NFOA MEMBERS FORUM
General Categories => Hunting and Fishing => Topic started by: Randy on June 21, 2009, 01:23:24 AM
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Do we have any Prairie Dog shooters with us here at NFOA?
Those that have tried it know how much pleasurable and challenging it can be. Prairie Rat is what these rodents should have been named instead of Prairie Dog named after how they bark warnings to each other as invaders come near there rat holes.
When Prairie Dog shooting depending on how often the town has been shot at, the range can be anywhere from 20 to 1000 Yards. Prairie Dog towns are found in many states and the vast majority app. 98% pulled from my rear is west of the Missouri River with SD, WY, ND, KS, CO, and yes NE being some of the most popular locations.
Equipment recommendations you can use anything from your trusty .22lr to a .308 for that reach out and touch something crowd. My cartridge of choice is the .223 in 55grain V-Max smokin at a muzzle velocity of app. 3200fps. The longer your barrel the better with one of my rifles being 26?. Optics are your friend and yes good optics cost I have been known to spent more on my optics than on my rifle. When your barrel is hot and the mirages are moving the optics do make a difference without question. A good scope along with good binoculars and or spotting scope will help you find and reach out to make that unforgettable far-off and or double shot.
Many also like the 22-250 as well. The .308 works quite well for the shooters that do not count how many rats that they shoot in an outing but rather how many yards there furthest confirmed successful shot was.
Last weekend I was 20 miles NW of Hulett, WY which is near Devils Tower on a Ranch of 48,000 acres it was wonderful to be out away from the rest of the world (except for the tire blow out from the shale rock). Shooting was good on Friday with a partly cloudy sky and a slight crosswind up to 10mph and 65 degree temps. The dogs were somewhat weary and obviously had been shot at before. This forced us to reach out some 300 to 800 yards. I shoot at 800 yards but I did not hit at 800 yards. 375 yards is about my max for my skill level my rifle as usual is much better than this shooter. It was fortunately dry enough that we could read our bullet hits (dust).Anyway it was a blast to be out with my shoot-in buddies spotting for each other as we shoot the day away. Watching the clouds blow by and listening to the song birds as we spotted for more Prairie Rats.
As some of you may know the dogs like the sun and the next day there was none, it actually had rained the night before causing us to four wheel with my truck into our shooting spot four miles off of the county road. This was through some of the stickiest black gumbo dirt that I have driven in, it truly was a challenge. We spent $30.00 at the car wash in Hulett on our way home from the trip. This day was a bust as we tried to spot some dogs but the sun never broke so after three hours we called it a day and packed up as the rain again started up to head back to the ranch for lunch and our trip back home to Plattsmouth.
We the three of us used shooting benches and also shot prone. It was not a 500 round days but we were prepared with much ammo. But dang-it we also brought much ammo back to shoot another day.
For the tree huggers who want to protect these rodents remember this. They are carriers of the Bubonic Plaque thru the flea's that they carry. They eat their own. They damage range land beyond use. Ranchers poison and gas them even vacuum them out of there holes to eliminate the problem.
For those who may be interested in more info check out the Varmint Hunters Association they also put out a quarterly magazine with much information. http://www.varminthunter.org/
Please tell us more about your Prairie Rat stories.
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Never done it yet, but I've always wanted to. I'd love to know some good places to go.
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a buddy and I have been looking to go some time, just need time and a couple good places.
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I have my Varmint Rem 700 set up and shooting dimes, never have shot at a prarie dog though. Would be fun to try one of these days!
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How do you like that rifle, maanbr? I've been thinking about what my next purchase is going to be, and that is on my list of possibilities.
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Do we have any Prairie Dog shooters with us here at NFOA?
wannabe count?
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Add 1 for me. Notice the matter on the second picture.
(http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj44/LitlRat396/dogsdeerandbrandon004.jpg)
(http://i269.photobucket.com/albums/jj44/LitlRat396/dogsdeerandbrandon007.jpg)
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One more here hooked Love to reach out.
Jay the 700 Rem is an excellent choice and very resaonable.
This model, good optics and a little trigger work and you will not be disappointed.
Guaranteed that you will be shooting out past 200yards often.
The Sako is also amazing.
(GOOD Optics) is key.
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I sold my Rem. 788 in .223 a while back that I used for p-dogs up in Montana. It was a tack-driver.
I know who should still have it now, if anyone is interested in it.
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I went for the first time a few weeks ago, shooting a friends Marlin in .17 HMR. It was a lot of fun.
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I have a Ruger 77/17 that I had Gordy over in IA do some work on, and a cooper 22-250. I also have a Rem 700 Light Varmint in 22-250 all shoot really good groups! The Light Varmint is mostly for coyotte and such. The cooper is to heavy and nice to lug arroung chasing yottes.
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soooo badly want to try this, but need someone to take me and show me how/where!
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I would love to go sometime, but I have no clue where.
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i want to do some prairie dog hunting. i have an AR, but no scope, just a red dot. my dad does have a .30-06 ;D
i need someone to take me out and de-virginize me on prairie dogs.
