Any Prarie Dog hunters out there?

K472 · March 14, 2009, 07:11 PM

Hi all,
I'm a new member, and just wanted to see if there is anyone else that likes to hunt prarie dogs.

I'm in Kansas and try to go on at leat 2 hunts a year with a couple of my buddies.

I currently shoot a Savage model 12 low profile varmiter. Its a 22-250 stainles barrel and I have a shrewd muzzle brake on it.

I have it topped with a Nikon Buckmaster 6X18 scope and currently shoot off a portable bench that I can move around out in the field.

I have attached some pictures of my poodle puncher.

Art Eatman · March 14, 2009, 07:17 PM

Welcome! Any number can play. Plenty of room in the toybox.

The old .22-250 has been doing good for over seventy years, now, every since Jerry Gebby got it all worked out from the old .250-3000. He was a Nebraska gunsmith and varmint hunter. My uncle put one of his barrels on a Mauser action, back in the late 1940s. Tack driver.

K472 · March 14, 2009, 07:30 PM

Nice to meet you.
My uncle got me into the dog hunting about 18 years ago. I was living out in SW Kansas then and was able to go pretty regularly.

I live in SE Kansas now and evidently they don't like the water

But it does make the trips I do take PD hunting a lot more special.

tyrajam · March 14, 2009, 08:43 PM

I don't know about prarie dog hunting, but I sure love prarie dog shooting! I go to North Dakota every summer. I also have a savage 12 heavy stainless barrel, but in 223, the lower recoil lets me see them get popped in the scope. I use my 6mm for windy and long shots, but its falling out of favor with me because I can't see my shots hit because of the scope jump, and thats half of the fun for me! My favorite prarie dog gun now is a little savage 17hmr. sneaking into a dog town and popping them at 150 yards is loads of fun, doesn't work to well on the federal land but on the private ranches that don't get shot up so much its a hoot!

Brian Pfleuger · March 14, 2009, 09:20 PM

Not prairie dogs but woodchucks (ground hogs). They're just a fat prairie dog as far as I'm concerned.

We use 22-250, 204ruger and 17HMR. All but the 17 create a wonderful, glistening, pink mist.

Dave R · March 14, 2009, 10:37 PM

Not many P-Dogs in my part of the country (SW Idaho.) But I do hunt "whistle pigs", aka Columbian Ground Squirrel. Kinda 1/4 scale P-Dog.

hardhit · March 14, 2009, 10:43 PM

22-250 is a great cartridge that rig must be recoilless with the break on it.
You’d have a good view watching the red mist.
I had thought about putting a break on mine but the barrel shot out and it sits in the safe awaiting a new stock and barrel.

K472 · March 15, 2009, 03:41 PM

I like watching them pop to. The brake lits me do that even with the 22-250.

We usally try to paln the first trip around the first part of June here.

The pups are up and while small not as spooky.

Best I've done on them is 7 with 3 rounds

I haven't come anywhere close to the 1000 yard club. My farthest has been around 480 paces.

How do you like the 6mm?

ENC · March 15, 2009, 04:58 PM

I have never gone on a dedicated P-dog hunt but have been in on some shooting several times while primarily after other species. I have however picked up a good prairie dog rifle. It is a .17 fireball VSSF with a Bushnell 4200 scope and this rig is just screaming for a trip to western OK.

Evan

troy_mclure · March 15, 2009, 06:27 PM

i just gon an encore in .204. i also got a muzzle break installed too.
i plan on a "shoot" this summer.

K472 · March 15, 2009, 09:14 PM

I like it best to shoot in teams. One spots while the other shoots. Its a blast!

I like watching the dog as my parter gos after them especially if it a tough shot (just their head up enough to see them)

If he misses I get to shoot plus a little ribbing, but it usally goes both ways Ha, Ha.

Let me know how the 204 & 17 fireball work if you get the chance to try them out.

I will take some pictures this year and post them when I get back.

kametc · March 15, 2009, 11:49 PM

We were hunting ground squirrels yesterday and today. Snowy and slushy but alot of action. Yesterday I was shooting my 25.06 ( very windy too) it's a Ruger M77 heavy stainless varmint 26" in the fat lam stock. It has a Leupold VXIII 6.5-20 on it. I'm shooting 120 gr nosler BT's and in a gusty 15 to 20 mph wind with almost no windage correction. Saw 1 Badger too. It wasn't his lucky day apparently as I was cocked and locked on a squirrel at about 100 when he showed up in my view at about 300. Today I was shooting my .22lr as was my buddy and we were using alot of english beyond about 35 yrds in that wind.

