What makes a true prairie dog rig?
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Nature Boy
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I found my M1A .308 with a 4-18 Vortex worked pretty good. I was hitting them out past 400 yards.
I enjoyed using my .30-06 deer/elk/antelope rifle while others used 'purpose' varmint rifles. I got a lot better shooting my rifle and was pretty good with just a 3x9x40 out to 350 or so. Sometimes I used a bipod, sometimes I just shot off a 'pillow' of a rolled up jacket.
Higher power scopes like 12x or 16x it's pretty easy to lose your target during recoil.
Higher power scopes like 12x or 16x it's pretty easy to lose your target during recoil.
A true prairie dog rifle is nothing more than a bench gun. Custom triggers, free floated heavy barrels, typically custom stocks and high powered scopes. I have friends that got really big into that sport. Spent a ton of money on custom built guns. Hart barrels, McMillan stocks, Nightforce scopes, Huber and Timney triggers, custom hand loaded 22-250 AI ammo. Both were in the 1000 yard club. Funny thing is the longest confirmed kill either of them had came from a bone stock Rem 700VS in .223 with Hornady factory ammo and a Leupold 6x18 VXII. 1207 yards if I remember right. Go figure.
We went to South Dakota in 2013 and 2014 to shoot prairie dogs. Most of our shooting was 500 yards and less. Our guide recommended not cranking the scopes up past 12 power. He recommended adjusting the scope to account for different ranges as opposed to using BDC style reticles.
Also, our guide was not too hot on bipods. He provided front and rear sand bags. For the second year, we took our own front rifle rests and used the guide's shooting benches.
Generally, there is alot of shooting at prairie dogs so you want a rifle that maintains point of aim after multiple shots. This generally means a larger diameter, heavier barrel. Longer range shots will benefit from larger calibers.
My friend used a 22-250 and I shot a 204 Ruger.
A couple folks we shot with used two rifles to allow one to cool while they were using the other.
If you know your gun's limitations, you can have a good time with about anything.
We had a good time but still could learn alot more. We are headed back again this summer.
Also, our guide was not too hot on bipods. He provided front and rear sand bags. For the second year, we took our own front rifle rests and used the guide's shooting benches.
Generally, there is alot of shooting at prairie dogs so you want a rifle that maintains point of aim after multiple shots. This generally means a larger diameter, heavier barrel. Longer range shots will benefit from larger calibers.
My friend used a 22-250 and I shot a 204 Ruger.
A couple folks we shot with used two rifles to allow one to cool while they were using the other.
If you know your gun's limitations, you can have a good time with about anything.
We had a good time but still could learn alot more. We are headed back again this summer.
rcmodel
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Back in the day, I did very well in Western Kansas and eastern Colorado with a Mauser 98 action, Douglas barrel 22-250 I built myself out to 400+ yards with a 3-9x scope.
No laying down prone & bipods for me though.
The ground around PD towns are invested with sand fleas, sand burs, and rattle snakes!
I preferred to stay up off the ground and use a portable bench as much as possible.
PS: Speaking of rattle snakes, NEVER EVER stick your hand or face down near a PD den to retrieve a dead one. A den in the hot sun is as likely as not to be harboring a rattlesnake cooling his coils until dark.
They are also known to carry bubonic plague, so don't even touch them, or get their blood or fleas on you!!
rc
No laying down prone & bipods for me though.
The ground around PD towns are invested with sand fleas, sand burs, and rattle snakes!
I preferred to stay up off the ground and use a portable bench as much as possible.
PS: Speaking of rattle snakes, NEVER EVER stick your hand or face down near a PD den to retrieve a dead one. A den in the hot sun is as likely as not to be harboring a rattlesnake cooling his coils until dark.
