Hi guys looking to go prairie dog shooting for my first time. A instructor of mine has been going out to South Western North Dokota for a while and said he likes to go in early to mid April. I was wondering if this was to early for the dogs to be out? Then again maybe it really only matters on the temp...? Thanks for the help in advance.
Prairie dog hunting in April?
- Thread starter whunt_64
- Start date
Nodak7mm
New member
It can be really hit or miss. I have seen the dogs up and shootable, provided the sun is out. But I have seen more snow/rain/crappy wx than sunshine during that time. Thats the gamble you'll take in April and May for that matter. Then again I have been rained out during June, July, and August too.
If this is your first time out and considering the distance, I'd wait till after Memorial day, just for the sole reason of better weather.
By the way, your instructor is pulling your chain, there are no PD's in ND.. They all went south for the winter yrs ago and never came back..
Rod
If this is your first time out and considering the distance, I'd wait till after Memorial day, just for the sole reason of better weather.
By the way, your instructor is pulling your chain, there are no PD's in ND.. They all went south for the winter yrs ago and never came back..
Rod
NASA
New member
Your instructor also isn't teaching you the importance of hunters conservation. His "kill 'em early and kill 'em all" attitude is the main reason Pdog populations are reduced and finding new towns to shoot is getting impossible.
Wait until at least June, when the pups are weaned and are running around above ground making themselves irresistable targets for you.
Going out early, like April, kills the nursing mothers and their entire litter dies because of it. Wait 2 months and you can double your fun and have double the targets.
Wait until at least June, when the pups are weaned and are running around above ground making themselves irresistable targets for you.
Going out early, like April, kills the nursing mothers and their entire litter dies because of it. Wait 2 months and you can double your fun and have double the targets.
ADCcoyote
New member
Nasa, shooting on dog towns has little real effect on total population, unless your hunting small isolated towns. Yes you will have better shooting after weaning, because many of those females rarley come out when they have pup's in the hole! You have the males and that is the main thing until end of april and into May when the females emerge.
Shooting on large towns has little effect on total town population. Out hear the posion programs are far more effective at ridng towns and even then it takes a baiting cylce and clean up and your still at 98-99% at best. Pre baiting makes alot of differance and many are going this route because the shooting isn't getting it done.
In dry/drought those dogs eat and keep mobil and containment isn't there. Pressure them alot and they will up and move to a new area with greener pastures. Many ranchers have tried shooting programs and then finally decide to bait them and be done, in drought conditions and the damage those dog's do, there is little tolerance for them as they compete directly with there money makers cattle/calves. My .02.
Shooting on large towns has little effect on total town population. Out hear the posion programs are far more effective at ridng towns and even then it takes a baiting cylce and clean up and your still at 98-99% at best. Pre baiting makes alot of differance and many are going this route because the shooting isn't getting it done.
In dry/drought those dogs eat and keep mobil and containment isn't there. Pressure them alot and they will up and move to a new area with greener pastures. Many ranchers have tried shooting programs and then finally decide to bait them and be done, in drought conditions and the damage those dog's do, there is little tolerance for them as they compete directly with there money makers cattle/calves. My .02.
NASA
New member
Well here's another 3 cents worth. That should make all this free info worth a whole nickel. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smile.gif
The abundance of "large dog towns" is a memory from past history. About all that does remain on public land are the small, isolated colonies. And when you get a concentration of shooters from UT, CO, WY, KS, and NE ALL pounding the he11 out of that same public land, year after year, you soon hear the familiar cry, 'Wha' happin' to the PD's? There usta' be a ton of 'em here a few years ago!"
Then again, maybe you might be one of those rich city folks that don't mind paying $1,500 a day to an outfitter who can get you onto one of the private properties to pot shoot one of the few remaining "large dog towns".
Us "common" folk have to conserve what we've got. "Leave some seed", should be a phrase you're familiar with. When we finally kill them all off in one of our little towns, they won't be back. I've seen it happen to three different towns here in CO in the last 7 years.
If we don't take care of what we've got, before long we've got nothing.