P-dogs are up north a ways and I may get a trip in on them in a month or so.

Ken

Inspector3711 · March 16, 2009, 12:22 AM

I'm set up for it. I have a VSSF in .22-250 with a brake, aftermarket pin spring and custom trigger. It's outfitted with a Leupold VX-III 4.5X14. I live where there are none. We did go looking for them last spring but it was a late winter and we had no luck. Maybe next year after I get vacation at the new job. Hopefully I can hold on to this job through the tough times. It's the job I've always dreamed of.

cornbush · March 16, 2009, 12:29 AM

Our family uses quite a variety of rifles for prarie dogs. Some are only used when the situation permits, but can be quite fun.

.22 WMR
.22 Hornet
.223 Rem
.220 Swift
.243 Win
.30-06
.300 Win Mag
.300 Weatherby
7.62x39mm
7.62x54R
7.7x58 Jap
8x57 Mauser
.375 H&H

Other cartridges have been known to appear, but aren't used as frequently.
Taking an oddball cartridge or rifle out can make for an interesting day.

Inspector3711 · March 16, 2009, 09:22 PM

Quote:

.375H&H

Pop goes the weasel.

Bike Effects · March 17, 2009, 01:41 AM

Used to! Now I live in California.

butta9999 · March 17, 2009, 01:49 AM

Anything from .223 up is pop goes the weasel damn, that is some serious fire power for a puppet.

FrankenMauser · March 17, 2009, 10:43 AM

Quote:

.22 WMR
.22 Hornet
.223 Rem
.220 Swift
.243 Win
.30-06
.300 Win Mag
.300 Weatherby
7.62x39mm
7.62x54R
7.7x58 Jap
8x57 Mauser
.375 H&H

The .270 Winchester should have been prominently featured in that list. (brain fart) All of us have quite a bit of fun spitting 100 grain hollow points at the dogs, at 3300 fps+.

Brian Pfleuger · March 17, 2009, 12:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by troy_mclure

i just gon an encore in .204. i also got a muzzle break installed too.

Troy, I mean no offense but what is the functional purpose of a muzzle brake on a 204? The muzzle hardly wiggles with the shot to begin with, I mean, the cross hairs don't even move. Seems like a brake is just a good way to redirect the noise back at the shooter.

troy_mclure · March 17, 2009, 04:37 PM

my encore(single shot rifle, 28" bbl) had quite a bit of muzzle jump, especialy at 300yd. the brake essentially eliminated that.

Brian Pfleuger · March 17, 2009, 04:47 PM

Quote:

my encore(single shot rifle, 28" bbl) had quite a bit of muzzle jump

Wow, no kidding? That must be one light weight gun!

K472 · March 17, 2009, 04:52 PM

I've been thinking about getting a .204 ruger. I haven't decided on a turnbolt or an upper to go on my AR.

Does it reload well? How have they been shooting for you all?

Brian Pfleuger · March 17, 2009, 05:32 PM

Quote:

Does it reload well? How have they been shooting for you all?

It is claimed by Hornady and Ruger, last I knew, that the factory performance could not be duplicated by handloaders because of the proprietary powder mix. Besides that, I've been told that it presents no problems to reloaders.

It shoots like a dream. Laser flat, quieter than similar guns like 22-250(not quiet mind you but quieter), quite literally no recoil at all with my Ruger MKII which is fitted with a Harris bi-pod and a Mueller Eradicator scope, both of which I also recommend.

troy_mclure · March 18, 2009, 01:32 AM

my reloading stuff is in the mail as we speak!

on a few other sites guys are getting 4200fps with the 32gr vmax's.

mine is an awesome shooter.

i dont know if i would get .204 in ar, at an average of $1 per shot thats just to rich for my blood. the temptation would be too great to "rapid fire" after a miss. lol

FrankenMauser · March 18, 2009, 02:24 PM

Quote:

i dont know if i would get .204 in ar, at an average of $1 per shot thats just to rich for my blood

$1 per round? Maybe with factory ammo. If you reload, that can be beaten very easily.

