Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Predators and Varmints Prairie dog Safari

My wife and I are interested in taking a short, maybe week long trip, to hopefully shoot some prairie dogs and see some new country.
Neither of us have done any prairie dog shooting and I am not sure where to start.
Should I be looking at using a guide or could we be successful on our own? Also where has the better numbers and access, Wyoming, South Dakota, Nebraska?
What say you?
And thanks, Les

Short trip = hire a guide. You could spend a week trying to find a place to do some shooting. Google up PD guides and go from there.

drover

Figure out which state your going to " taking a short, maybe week long trip," and look up the outfitter web site. You'll get more shooting in, quicker then trying to find your own spot. For a quicky.

Thanks guys,
That is pretty much my conclusion as well.
Just trying to curtail the learning curve and get some ideas.

Take care, Les

I've been in your shoes and have both hired a guide and shot on public land. The p-dogs were more abundant on private land with a guide. If you do choose to do it on your own, it's going to take homework prior.

When I went, I went to South Dakota. Start here with your calls: https://www.fs.fed.us/grasslands/contactus/index.shtml

They are the best source of information and will mail you maps as well as tell you what you can/can't expect. They were super helpful.

wait till mid May........been a long winter........

In Sodak, and Wy don’t go before about May 15. Best time in my view is last 10 days of May, and first couple weeks of June.
I’d for sure get a guide and hunt on private land or an Indian reservation.

Sounds like good advice guys. Thanks
Les

How old are you?
Three day hunt would be long enough for a first hunt. I would suggest at least 100 rds per day per person. You will need to move around after they get
bashful so having more than one spot is
good. If you are polite and friendly you can stop for lunch in a small town diner and find a place easily.

Well I’m usually polite and friendly enough to not abruptly start a conversation with “how old are you?”!!
The rest of your message seemed like good information. Not planning to shoot for a week but planning to vacation for a week with some prairie dog shooting in the midst of it.
Thanks for the info, and for what it’s worth, l am Exactly one year short of sixty.
Les

The reason I asked your age is that you will be out in the hot son all day.

One thing I learned is to line up your hunting before 4th of July weekend. Otherwise it may be difficult to find ranchers home because of the Rodeo. Springtime can be very muddy. A 17 caliber is hard to beat. I would leave big guns at home. You can use those on coyotes.
Have fun and be safe around horses and cattle.

Reservations set, mid June.