They are also known to carry bubonic plague, so don't even touch them, or get their blood or fleas on you!!
rc
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FL-NC
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I slaughtered those things out to 600 yards with a 3.5-10 on a M24.
witchhunter
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I shoot these things most weekends and I have a few fat barreled rifles with 6.5-20 Leupolds. Sometimes too much power and all you get is mirage. One of the best in my opinion is a .223. You can get a lot of rounds before barrels start going away, you can shoot them about 20 rounds before they get too hot. I use 40 grain vmax and you can spot your own hits (and misses). we have sage rats here, not prairie dogs. Ours are half size, maybe a pound each. A lot of guys use anything from 22s to long range bench guns. It's all about having fun and shoot what you want. Heck, I have used my muzzle loader! I have a .221 Fireball contender pistol that is deadly too. I use a portable bench that I made. It is rock solid and sits you up a little to see better, swivels 360 and I can shoot all day with it.
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Damon555
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Get as much quality magnification as you can afford. A 400 dollar 4-12 will serve you much better than a 100 dollar 6.5-20. I prefer as much magnification as I can get....you still have to option to turn it down if mirage becomes a problem....shooting from a bi-pod is fine.....I like to shoot from a shooting mat with bi-pods. This makes it easy to move around if you like.
I also like to have 2 rifles handy. Here I'm shooting an Encore pro hunter and an AR15....both in 223....these made a great combination. I much prefer the 223 or 204 to the bigger calibers because you can get a lot more shooting in before you have to let them cool down....and if you are in a good dog town like I was here you'll need plenty of cool down time.
I also like to have 2 rifles handy. Here I'm shooting an Encore pro hunter and an AR15....both in 223....these made a great combination. I much prefer the 223 or 204 to the bigger calibers because you can get a lot more shooting in before you have to let them cool down....and if you are in a good dog town like I was here you'll need plenty of cool down time.
dickydalton
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Orkan
Member
Just about any rifle is suitable as a prairie dog rifle. Small calibers do fine! In this video, the shots are from 40yds to just inside 400yds and just about all are taken with a 17 remington and 25gr vmax.
Here's the rifle: https://www.gunhive.com/firearms/56ccff308ead0e407a8b4569/
Here's the rifle: https://www.gunhive.com/firearms/56ccff308ead0e407a8b4569/
lightman
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My main rifle is a Remington PSS in 223 with a 3.5 x 15 Nightforce scope. I usually carry another rifle in a larger caliber with a 5.5 x 22 Nightforce. These have been anything from a 243, 6.5-284 or 300 WSM. The bigger rifles get hotter quicker and you can use up a lot of barrel life in an afternoon. You can shoot through a lot of money too!
Too much magnification in a scope can result in problems with mirage. I suggest staying away from large fixed power scopes. In Texas or Oklahoma expect some wind. I shoot off of a bench or out of my truck. Being on the ground limits your view too much not to mention the nasty stuff on the ground like thorns, cactus, flees or snakes.
Too much magnification in a scope can result in problems with mirage. I suggest staying away from large fixed power scopes. In Texas or Oklahoma expect some wind. I shoot off of a bench or out of my truck. Being on the ground limits your view too much not to mention the nasty stuff on the ground like thorns, cactus, flees or snakes.
Hey Mainecoon....You didn't say what caliber your rifle is. The short answer is you don't have to do a lot to those rifles; they are quite accurate out of the box...triggers are too stiff, but otherwise OK. I have the 700 VLS in .243 and my brother has it in .223. i also have the 700 VSF in .223. My .243 has a Leupold 4.5-14X AO and I shoot 58 gr Hornady V-Max. I had the trigger adjusted to 2 lbs, but that's all I have done to it. It is good out to 300-400 yards with consistency. I never take 500+ yard shots. My brother has a 4-12X on his .223 and with only a trigger adjustment with no other work it is a wickedly accurate out to 300 yards. We reload all of our ammo and have worked up very accurate loads. I replaced the trigger in my 700 VSF .223 with a Timney and have killed 100s of dogs with it. The scope is a Bushnell 4-16X with side focus. I have 3-4 other prairie dog rifles, but won't describe them here except to say that I have a Bushnell 6-24X on my Kimber .204 and for some shooting conditions the extra power comes in handy. If you get into shooting prairie dogs on a regular basis, you'll find yourself wanting to try different combinations and the options are endless.
