Planning a pd wacking party

Which state has the best farm ?

Any recommendation

Thanks

Check out South Dakota and Montana.

Yeah

Montana I have told many times

Any specific outfitter you can recommend ?

I see lots of advert in line

I don't know any specific outfitters. I would suggest go to the Varmint Hunters Association website. They also put out a most excellent magazine.

You can find excellent pdog shooting (not hunting, you don't want to have to hunt for them!) in any of the Great Plains states from the Texas Panhandle through North Dakota. The animals are going to all be the same size as there is no "trophy" prairie dog, only a "trophy" number of prairie dogs. A couple of these states mentioned may have larger/more towns that others, but you can have a poor hunt in a "good" state if someone puts you on a drouthed-out, shot-out town.

Be aware that in some states you will likely be on public land, whereas you may be on private land in others. If you are to be on public land make sure that your guide/host assures that you will not be in competition with other hunters; if you are to be on private land be sure to query the guide as to how it is that he has access to it to assure you won't be trespassing.

Also, states vary with the licensing of out-of-state hunters, and some states may have closed seasons or areas. Just do your research before committing to a particular location. Chances are you'll have the shooting experience of your lifetime.

Varmint hunters magazine has info in it.
Some areas have been hit by the plague and have had a huge die off. Be sure to ask about the plague when talking to your guide.

Hal

I have had great shoots in MT and WY.

What is your opinion of Kansas?

O.K. I did this for another a couple years back. Good General info.

What VHA has is very good, but some get a bit "worked up" over them IMO. More "only source" than "outstanding source" but then I was "in" with family before there was a VHA. City folks can be easily impressed with something they don't know a lot about. (Country folks too.)

I would stress contact with locals in small towns. With Democrats in office, it is politically correct in town to hate hunters, shooters, gun owners, --"criminal wannabes" in the weak minds of the weak minded.

The absolute best if you can work it and you probably will have big problems, USDA/ ADCA... United States Dept. Agriculture/ Animal Damage Control Agent. Usually called the "government hunter/trapper." They are on top of it all in an area and know exactly who would welcome pest control help. But in the office in town if the "girls" know what is good for them they do not welcome hunters, shooters, etc. As I said later, it is like mice in the basement to land owners who have to deal with the little furballs. Or rats. Happy new year. LUCK.

Oh yes, ND, North Dakota is overrun with oil workers and crowded, crowded, crowded. I would shy away from there. As I say later, SD, South Dakota markets. But Wyoming is wide open. East slope of Colorado is good too but you have to get away from the tree huggers.


iiranger
one of us


To summarize: the prairie dog is the tree squirrel of the grasslands. I believe I have heard that in the Brit Isles the gray squirrel is more common than the red, well, here the prairie dog has no trees so it lives in holes in the ground like rats, mice, rabbits, its cousins, all rodents. No bushy tail. Eats grass. Actually aerates the soil and in a few studies the cattle grazing gain more/grow faster on prairie dog ground... Unfortunately the stockmen are slow to learn and have demanded poisoning to exterminate the furball. Fed biologist told me that 90% of the p'dogs that died in the 20th century died of government spread poison. (Rodent, they breed like "rats and mice.")

Since you are "alien" (in legal terms "foreign" means from "another state" within US and "alien" is from outside country) I would inquire of the state "natural resources departments" just to be safe. Most are "wide open" by standards of any other country, but no point in not asking and finding out the hard way. [Some trade agreement only permits Mexicans to pick lettuce... Government never ceases to amaze (and annoy) me.] Assuming you have a valid passport I suspect you can buy ammo (and are over 18 for rifles and 21 for pistols... as a youth I bought anything I wanted any time I wanted... those were the days) but asking to be sure.

TWO BIG WARNINGS: BEWARE!!!: #1). There is "plague" in the furballs. Don't get close or handle pieces. Cousin to bubonic plague. Cureable with antibiotics. Carried by fleas that jump from deceased and cooling bodies to warm bodies. But why bother. Let the scavangers have the pieces. Recycle.
#2)There was a weasel called the Black footed Ferret that was almost extincted by a house cat disease. There are areas that are closed to shooting by Fed regs to support the re introduction of this weasel... Only likes to eat prairie dogs! Make sure you are not shooting there or you might find yourself in striped sunshine... Bad news...

