Thread: Best Rounds/Tactics/Gear for Prairie Dogs

This post is a bit lengthy, so if you're interested in the highlights, check the bold print and finally my questions at the bottom.

Moved to Colorado just a little over 4 months ago from Missouri. I had always heard about guys talking about their trips out west and taking a few extra hours to blast the tunnel rats but I'd never really seen how widespread they are, OR a chance to hunt them ever.

I got my chance this past Saturday to whack some on a friend's place and I used 2 different rounds. I've got a TC Encore in 204 Ruger with a Tasco Varmint scope on it. My main scope for that gun was a Burris Fullfield II with Ballistic Plex reticle but it's on the fritz so I switched it out for the more than sufficient Tasco Varmint. Will take the Burris to their world HQ to get fixed, which conveniently is right here in Greeley where I live.

The rounds I used were handloaded 40 grain V-Max and they absolutely shredded what they hit. The performance in 20mph crosswinds is outstanding and there is very little drop inside of 300yds. Though the bullet is lightweight, the power behind them provided some entertaining aerial acrobatics from the dogs that got slammed.

After I ran out of rounds in the .204, I switched to the lesser .17hmr caliber in a Savage 93r17 with AccuTrigger. The range is far more limited on the .17 than the previous caliber, but did well even out to 200 yards. The response on a hit was less exciting but the gun with a heavy barrel is so gentle in firing that no sight picture is lost and you can see the full report downrange. This gun wears a cheap 4-12x scope but was far sufficient for the task at hand, and coupled with the Hornady 17gr V-Max rounds it proved too much for the little ground dwellers to handle.

After doing some crawling through sage and cactus to shoot prone, I was kicking myself for forgetting my shooting sticks and wishing even further I had a 9-13" prone bipod for the rifle. Most of our hunting was down low sneaking in the open and over ridges and swells looking into basins and shallow hillsides. Got to take a few shots from the back of a truck off a dirt road which was nice, but not the norm.

Since I'm a first timer, I'm wondering what everyone else does. What do the pros use? What are your tactics? I'd like to be better, more efficient, and was hoping to stir up some more BS about the 17hmr on this site. It's been too calm for too long.

Thanks for the reply! Is that the Remington with the triangular barrel or is it just a heavy barrel with the aluminum bedded stock? These prairie dogs where I was on Saturday and will be again in a couple weeks are accustomed to humans riding and hiking around them, but they're still skeptical inside of 150yds or so. I'm thinking I'd like to go bigger with my scope on the .204, I love the gun, and occasionally which it were a bolt, but I've gotten really proficient with loading the single shot on the fly, and as long as I'm disciplined and keep my eyes open when I fire, I can generally keep the sight picture and see where I've hit.

I've got a Harris bipod on order. I opted for the lightweight standard 1A2L in the 9-13" range for lightweight carry and possible bench rest use. I ordered a barrel clamp to use on the TC because my pro hunter forend has a funny cut in the front of it and puts the sling swivel at an angle and takes away the possibility of mountain a bipod to it.

Sorry for being so long winded, can't wait to get out again!

I also have an Encore in 204 Ruger.Shoot Hornady 37 gr ballistic tips. Very impressive ! Does an awsome job on coyotes and groundhogs.

Originally Posted by GoneHuntin

Does an awsome job on coyotes and groundhogs.

GoneHuntin,

LOL, watch what you say on here about the 204 and Coyotes. Some might think it doesn't fit into the "bring enough gun" category, BUT I LOVE mine and it's proven to be plenty sufficient. I've even heard of guys letting their kids antelope hunt with it! There's just something about a modified .223/5.56.

While coyote hunting is fun, my love is shooting prairie dogs. I dont have time right now to write up a long post but will later tonight if you can hang on.

That would be awesome. Can you post the link on this thread when you finish it to make it easy to find?

I have a Weatherby Vanguard in .223. When I first got it I was not impressed. Then I put on a Timney trigger and now it shoots 1/2" moa. I use it for ground squirrels out here and can easily take them at 200 to 300 yards with a 4-12x scope. It is a fantastic combo. I also have that same Savage combo in the 17hmr. Love that gun because you can watch 'em explode. I loaded a bunch of different loads for my .223. All 55grain V-max, Nosler balistic tip and the speer blitzkrieg or something like that with 26gr. of varget. All of the loads are great.

Shooting prairie dogs can be alot of fun when the right equipment mixes with the right dog town. I'll cover a few items here to help those who are looking to get into it.