Oh...and I forgot to say. I never shoot prone or with a bipod....prone shooting gives me a kink in my neck. I've shot some from a portable bench, which is the best option for long range shooting. If you do that you can use a bipod or sand bags...I use sand bags. I move from town to town, shoot a handful of shots usually 250 yards or less. My percentage of hits is in 90%+ range because I pick shots I'm confident I can make, which is why I never shoot 500 yards. My brother shoots his 22-250 with a Harris bipod from a sitting position on the ground, which looks awkward as hell to me, but I can't argue with his results; he rarely misses. We both started shooting prairie dogs about 10-12 years ago and each stared with a Ruger #1 .204. Now we have about a dozen rifles between us and rarely shoot the Rugers. The point is you'll grow into what works best for you.
Nature Boy
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Orkan, awesome video!
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mainecoon
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Hey thanks for the replies. Sniper66, my VLS is a 22-250. The scope is Nikon 3-9 BDC with the little circles, which isn't as great as some other reticles but will probably work. Being in Maine I rarely see prairie dogs, but might have to take a trip out west.
Mainecoon;
Seeing as how your main gun is going to be the .22-250, you'll want to take at the very least one more gun, and two is better. Here's why: If you hit a good town & start really poppin' the dogs it's very possible to erode the throat in your gun. It's far better to take a few shots with the .22-250 & switch off to something else while that gun cools.
Ideally, with the Remington as the main gun, you'd also have a .223 and either a good .22 or a .17HRM. You trade off maybe every ten shots with the .22-250, and 20-30 with the .223, & pop the close-ups with a .22. People don't know how many close-ups they never see because they're focused out at a hundred yards & beyond.
The idea isn't to shoot as fast as you can, it's to hit as many as you can. It's getting a lot harder to find a good town anymore, but it's still possible. When you do get one, it's a rush.
900F
Seeing as how your main gun is going to be the .22-250, you'll want to take at the very least one more gun, and two is better. Here's why: If you hit a good town & start really poppin' the dogs it's very possible to erode the throat in your gun. It's far better to take a few shots with the .22-250 & switch off to something else while that gun cools.
Ideally, with the Remington as the main gun, you'd also have a .223 and either a good .22 or a .17HRM. You trade off maybe every ten shots with the .22-250, and 20-30 with the .223, & pop the close-ups with a .22. People don't know how many close-ups they never see because they're focused out at a hundred yards & beyond.
The idea isn't to shoot as fast as you can, it's to hit as many as you can. It's getting a lot harder to find a good town anymore, but it's still possible. When you do get one, it's a rush.
900F
CB is right. Shooting a 22-250 can heat up a barrel quickly. That's why my brother and I shoot 5-6 different rifles each. Our record is 1400 dogs over a 4 day shoot and that will heat a barrel or two. Even though our hit rate was 90%+, that calculates to about 1550 rounds.
Let the browsing begin...ROAshooter
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It just boggles the mind the firepower some are using for Prairie Dogs.
In west Texas...prairie dogs are a pest for ranchers, and once you establish that you will not shoot the cattle, will gladly let you reduce the critters. A good reliable 22 will do the job fine, as concerns for over travel with higher power rounds is the issue...a tarp/mat...set up under a mesquite tree...a pair of binos...plenty of water...and a day of PD sniping will feed the birds for some time.
In west Texas...prairie dogs are a pest for ranchers, and once you establish that you will not shoot the cattle, will gladly let you reduce the critters. A good reliable 22 will do the job fine, as concerns for over travel with higher power rounds is the issue...a tarp/mat...set up under a mesquite tree...a pair of binos...plenty of water...and a day of PD sniping will feed the birds for some time.
Damon555
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That's all well and good if you have some private land to hunt on that's rarely shot. The majority of the land available for the average person is public land that is shot quite a bit....Once you shoot a couple of p-dogs anything within 200-300 yards goes down. A 22lr simply won't do the trick. My rifles are in calibers that will handle the 200-600 yard targets because that's where most of the shots present themselves once the shooting starts.
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