Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Pdog advice for an easterner

My dad (70) and I have decided to take a trek west to do a little guided prairie dog hunting.

We haven't settled yet on where to hunt, but are open to western SD, WY, MT and possibly western KS.
We're hunting with ARs (among other rifles), so we're skipping CO as an option.
We'd figured on getting a guide since this is our first time hunting prairie dogs.
We're driving out in our own vehicle so we have flexibility, and can do a little tourism, since we haven't been out west since the early '90s.
I'd like to hear any recommendations you guys have as far as states/regions to hunt in, whether to opt for a guide on their own land vs a lease, reservation hunts or not, localized prairie dog population advice, or any other things we should consider.
Any specific guide recommendations are also very welcome.

I sure agree with using a guide, if for nothing else to get you on property with dogs.
I believe Ks is pretty poisoned out. Lots of plague in SD. Montana is very good now or so I am told.
I went to SD for about 20 years and Wy four times. Lost my good shooting spots to the plague. Have not gone in two years.

Varmint Hunter magazine had an advertising section of guides, unfortunately the magazine went belly-up a while back but I'll bet someone has a recent spare copy that you could get your hands on. As a second measure you could try googling prairire dog guides in the different area you are thinking of.

Sorry I can't be of more help but I have never had to use a guide so I can't provide any first hand info for you.

drover

Good idea. Signed, Horace Greeley

Your choice, but there are no laws preventing a guy from using an AR with any magazine of his choice, to shoot prairie dogs, or coyotes, in this state.....but there are probably better states with better shooting, unless you have a contact in Colo.

Word from experience....I have been asked by many a rancher if I got machine guns...perception....makes them edgy sending you out wit there cows...leave the AR at home if knocking on doors for privet access...guided I won't make much differance...

Tell them you enjoy killing with rimfires, then show them your nice 22 and then your 17HMR. After all that, they won't care if you move up to centerfire.

Google cattle ranchers in whichever state you decide to go to and start making some phone calls.
That's what a friend and I did last year and ran into a great guy and a now annual trip with our boys.

Used to shoot SD and a couple of years ago just about everything was belly up. Shot Nebraska and WY 2 yeas ago and did pretty well. Call the hotels where you think you might want to stay and local tractor/grain supply shops and I bet they know some locals looking to have PDs eradicated. We had people in a local bar one night draw us a map to their location so that we could come out and shoot the next day. Was some real good shooting too.

I would suggest you not overlook North Dakota when you drive out for prairie dogs. You can stop at Game and Fish and get a map of all the pdog towns on public land and there are many. I would suggest you get a map and stay at the Medora Hotel and have lunch and dinner at the Iron Horse saloon. That would put you right in the middle of some very good shooting. Wish you luck have a good time and watch for rattle snakes.

Don't bother hunting public land. The dogs will dive down the holes before you can get within a mile of them.
It takes door knocking and smiling when you eat at the small town diners. People will know you are from out of state and will know why you are there.
If you don't like that go to the Rosebud they will find you a guide who will take your money.

Thanks for the suggestions and comments gents. We went with a guided place in Hulett, WY. We're bringing ARs, a TC, a Savage 12 and probably our Anschutz .22s in case the opportunity for inside 100yds with little wind (HA!) presents itself.

That's sort of sad about so many people even out west not wanting AR shooters...
Also interesting though that so many out there will let you hunt on private land. Where I live, everyone I know either hunts land of relatives or friends, or has to suck it up and hunt low density public land or pay for a lease. Local farmers/ranchers generally keep hunting within their own family/friend circles or lease for $$$.

plenty of AR shooters use FMJ that ricochet, and want to play Rambo. We left whistle pig shooting not long ago because of bullets zinging over our head.
We told them about it leaving, it was a bunch of mostly younger people, AR's and semi auto pistols in hand, and two of the three rigs had CA. plates.

I bet maybe half the deer I have shot was on private land, or a large percentage at least. Mostly open country either sage brush or forest and no one posts it. This has changed to more posted closer to Boise and areas that have had to much growth in the last couple of decades.

We have had outfits try to charge to hunt near here. They will buy and least several thousand acres then want outrageous prices to hunt. So far they all seem to fade away, this ain't Texas.