the prairie dog experience

Firebird

Handloader
Jun 22, 2013
303
628
Had some time to cull the prairie dog population while on a recent wyoming antelope hunt. Shot them with 17hmr, 22 mag and my favorite .223 savage. 55 grain handloaded ballistic tips did what Nosler intended them to do and with style. Farthest shot was 400, closest under 50 yards, all excellent varmint bullet performance. Almost as much fun as the antelope!
 
A couple years ago I took my daughters Antelope hunting in Wyoming. Spent a couple afternoons shooting prairie dogs with my old Remington 788 in .223. The second afternoon my oldest daughter said "Dad, I can't shoot anymore prairie dogs". Thinking she was feeling sorry for them I asked her why not? She said "I have a blister on my trigger finger and it hurts to shoot!"
What a great way to pass some time :grin:
 
lefty315":2zmzyk5n said:
A couple years ago I took my daughters Antelope hunting in Wyoming. Spent a couple afternoons shooting prairie dogs with my old Remington 788 in .223. The second afternoon my oldest daughter said "Dad, I can't shoot anymore prairie dogs". Thinking she was feeling sorry for them I asked her why not? She said "I have a blister on my trigger finger and it hurts to shoot!"
What a great way to pass some time :grin:

Super story, Lefty! (y) Made me smile. :grin:
 
I used prairie dogs to practice with my Winchester M70 .243 XTR! It used to be my go to rifle for semi small varmints up to deer size big game. I knew that rifle inside out. I shot nothing but 100gr bullets outta her. It wouldn't wouldn't vaporize them, but it sure kicked them up and out.
Then a little while later, I did the same with my Ruger M77 in .25-06. I shot 100gr Sierra GameKings going 3350fps, and that would kick them up and out, plus vaporize most of the little critter all at once. It wasn't unusual to make 450-500yrd shots. I got to know that rifle really well that way, too.
I think prairie dog shooting is a ton of fun, plus you get to know where your hunting load will hit at so many different ranges.

HawkeyeSATX a.k.a. Bryce
 
Several years ago a few of us traveled to Casper WY for a pronghorn hunt. Tags were filled in the first 2 days and we had 2 days remaining before the return flight to NY. I happened on a lone coyote who bit the dust at about 250yds when the 162gr A-Max from my 7STW squared him in the chest.
7247Coyote.JPG


After that we spent a day shooting prairie dogs off the mounds. The wind was howling but we had a blast launching as many of them skyward as we could. If I have the time, I think I'll return just to shoot the PDs for a few days. Can't get more action then you find in the PD towns..
 
I used to live in Cheyenne, and a couple of buddies and I would make a short trip just north out of Cheyenne, and we asked a rancher if he had any PD's he needed to get rid of, and to his surprise, and ours, he allowed us to go and shoot as many as we wanted. His only stipulations were, don't fire near the cattle, and don't shoot the fences.
We gladly obliged, and we were allowed for several years to go back.
I think they are an undervalued varmint, when it comes to getting.
We sure had a blast! And the PD's did too! LOL
We used .22LR rifles, and .223's, .22-250's, .243's, .25-06's, and every now and then I used my old Swedish M96 Mauser in 6.5x55.

HawkeyeSATX a.k.a. Bryce
 
Love these stories of varmint & predator shooting. Great practice for field marksmanship on bigger game!

Guy
 
FOTIS":20zfnnbb said:
And my 220 swift Bryce!

I couldn't remember what you were using Fotis.
Sorry for that.
But now that you jogged my memory, yes, you were using your 220 Swift.

HawkeyeSATX a.k.a. Bryce
 
Guy Miner":22yl7xzi said:
Love these stories of varmint & predator shooting. Great practice for field marksmanship on bigger game!

Guy

I fully agree Guy

HawkeyeSATX a.k.a. Bryce
 
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