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Posted: 3/29/2015 12:06:16 AM EDT
Stoked to get back out to shoot some more prairie dogs, 110gr Hornady VMax .308 leaving the barrel at 3300fps, turns them inside out, quick no suffering for the little vermin.
Gun 
Ammo 
Target 
Carnage, graphic so don't click if you get all fuzzy about the cute little critters. Click To View Spoiler Click To View Spoiler |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 12:08:40 AM EDT
[#1]
I love prairie dog shooting! It's so fun. But you're slingin' a lot of money downrange with .308's. I shot 22-250s and .223's and could barely afford that we burned so much ammo...
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Posted: 3/29/2015 12:09:59 AM EDT
[#2]
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Posted: 3/29/2015 12:10:19 AM EDT
[#3]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I love prairie dog shooting! It's so fun. But you're slingin' a lot of money downrange with .308's. I shot 22-250s and .223's and could barely afford that we burned so much ammo... I load them myself so it's not to bad, don't want to spend the money on a 22-250, scope, brass, dies etc. We usually go with 5 to 6 guys, it's just 2 of us this time, so I will probably burn more ammo than years past, I typically take 500 to 700 rounds and only burn thru 350 to 400 over the course of 3 days. |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 12:15:20 AM EDT
[#4]
This was the longest flight time from that first trip, two guys are at the launch, single is at the landing.
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Posted: 3/29/2015 12:16:19 AM EDT
[#5]
Target rich environment.
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Posted: 3/29/2015 12:17:20 AM EDT
[#6]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
This was the longest flight time from that first trip, two guys are at the launch, single is at the landing. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/ScottACousino/GRAPHIC%20Prairie%20Dog%20Hunt%20GRAPHIC/_MG_6868.jpg~original 
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Posted: 3/29/2015 12:17:43 AM EDT
[#7]
Hunting BLM?
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Posted: 3/29/2015 12:20:34 AM EDT
[#8]
I would not go walking into the midst of a prairie dog colony--they carry plague, don't you know?
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Posted: 3/29/2015 12:23:34 AM EDT
[#9]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Hunting BLM? Mostly private land, have a buddy that lives out there and his cousin owns 5000 acres. |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 12:27:53 AM EDT
[#10]
Yup, prairie dog shooting is the most fun you can have with your clothes on! I go to South Dakota twice a year and have a blast. Shoot whatever floats your boat but, an AR set up for shooting prairie dogs is the way to go for us. If you get there at the right time in May, you need an AR to keep up with all the targets and with 80% hit rate it gets real interesting.
Good hunting. |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 12:28:32 AM EDT
[#11]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
I would not go walking into the midst of a prairie dog colony--they carry plague, don't you know? Meh, you gotta die of something. Plus they make drugs to cure that nowadays. |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 12:39:30 AM EDT
[#12]
Gillette
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Posted: 3/29/2015 12:39:46 AM EDT
[#13]
.308 is the only cartridge I load myself (on a buddy's equipment, thankfully). I really like that pic of your loaded rounds in the cases. Never knew folks used .308 for Pdogs!
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Posted: 3/29/2015 12:41:56 AM EDT
[#14]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Gillette What? Don't like wind? You're in SD. 
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Posted: 3/29/2015 12:43:05 AM EDT
[#15]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Gillette +1 |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 1:02:02 AM EDT
[#16]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
+1 Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Gillette +1 It's been 2 years since I have been there, issues with the town? I saw online it's a bad Meth place now? |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 1:05:56 AM EDT
[#17]
Nothing wrong with it. Just boring, like any other small town.
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Posted: 3/29/2015 1:07:24 AM EDT
[#18]
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Posted: 3/29/2015 1:09:57 AM EDT
[#19]
Isn't it windy enough that when they poke their head up they just blow away?
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Posted: 3/29/2015 1:10:57 AM EDT
[#20]
That is a beautiful rifle OP.
Nice pics.
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Posted: 3/29/2015 1:26:02 AM EDT
[#21]
If I don't use 1k rounds in 3 days I consider it a boring dog shoot. Plague went through our spot in SD, haven't been back since 2012
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Posted: 3/29/2015 1:26:37 AM EDT
[#22]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
That is a beautiful rifle OP. Nice pics. Thanks, it's a bit heavy for humping thru the field, but it shoots lights out. 5 shot 100 yard target, bipod and rear bag. 
