Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Prairie Dogs And 100 Degrees

Prairie dogs are where you find them, when you find them. We left Friday to go to the killing fields and shoot them. We got there and even though the temperature was in the low 90's, we found plenty and shot them until dark.

Instead of going somewhere else to camp, we camped right in the town. We were awakened at 6:00 with the chirping of prairie dogs and got up and started shooting.

I had talked a friend into buying a Coltsman 223, made by Sako and we shot it with great success. We shot 2 fields until after noon and the temperature didn't quite make 100, but 99 was close enough. There was still enough time to get back to town in time for the Bozeman Stampede PRCA Rodeo...

That sounds like a ton of fun. I've always wanted to go on a dedicated prairie dog shoot. I got to do it one time after a mule deer hunt was successful early. The only rifle I had was my 270. Does a number on em.

Wow, Shrapnel, your fuel economy has sure gone downhill since the last time we saw your odometer.

Barrels don't cool off much in 100 degree heat! I had to bring mine in off the porch and set them on top of the air conditioning vent between groups.

100 degrees in Montana is like being in Texas without the Texans!

amen to that.

Six or eight years ago, I was trying to completely eradicate a small town that cropped up a couple miles from the big town I've shot for years. The same friend owned 'em both and wiping out the small town was a small price for access to the big town plus real good dove hunting.

I made a camp with my jeep trailer and a large tarp for a shade.

I estimated there were 30 - 40 dogs, all adults, when I started. I stayed there from noon on the start day, thru all the second day, until mid morning on the third day. They were pretty wild to start with, and got a whole lot wilder.

I figured I had them whittled down pretty good by the end of the second day. I was keeping count with a golf counter, but don't recall what it was.

I kept a very low profile for over an hour after sunup on the third day. Three dogs had shown themselves early, and no more ever came up.

I killed one and the other two went down, not to be seen for over an hour.

Next Spring, there were eighteen dogs up according to Ed Bunchalettersand numbers and his nephew who went to shoot at it while a couple other 'fire members and I stayed at the large town.

They didn't wipe 'em out, either.

You guys are blessed with a target rich environment!

Somehow I have lived a sheltered life, and never done that. Need to one of these days...

Be careful what you start. It is much easier to start that habit than to stop cold turkey or suffer withdrawal pains. But a finer shooting sport would be hard to find. As for hunting it is at or near the top also. You don`t need to drag them out, you can shoot them on your shirt sleeves and you are doing a public service.

Awesome.




Travis

I'll take you.



Dave

Get some messkins and your all set.

I have never done it either but have killed more sage rats than I could ever count. Same thing but PDs and about ten times the size of SR.


You get a chance you should try either. It is great fun and will improve your shooting, not that you need it as I remember.

You guys that have been there know what I am talking about. The pasture we camped in has more dogs than the one with the painted rocks. I was surprised at how many were out in 90 degree weather.

The rodeo to end a 90+ degree day was a nice finish...

Looks like fun Shrap!

Thanks - one of these years I need to take a couple weeks and wander up that way.

Meet me at Donnie's place opening day of dove season. We'll shoot doves AND P D's.

Bring your own shotgun and shells. I'll furnish rifles and ammo for the p'dogs.

This is gospel truth. Hence my handle.......

It's addictive. Be careful.

Scott F,

Prairie dogs are indeed quite a bit bigger than ground squirrels, exactly how much bigger depending on the species of ground squirrel. But PD's are also a lot spookier, and the shooting ranges increase quickly after they've been shot at some. Wind is often harder in PD country as well, which increases the difficulty with range.

Have shot considerable numbers of both over the decades, in several states, and PD shooting is normally tougher, especially after they've been shot at for a day or two.

The main place I hunt them, a 200 yard shot is a gimme. If you don't want to shoot at 300 yards, you will haul a lot of your ammo back home with you.

There is a FM road adjacent to the town and all the locals keep 'em stirred up.

Top shot yesterday was 471 yards with a 243 and 75 grain hollow point bullet...

I need a little bad luck on the part of the dog to hit one at that range.

For those long shots I switch to my 244AI w/ 70 gr. b t.

Having never shot them I would not know which is harder so I will take your word for it. The Belding,s Ground Squirrel is what I have shot the most and I have taken several past 400 yards but there was not a lot of wind. Since my long range squirrel rifle, a Number 1 V in 22 BR, is long gone and my current sage rat rifle is a K hornet I probably will never know. Still a lot of fun to see what others are doing and thinks for the opinion.

I have a carload of varmint rifles in all calibers, but it seems like this 22-250 is the closest thing I have to a lazer...

Hard to tell which one is the fencepost.

There are 2 rifles there and no fence post. Yours is the one in the back. Don't you recognize it?