Prairie Rat vs. 215gr. Berger

[.300winmag]

Helped a co-worker move some stuff in his home today. He has some property and told me to bring some toys to play with after. I took out a few handguns, one of my AR's and of course my .300 followed me. We were shooting some steel at 800 when we heard the unmistakable chirp of a prairie dog and it was game on. We found him, ranged him at 402 yards. My buddy bet me $10 bucks I couldn't get him with the first shot. Well, I'm $10 richer and more in love with my .300 than ever before haha I asked him if he thought it was overkill and his response was "What is that? I've never heard of such a thing." Only saw one dog but it was fun.

 

[DrMike]

Always fun to drop the little critters.

 

[Palouser]

Awesome! I bet that was fun! I used to live in Albuquerque and some of my fondest memories hunting were going out into the desert and shooting jack rabbits with a rifle. Pretty good rifle practice if you ask me. Small targets, fast, great eyes and you have to be pretty good to consistently hit. I liked it more than prairie dog or rockchuck hunting because the jackrabbits were like 20 to 30 pounds. Don't get me wrong I love deer and elk hunting but jack rabbit hunting in the desert with a rifle is awesome and really good practice.

 

[Charlie-NY]

OK - I've gotta ask; did you get good expansion & adequate penetration or did you experience "bullet failure"? LMAO :grin:

 

[JD338]

Nice. Did you recover the bullet?

JD338

 

[.300winmag]

Charlie, I'm disappointed to report that I do not believe that the bullet expanded at all. Penetration was adequate, but I did not see signs of expansion.

JD, I was hoping to find the bullet on the off side under the hide but it was a clean through and through… dog gone it…

The Berger worked, but after this experience, I think a Barnes TSX or Nosler E-Tip would be more adequate for these dangerous animals. I don't even want to imagine one of these bruins charging. I've read enough Capstick to know I don't want two pounds of raging fur running up my leg.

 

[DrMike]

I don't want two pounds of raging fur running up my leg.

Now, that is one frightening scenario! :shock: Did you examine the wound channel?

 

[truck driver]

Would it make a good Euro mount :roll: :lol: :mrgreen:

 

[FOTIS]

LOL

 

[Guy Miner]

Funny stuff guys!

And great shooting. Congrats!

I popped a few California ground squirrels with a .300 Win Mag, back in the 1980's on Camp Pendleton, CA. Not at that much range though! Good accuracy test.

Guy

 

[.300winmag]

Dr. Mike, As far as wound channels, it was enough to put tho brute down clean. However, I am disappointed in the expansion of this bullet on dangerous game.

Truck Driver, had I been thinking, it would have made an awesome European mount. With quarter inch incisors, it'd look great next to the bear skull. I believe I may have harvested one of the last remaining "Saber tooth Prairie Dogs". Dr. Mike should be able to shed more insight, as he exterminated the last of the saber tooth frogs; if I remember correctly.

 

[Guy Miner]

It would be fun to bleach the skull, and put it on a bookshelf, next to a bleached bear skull... :mrgreen:

 

[DrMike]

I believe I may have harvested one of the last remaining "Saber tooth Prairie Dogs".

Heckuva job you did there. :mrgreen:

 

[sask boy]

I believe we have a few of them still here in Saskatchewan but they are not as hardy as the southern ones. WE can you usually anchor them with the 270win on most days :shock:!! However at minus 48C today I doubt we will be seeing them up and around for a day or two.

Blessings,
Dan

 

[6mm Remington]

Clearly you were under-gunned! I'm surprised that at 400 yards it still had enough oomph to drop him! Are you certain it wasn't a heart attack?

 

[wildgene]

...yeah, well, you guys go ahead & make fun about being overgunned, but you hear about people surviving bear & cougar attacks all the time. When's the last time you heard of anyone surviving a pdawg attack, huh???

 

[Palouser]

...yeah, well, you guys go ahead & make fun about being overgunned, but you hear about people surviving bear & cougar attacks all the time. When's the last time you heard of anyone surviving a pdawg attack, huh???

You had me laughing out loud WildGene!

 

[DrMike]

...yeah, well, you guys go ahead & make fun about being overgunned, but you hear about people surviving bear & cougar attacks all the time. When's the last time you heard of anyone surviving a pdawg attack, huh???

Excellent point, Gene. Those lil' critters are sneaky and highly dangerous. Shoot them at a distance and keep them from getting close is my motto.

 

[Palouser]

Really impressive shooting! You gotta love that outstretched arm.

 

[Oldtrader3]

I picked up a dead chuck that I had shot once in New York state, back when you could still shoot there most everywhere. I went over to pick it up and it darn near chewed my jeans leg off! Make sure they are dead!