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Posted: 3/29/2015 1:29:23 AM EDT
[#23]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
If I don't use 1k rounds in 3 days I consider it a boring dog shoot. Plague went through our spot in SD, haven't been back since 2012 Damn, that must of been one hell of a town to sustain you killing 1000 in 3 days, or do you miss a lot? |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 1:31:56 AM EDT
[#24]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Damn, that must of been one hell of a town to sustain you killing 1000 in 3 days, or do you miss a lot? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: If I don't use 1k rounds in 3 days I consider it a boring dog shoot. Plague went through our spot in SD, haven't been back since 2012 Damn, that must of been one hell of a town to sustain you killing 1000 in 3 days, or do you miss a lot? |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 1:42:21 AM EDT
[#25]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Damn, that must of been one hell of a town to sustain you killing 1000 in 3 days, or do you miss a lot? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
If I don't use 1k rounds in 3 days I consider it a boring dog shoot. Plague went through our spot in SD, haven't been back since 2012 Damn, that must of been one hell of a town to sustain you killing 1000 in 3 days, or do you miss a lot? Lol. Last year rolled up on a dog town at 10am and fired 537 shots between then and 3pm. My buddy that was with me did about the same. These were all high percentage shots with many many doubles and triples with a smattering of quadruples thrown in. A dog town in May with the young ones out and a town that hasn't been shoot up is something you need to experience to believe. |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 1:52:59 AM EDT
[#26]
Nice pics, OP.
I've always wanted to go out west for a prairie dog shoot, but I have no idea how to go about it. |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 1:56:48 AM EDT
[#27]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Nice pics, OP. I've always wanted to go out west for a prairie dog shoot, but I have no idea how to go about it. First time you go, you might want to considered a guide, get the lay of the land and then find places to hunt on your own after that. Guides are expensive and can be hit or miss on quality. YMMV |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 1:57:44 AM EDT
[#28]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Gillette |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 2:00:10 AM EDT
[#29]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
<a href="https://imageshack.com/i/mkiseeitj" target="_blank">http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/812/iseeit.jpg</a> Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
This was the longest flight time from that first trip, two guys are at the launch, single is at the landing. http://i5.photobucket.com/albums/y160/ScottACousino/GRAPHIC%20Prairie%20Dog%20Hunt%20GRAPHIC/_MG_6868.jpg~original <a href="https://imageshack.com/i/mkiseeitj" target="_blank">http://imagizer.imageshack.us/v2/xq90/812/iseeit.jpg</a> 
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Posted: 3/29/2015 2:27:06 AM EDT
[#31]
Holy shit, my ass would be living in a hole in the ground too if I knew somebody was trying to blow me to pieces like that. Damn that looks like fun. |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 2:34:56 AM EDT
[#32]
Next time I'd stay in Wright. Hell of a nice hotel there with a pretty good steakhouse attached. And it's not Gillette.
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Posted: 3/29/2015 2:44:29 AM EDT
[#33]
Truly, this is my favorite time of the year. We have ground squirrels around here, they are about half the size of prairie dogs, so they come apart pretty well when you connect
For calibers mainly we shoot a lot of .17 HMR. As far as center fire it's a mix of .22-250, .204 Ruger, .223, .20 VarTarg, 5.45x39 (if you are nvgeologist  ) and the random pistol out of boredom. This year I just got this CZ 527 Varmint in .17 Hornet, so that excites me greatly.
I'm taking it out tomorrow to zero it, so we will see how it goes. Usually in 4-5 days between all of us we shoot 3,000-4,000 of the little bastards. Hell, if you are on your game you rotate rifles so that you can keep up your rate of fire. Last year it was rotating between 15 rounds .22-250, then 50 rounds .17 HMR, followed by as much 10/22 action as it took until the barrels of the others were only warm to the touch. At that point you reload and fo again. This year I have a 24.3 megapixel camera that shoots 11 frames per second, along with HD video capability, Vortex Razor HD spotting scope with an adapter to mount my camera, and a phone scope, for slow motion video. Should be a good year for footage
Here are some pictures from past years. 
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Posted: 3/29/2015 2:55:37 AM EDT
[#34]
pth.. i have a 6mm-284 that will do teh job better..
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Posted: 3/29/2015 2:58:15 AM EDT
[#35]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Next time I'd stay in Wright. Hell of a nice hotel there with a pretty good steakhouse attached. And it's not Gillette. Just searched 3 different sights, expedia, hotels.com and travelocity and they list no hotels in Wright? You have a link or name of the hotel? |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 3:00:37 AM EDT
[#36]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
pth.. i have a 6mm-284 that will do teh job better.. That would definitely send them into low earth orbit, with quite the gusto. Only downside is barrel heat. .223 on an AR we usually go either a full 20-30 round mag before letting it cool. The .22-250 you are pushing it at 15, 10 is more reasonable. .204 Ruger you get about 30, .17 HMR you can push about 70-100 through unless you're straight up cyclic on it. Last year was the first year for the .20 VarTarg, and we were getting about 40-45 rounds through it before you have to let it cool, so that was pretty awesome. I'm hoping for the same with the .17 Hornet (it should since it's half the powder). We have shot them with damn near everything, up to and including .50 BMG and .338 Lapua. I have to say the smaller calibers are more fun. Big bore stuff like that you basically just break them in two, and obscure the mound with a dust cloud. |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 3:04:24 AM EDT
