First Prairie Dog Hunt in June. Things to know?

[G19Jeeper]

Booked our first prairie dog shoot in June with Devils Tower in Wyoming.

Planning on bringing the following.
-Sako 85SS 22-250 with 300 rds of ammo
-Tikka T3 CTR Scout 223 Rem with 400 rds of ammo
-Mini Mauser custom build .223 Rem with 500 rds of ammo
-Tikka T3 Varmint .308 with couple hundred rds
Two CZ rimfires for the closer ones.

Have all the ammo loaded already and everything is zeroed. I feel the rifle stuff is covered but since it our first trip out west from PA, wondering if there's anything to know? 6 of us in the group total and we are driving two vehicles.

 

[TargetShooter2]

this is the one I used
the only thing i would highly recommend is good glass on your
rifles , my son-in-law got headaches after 4 hrs. looking through
his arken scope .

 

[Monster Toms]

Must be a two day hunt?

 

[G19Jeeper]

Must be a two day hunt?

3 day.

 

[Quackshot]

Booked our first prairie dog shoot in June with Devils Tower in Wyoming.

Planning on bringing the following.
-Sako 85SS 22-250 with 300 rds of ammo
-Tikka T3 CTR Scout 223 Rem with 400 rds of ammo
-Mini Mauser custom build .223 Rem with 500 rds of ammo
-Tikka T3 Varmint .308 with couple hundred rds
Two CZ rimfires for the closer ones.

Have all the ammo loaded already and everything is zeroed. I feel the rifle stuff is covered but since it our first trip out west from PA, wondering if there's anything to know? 6 of us in the group total and we are driving two vehicles.

I would leave the 308 at home and bring more 22-250 ammo. Be sure to bring extra batteries for range finders and any other electronic devices that you use. Enjoy yourself!

 

[Baker Alvin]

Good optics! Please do not spare you need to be able to tell difference of prairie cactus, burro owls and prairie dog heads.
Go up to 24-32 pwr scopes you will used 2/3 pwr setting for best clarity for most shots. I moved to 30mm and since to 34mm tubs makes a huge difference. Cross hairs not to thin nothing real heavy either. Wind and elevation use something you are comfortable with. Get all the same reticles and scopes. I have 20 moa EGW rail bases.
Switch guns regularly to cool barrels.
My heavy gun was 243 and a 70 some gr Vmax. 78gr sticks in memory. They really bucked the wind. I did not chronograph my loads.

 

[K9TXS]

Try to allow a day or two so you can do a little exploring. You might be able to find a free place to hunt. Using something like Base Maps, it will tell you the land owners name and boundaries of the land, etc..

 

[RB II]

Shooting platform, whether that be a break down bench or tripod with clamp or arca rail or other, a good steady platform is very important to higher % hits.
I have a break down bench and both clamp and arca rail setups. I mostly use the bench however.

I agree with the above, leave the 308 at home, IMO.

I would recommend only one rimfire rifle as their effective range, 22 mag in particular, is about 150 yds and they don't heat up very bad, so one of those is all I ever bring. Typically, targets/shots within 150 yards get very scarce very fast after the shooting starts.

I added a 6 CM shooting the 87 V-Max to my rifles for this year. I actually have 2, but not sure which I will take. Savage tactical and Fierce Carbon Rival. Both fast twist, so I might load one with the 87 and the other with 105 Bergers. I actually haven't finished load development for either of those rifles.

Others are 22 mag shooting 30 grain factory, R-700 223 26" varmint barrel shooting 55 grain V-Max and 22-250 Savage semi custom with Proof barrel shooting 68 grain Hornady match bullets. All three of the centerfires are hand loads that run super fast and very accurate with emphasis on the accuracy. The 22-250 may be the most accurate rifle I have ever owned. 5 shots at 100 yds into one ragged hole. Carries that accuracy out to 500+ yds. 223 not far behind.

IMO, 4 rifles is what it takes to allow each to cool appropriately and still shoot all you want. I pace my shots on every target, range then dial scope, then load round, then shoot. So it slows down the rate of fire a little. We hunt Western SD in late May/early June. It can start to get warm by then there, prepare for that. Also prepare to be cold as heck!!!.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

Booked our first prairie dog shoot in June with Devils Tower in Wyoming.

