prairie dog habits?

[CSC_Saint]

I'm hoping now that I get a warmer day without as much wind, i get to make way out to a friends property and lay waste to her prairie dog population. I keep getting told that prairie dogs wwon't come out in windy weather, or when its cloudy, and once you smoke one, the rest won't come out.

Now I've shot some prairie dogs a time or two, but all in ideal weather, sunny, slight breeze, and and shooting one or two has all of em scattering for a IIittle while. Then they'll get nosy again and slowly work their way out.

Any truth to these, and any tips on flushing em out of their holes?

 

[kitsapshooter]

You smoke a few and they hide in the holes, about a 1/2 ht later they come out again. Use a good 223 bolt gun from 150 yards and you can kill move before the catch on an your wait time for the next bunch is reduced.

 

[Art Eatman]

In general, wild animals don't show themselves as often in windy weather. The wind reduces the ability to locate sounds (and tell distance) and makes scenting less reliable.

 

[Davek1977]

Overcast days are bad too...I've been told its because the shadows of raptors that feed on them cannot be seen

 

[Don McDowell]

If it's around 50 or so they'll be up, unless the wind is really howling. Lil buggers are strange creatures in the winter, have seen them up and roaming around in the snow and -15 on a sunny day..
They won't stay up as long when the shooting starts as in the summer. Use a 22 and you'll get more shot.

 

[CSC_Saint]

Thanks guys, managed to get out today, but only had an hour of daylight left so only got one. I'll be back out for em tomorrow though. Man, I'll tell ya, it was a tease all damn day, every field I passed had em all over just as if they were begging me to come get em. Get to the fieldwe had permission to smoke em and alls quiet except for the one.

 

[osprey176]

They seem to catch on after a while. If you keep coming back to the same field, they will hide when they see you or hear that first shot. I try to rotate a couple different fields. If prarie dogs stayed down when it was windy, I think they would starve. When it is really howling,sure,but not on a normal windy day.They will come up when the ground is covered with snow also,if the sun shines warm. The easiest time to take them is spring, when the young pups haven't learned and stand looking at the headless buddy next to them.

 

[redneck2]

Just got back from a hunt in Montana. Use the smallest rifle you can get by with. Previous hunt the guys were using .22LR and doing great. I shot once with a .22-250 and everything within 400 yards went down for maybe 10-15 minutes.

This time, I started with the .22, then my friend moved up to a .17 HMR, then the .223. At 300 yards, they weren't bothered at all by the muzzle blast of the .223. Totally different with the .22-250

Also, try to shoot into the wind.

When the clouds came, they were almost all gone. Sun came out and they were back up