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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,384 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,384 Likes: 1 |
Hello all! I may have the opportunity to travel west this summer. If so, I would like to designate a couple of days to shoot Prairie Dogs. I have shot them several years ago with a guide in the Murdo, South Dakota area, and before that in the Badlands unguided. I think I am correct shooting is no longer allowed in the Badlands. I'll be travelling if the trip comes together in South Dakota, Wyoming, and maybe Montana. Are there places you would recommend? Guided or not? I don't really want to spend a mint but do want some good quality shooting and I know it doesn't come cheap. Please let me hear your suggestions. Thanks, and take care, Rick
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Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,256 Likes: 1
Campfire Tracker
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Campfire Tracker
Joined: Jan 2009
Posts: 5,256 Likes: 1 |
Asking the same questions here.
I could wish a lot of things on my worst enemy but neuropathy ain't one of them.
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Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 1,079
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Oct 2019
Posts: 1,079 |
Call ahead to feed stores, co-ops etc. ask them if they know any ranchers who have dogs that they’ll let you shoot. Shootin pdogs used to be easy. Not the case anymore. Takes a lot of lookin around, phone call and nocking on doors now. And luck!
The good news is that rarely have I asked and not received permission. They look at me like I’m crazy for driving 20 hours to shoot rodents. It’s amazing how good a judge of people they out there😂
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Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,307 Likes: 2
Campfire Oracle
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Campfire Oracle
Joined: Dec 2008
Posts: 78,307 Likes: 2 |
Prepare yourself...a lot if not most PD shooting nowadays is pay to play.
"...the left considers you vermin, and they'll kill you given the chance..." Bristoe
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Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,384 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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OP
Campfire Regular
Joined: Apr 2010
Posts: 2,384 Likes: 1 |
I was expecting to pay, not a fortune of course, but to pay. I'll probably be able to designate a couple of days to shoot and I think that wouldn't be enough time to find them. Thanks for the info, Rick
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Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,819 Likes: 4
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: Feb 2011
Posts: 17,819 Likes: 4 |
Lots of free places have been gobbled up by corporate ranches. I shot some ranches in this area for over 30 years. The owners even offered to let me charge a case of .22's I usually used centerfires, but it was a great jesture. All that changed about the turn of the century. Those are now corporate ranches $300/day.. Like the buffalo, it is gone.
Molon Labe
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 31,038 Likes: 30
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 31,038 Likes: 30 |
Prepare yourself...a lot if not most PD shooting nowadays is pay to play. Unless you have access to private property in p/dog locations w/o any fees Remember.........p/dogs like irrigated property With that means a $250K irrigation pivot system (per field) Land owners are reluctant to let Joe Blow come in and start shooting Livestock is another issue Being the UPS guy for 27 yrs helps though.........
T R U M P W O N !
U L T R A M A G A !
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Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,947 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2005
Posts: 2,947 Likes: 1 |
I looked last year and the going rate was $600/day. I was hard pressed to find cheaper.
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Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 43
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 43 |
I had an ag guy in the northwest tell me a few years ago, as he was giving me a list of names &phone numbers, "never pay to shoot PD's. Poison is expensive and time consuming". Our motto is be polite, leave no trace ie; trash or brass, leave the gates as you find them and don't wander around the property without asking if that is OK. If it has rained in the last 24, walk in with Tri-pods. If you shoot a fence wire, fix it. Eleventh trip is coming up.
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Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 2,396 Likes: 4
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Dec 2022
Posts: 2,396 Likes: 4 |
Go to the oklahoma panhandle. They'd prolly pay you to kill them out there. Alot of the ranchers lay down poison on huge tracts then break it out for farm ground with pivots. Those dog towns are snake pits too. Also tons of dogs in SE Colorado and Western Kansas.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 31,038 Likes: 30
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 31,038 Likes: 30 |
I had an ag guy in the northwest tell me a few years ago, as he was giving me a list of names &phone numbers, "never pay to shoot PD's. Poison is expensive and time consuming". Our motto is be polite, leave no trace ie; trash or brass, leave the gates as you find them and don't wander around the property without asking if that is OK. If it has rained in the last 24, walk in with Tri-pods. If you shoot a fence wire, fix it. Eleventh trip is coming up. Along with that.... Don't shoot these guys.... So damm cute......they take their share of p/dogs This one almost crawled up my pant leg........
T R U M P W O N !
U L T R A M A G A !