Planning on bringing the following.
-Sako 85SS 22-250 with 300 rds of ammo
-Tikka T3 CTR Scout 223 Rem with 400 rds of ammo
-Mini Mauser custom build .223 Rem with 500 rds of ammo
-Tikka T3 Varmint .308 with couple hundred rds
Two CZ rimfires for the closer ones.

Have all the ammo loaded already and everything is zeroed. I feel the rifle stuff is covered but since it our first trip out west from PA, wondering if there's anything to know? 6 of us in the group total and we are driving two vehicles.

First of all you need to cancel the other (5) shooters.
You don't need the .308.
If it is only a TWO day hunt you need to extend to a 3-4 day hunt.
Bring 600 rds of 22-250 and 1k of .223 for the two rifles for yourself.
I will bring another 2K Rds in .204 & .223 in two rifles for under 500 yds. Then and another 1K rds in 6BR in Two other Rifles for shooting out to 1K yds.

If you can shoot over 1K rds in 3 days you will be wore out.

 

[MachV]

If the 308 is your deer rifle I'd bring it or your main deer rifle. A good mat and bipods even if the guide supplies benches. Leather boots or good shoes that will protect from cactisourasis, snakes and the frickin wild oats.
Sunscreen your ears and nose even if you think it isnt necessary!
An adapter to put phone on the spotting scope or binoculars, video is easy these days

 

[TargetShooter2]

I would take that 308 , get out there and shoot it out to distance
even if you are shooting at rocks , mine was 7.7 mils @ 800 yds
with a 175SMK @2571 fps. I use Strelok Pro
my 223 Tikka Super varmint with Hornady 55 spbt
@ 3150 fps @ 600 yds 4.8 mils

 

[Crockett12]

since it our first trip out west from PA, wondering if there's anything to know? 6 of us in the group total and we are driving two vehicles.

The month of June in Wyoming can have unpredictable weather but it might be hot and you probably won't have shade. So -- also take good sunscreen and lightweight shirts & pants! Also, you'll probably do a lot of shooting and the recoil of a 308 will eventually be too much -- even though it's not known as a hard kicker! Take a lighter recoiling rifle!
The last prairie dog shoot I went on was about then most fun I've ever had on a hunt! I took a 5.56 AR as well as a very accurate and heavy varmint rifle in 22-250! The AR I took got groups of about 1.5 inches at 100 yards but my 22-250 can get 1/4 inch at 100 yards -- if I do my part -- 1/2 inch if I don't! I started with my AR but only went through about 20 or 30 rounds before I put it away and just used my 22-250 the rest of the 3 day hunt! Missed too many with the AR! A prairie dog isn't very big and ranges went from around 30 yards to 500 yards! I was able to get hits most of the time out to 400 yards with the 22-250 but I had a good rangefinder and knew my trajectories. I never got a hit at 500 yards -- because of wind! However, even at 100 yards it's easy to miss a small prairie dog when shooting a 1.5 inch group -- so take the most accurate and light recoiling rifles you have -- along with lots of ammo -- and enjoy yourself!

 

[G19Jeeper]

Great advice from all! I appreciate the help and any further input of course. These are just what I am taking, each individual will have their own guns and ammo so I am confident I will have plenty to play with. If I could locate more Lapua .22-250 brass for the Sako I'd take more but the.308 will pickup slack and allow practice with a 30 cal precision rifle. May take my Definace 6.5x47 as well if I can get the stock back by then!

I will be referencing this to compile a list of to-dos and things to take!

 

[Ol' Red]

Most guided prairie dog guides provide benches and umbrella for shade, but don't hesitate to ask in advance. I have to agree with @MachV about the ground mat and bipods. Shooting from a bench for hours will make you want to change positions for a break. As mentioned before if the .308 is your deer rifle, bring it. You don't have to shoot it all day, but a live target is better practice than paper. You will be in the next county over from me, so I can tell you it's usually hot that time of year. Stay hydrated and enjoy yourself.