March 14, 2009, 09:20 PM	#5
Brian Pfleuger Moderator Emeritus Join Date: June 25, 2008 Location: Austin, CO Posts: 19,578	Not prairie dogs but woodchucks (ground hogs). They're just a fat prairie dog as far as I'm concerned. We use 22-250, 204ruger and 17HMR. All but the 17 create a wonderful, glistening, pink mist. __________________ Nobody plans to screw up their lives... ...they just don't plan not to. -Andy Stanley

March 14, 2009, 10:37 PM	#6
Dave R Senior Member Join Date: January 7, 2000 Location: Idaho Posts: 6,073	Not many P-Dogs in my part of the country (SW Idaho.) But I do hunt "whistle pigs", aka Columbian Ground Squirrel. Kinda 1/4 scale P-Dog. __________________ I am Pro-Rights (on gun issues).

March 15, 2009, 06:27 PM	#10
troy_mclure Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2008 Location: gulf of mexico Posts: 2,716	i just gon an encore in .204. i also got a muzzle break installed too. i plan on a "shoot" this summer. __________________ There is only one tactical principle which is not subject to change. It is to use the means at hand to inflict the maximum amount of wound, death, and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time."

March 15, 2009, 11:49 PM	#12
kametc Senior Member Join Date: April 18, 2007 Location: S W , Montana Posts: 206	We were hunting ground squirrels yesterday and today. Snowy and slushy but alot of action. Yesterday I was shooting my 25.06 ( very windy too) it's a Ruger M77 heavy stainless varmint 26" in the fat lam stock. It has a Leupold VXIII 6.5-20 on it. I'm shooting 120 gr nosler BT's and in a gusty 15 to 20 mph wind with almost no windage correction. Saw 1 Badger too. It wasn't his lucky day apparently as I was cocked and locked on a squirrel at about 100 when he showed up in my view at about 300. Today I was shooting my .22lr as was my buddy and we were using alot of english beyond about 35 yrds in that wind. P-dogs are up north a ways and I may get a trip in on them in a month or so. Ken __________________ "Allons" Blackhorse Troopers !

March 16, 2009, 12:22 AM	#13
Inspector3711 Senior Member Join Date: February 9, 2008 Location: Puget Sound Washington Posts: 1,553	I'm set up for it. I have a VSSF in .22-250 with a brake, aftermarket pin spring and custom trigger. It's outfitted with a Leupold VX-III 4.5X14. I live where there are none. We did go looking for them last spring but it was a late winter and we had no luck. Maybe next year after I get vacation at the new job. Hopefully I can hold on to this job through the tough times. It's the job I've always dreamed of. __________________ "If someone has a gun and is trying to kill you, it would be reasonable to shoot back with your own gun." The Dalai Llama (5/15/01, The Seattle Times) "That rifle on the wall of the labourer's cottage or working class flat is the symbol of democracy. It is our job to see that it stays there." George Orwell

March 14, 2009, 07:17 PM	#2
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Welcome! Any number can play. Plenty of room in the toybox. The old .22-250 has been doing good for over seventy years, now, every since Jerry Gebby got it all worked out from the old .250-3000. He was a Nebraska gunsmith and varmint hunter. My uncle put one of his barrels on a Mauser action, back in the late 1940s. Tack driver.

March 14, 2009, 07:30 PM	#3
K472 Member Join Date: March 7, 2009 Location: SE Kansas Posts: 31	Nice to meet you. My uncle got me into the dog hunting about 18 years ago. I was living out in SW Kansas then and was able to go pretty regularly. I live in SE Kansas now and evidently they don't like the water But it does make the trips I do take PD hunting a lot more special.

March 14, 2009, 08:43 PM	#4
tyrajam Senior Member Join Date: July 24, 2007 Location: Indianapolis, IN Posts: 467	I don't know about prarie dog hunting, but I sure love prarie dog shooting! I go to North Dakota every summer. I also have a savage 12 heavy stainless barrel, but in 223, the lower recoil lets me see them get popped in the scope. I use my 6mm for windy and long shots, but its falling out of favor with me because I can't see my shots hit because of the scope jump, and thats half of the fun for me! My favorite prarie dog gun now is a little savage 17hmr. sneaking into a dog town and popping them at 150 yards is loads of fun, doesn't work to well on the federal land but on the private ranches that don't get shot up so much its a hoot!

