Wyoming Prairie Dog Shoot Report
We just got back from our PD Shoot with Wyoming Outfitter Tyler Sims. We had a great time - amazing dog towns. This trip was a gift from my day to my son Travis in celebration of his graduation from high school (he got straight A’s this year). I was able to gain passage (weasel) by agreeing to ride back seat - it was worth the cramp(s).
My father shot his Rem M700BDL in 17 Rem, I shot a Rem M700VSLH in 223, and Travis shot his M700 Varmint SPS in 223.
One thing that can not be controlled is the weather, SE Wyo has been getting a lot of rain this summer and this has effected Tyler's access to some of his larger dog towns (greater than 2 miles in length). As his lease agreements include language regarding not leaving ruts in the fields and roads.
We were fortunate to have bracketed the storm fronts. On the 1st day it was raining in the morning, lots of mud and gumbo. We went out to a dog town that had reasonable access and by 1pm the skies cleared up, the sun came out and before long we were shedding our jackets and the PD’s came out in force to sun themselves. We took about 200 dogs, each, out of that dog town on the 1st day at ranges between 50 and 250 yds.
The 2nd day greeted us with blue-bird weather - it was beautiful (note to self – keep SPF 30 sun screen in the range bag). This day it was hard to put a number on how many PD's we took. It was well over 300 each. We did two set-ups that day and had a great time. That night chose drive into Laramie for a sit down dinner.
The 3rd day picked up where day 2 left off - fast and furious shooting, the only thing slowing us down was the temperature of our barrels. When the barrels got to hot we broke the cleaning kits, wet patched the barrels with some Shooters Choice, brass brushing, more wet patches, more brass brushing and some more patches until the barrels were finally clean.
Shots ranged from 25 yds to 500 yds. Tyler did report that he has a couple guys who come out from W. VA that only shoot +400 yds with 300 Win Mags preferring shots out to 1000yds and beyond. Tyler has no problem providing dog towns with that kind of opportunity.
It was good training for Travis who enlisted in the ARMY and is signed up for Airborne Ranger training. (I should have made him shoot a iron sited AR-15). Once he figured that his grandpa and his dad were going back and forth snipping the dogs that the other missed, he jumped right into that foray and those young eyes began to kick the old eyed guy's butts.
If you have not been to the grass lands to shoot PD's - GO! If you are concerned about access, as we were, go with a outfitter. Nothing worse than driving 2 days to get there and then being unable to gain access in my humble opinion.
As for Tyler Sim's, he is a very capable young man who has earned an un-qualified positive recommendation I my book and I do not have to worry about being embarrassed later on. His family has a 60,000 ac cattle ranch, and his neighbor's (who have ranches of similar size) have given Tyler exclusive access to their dog towns some of which stretch several miles long. There is no worry about getting there early in the season before the dogs are shot out. As Tyler does not have enough guides working for him to take on the client load that would deplete the dog towns. Plan on needing 275 rds/day. If you bring a semi-auto double or triple that.
