Hello I would like some recommendations on a Guide for a group of 5 to 6 boys that have passed there NRA Sharpshooters rank to come out and shoot some Prairie Dogs June July timeline. Probably have 3 adults does not have to be fully guided just put us on the towns thank you.
South Dakota Prairie Dog Shooting
- Thread starter rowdy3804
- Start date
Rowdy 3804: I have hunted SD for the last 13 years never used a guides. Guides cost around $250-300 a day!! Yikes! You have a task in front of you trying to entertain 5-6 boys! 
)) You might could do what I did.. visit towns with known dog populations ( and there are a lot of them ) that include Winter, Kadoka, Eagle Butte, etc. and ask at about any motel for the names of ranchers who allow dog hunting. The SD folks are mostly very friendly and will give you names/phone numbers.
Secondly, there are 3 Indian Reservations in SD and I think if you call the tribes they will know guides who will put you on towns with a fee! Wish I could help more.
Skip
)) You might could do what I did.. visit towns with known dog populations ( and there are a lot of them ) that include Winter, Kadoka, Eagle Butte, etc. and ask at about any motel for the names of ranchers who allow dog hunting. The SD folks are mostly very friendly and will give you names/phone numbers. Secondly, there are 3 Indian Reservations in SD and I think if you call the tribes they will know guides who will put you on towns with a fee! Wish I could help more.
Skip
We went with Willie Dvorak (Jim River Guide Service) back in 2011 and he was charging $339/day back then. His rates are now $460/day/person. I just can't bring myself to spend that even though he provides lunch in the field and a reasonable dinner in town. We probably averaged 300-350 rounds in the dog towns. Shooting was OK and it looked like the dogs became skittish after a few rounds. Most shots were taken out well beyond of 300 yards.
Hunt: You are so right! Most "guided" prairie dog hunts put the shooter in dog towns that have been shot...lots! The dogs have their Ph.D's in avoiding being sent to doggy heaven! Paying $300-400 bucks to shoot 100's of round through your fine varmint barrel at targets that get further and further away as they duck in their dens quickly is not to my liking. One of the best solutions is to just ask ranchers randomly. Most are very friendly and will be glad to refer you to neighbors who would like to reduce their prairie rat situation. One referral will lead to another and so on..
Skip
Skip
muskrat30
New member
My best shoot was mid June at a lighly shot town. The shots were from 50 yards to infinity. The second time not nearly as good. I like freedom to rove around a little, put some 'hunting' into it. Even the prairie dog can figure out the trucks, noise, and red mist means trouble.
There isn't a PDog town in SD that hasn't been shot by July, just a warning. The absolute best shooting is the end of May (granted the pups are up) through June. After June it's going to be hit and miss on how skiddish the dogs are. Trying to get good enough shooting for 5-6 boys isn't going to be easy and I would go in with not so high hopes. This industry is getting bigger and bigger and the town aren't. Plague a few years ago knocked A LOT of them down and out and are just starting to come back. They still aren't back to where they were 5 years ago. More shooters, same to less dogs...shooting isn't ever going to get better at this rate. Those ranchers that let you on for free, let everyone else on for free too and the dogs aren't dumb. If you hit the pups right, the shooting is amazing. 2 weeks too late and well...it's just OK.