I would like to know which state, what time of year and which outfit would be a good choice for a varmint trip to the US.

I've been reading this forum for years now and have decided I would like to come over and give it a try.

I can bring my own rifles, (6PPC, TC .223 carbine, .204Ruger & .300winmag fror this application) but would prefer to have access to reloading gear rather then bring my own other than dies. Does anyone offer a loading bench as part of the service?

What should I expect to pay for an outfit that will take me to places where I can shoot prairie dogs and whatnot to my hearts content?

Thanks, in advance for your help.

PM sent....

Hey Seafire, the PM isn't in my inbox, and by the way, thanks for the offer to contact Mike Bellm, i had already plaed and order for the bit and pieces neccessary to tune up the TC carbine.
Best regards.

Another thing, I would also be happy to offer a swap hunt to anyone who can offer good varminting.
I can offer a very nice big game hunt here in Tuscany for anyone intersted, send me a PM.

Hey Seafire, did you get my PM? I know your first one dissappeared into Cyberspace, but mine is there in the private messages.

Cheers for now.

Express,

I don't see it in my Message Box....

Sorry, try it once again...

Maybe Saeed is going to have to give us a refund on our monthly dues here...

Thank you for your interest and welcome to the addiction... You will probably be back... again and again and again...

The grand land of varmints is bascially the "grasslands" of the North Americas. From Mexico into Canada. Gun laws make shooting in Mexico and Canada oppressive, so... US it is Tx to N.D (Texas to North Dakota). And East of the Rockies. That includes parts of Montana.

Thanks to oil, there are alot more people in the south end, Tx and OK (Oklahoma) so easy availability is farther north.

Season. Actually you can shoot year around. I have known cowboys who spoke of shooting at p'dogs sunning on a snow bank. Big red spot if they hit, but those .30/30's are not that accurate... Hassel is winter weather. In a word, SNOW! Blizzards. Etc. April/May at the earliest, thru Sept, Oct maybe... some years, Nov.

In the northern "great plains" there are numerous guides that offer hunts for big game. Deer. Elk. Antelope. Often they will park a hunter who has "filled his license" (for deer, etc.) in a prairie dog town to shoot until he/she is bored or runs out of ammo.

So you can google and find about anything in any price range you can imagine.

In the state of South Dakota there are a number of Native American government reservations. The "indians." And slang, "the rez."

They have grasslands and some market p'dog shooting. Rosebud Rez is in South Central South Dakota. Due west there is the Pine Ridge Rez where there is a drinking problem. The movie "Thunderheart" was based on Pine Ridge politics. Loosely based. Very loosely. Center of the state, the Brule Sioux Indians. Farther north on the border with North Dakota, Standing Rock and the Northern Cheyenne Tribe. Again, you can google these names and get the latest rules and prices... Thge indians are permitted to govern themselves (and they don't do any better than any other group...)

In South Dakota there is a restriction ON PUBLIC LAND against shooting p'dogs before June 15, I think. P'dogs are cousins to rats and this makes very little sense. No such restriction on privately owned land...

Wyoming and Montana are pretty wide open. You stop at a small town chamber of commerce or just a farm store or a diner and say you want to shoot some p'dogs and you will find takers. They might throw in a bunk and a couple meals. Please be a considerate guest.

Colorado has a lot of people from Washington DC moved there to "rest." Liberals. Hate guns. Hate hunters. They have the p'dogs but don't promote or welcome ... I would avoid Denver if possible, but.. something to think about. Things are less welcoming around cheyenne Wyo, another government enclave...

Kansas/Nebraska, nothing organized. P'dogs, but again, you just have to ask around. Western parts. Farmland in the east. Plowing really tears up p'dog towns.

The other big option is coyotes. In case you haven't guessed, they are dogs and breed with dogs and... In the far west, you find a more pure animal with somewhat different fur. Around large cities (where fools dump unwantedd puppies outside of town)... more "coydogs." This is widely available but not the volume of shooting of a praire dog town.

Oh yes, there is an organization, calls itself a club, in Pierre SD. VHA. Varmint Hunters Association. They have a magazine. 800 number. Parties. varminthunter.org I think. I know they have hosted Hollywood types for shoots. (Bit clumsy, but ...) In their magazine there are ads by promoters of the sport.

I am going to sign off for now. I am sure I may think of something else to add later. Luck. And has Hollywood taught us, Happy Trails.

Thanks for the interesting post iiranger.

Ok, I sent it again... I was wondering what had happened.

I almost hate to tell the truth about Colorado, but I shot with a man from CO in SD once. He said he would never leave CO again, shooting was as good there as anywhere else, but he could not recommend it to me. Something like $125.00 in licenses for a non resident and law enforcement hassles gun owners... There was that NRA warning about flying into Denver with firearms...

But when the ladies who do catch and release on prairie dogs were on national television and the man with the varmint vacuum...

I have family "on the land" and that is like going to New York City to do catch and release of the rats (4 legged, they do that with 2 legged) and mice... Them is PESTS... !!

So I will not kid people that CO is anything like Wyo or SD (bring money) or ??? Never made it to Montana, ran out of ammo in Wyo. Friend promised me a hunt in SW KS, but died first... oh wellll... If you live in CO and have your arrangements in place, ENJOY... but don't expect me any time soon, less I win the lottery and a big one... luck to us all.