Prairie Dogs
- Thread starter GPossenti
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Kreyzhorse
New member
The laws vary by state, but my experience hunting them was in Wyoming. If memory serves me correct, a valid hunting license was all I needed. Not sure if there is a "season" on them or not.
Anyway - we went one afternoon and to be honest, I didn't much care for it. Once they pop out of their holes, you shoot them. It's really like target practice. Once they are shot, that's pretty much it. Wasn't my cup of tea just to go shoot them for no other reason than to shoot them (I was on public land).
In my opinion, I didn't find it really sporting but I'm not judging any one who likes it. After all, there are plenty of people who say big game hunting isn't sporting either.
With that being said, they are a pest and there are no shortages of them. They are no friends to ranchers either. I didn't care for it but a lot of people enjoy it. If you are interested, I'd check out the state in questions website and find out the regulations for shooting them.
Anyway - we went one afternoon and to be honest, I didn't much care for it. Once they pop out of their holes, you shoot them. It's really like target practice. Once they are shot, that's pretty much it. Wasn't my cup of tea just to go shoot them for no other reason than to shoot them (I was on public land).
In my opinion, I didn't find it really sporting but I'm not judging any one who likes it. After all, there are plenty of people who say big game hunting isn't sporting either.
With that being said, they are a pest and there are no shortages of them. They are no friends to ranchers either. I didn't care for it but a lot of people enjoy it. If you are interested, I'd check out the state in questions website and find out the regulations for shooting them.
A private rancher who lets me hunt has a problem.Never had prairie dogs till the city started vacuuming them up in town where they wanted to make a development,and taking them out and dumping them on adjacent land.Of course,the PD's prefer her greener pastures.They strip the ground bare and decrease the ranchers ability to feed cattle.The rancher likes for me to help keep them under control.If the infestation is kept under control by shooting,the ecosystem gets to have some prairie dogs.Then burrowing owls,hawks,eagles,rattlesnakes and fleas have a foodchain.In balance,my rancher is happy.
If they run rampant and take over too much ground,they will all be poisoned.
So a shooter can fit in quite nicely.
They aren't much different than rats or mice,and I set mousetraps when I need to,no problem.
It is good practice with ranging and wind. Shot over dogs get a bit spooky,so opportunities are fleeting.If you can one shot,one kill 300 yd prairie dogs ,300 yd big game will go down clean.
If they run rampant and take over too much ground,they will all be poisoned.
So a shooter can fit in quite nicely.
They aren't much different than rats or mice,and I set mousetraps when I need to,no problem.
It is good practice with ranging and wind. Shot over dogs get a bit spooky,so opportunities are fleeting.If you can one shot,one kill 300 yd prairie dogs ,300 yd big game will go down clean.
camper4lyfe
New member
PD's are the woodchucks of the West. Living in NY, we just have big ol' woodchucks. The dig massive holes, and destroy crops. The holes they dig can cause major damage to livestock and equipment (cows/horses step in the holes and break their legs, tractors fall through and break axles). Bottom line is that they're both nuisances, hence why there's no season for them, and that they're fair game any time of year.
I will add that in NY, you do have to have a small-game license to shoot them (can't really call it hunting).
I will add that in NY, you do have to have a small-game license to shoot them (can't really call it hunting).
sourdough44
New member
I doubt if poison is a better way to go.
oldcspsarge
New member
.........more like Prairie Rats !
Very humane....they never feel a thing from visitors in excess of 3000 FPS !
They do lots of damage to pastures.....cattle and houses break legs stepping in a prairie dog hole.
Back when the Pope was coming to Denver there was a concern over relocation of some prairie dogs....Vatican thinking some type of "DOG" asked for a photo...when faxed responded with a question....."RATON ?"
That covers that !
Very humane....they never feel a thing from visitors in excess of 3000 FPS !
They do lots of damage to pastures.....cattle and houses break legs stepping in a prairie dog hole.
Back when the Pope was coming to Denver there was a concern over relocation of some prairie dogs....Vatican thinking some type of "DOG" asked for a photo...when faxed responded with a question....."RATON ?"
That covers that !
Jack O'Conner
New member
Shooting the edges of a growing dogtown does not actually cut the population. These critters pup twice per year with 6 or more per litter!! The only way to significantly reduce or eliminate dogtown populations is by use of poison.
Inhumane? Varmint bullets for cartridges such as .223, 22-250, and others literally cause the animal to come apart. Compare this instant death to being eaten alive by predators such as coyote, fox, birds of prey.
Jack
Inhumane? Varmint bullets for cartridges such as .223, 22-250, and others literally cause the animal to come apart. Compare this instant death to being eaten alive by predators such as coyote, fox, birds of prey.
Jack
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
Negatives: They can reduce an alfalfa crop's production by 20% or more--but the tax man doesn't care. They do reduce the amount of available grazing for cattle. Cattle don't step in the hole in a prairie-dog mound, but a tunnel can collapse under a hoof. Their fleas do carry plague in some areas.
Positives: Part of the prairie food chain, supplying hawks, falcons, coyotes, ferrets, snakes, etc. They reduce the amount of certain types of grasses but don't eat other varieties which are consumed by grazing animals. Overall, they contribute to a healthier prairie ecosystem.
