First post here and already a question. A buddy and I want to try some long range shooting on prairie dogs. Trying to do this on a teacher salary so guided is a little pricey. Are you allowed to shoot prairie dogs with an APH? Any public hunting areas actually have prairie dogs on them. I'm from south of Houston so no dogs here. Willing to drive just about anywhere in the state to give it a try. Thanks!

be hard to find in state, go north or west, N.M. or Wy.

btw, welcome to the forum

I know of two Texas public areas that have them and shooting them on either would get you in a bunch of trouble.

Be careful on public land any land where they are trying to reestablish the Black Footed Ferret will be off limits.

Thanks for the replies. Looks like we need to do a lot more research before heading out.

Rita Blanca National grasslands had prairie dogs but like posted above they were trying to reestablish the Black Footed Ferret and it's off limits. I had shot pdogs there before the ban and it wasn't very good. After the first couple shoots anything within range would be gone. By in-range I mean anything with 200-1,000 yards. I had paid for a guided hunt on private land in Texas, the shooting was alright. The guide pointed out the free areas we could shoot and even gave us a map showing the different areas after our 3 days were up. Spent a half day "shooting" the free areas. Then a local rancher drove by and said everybody with a gun takes pot shots at the prairie dogs when they drive by. After a short discussion confirmed what I already suspected. All the places with pdogs on them are leased out to outfits that do guided hunts.

there are tons of ranchers in Colorado, Wyoming and Nebraska that will let you shoot them for free. Just have to do the door knocking. When I lived in far west Nebraska, I wore out a couple guns shooting prairie dogs and never paid a cent to shoot them.