5 Tips for Prairie Dog Hunting

 In Barrel Cooling, Blog, Prairie Dog Hunting

Hunting prairie dogs is one of the most challenging and rewarding shooting sports and pastimes in the U.S., and allows a rifleman to really test his long-distance skills out on an open range. In order to get the most out of your hunting trip and snag the most dogs, the following is a list of 5 tips to keep in mind:

 

  1. Know the right locations

This might be a given, but in order to hunt prairie dogs, you need to be in an area where there are prairie dogs. It helps to first be in the right state; the most prominent prairie dog shooting is primarily in the West in states like South Dakota, North Dakota, and parts of Wyoming, Montana, and Nebraska. You want to make sure to check up on internet hunting forums and ask locals and fellow hunters to see what current locations are prime for shooting.

  1. Use a suppressor

Prairie dogs have incredibly sensitive hearing, and even after just a few shots, most will scurry down into their holes and not come up for a long while. Then you will only have scored maybe a few dogs and you’ll be stuck wandering the plains without anything to shoot. In order to not waste an entire day out on the range, using a suppressor can help keep most pockets of prairies dogs up out of their holes.

  1. Zero the scope

This may also go without saying, but the scope you use must be accurately zeroed to make the best out of your hunting trip. Prairie dog shooting distances usually range from 200 to 400 yards, but can sometimes be even greater. With these distances, it would be foolish to waste shots because of an inaccurate scope. Owning a high-quality scope can also make a major difference, but zeroing at the correct range will be key to accuracy.

  1. Bring spare ammo

Due to the very vast and open ranges when prairie dog shooting, it would be difficult to find an ammo supplier close enough to resupply while out on a hunt. It’s necessary for you to estimate about how many shots you intend to take out on a hunt and then roughly double that number for the amount of ammo you should take with you. If you find yourself at a prime location for dogs, the last thing you want is to have to pack up and go home because you ran out of ammo!

  1. Use a barrel cooler

This may very well be the secret to more prairie dog hits. After taking multiple shots, coupled with the heat of the Western states, your rifle’s barrel can overheat, causing you to continue to lose accuracy with every shot. Prairie dogs also love the sun, and mostly only come out when it’s out in full. This is a recipe for lost accuracy and a less-than-optimal hunting trip. By using a barrel cooler like the Original Barrel Cooler, you can improve your accuracy, maintain the lifespan of your barrel, and reduce your wait time up to 60%, which means less time maintaining your barrel and more time hunting. With all of these benefits, you’ll have productive hunting trips every time! You can pick up the Original Barrel Cooler here.

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