Bottom line: Shooting can help control their numbers, but I don't see how it's physically possible to harm an overall population. You shoot until you're either bored or out of ammo; you go away and a few months later it's as though you'd never been there at all.
Positives: Part of the prairie food chain, supplying hawks, falcons, coyotes, ferrets, snakes, etc. They reduce the amount of certain types of grasses but don't eat other varieties which are consumed by grazing animals. Overall, they contribute to a healthier prairie ecosystem.
Bottom line: Shooting can help control their numbers, but I don't see how it's physically possible to harm an overall population. You shoot until you're either bored or out of ammo; you go away and a few months later it's as though you'd never been there at all.
Ole 5 hole group
New member
Here in ND residents don't need a license; however, a nonresident needs a nonresident fishing, hunting, and furbearer certificate which costs $2.00 as well as a nonresident nongame license which costs $15.00. We aren’t a friendly State to out of State hunters but that’s another matter. There is no season on the litter buggers in ND. I've messed with them for years and during that time I've learned that if you're fortune enough to find a dog town that hasn't been shot over for several years you'll do well the first day or two and after that their IQ's jump resulting in the effect that after your first shot or three the next morning they will all disappear into their holes out to a 300 yard or so radius around your shooting table. Making 300 to 500 yard hits with a 22 bullet takes as much luck as it does skill. Sometimes we put up several wind flags and usually they will all show a different wind direction at the same time. You won't thin the herd much with excellent shooting skills but you will make them very alert to the presence of a pickup or human, which will make it tough on the next group of shooters visiting that town. I've never seen a dog town with much grass and most ranchers will welcome you to shoot but some will make a stipulation-don't miss. We as shooters will do nothing to cut their population, as the only proven control methods have been poison and the plague. The more effective of those two is the plague. It’s a very enjoyable experience with the right group of shooters but it is becoming expensive to most of us that have to travel all day long to get there and aren’t afraid to “stretch” our barrels throughout the following days.
Really? OK, you first.
Jokes aside, I have shot ground squirrels with people who got kinda sqeamish after the first hundred or so rounds. Rapid midair disintegration looks kind of gruesome, but in general, shooting varmints is more humane than what they face as the alternative (poison, predators, etc).
I use prairie dogs as target practice. If I can hit one at up to 200-300yds, then I know I can put a bullet in the vitals of deer & elk at similar distances. And that's where I count ethics very heavily.
I think that's their purpose in life. To be a target. When they lift up and chirp, they're saying 'shoot me', 'shoot me'.
I think that's their purpose in life. To be a target. When they lift up and chirp, they're saying 'shoot me', 'shoot me'.
"Is it fun?"
I started to get all silly with a response to that, but it really does deserve an honest answer. To me? Yes, it's a lot of fun. More than that, it's enjoyable, challenging, satisfying. It brings a whole lot of factors together all in one teeny little 1 to 2 second timeframe. Reading wind, breath control, trigger press, judging elevation/distance, and who knows what other variables all come together for 'that one long shot'. Sure, a guy can go out and just spray V-Max's all over the pasture- but when you really push your glass, rifle, ammo, and skill to extreme limit in distance... THAT my friend, is fun.
I started to get all silly with a response to that, but it really does deserve an honest answer. To me? Yes, it's a lot of fun. More than that, it's enjoyable, challenging, satisfying. It brings a whole lot of factors together all in one teeny little 1 to 2 second timeframe. Reading wind, breath control, trigger press, judging elevation/distance, and who knows what other variables all come together for 'that one long shot'. Sure, a guy can go out and just spray V-Max's all over the pasture- but when you really push your glass, rifle, ammo, and skill to extreme limit in distance... THAT my friend, is fun.
guntotin_fool
New member
People used to poison the heck out of them, then wondered why the hawks, eagles and other scavenger predators were dying off. its simple PD's eat the poison and them go out walking looking for water.. predator eats the poison.
Poison is not a good control method. shooting is a good way to keep them down, and I have y et to meet a agronomist who will say they are beneficial in todays world.
Poison is not a good control method. shooting is a good way to keep them down, and I have y et to meet a agronomist who will say they are beneficial in todays world.
Art Eatman
Staff in Memoriam
guntotin fool, go back and re-read your post. You've answered your own question about "beneficial" in your first paragraph, showing how they are indeed beneficial.
Hawks, etc.: Food supply.
Look at it this way: Were they not in some manner beneficial, they would not exist; they would not be in the food chain.
There is an ongoing study from Sul Ross U. in an area north of Marathon. The findings, so far, indicate healthier prairie grasses in the dog area.
Hawks, etc.: Food supply.
Look at it this way: Were they not in some manner beneficial, they would not exist; they would not be in the food chain.
There is an ongoing study from Sul Ross U. in an area north of Marathon. The findings, so far, indicate healthier prairie grasses in the dog area.
We shoot gophers where im from... Great fun and great target practice. We use .22s and its not inhumane at all if you use CCI Mini-mags or any hollowpoints really. Lots of headshots with my Remmy 597.
If you really want to be sure about clean kills the .270 or a 3" 12 guage works just fine too. Maybe a touch too expensive though.
If you really want to be sure about clean kills the .270 or a 3" 12 guage works just fine too. Maybe a touch too expensive though.