The abundance of "large dog towns" is a memory from past history. About all that does remain on public land are the small, isolated colonies. And when you get a concentration of shooters from UT, CO, WY, KS, and NE ALL pounding the he11 out of that same public land, year after year, you soon hear the familiar cry, 'Wha' happin' to the PD's? There usta' be a ton of 'em here a few years ago!"
Then again, maybe you might be one of those rich city folks that don't mind paying $1,500 a day to an outfitter who can get you onto one of the private properties to pot shoot one of the few remaining "large dog towns".
Us "common" folk have to conserve what we've got. "Leave some seed", should be a phrase you're familiar with. When we finally kill them all off in one of our little towns, they won't be back. I've seen it happen to three different towns here in CO in the last 7 years.
If we don't take care of what we've got, before long we've got nothing.
Ackman
New member
Quote:
The abundance of "large dog towns" is a memory from past history. About all that does remain on public land are the small, isolated colonies. And when you get a concentration of shooters from UT, CO, WY, KS, and NE ALL pounding the he11 out of that same public land, year after year, you soon hear the familiar cry, 'Wha' happin' to the PD's? There usta' be a ton of 'em here a few years ago!"
When we finally kill them all off in one of our little towns, they won't be back. I've seen it happen to three different towns here in CO in the last 7 years.
So true....I've seen it happen all over Eastern Utah and also Wyoming. Areas that used to have plenty of targets getting hammered for years, now they're completely dry.
The abundance of "large dog towns" is a memory from past history. About all that does remain on public land are the small, isolated colonies. And when you get a concentration of shooters from UT, CO, WY, KS, and NE ALL pounding the he11 out of that same public land, year after year, you soon hear the familiar cry, 'Wha' happin' to the PD's? There usta' be a ton of 'em here a few years ago!"
When we finally kill them all off in one of our little towns, they won't be back. I've seen it happen to three different towns here in CO in the last 7 years.
So true....I've seen it happen all over Eastern Utah and also Wyoming. Areas that used to have plenty of targets getting hammered for years, now they're completely dry.
Linefinder
New member
Temp doesn't matter as much as sunshine and wind conditions. I've shot the heck out of pdogs at 20F on a calm, sunny day in December more times than I care to remember.
The absolute best time in my neck of the woods (for qty, not necessarily quality) is sometime during the last half of May through the first half of June. ND, being farther north, may provide better shooting during June than will May.
If I had to travel to shoot pdogs, I'd certainly not waste a trip going anytime before June.
Mike
The absolute best time in my neck of the woods (for qty, not necessarily quality) is sometime during the last half of May through the first half of June. ND, being farther north, may provide better shooting during June than will May.
If I had to travel to shoot pdogs, I'd certainly not waste a trip going anytime before June.
Mike
Nodak7mm are you kidding around about the pdogs leaving north dokota. Just wondering sense you live there that you don't want anyone coming and shooting your dogs. Thanks for the tips guys.
Nasa I never said that he was a shoot them all type of person. I simply asked if the dogs were out this early in the year. Why he goes that soon I am not sure, maybe that is the only time that he can get out of town. I understand why this sort of act bothers you.
Nasa I never said that he was a shoot them all type of person. I simply asked if the dogs were out this early in the year. Why he goes that soon I am not sure, maybe that is the only time that he can get out of town. I understand why this sort of act bothers you.
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Poison and the plague has cleaned out a number of prairie dog towns in the area where I live. I have shot prairie dogs all year around. Whenever the temp is 40 degrees, and sunney the p dogs will be out. The pups are out about the last week in May and are close in shots . By mid to late June I switch from the 17 rimfire rifles to 17 or 204 center fire varmint rifles. By November I may use a 220 Swift or a 243 Win varmint rifle. P dogs get smart to muzzle blast so as they get older I get out a bigger gun. By April expect long range shooting.
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Areas that used to have plenty of targets getting hammered for years, now they're completely dry.
Unfortunately, it's a free country. I really miss the abundance of prarie dogs we previously enjoyed in Wyoming. Truth is, around here the ongoing dry spell and poisoning programs have had a larger impact than firearms. I generally don't shoot but one or two dogs for every dozen rounds fired. But I don't condemn the high body count hunters with kids hanging out of every window. Like it or not, killing varmints is a way of life for a lot of folks and it's how some introduce their kids to hunting.