[#37]
Quote HistoryQuoted: Just searched 3 different sights, expedia, hotels.com and travelocity and they list no hotels in Wright? You have a link or name of the hotel? Quote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Next time I'd stay in Wright. Hell of a nice hotel there with a pretty good steakhouse attached. And it's not Gillette. Just searched 3 different sights, expedia, hotels.com and travelocity and they list no hotels in Wright? You have a link or name of the hotel? http://www.wrighthotel.com/ |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 3:07:46 AM EDT
[#38]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
That would definitely send them into low earth orbit, with quite the gusto. Only downside is barrel heat. .223 on an AR we usually go either a full 20-30 round mag before letting it cool. The .22-250 you are pushing it at 15, 10 is more reasonable. .204 Ruger you get about 30, .17 HMR you can push about 70-100 through unless you're straight up cyclic on it. Last year was the first year for the .20 VarTarg, and we were getting about 40-45 rounds through it before you have to let it cool, so that was pretty awesome. I'm hoping for the same with the .17 Hornet (it should since it's half the powder). We have shot them with damn near everything, up to and including .50 BMG and .338 Lapua. I have to say the smaller calibers are more fun. Big bore stuff like that you basically just break them in two, and obscure the mound with a dust cloud. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
pth.. i have a 6mm-284 that will do teh job better.. That would definitely send them into low earth orbit, with quite the gusto. Only downside is barrel heat. .223 on an AR we usually go either a full 20-30 round mag before letting it cool. The .22-250 you are pushing it at 15, 10 is more reasonable. .204 Ruger you get about 30, .17 HMR you can push about 70-100 through unless you're straight up cyclic on it. Last year was the first year for the .20 VarTarg, and we were getting about 40-45 rounds through it before you have to let it cool, so that was pretty awesome. I'm hoping for the same with the .17 Hornet (it should since it's half the powder). We have shot them with damn near everything, up to and including .50 BMG and .338 Lapua. I have to say the smaller calibers are more fun. Big bore stuff like that you basically just break them in two, and obscure the mound with a dust cloud. Oh ya its like a laser. running a full bull barrel, so heavy and bulky as all get out. but watching impacts in the scope is golden.. |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 3:16:54 AM EDT
[#39]
do you leave the vermin where they lay to feed the buzzards or do you have to go collect them all?
i've never been. looks like a fun day of reactive targets if you leave em where they fall. |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 4:13:57 AM EDT
[#40]
I am jealous Op! Have not been out p-dog shooting in a few years, great times when we went. That's a sweet stick and good luck.
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Posted: 3/29/2015 5:10:27 AM EDT
[#41]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
do you leave the vermin where they lay to feed the buzzards or do you have to go collect them all? i've never been. looks like a fun day of reactive targets if you leave em where they fall. PDs are cannibalistic, you shoot a few one day, their buddies will feast and there won't be much evidence the next day. |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 5:42:15 AM EDT
[#42]
Anyone have a recommendation for a good guide? I'd love to set up a trip to do this but don't know the first thing about it.
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Posted: 3/29/2015 6:03:18 AM EDT
[#43]
Looks fun.
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Posted: 3/29/2015 7:02:21 AM EDT
[#44]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
PDs are cannibalistic, you shoot a few one day, their buddies will feast and there won't be much evidence the next day. Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
do you leave the vermin where they lay to feed the buzzards or do you have to go collect them all? i've never been. looks like a fun day of reactive targets if you leave em where they fall. PDs are cannibalistic, you shoot a few one day, their buddies will feast and there won't be much evidence the next day.
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Posted: 3/29/2015 7:39:06 AM EDT
[#45]
Quote HistoryQuoted:
Just searched 3 different sights, expedia, hotels.com and travelocity and they list no hotels in Wright? You have a link or name of the hotel? Quote HistoryQuoted:
Quoted:
Next time I'd stay in Wright. Hell of a nice hotel there with a pretty good steakhouse attached. And it's not Gillette. Just searched 3 different sights, expedia, hotels.com and travelocity and they list no hotels in Wright? You have a link or name of the hotel? Douglas has a couple new hotels as well if you're further south. |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 7:51:41 AM EDT
[#46]
Quote HistoryQuote HistoryQuoted: Quoted: Quoted: Next time I'd stay in Wright. Hell of a nice hotel there with a pretty good steakhouse attached. And it's not Gillette. Just searched 3 different sights, expedia, hotels.com and travelocity and they list no hotels in Wright? You have a link or name of the hotel? http://www.wrighthotel.com/ The Wright Hotel books up fast with work crews from the mines. The Steak House used to be good (but a little pricy) however, the last couple times I stayed there I wasn't impressed. Also there isn't crap in Wright besides the Hotel restaurant, a diner, Subway and the truck stop. Much more options in Gillette. |
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Posted: 3/29/2015 9:19:49 AM EDT
[#48]
Pics coming
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Posted: 3/29/2015 9:25:53 AM EDT
[#49]
A few pics from our hunting trip in west Kansas, several years back. He had 15,000 acres of PDogs. We used bushmaster ARs and either 22mag or 17hmr for the short range dogs
Not just dogs out there so watch your step... 
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Posted: 3/29/2015 9:27:43 AM EDT
[#50]
I'm finalizing plans as well. Last summer was a recon mission to confirm the quality of shooting. This summer the week before and after July 4th will be carnage north of Billings.
    With the help of a 338 Lapua, the goal is a kill at or farther than 1760yds. |
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