This may have been covered once or twice, but I haven't found it yet.

I am planning a trip to Rapid City this summer and we want to shoot some prairie dogs one day. I already sent an email to S.D Wildlife office asking for info. Does anyone have a suggestion on what area I should go or any ranchers who might like some shooters?

The more information the more it will help.

Thanks.

Good luck.
People don't give up their honey holes. Best bet is to look into an guide to take you out. Pay the daily fee or spend it in gas driving all over looking for poodles. Check out Varmint Hunter magazine, guides are all over the place in there.
I know I have my honey holes and ranchers that want them gone. I don't give info out freely for fear of folks screwing up a good thing.
One rancher doesn't even want you driving gas vehicles out there during the summer because it can catch his grass on fire. His land...his rules. I follow them and get to shoot dogs.

Best spot I found during the 7 years I was stationed at Ellsworth AFB (Rapid City area) was along HWY 44, south of the interstate, between the regional airport and the BadLands!

I saw most of them along the Left side of the road, some weren't very far past the airport, There was an old school house and we hunted a lot out behind it.
Further toward the BadLands, keep watch and you'll see the PD towns along the way.

Wish I was going out.

I did a little research on this very subject last fall. I was told to contact the cattlemans association and the local chamber of commerce for landowners who wanted population control. DW

Chuck White,
dwheels,

Thanks for the info. I will check out those leads.

Ammohouse,

Thanks but we already decided against paying someone to watch us shoot. We would rather shoot 100 rounds on our own and have fun doing it that have to pay someone so we can shoot 500 rounds.

If we found a rancher wanting us to shoot his pests we would earn his respect quick and leave at the end with a life long friend.

Thanks again.

Chuck,
Close to Rapid its getting real hard to find them. I'll have to do some more looking on where you're talking about when I get back in August...I'm missing prime dog shooting right now but their days are numbered!!

IR,
Don't get me wrong, searching for a good spot and making good friends is part of the fun. Making friends with ranchers is what I do also, help them haul hay, work cattle..etc. I have a new spot that I haven't tried yet but it looks promising. Wish I was back there, I'd take you to some spots and we could slay them!

Good luck with your shoot!!!

quote:

Originally posted by Ammohouse:
Chuck,
Close to Rapid its getting real hard to find them. I'll have to do some more looking on where you're talking about when I get back in August...I'm missing prime dog shooting right now but their days are numbered!!

IR,
Don't get me wrong, searching for a good spot and making good friends is part of the fun. Making friends with ranchers is what I do also, help them haul hay, work cattle..etc. I have a new spot that I haven't tried yet but it looks promising. Wish I was back there, I'd take you to some spots and we could slay them!

Good luck with your shoot!!!

If we find a good public spot I will be happy to share it. If we find it the end of July it should still be good for you in August.

INresponse,
I have been goin out to the hills for the past several years. There are some good areas on the grasslands. My suggestion would be to get a map for the Buffalo Gap National Grasslands and look for some areas on there. One place I usually go is by the Cheyenne river, a bit of a drive from Rapid, and during late summer the p-dogs are becoming shy. I used to go to a ranch out by Custer, but last year the dogs were gone.

Hope you have some luck! And remember to drink plenty of water(being from NV you probably don't need to be reminded)...I dehydrated a few years ago in July, not a good experience.

MRockwell,

Thanks for the info. I will check it out.

As for the water.....yup...I drink plenty. Thannks again.

As said, the secret "honey holes" are not going to be posted in public for obvious reasons. I shared some info once and had people all upset with me because they got so many MANY inquiries...

At the same time, the government is at your beck and call. (Tax funded. Law requires management for multiple uses which include hunting/shooting...) The regional Forest Service Office is in Chadron, NE. 125 N. Main St., Chadron, 69337. (308) 432-0030 I think. They have maps of the prairie dog towns on the Buffalo Gap Nat. Grasslands (yup, Forest Service does the grasslands too...) which are about the whole SW corner of SD. The photo copies have been free. At one time they ran a drive up (reminded me of one of these "quickie photo" buildings) just off the interstate at Wall, SD, south of the interstate (I-90???. Town was north with Wall Drug a museum full of old things and ... if you feel touristy and wealthy... They give away ice water in cups that must hold 4 ounces. (I brought my 1/2 gallong jug and filled it) No, you don't get to shoot in the National Park (slam time, don't!) or on the Pine Ridge Indian Reservation without their o.k. but otherwise... alot of land. At the same time, be warned, you might be 150 miles from a McDonalds (or Burger King). Bring water, LOTS, and a couple extra "fix a flats..." --there are some nasty little cactuses that put spines thru sidewalls like they are not there, etc.

The real promoters are the Native American Indians who live on reservations (REZs). Rosebud Rez markets. South center. North Center, Cheyenne. SW corner, Pine Ridge. Each has its own rules. Google the names and see what you find current rules/costs to be. Brule Sioux are near Pierre... You need a SD license and a reservation license...

I also ran into a list of ranchers, years ago, put out by the extension people west of the MO River... You might ask about that. These folks were begging for shooters. Poisoning is in the control of the "weed boards" (yup, p'dogs are classed with noxious weeds...) and they don't have to ask... annoys land owners... luck