Rifles.
This is one of the single most important decisions a person can make, choosing your rifles. Its more important than just about everything else. I say rifles because a person needs to take at least a couple. When one gets hot set it aside and grab another. I like quick decisive kills, for that reason I dont own nor will I ever own a 17HMR. I have seen far too many pd's drag themselves off into a hole to die after being shot with one. I have followed up and shot pd's for guys who couldnt for one reason or another (range, wind etc.) put the finishing shot on one. I think their effective range for decent kills is no more than 80 yards. A solid kill shot with one must be above the diaphragm in the chest area or head shot. Other than that I really dont care what bullets are used, I have seen them all and dont like one of them. The point I am trying to make is its not enough gun, period. The topic isnt even open to discussion with me. I can reload the 17AH for the same money as 100 rounds of HMR ammo and my bullet is at least 15% heavier going 1200 FPS faster. If I hit them....there dead no second shots need to be taken to finish them off.

20 Tactical is the biggest rifle I have set up for shooting pd's. I just picked it up and havnt even shot it yet. I also shoot the 17 Fireball, a pair of 221 Fireballs, a 20 VarTarg and rapidly becoming my personal favorite the 17 Ackley Hornet. If you will notice all of which are small volume, efficient cartridges that push small bullets pretty darn fast. They offer less barrel heat and cover 90% of the shooting a person can reasonably expect over a pd town. I have found most of my shooting to be under 300 yards, the majority of it under 250 yards. You dont need a boomer for those types of ranges and its fun to shoot the smaller stuff to watch your hits. I prefer accurate single shot bolt action rifles with good looking real wood stocks on them. I'll tell you guys to shoot whatever blows your skirts up though! LOL!

Glass
Buy the scope thats just out of your price range, even if it takes a months worth of top ramen to do it.
Its a long day behind the scope and cheap glass leads to tired eyes, headaches and early days which is no fun. I'll throw in a good pair of binos here. Its best to scan with the bino's for your next target than the scope. This also helps with eye fatigue. I also think good range finder is a must. All the fancy scope reticles and target turrets isnt going to do a person any good unless he can find his range. If you take the time screwing around range estimating with a mildot scope. I want to go shooting with you. I'll put the hammer to a dozen pd's for every three you shoot. They are hard to use on targets so small and you come to shoot not do math all day! Can you tell I am a huge fan of mil-dots! I would rather have a good range finder and a scope with a plain cross hair and solid repeatable turrets. I'll tape a drop chart on top of it and shoot away. By far my favorites are the BR & BRX reticles in swarovski scopes, they are fantastic pd shooting reticles and the scopes arnt too bad either.

Benches
I use a 3 legged model, standard type bench and an old red folding chair. I have thought about a nice swivel bench but the setup time and the cost has held me back. I dont crawl thru the weeds with a rifle. Some guys might like that kinda shooting, I dont. I might only be 39 but I aint going out to lay in the damned dirt and cactus all day. My pd rifles are not allowed that close to the dirt anyways! Give me a bench, my rests, a chair, a couple rifles, a cooler for beverages and lunch.... I'll be happy. Heres a pic of my 8 year old son wacking a couple with my Cooper 17AH on the bench, notice the rest. Its made from a screw jack with a bag on top, works great and they can be built for next to nothing.

I dont use bi-pods on my rifles either. I would rather have the front elevation adjustable and use a nice rabbit ear bag in the back. I can hold much steadier with solid consistent rear bag set up. I think most could.

When we hit a town we start with the small rifles, making as little noise as we can, the little 17AH or a 22 hornet get alot of shooting. It doesnt seem to spook them as bad. You will get more shooting in that way versus starting with a 223/204 etc. Its especially important to do this with areas that are hit hard, old prairie dogs are smart prairie dogs. You can do what you want with the pups but it doesnt take them long to learn either. However if I hit a town with enough ammo, there wont be alot of pups left at the end of the afternoon!

That might cover it for now.

The point I am trying to make is its not enough gun, period. The topic isnt even open to discussion with me.

I'm thinking of selling my .17HMR. Interested? ;^)

On another wesite, I'm receiving LOTS of flack regarding .243 Winchester as the BEST prairie rat caliber to 500 yards. I disagree, because a .223 Remington with 50 grain fare is pure dynamite out to 350 yards. I think 500 yard PDog shooting is rediculous. Wounding a furball at 500 yards is not good sport. Surely, they shall die from poisoning, if we don't shoot them, but still I abhor making one suffer from my poorly-placed missle. I equate those desert rats to whitetail deer regarding wounding. Just my nature as an ethical hunter. What size game does it take to care about suffering? Cliffy

Thanks Cliffy, I'm starting to like seeing your posts around more and more. You're right, regardless of the game, humane killing is the best route to take and while I don't agree with everything Furhunter is saying about the 17HMR, I believe it's a humane round at shorter distances beyond the 80 yards that he calls maximum. Regardless of round preference, shooting to wound is NOT cool.

I use my Ruger Model 77 Mark II in .223. I took my longest shot out to 505 yards when we stumbled on a dog town after our Wyoming 2008 Antelope hunt. Even with about a 20 MPH wind from the side the 55 grain Sierra bullistic tip did the job. My hunting buddies were using a .243 and a 25-06 both Sako's.