Looking for Praire Dogs...

Couple of hunting buddies and I are lining out hunting plans for the next year. I have not been on a good 'dog shoot in close to 10 years and two of buddies have never done it.

We are open to anything from paying a trespass fee (unguided day hunt), to someone that sets you up with tables and leaves you for the day, to a full blown 'guided' hunt...but I want to make sure its solid shooting for my buddies on their first trip. I'm not interested in saving money just to be put on a shot-out town with skittish rats.

We're in the DFW area, so within 2 - 3 hours would be idea, but the better the shooting, the further we would be willing to drive...

Any recommendations based upon first hand experience?

Thanks in advance

i offer hunt here in New Mexico. But probably a little to far for what you're looking at.

ask this guy, he might know of some lol

tag

The Lubbock area is about as close as you'll get to DFW. There's outfitters all the way from Lubbock, Dalhart, Tulia and areas around there. Maybe something up in Oklahoma. I've never hunted up there so I don't really know.

The only time I ever had a chance to shoot prairie dogs, I really didn't know what I was doing. Where we were had a bunch of them. It seemed fun, so I did it on a whim. I was using my squirrel gun .22, and as soon as I started shooting they all ducked for cover and it really slowed down after that. Is that the way it works? You just have to wait a long time till one pokes his head up?

Yep, Although I'd recommend something more than a .22. Anywhere from .204, .220 swift, .223, 22-250, 243, etc.... Just like any other critter, shoot into the wind or cross wind. You'll have much better luck.

What part of NM? Work had me In the far southeast corner (Jal) of the state about once a quarter.

Yes. If you're trying to get the close ones you'll be there a while with little action. It also depends on how much that town has been shot. If it gets shot every year, they duck into their holes at the sight of a pickup. The trick is to focus on the ones farther out. I use a .22-250 and generally kill from 200 out. Last year I hit my farthest one on personal record at 700 yards. But where there is prairie dogs there will be lots of wind, so go prepared for far shots and lots of wind. Two challenging factors in addition to the fact that you mostly shoot the little pups since the adults are smarter and stay under ground.

Anywhere in the panhandle is fine, if there is good shooting there.

Is like to find recommendations on specific outfitters/ ranches, from someone that has actually used them.

I would be interested as well...

Good luck on getting that kinda info. Folks just don't want to give out their go to outfitter's. Good P-dogs outfitters just seem hard to come by and probably have waiting lists or are all booked already. I normally will book this year for 2016.