March 14, 2009, 10:43 PM	#7
hardhit Senior Member Join Date: August 18, 2008 Posts: 343	22-250 is a great cartridge that rig must be recoilless with the break on it. You’d have a good view watching the red mist. I had thought about putting a break on mine but the barrel shot out and it sits in the safe awaiting a new stock and barrel.

March 15, 2009, 03:41 PM	#8
K472 Member Join Date: March 7, 2009 Location: SE Kansas Posts: 31	I like watching them pop to. The brake lits me do that even with the 22-250. We usally try to paln the first trip around the first part of June here. The pups are up and while small not as spooky. Best I've done on them is 7 with 3 rounds I haven't come anywhere close to the 1000 yard club. My farthest has been around 480 paces. How do you like the 6mm?

March 15, 2009, 04:58 PM	#9
ENC Senior Member Join Date: August 31, 2001 Location: Grand Lake, OK Posts: 658	I have never gone on a dedicated P-dog hunt but have been in on some shooting several times while primarily after other species. I have however picked up a good prairie dog rifle. It is a .17 fireball VSSF with a Bushnell 4200 scope and this rig is just screaming for a trip to western OK. Evan

March 15, 2009, 09:14 PM	#11
K472 Member Join Date: March 7, 2009 Location: SE Kansas Posts: 31	I like it best to shoot in teams. One spots while the other shoots. Its a blast! I like watching the dog as my parter gos after them especially if it a tough shot (just their head up enough to see them) If he misses I get to shoot plus a little ribbing, but it usally goes both ways Ha, Ha. Let me know how the 204 & 17 fireball work if you get the chance to try them out. I will take some pictures this year and post them when I get back.

March 16, 2009, 12:29 AM	#14
cornbush Senior Member Join Date: September 29, 2008 Location: The retarded place below Idaho Posts: 1,408	Our family uses quite a variety of rifles for prarie dogs. Some are only used when the situation permits, but can be quite fun. .22 WMR .22 Hornet .223 Rem .220 Swift .243 Win .30-06 .300 Win Mag .300 Weatherby 7.62x39mm 7.62x54R 7.7x58 Jap 8x57 Mauser .375 H&H Other cartridges have been known to appear, but aren't used as frequently. Taking an oddball cartridge or rifle out can make for an interesting day. Last edited by cornbush; March 16, 2009 at 07:52 AM.

March 17, 2009, 01:41 AM	#16
Bike Effects Member Join Date: March 5, 2009 Location: Napa, CA USA Posts: 32	Used to! Now I live in California.

March 17, 2009, 01:49 AM	#17
butta9999 Senior Member Join Date: June 29, 2008 Location: Melbourne, Victoria, Australia Posts: 692	Anything from .223 up is pop goes the weasel damn, that is some serious fire power for a puppet. __________________ Knowledge is Power!

March 17, 2009, 04:37 PM	#20
troy_mclure Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2008 Location: gulf of mexico Posts: 2,716	my encore(single shot rifle, 28" bbl) had quite a bit of muzzle jump, especialy at 300yd. the brake essentially eliminated that. __________________ There is only one tactical principle which is not subject to change. It is to use the means at hand to inflict the maximum amount of wound, death, and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time."

March 17, 2009, 04:52 PM	#22
K472 Member Join Date: March 7, 2009 Location: SE Kansas Posts: 31	I've been thinking about getting a .204 ruger. I haven't decided on a turnbolt or an upper to go on my AR. Does it reload well? How have they been shooting for you all?

March 18, 2009, 01:32 AM	#24
troy_mclure Senior Member Join Date: November 17, 2008 Location: gulf of mexico Posts: 2,716	my reloading stuff is in the mail as we speak! on a few other sites guys are getting 4200fps with the 32gr vmax's. mine is an awesome shooter. i dont know if i would get .204 in ar, at an average of $1 per shot thats just to rich for my blood. the temptation would be too great to "rapid fire" after a miss. lol __________________ There is only one tactical principle which is not subject to change. It is to use the means at hand to inflict the maximum amount of wound, death, and destruction on the enemy in the minimum amount of time."