Areas that used to have plenty of targets getting hammered for years, now they're completely dry.
Unfortunately, it's a free country. I really miss the abundance of prarie dogs we previously enjoyed in Wyoming. Truth is, around here the ongoing dry spell and poisoning programs have had a larger impact than firearms. I generally don't shoot but one or two dogs for every dozen rounds fired. But I don't condemn the high body count hunters with kids hanging out of every window. Like it or not, killing varmints is a way of life for a lot of folks and it's how some introduce their kids to hunting.
ADCcoyote
New member
There are seasons for a reason in some states, but shooting alone is doing nothing on an overall county or statwide prairie dog population. The reason there are not the private large towns as there used to be is landowner tolerance is low and with drought, they are posioning towns with agression.
In drought years towns can increase 100% in a year or two! So if you have a 100 acre town you can see a 100 acre increase in 1-2 years max! That leaves little tolerance from cattle/sheep ranchers. If you want to see a big town the largest I beleive is on pine ridge indian reservation over 20,000 acres.
I have seen dogs start up towns in dry lake beds, one good monster rain and they would all be drowned out.
In drought years towns can increase 100% in a year or two! So if you have a 100 acre town you can see a 100 acre increase in 1-2 years max! That leaves little tolerance from cattle/sheep ranchers. If you want to see a big town the largest I beleive is on pine ridge indian reservation over 20,000 acres.
I have seen dogs start up towns in dry lake beds, one good monster rain and they would all be drowned out.
In farming lands they are viewed in much the same light as weeds. Small colonies branch out of pasture lands into surrounding winter wheat fields. Since they tend to decimate the wheat from below farmers will tour the fields dropping cyanide or other rodentiside down the holes. I have watched the operation many times.
Alot of the dogs that now inhabit the farm lands of the plains are direct desendents of dogs that were dumped out there after being removed from diserable realestate.
Alot of the dogs that now inhabit the farm lands of the plains are direct desendents of dogs that were dumped out there after being removed from diserable realestate.
I'll go January 18th, 19th and 20th and shoot them in the snow.
The main reason prairie dog numbers have declined in the places I am aware of has nothing to do with shooters and everything to do with posion and plague.
On private farm land I will shoot them whenever I am asked to and whenever I have a chance. Doubtful I will have much resistance.
The main reason prairie dog numbers have declined in the places I am aware of has nothing to do with shooters and everything to do with posion and plague.
On private farm land I will shoot them whenever I am asked to and whenever I have a chance. Doubtful I will have much resistance.
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Poison and Plague are main culprits here that are reducing prairie dog colonies. Ranchers have been convince from several sources that the listing of prairie dogs as an endangered species is coming and they are afraid that grazing will limited on their lands that contain prairie dogs. So this combined with the recent decision allowing the use of poisons for control have seen ranchers really working the dogs over with poison. As far as shooting prairie dogs in April it really does work to limit populations at least in Wyoming. According to a study done by Wildlife Services (Animal Damage Control) USDA it is about the only time of the year when females pirior to the birth of their pups are easily killed thus preventing the birth of up to 8 pups. So I would wait until late May or early June to really get after them if you want to have little effect on the overall population of prairie dogs. I live a little north of Ankeny and I will also agree that the drought here locally has had an impact on overall prairie dog numbers.
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cyanide is not labeled or used for P-dogs the only use it has is m-44's for canines and no other species. It is highly regulated and every amount is accounted for!
Not true at all. My sisters neighbor owns a company that exclusively poisons pds. I have watched him do this many times. The most effective method is from an ATV with alarge hopper, funnel device and a drop gate. The product states right on the carbouy it contains cyanide. I'll snap a photo for you.
cyanide is not labeled or used for P-dogs the only use it has is m-44's for canines and no other species. It is highly regulated and every amount is accounted for!
Not true at all. My sisters neighbor owns a company that exclusively poisons pds. I have watched him do this many times. The most effective method is from an ATV with alarge hopper, funnel device and a drop gate. The product states right on the carbouy it contains cyanide. I'll snap a photo for you.
mark shubert
New member
Generally zinc phosphide or aluminum phosphide, if I remember correctly. Basically turns into a gas similar to mustard gas, when activated by moisture.
Mark
Mark