Glenn
Dunning is a member of New England Outdoor Writers Association
(NEOWA) and contributes monthly to Outdoors Magazine
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Outdoors Magazine, August 2007 issue, Traveling Outdoorsman col. Submitted by: Glenn Dunning |
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Hot Diggidy Dog Discovering The Fun of Prairie Dogg'n |
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Jim Zumbo lost his job with Outdoor Life and has been shunned by the rest of the hunting media community for his comments about prairie dog hunting and assault rifles. Now, I don't expect this column to generate that kind of hoopla but for the faint of heart, please note; this article is all about blowing up these little flea-bitten rodents by the hundreds so if you have a problem with that, read no further. OK, if you are still with me, let me tell you a little bit about prairie dogs that you probably don't know: First, the furry little beasts are related to ground squirrels in the genus cynomys family. There are 5 subspecies of which the black-tail and white-tail species are most numerous. They are only found in North America and their population, which numbers in the many, many millions, is scattered from Mexico to Canada with the greatest concentrations occurring in the Rocky Mountain States and western plains. Mature individuals weigh between 1 ½ & 3 pounds and run about 15 inches tip to tail. Speaking of "run", these little prairie hamsters are quick, reaching speeds in excess of 35 mph for short distances. When sitting on their haunches, (the classic prairie dog pose) they present a target that is approximately 10 or so inches high and maybe 4 inches across. The main reason for hunting prairie dogs is the simple fact, that if you like to shoot and shoot a lot, this sport is a gunner's dream come true. There are also several secondary reasons worth noting. Just ask any cowboy, rancher or outfitter and they will tell you about the destructive nature of prairie dogs. Kris Powers, owner of WF Outfitters, located in Sheridan, Wyoming was quick to comment on the subject. "Ranchers hate them and if we don't shoot enough of them they poison them. Horses break legs in the holes; a dog town can destroy thousands of acres of crop and range land and the fleas that they are all infested with often carry bubonic plague bacteria." Prairie dogs are also incredibly prolific. One of the largest colonies ever discovered was in the high plains region of central Texas and occupied an area 250 miles long by 100 miles wide. How huge an area is that? Additionally, they are fertile breeders with mature females rearing 5 or more pups per year. But the shear pleasure of shooting them comes from the fact that there are so many of them and they make great targets for serious shooters out to 400 yards. Can you imagine going through 1,000 rounds of ammunition in a single afternoon of prairie dog hunting? According to Kris, "a group of 2 or 3 clients who are reasonably good shots can easily kill a thousand prairie dogs on a 3 day hunt." For rifles, both center fire as well as a few long range rim fire bullets are popular usually in 20 caliber diameters. There is so much shooting involved in a day of dog hunting that most hunters bring two guns so as to rotate them allowing the barrels to cool. Rifles are torn down at night and thoroughly cleaned to be ready for the next day's hunt. The two most popular hunt methods are range shooting and walk and stalk. Because the towns are so extensive, many hunters will set-up a shooting bench, get comfortable, and start picking them off one by one. Concentrating initially on the closer animals and then shifting to increasingly more distant targets. The shooting is constant as the little varmints sit-up atop their mounds or dart between holes. Some hunters prefer to affix a bipod to the forearm of their rifle and move around the perimeter of a large colony. As dogs closer become more restless from the shooting activity the hunter simply moves to a new location often just a short distance away, sets up ands starts all over repeating the sequence for hours on end. What got Jimmy Z in trouble was his reference to those hunters who take to prairie dog hunting with semi-automatic assault rifles. He labeled their guns "terrorist rifles" and those that use them as having "no place…among our hunting fraternity". More accurately, these rifles are increasingly popular among dog hunters because to their large clips and rapid fire capacities. With hundreds of prairie dogs in front of you, how much fun can it be to be able to shoot as rapidly as you can pull a trigger? Finally, outside of travel costs to reach your hunt destination, prairie dog hunting is relatively inexpensive. Kris puts his WF clients up at a motel, they get there own meals in town and pay $275 a day or if you opt for the all inclusive experience, Whitetail Creek Outfitters in Hulett, Wyoming has a 3 day, full service lodge and meals package for $875. There is no hunting license required so your only other significant expense is ammunition. Most serious shooters know that the key to shooting well is too shoot often and maybe that's why most prairie dog hunters are such dog-gone good shots. |
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