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Very interesting discussion. I've been shooting dogs for over 25 years. One of the best ways to keep your eye sharp.
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I just recently bought a Savage .17HMR. Nothing fancy or expensive. 3-9 x 40 scope. I would think it would kill a prairie dog. Not sure what kind of range it would have. The only place I've ever seen prairie dogs is either on TV or at a protected town near Harlan County damn/reservoir many years ago. My brother and I walked to Republican City, and on the way back to the campgrounds, we passed a farm house. A whole litter of puppies came running out, and 4 of them followed us as we went down the road. When we got to the prairie dog town, they ran out into it and somehow managed to catch one. As we watched, one puppy had a hold of each leg of the prairie dog, and they all kept backing up and jerking until they each had a piece of him. It gave "snap, crackle, and pop" a whole new meaning for us. :-\
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We need to put together the first annual NFOA dog hunt!
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I'd be up for it! :)
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I'm game! I would love the opportunity.
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I must be lucky, have my own town 200 yards from the house, used to shoot them from my front deck, now it is gone (the deck, I am rebuilding it). I offered a shoot a while back, have a few town around I can shoot at, lets talk about it in Columbus. Did you notice my avatar?
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I may not make it to Columbus, but if you all decide to have a hunt, I'd be glad to come along if I can.
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LitlRat, I won't be at Columbus but if you're willing to host some people I'd be all for it. My in-laws live in Kearney so I'm there pretty often. I'd even bring burgers and beer for afterwards :D
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Columbus isn't a mandatory thing for going, just a place to talk about it and maybe set one up. I do live near Kearney, 2 hours from Lincoln and 2.5 from Omaha.
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Prairie Rat (Dog) towns are primarily West of the Missouri River. NE does have some good size towns how be it most are out west they do exist. North of Sidney app. 50 miles are quite a few good ones. Permission is getting harder with more and more corporate ranches. There also are some North of Valentine and Sparks area most in Indian Reservation Land which has it's pros and cons. Here is a good web site. The Varmint Hunters Association out of Pierre, SD also awesome Magazine full of info. http://www.varminthunter.org/
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I had a really good 'dog town (3/8 of a section, with shade trees to sit under...) owned by a distant relative..... sadly, I did not kill enough for his liking, and he poisoned them all.....
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I'm game for a trip out west. I need to go out there for business anyway.
I'll be toting a howitzer though... 250gr .358 projectile anyone?
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I'm game for a trip out west. I need to go out there for business anyway.
I'll be toting a howitzer though... 250gr .358 projectile anyone?
I've always said if I ever go prairie dog hunting I'm bringing my 45-70 along just for kicks.
I've been thinking of giving this place a call, if I can get a few guys to split the cost. I'm not sure what they charge though. It's by Spalding.
http://dogtownlodge.com/index.html
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I'm game for a trip out west. I need to go out there for business anyway.
I'll be toting a howitzer though... 250gr .358 projectile anyone?
I've always said if I ever go prairie dog hunting I'm bringing my 45-70 along just for kicks.
I've been thinking of giving this place a call, if I can get a few guys to split the cost. I'm not sure what they charge though. It's by Spalding.
http://dogtownlodge.com/index.html
im for sure going to tag along if it works out in my schedule. id be happy to throw some money into the pot.
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Is it okay to bring an S&W 500 pistol? We might need a microscope to find some pieces of the dog to be sure he was hit and didn't just dive down his hole in the nick of time.
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I'm game for a trip out west. I need to go out there for business anyway.
I'll be toting a howitzer though... 250gr .358 projectile anyone?
I prefer 110gr (V-Max) .277 projos myself.......
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I'm game for a trip out west. I need to go out there for business anyway.
I'll be toting a howitzer though... 250gr .358 projectile anyone?
I've always said if I ever go prairie dog hunting I'm bringing my 45-70 along just for kicks.
I've been thinking of giving this place a call, if I can get a few guys to split the cost. I'm not sure what they charge though. It's by Spalding.
http://dogtownlodge.com/index.html
Hmmmm...never thought of my Trapdoor Springfield as a "prairie dog" gun. >:D ;D
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I'm smelling the start of a big-bore prairie-dog hunt here... min 8mm/.323cal?
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I'm going this weekend with a friend out by Elma. I have some .224, 40 gr pills going 4150 from my 22-250! Less than a dime at 100 yds....going to try for a 500 + kill.
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Another long time Pdog shooter here. I have two rigs. One 22-250 and one 6mm Rem. Both have many rounds out on the dog towns with many a dog gone. We used to even camp out on the dog towns for a few days at a time. It is great fun. My fourteen year old grand daughter has taken a real likeing to my 6mm this past year. The Ruger 77V is light on recoil for her and she has gotten pretty good with it. This nice little buck was close to 200 yds. out when she decided to go ahead and take him. One shot right on the money.
(http://i4.photobucket.com/albums/y113/GuzziRider/79970011.jpg)