You are looking for "short grass prairie." There are three. Tall grass. Ohio. Indiana. IL. Going west, "mid grass prairie." Iowa. Missouri. Eastern Dakota. Now the exact line moves each year with average rainfall. "Short grass prairie" is the old "cowboy/cattle country" of the westerns (made in California mainly, ha,ha). Texas/Mexico north into Canada. East Slope of the Rocky Mountains. But try to get 1,000 rounds of anything in Mex or Canada or try to bring it in... (ha, ha). Never shot in Oklahoma or Texas but told it is pay to shoot. Land pretty much "spoken for." "Northern Plains" settled much later, much "government land" (no one wants to pay taxes on a mountain top basically or real rough valleys, etc. "The moors" in Sherlock Holmes type fiction.), etc. Eastern Montana. Most of Wyoming. East Colorado. Western Dakotas. West Nebraska. West Kansas. Etc. The old "cattle drive trails" of movies and t.v. (Rawhide, where Clint Eastwood got his start... Lonesome Dove... The movie "Thunderheart" with Val Kilmer was filmed on the Native American Indian Reservations of South Dakota. Plot is a Hollywood hack job of some facts but if you look at the background you will see the land form. Badlands National Park area.)

US government has "grasslands" where the law requires management for multiple uses which includes shooting/hunting for now anyway. SW Kansas, Cimmaron Nat. Grassland, for example... Often one use is renting to pasture users--i.e. "grazing." This area cows mainly. Rarely sheep. Many, many wild dogs, "coyotes," that will kill sheep. SW corner South Dakota (SD) "Buffalo Gap Nat. Grasslands." These are open to anyone for anything legal. Not a good place to be alone with a break down so I cannot recommend you start here. You might find yourself 150 miles from a McDonalds (the hamburger joint, not the Scot family and it members, ha, ha...)

As the government took the last of the land away from control of the last of the "wild" Native Americans, they were forced onto reservations. The only "indian war" the U.S. Army lost was to Red Cloud, Chief, Lakota Indians, better known as "Sioux." He fought over the Bozeman Trail [(to Bozeman Montana)... typical government... they sent diplomats to get permission at the same time they sent soldiers/contractors to build the forts along the trail they didn't have permission for yet...]. I was told by resident of SD that the more educated Sioux were settled from east to West. In SD (South Dakota) that meant the Rosebud got the "indians" who knew what was good for them while the ones that tried to stay "wild" [with Crazy Horse as a "war leader" but he was never a "chief"] had to be starved into submission and ended up on the most western reservation, the Pine Ridge. SW SD.

O.K. the Native Americans "market." [Fuss among themselves like a herd of Chicago Democrats--don't get me started, Capone who was Italian/Sicilian vs. Obanion, Irish -- all criminals... Not to mention the "bought" politicians of all flavors] I had a fed tell me that while one group of "injuns" was seeking money to help build the business of hunting/shooting p'dogs another group was seeking money to "kill them all" to make for better pastures... Valentine, NE is just south of the Rosebud and home of "Lock, Stock and Barrel," a gun supply store... might want to google them.

By name so you can do your research with google or ??? South center SD, Rosebud Reservation (Rez as spoken by Natives). I believe I first got their name from Bruce Hodgdon Sr, now gone--yes, Hodgdon powder Co. Many years ago. Due north around Pierre SD, Lower Brule Sioux. Farther north, Northern Cheyenne Rez / Standing Rock Rez. Eagle Butte, SD has been a center of shooting. South West corner, SD, the Pine Ridge Rez. [They have a drinking problem covered in the newspapers. Still grieving Crazy Horse and Sitting Bull? One inet business, lakotamall.com. I believe there is a couple guides available there.]

Farther north, North Dakota (surprise), In the west a former president, Theodore Roosevelt, lived and worked cattle and recovered from the death of a wife... and now there is the Theodore Roosevelt National Park and grasslands. Beautiful country. Cooler at night. Something to think about. Fort Yates is another town to think of.

