out.
[URL=http://s860.photobucket.com/user/jepp2/media/Prairie%20Dogs_zpsrleksjnr.jpg.html]
Rick i got copper 21 and i tryed 18.5 gr RL7 but it was way to hot for my gun had to go to 17.5 RL7 it loves the 32gr bullits
snert
Silver $$ Contributor
And sometimes they are easy to see. Gotta love it when the pups are out.
Yup, that is what it lookd like when I "hit the one I was aiming at"
lawman29
Gold $$ Contributor
Wyoming & Montana has lots of public land. One tool should be a GPS and a chip with land status & ownership for where you're going: https://www.huntinggpsmaps.com/
I have to agree with the posters who use the term 'shooting' prairie dogs as opposed to 'hunting'. The only hunting I've ever done for PDs is where the right gate is for the right field and then where the town is located on the acreage. Maybe that sounds too civilized for some but that has worked for me for many years.
I have the great pleasure of shooting about 35,000 acres on private ranches located in each of four states. I call about 6 months ahead of time to be sure that the rancher is available, that the population is still intact and that it's basically O.K. for me to come and shoot. They are usually ecstatic to have me want to come, especially if I can bring another shooter with me.
After the first trip, gear became pretty simple really. There is no reason for sunburn with all the types and shapes of portable shade available but depending on wind, of course. Sunscreen is mandatory. Because of the wide, flat terrain on most of the ranches, we shoot off of medium size banquet tables which fold flat for transportation. We have a pop up awning which is designed for wind with weights to control the structure. With this set up one shoots while the other spots, then vice versa. We have never been into shooting massive amount of ammunition but we do take several rifles each from .22LR up through .505 Gibbs. The Gibbs is reserved for situations such as one of the photos above with multiple young pups sunning themselves on the mound. It is wielded as artillery, attempting to eliminate as many as possible on the first shot. Then we follow up with the smaller cartridges for the cleanup. The Gibbs is the only rifle shot from a standing position off a support I built just for such situations. There's no sense in abusing ourselves when a simple solution is at hand.
Like everyone else, we start with the ones which are close in and work our way out. The difference we employ is to only shoot the close ins until they start popping up way out there. Then we bring out the long range precision rifles for sniping practice. Much more fun and doesn't get boring like shooting hundreds of rounds in just a few hours. It's also a built in break to cool the rifles.
We bring lots of water, good cleaning kits, and plenty of food for snacking or a midday meal. It never ceases to amaze me as how good a really cold dill pickle tastes on a hot day! It's also easier in my opinion to use binoculars for spotting instead of a scope or monocular. My eyes don't get strained quite as fast with binoculars. We use portable tripods for the binoculars which takes the strain off your arms and adds some stability to spotting. Accurate rangefinders can save ammunition also.
Enjoy!
I have the great pleasure of shooting about 35,000 acres on private ranches located in each of four states. I call about 6 months ahead of time to be sure that the rancher is available, that the population is still intact and that it's basically O.K. for me to come and shoot. They are usually ecstatic to have me want to come, especially if I can bring another shooter with me.
After the first trip, gear became pretty simple really. There is no reason for sunburn with all the types and shapes of portable shade available but depending on wind, of course. Sunscreen is mandatory. Because of the wide, flat terrain on most of the ranches, we shoot off of medium size banquet tables which fold flat for transportation. We have a pop up awning which is designed for wind with weights to control the structure. With this set up one shoots while the other spots, then vice versa. We have never been into shooting massive amount of ammunition but we do take several rifles each from .22LR up through .505 Gibbs. The Gibbs is reserved for situations such as one of the photos above with multiple young pups sunning themselves on the mound. It is wielded as artillery, attempting to eliminate as many as possible on the first shot. Then we follow up with the smaller cartridges for the cleanup. The Gibbs is the only rifle shot from a standing position off a support I built just for such situations. There's no sense in abusing ourselves when a simple solution is at hand.
Like everyone else, we start with the ones which are close in and work our way out. The difference we employ is to only shoot the close ins until they start popping up way out there. Then we bring out the long range precision rifles for sniping practice. Much more fun and doesn't get boring like shooting hundreds of rounds in just a few hours. It's also a built in break to cool the rifles.
We bring lots of water, good cleaning kits, and plenty of food for snacking or a midday meal. It never ceases to amaze me as how good a really cold dill pickle tastes on a hot day! It's also easier in my opinion to use binoculars for spotting instead of a scope or monocular. My eyes don't get strained quite as fast with binoculars. We use portable tripods for the binoculars which takes the strain off your arms and adds some stability to spotting. Accurate rangefinders can save ammunition also.
Enjoy!
snert
Silver $$ Contributor
505 Gibbs!!!! dang, that is funny!
On the other hand, I would not feel under-gunned if i were using it and one of those nasty rattlers showed up! I would prefer it in a MG configuration, thank you!
Agree with the bino support...my arms ached after a day on them, and I spend a lot of time on bino's in the chuck fields...much more than PD.
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