Anybody know of any places to find a good quantity of prairie dogs or ground squirrel type varmints in the western states? Prefereably CA, OR, NV, AZ or NM?

I tried to go to a big shoot in Northern CA this last year, but the chamber of commerce there was almost impossible to get a hold of and by the time they sent me the application it was past the registration deadline.

I have heard about things where you pay and go to a ranch and they take you out on a "war wagon", basically a platform that you can lay on top of to rest your rifle and take shots and just hundreds of the little buggers.

Thanks for any info.

Red

Close by: Los Padres National Forest; northern tip just behind Fort Hunter Ligget.

Further away: Cedarville, in Modoc county; contact chamber there.

If you are active military or retired you can shoot ground squirrels at Vandenberg, AFB all you want to.

Vandenburgh AFB was closed to all hunting after 9/11 so you'd better call ahead first and see if they've opened it up again.

They are open!!!!!! Called yesterday.

Dago:

Modoc County, Cedarville and Ft Benton?( I believe, Fort something starting with a B) are huge populations, the most that has been seen in years.

On the Oregon side, I go to Lakeview, just west of town on 140 out toward Dog Lake and Drews Reservoir.

Just stopped in and asked a few land owners, where I saw field just full of them.

Shot about 1100 of them in two days in a 450 acre field just walking the fence line and irrigation wheels. Used a CZ 452/22 LR.
Left the 223 in the truck.

Using the fence posts or the irrigation wheels as rests, I would just turn in a 360 degree direction, Once I got back to my starting point they were back out again.

I stopped because I was getting a headache from squinting thru the 2 x 7 Weaver rimfire scope on the rifle.

After I left one side of the field to go back to the truck to stock up on some more ammo, the number of crows and seagulls down on the ground eating the remains of what I had just shot, numbered what looked like over 100 birds!!

I almost felt bad like a PETA person would until I saw that ground squirrels are cannabals. The farmers also tell me that the little rodents can eat and destroy 33 to 50% of an entire alfalfa crop.

Ft. Benton though advertises themselves as the ground squirrel capitol of the world. it is off of US 395 just before you cross into Oregon, east of Goose Lake.

good luck.

Just got off of my ass and went and looked on the atlas.

It is not Ft Benton, but Fort Bidwell.!Califoria.

Another good spot is suppose to be on CA Rt 89 just above Old Station CA. several large cattle ranches with a lot of hay and alfalfa fields.

Dago, sorry it is late.

Readiing this again. Contacting the chamber of commmerces?

Heck just drive up and ask the landowners up this way. Most have a house right by the road and you can see the millions of the little critters runniing around in the fields just driving down the road.

Since you are on private property doing preditor control, wouldn;t think you would really even need a hunting license. If you come to Oregon, get one. they are more likely to write you up for not having one because you are from California instead of someone not having one and being from oregon.

To shoot anywhere in California other than a range you will need a Hunting license.