Outside SD and the VHA (Varmint hunters Assoc. mentioned prior--varminthunters.org I think) there is very little well organized. Most big game guides will find you shooting until your ammo runs out after you fill a big game tag. Some offer p'dog shooting separately. One example [disclosure, his grandfather was an armey buddy of my grandfather, WW I, yes I] Ron Scherbarth, Rocking Heart Ranch. Big game guide and passable taxidermist.

MOntana, nothing organized. Shooting around Zortman was widely discussed. I believe you ended up on the Fort Belnap Rez. (Blackfoot Indians?)

Colorado. Here the US government has taken up much space for army bases... Brought along a bunch of tree huggers and bunny lovers. One tv special showed "catch and release" of prairie dogs! [That is like "catch and release of mice in your basement. To me... DUMB!!!) Plenty of p'dogs. Ask in the small towns or farm stores. Find the people that don't think of them as pets. I have had them in my lap. They are loveable little rats, not that little for rats. Fed them peanuts. Tourist trap. They ran my fingers with their teeth until they found the peanut and then bit... Amazing.

West Kansas. More of the same. Grazing. Rural Welcome (open arms). Cimmaron web site has a "please don't shoot the p'dogs" notice on it, but request, not order.

Wyoming is my favorite. I have relatives near. Wide open. Cattle is second to "oil." No license or permit required for US citizens anyway. (Like I said "ask.") Thunder Basic National Grassland between Douglas Wyoming and New Castle Wyoming supposedly had a p'dog town that was 26 miles in diameter. There is plenty of shooting in the Cheyenne, Wyo area, but also, as seat of government, more bunny huggers ...

Since I have family in the Wyo/SD/NE area that is where I go. Never got to Montana. Ran out of ammo. (Reloads). SD and NE will want "non resident license fees." I'm cheap. Drive a few miles and shoot without any. I have composed this deliberately using all the names with which I am familiar so you can search much and enjoy the "dicovery." Spotter? Not needed. (Purpose is that you take turns and let one gun cool while spotting!!! Otherwise a barrel won't last a day...) Shots. You may hear of 1,000 round days per shooter. Possible? Yes. Recently? No. There has been a 10 year drought that cuts way down on the grass available and inspires more poisoning. Things should build back fast, but things slower now. .223 is good. I have made 600 yard hits. No, I did not say on the first shot. Black Hills Ammo is in Rapid City, SD, fyi. Sells reloaded mil. cases less expensive. No idea about importing guns or ammo. Some guides can set you up with a bench, press, tools. Have to ask. I am a bit winded. ENJOY. Luck. Happy trails.
Posts: 313 | Registered: 29 August 2007

Oh yes, "farm" NO!

There are farms from 80 acres up to thousands and thousands, BUT plowing really ruins p'dog towns. And no cover, so as they try to migrate, they get picked off by predators.

Now grassland ranches may run 1 to 100 sections (640 acres per sections) or more and as I indicate, often the government owns the land and leases it for grazing. You want this.

The "rez" is a real "can of worms." Technically the Indians/Native Americans own the land and it is not part of the USA but is "held in trust" for the Indians by the USA... Lots of "lessor" land. (The selfish crooks really "screwed up" in Oklahoma. Gave the Indains the land with oil under it...!!!) Luck.

In most places where the English language is used, the term "farm" means an area where agricultural pursuits go on, regardless of whether it is simply grazing rangeland or cultivating crop land. If you go to southern Africa to hunt you will likely be hunting on a "farm", despite the fact that that there is not a plowed acre to be found. The usage of the term "ranch" is mostly limited to America and a few other locations and has come to mean a place where the agricultural activity is primarily production of livestock on uncultivated land.

Londonhunter: It would be great if you had the time and opportunity to meet some locals and put together a do-it-yourself prairie dog hunt. Of course, that is likely impossible for you. Not only do you not have the time (or would not wish to take it), even if you located and gained access to a good hunting place you will not have been able to bring with you all of the paraphrenalia like sandbags, shooting mats or benches, spotting scopes, etc. And it is impractical and bureacratic nightmare for a non-citizen to bring several appropriate rifles, much less any significant quantity of ammunition (airline limit is 11 lbs of ammo, which won't take you far in an active PD town.)