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Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,222
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Nov 2007
Posts: 2,222 |
I'm thinking of heading out west this spring to see if I can find some pd shooting. Going with no high expectations, but going to explore some places I know have prairie dog populations; just hoping the ranchers are willing to let me shoot. From '02 to '08 I had two ranches that welcomed me to shoot pds instead of them having to poison. In 08 the plague hit and there wasn't one dog where there had been hundreds before. Both ranches have changed owners and last time I drove by, in '12 or'13, pastures had been torn up and wheat had been drilled in what used to be prairie dog towns. I know there are still a lot of prairie dogs in Wyoming and Montana, it just is going to take a bit more time and effort to find the right places to shoot.
Then you will know the truth and the truth will set you free. John 8:32
A lie doesn't become truth; wrong doesn't become right; evil doesn't become good, just because it's accepted by the majority...Rick Warren
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Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,346 Likes: 2
Campfire Outfitter
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Campfire Outfitter
Joined: Dec 2015
Posts: 8,346 Likes: 2 |
i plan on going Prairie dog hunting out west again ,i have a new toy to shoot Hornet 17 . i am all lined up free land and i don`t need a license either , bar has cold beer and great steaks too.
LIFE NRA , we vote Red up here, Norseman
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Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 43
Campfire Greenhorn
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Campfire Greenhorn
Joined: Dec 2023
Posts: 43 |
i plan on going Prairie dog hunting out west again ,i have a new toy to shoot Hornet 17 . i am all lined up free land and i don`t need a license either , bar has cold beer and great steaks too. 17 Hornet is awesome on PD's. If you are rolling your own you can shoot it cheaper than an HMR and the view is more scenic
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Joined: May 2011
Posts: 15,952 Likes: 2
Campfire Ranger
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Campfire Ranger
Joined: May 2011
Posts: 15,952 Likes: 2 |
i plan on going Prairie dog hunting out west again ,i have a new toy to shoot Hornet 17 . i am all lined up free land and i don`t need a license either , bar has cold beer and great steaks too. 17 Hornet is awesome on PD's. If you are rolling your own you can shoot it cheaper than an HMR and the view is more scenic Total agreement on the 17 Hornet. Cheaper than 17 HMR and MUCH cheaper than the 17 WSM.
There are 2 rules to success:
1. Never tell everything that you know.
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Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 31,038 Likes: 30
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Jan 2001
Posts: 31,038 Likes: 30 |
i plan on going Prairie dog hunting out west again ,i have a new toy to shoot Hornet 17 . i am all lined up free land and i don`t need a license either , bar has cold beer and great steaks too. 17 Hornet is awesome on PD's. If you are rolling your own you can shoot it cheaper than an HMR and the view is more scenic Total agreement on the 17 Hornet. Cheaper than 17 HMR and MUCH cheaper than the 17 WSM. Made me search 17 cal bullets at Larry's Only 17 I've ever used & still have is the 'M2' rimfire Bought the Eley ammo in the hayday of pricing Inside of 100 yds the M2 really smacks 'em 17 Hornet sounds interesting https://www.midwayusa.com/product/1010922351?pid=160595
T R U M P W O N !
U L T R A M A G A !
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Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,415 Likes: 51
Campfire 'Bwana
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Campfire 'Bwana
Joined: Aug 2010
Posts: 48,415 Likes: 51 |
Prepare yourself...a lot if not most PD shooting nowadays is pay to play. That would suck!!! Shot one at 500 yards the other day, with the 308w, with my SWAT buddy watching through the spotter. The dog didn't want to come too far out of his hole, so I shot. I saw the dog flopping around after the shot, but couldn't quite make it out through the NF. Buddy said, "you shot his damn head off". I said, I didn't know if I hit him, but I saw him flopping around. Right now, with it snowing off and on, our opportunities are very few and far between. Good luck to the OP. Hopefully he finds a great place to shoot..
I try to stick with the basics, they do so well. Nothing fancy mind you, just plain jane will get it done with style. You want to see an animal drop right now? Shoot him in the ear hole. BSA MAGA
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Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,711 Likes: 1
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: May 2008
Posts: 1,711 Likes: 1 |
Refuse to pay to kill prairie dogs. It has become another cash crop to eradicate rancher/farmers vermin. MTG
Vena dura, ocyus occide, excusas non offer!
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Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 996
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 996 |
I generally stand in the sidelines and listen to your $hit. That is not a prairie dog. That’s a gopher, ground squirrel, example of your bull $hit. 😘
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Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 996
Campfire Regular
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Campfire Regular
Joined: Feb 2019
Posts: 996 |
BSA1917 I encourage you to look closely at my facial hair and you can see the juices of your mother.
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