The bottom line is that you need a good guide who will arrange for your accommodations, make sure you have any needed licenses, furnish a place for you to shoot, furnish all of the shooting paraphrenalia, furnish the guns (if needed) and provide or arrange for all of the ammunition you'll need. The guide will also serve as your buffer if you run into difficulty with a landowner, another party of shooters, a less-than-friendly deputy sheriff, or some other social/legal problem.

Most prairie dog guides' charges are pretty reasonable, especially for someone coming from a quarter of the way around the world and who is used to a pint of beer costing the equivalent of seven bucks. In fact, I seriously doubt that you could put together the same prairie dog hunt on your own for as little money, especially from 5,000 miles away, as you can buy from a competent guide.

That said, prairie dog guiding an occupation that is not quite at the same level of prestige and stability as, say, being a Roman Catholic Cardinal. ALL prairie dog guides will be part timers, which is to be expected. Some will be more serious and dependable than others. Sift through as many as you can make contact with who offer (or say they offer) what you're looking for. Then get as many references from past clients as possible. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to run a simple background check to see that they have a reasonably clean criminal record and are not being sued by multiple creditors, etc. Most of these guys will be operating in small towns where everybody knows everybody else. It won't be out of line of you to pick up the telephone and call the local sheriff or police department and ask if Bubba is okay or if he tends to run into trouble. After all, you're going to be spending a significant amount of time and money and you're entitled to have the hunt you wanted and paid for and be under the care of a reliable person.

Truly not wanting to sound like a commercial but KB Style Adventures out of Eads, Colorado has done well by me. After my favorite spots in SD got wiped out by plague last year (at least the outfitter let me know before I went out), I scrambled on the internet and found him. No license required in CO and I went through 400 rounds each day easily. Thing is that July is a bloody hot time on the prairie but he provided lunch and drinks. Forgot bug spray though and anytime the wind dropped off, the flies became vicious.

Basically I agree:

"That said, prairie dog guiding an occupation that is not quite at the same level of prestige and stability as, say, being a Roman Catholic Cardinal. ALL prairie dog guides will be part timers, which is to be expected. Some will be more serious and dependable than others. Sift through as many as you can make contact with who offer (or say they offer) what you're looking for. Then get as many references from past clients as possible. It also wouldn't be a bad idea to run a simple background check to see that they have a reasonably clean criminal record and are not being sued by multiple creditors, etc. Most of these guys will be operating in small towns where everybody knows everybody else. It won't be out of line of you to pick up the telephone and call the local sheriff or police department and ask if Bubba is okay or if he tends to run into trouble. After all, you're going to be spending a significant amount of time and money and you're entitled to have the hunt you wanted and paid for and be under the care of a reliable person."

My purpose was to give you lots of names to "google." In the 80's I would not have hesitated to suggest you fly into Rapid City, SD, rent a car and drive into Wyo.

I have no info on getting guns into USA. Assuming you handled that...

Today there are problems. Many great areas are closed to shooting because of a "save the black footed ferret" effort. A house cat disease almost extincted the weasel.

Drought is widespread.

First you pick an area. Then you do homework. People I have known said TX and OK are "pay to shoot" and pay alot. If you don't know someone, forget it.

Way back when you could stop on the corner of a small town in the Rez area (Native American reservation) and pick up a Native Am. guide for a "six-pack" of beer. Cost $1.50 or so. And for a great shoot, a case at the end of the hunt. Long gone.

Look for reputable services in the area you choose. I would avoid Teddy Roosevelt country, former President circa 1900, ranched in ND (North Dakota) because of the oil boom All the beds are taken. East Montana too. NRA had a warning about Denver, Co not flying into Stapleton, Denver airport, with firearms... bust happy cops waiting... Lots of furballs in CO, just have to get their without Denver and the looney liberals.

Couple years back, supposedly, Walt Berger, Berger bullets organized a shoot for people from out of country. Luck. Happy Trails.