CO prairie dog trip

[wirelessguy2005]

Yep we used an outfitter for two days last summer. They charged us $150 a day per guy and the fields they put us in were all shot out or the dogs were so spooked they wouldn't show themselves. Towards the end of our trip we ran into a landowner that has about 1,500 acres that is full of dogs. He allows us to shoot his land for free anytime we want to come out.

[Mike]

I'm picturing the spot now that would work wonderfully with that rifle holding down the bench incase a little wind should blow. The dogs seem to have had pretty good success with the size of litters around here. We have quite a few along the road to work out here and there are a few new dead ones on it pretty much daily. Pretty hard being here at work and looking outside and seeing them and all the other wildlife running around.

When you start to dwell on the difficulty of looking outside and seeing all of those prairie dogs, remember the poor saps like me who are 10+ hours away from even seeing a prairie dog. I'd trade you my bench for your location in a heartbeat. Heck, I have two benches. Lets make a deal!

[wirelessguy2005]

if i remember correctly its about a 14 hour drive for us.

[WY-NEvarmints]

Now that's what would be considered a money making venture there. Swap a nice bench for a nasty little creature that I don't even have to pay the taxes on his feed bill!

I had to stop on the road to let two of them stop fighting when I was leaving work this evening. Normally wouldn't have stopped but one of the rail road workers was setting not to far from them watching for people exceeding the on property speed limit. They could have cared less if I was waiting while they scrapped.

[Silverfox]

Mike--Thanks for the great write-up and photos.

[Ray P]

You got a love it! It was a 22 hrs drive from Pa to Chugwater ,Wy. I'd do it in a heart beat if some of group would get back together. Aging ailments with some and $$ with others that have kids in college.
Thanks for sharing the stories and pics it brings back geat times with great friends.
God Bless all.

Ray P

[Mike]

Ray: I know what you mean about groups splitting up for various reasons. I enjoy getting out there so much that I'd almost consider doing it alone if I had to. Perhaps one day we should organize a .204 Rat Rodeo for forum members to meet up and have some fun.

[tt35]

Great stuff, Mike! That looks a little more comfortable than my teepee tent on the Wyoming desert. Glad you were able to make it out. Your report is giving me the itch!

[Mike]

There's a lot to be said for a teepee tent, Tim. I recently ordered one for elk hunts in the Rockies. It will beat the pants off of a conventional tent for room to move around and the wood stove will make me a lot happier at night.

[WY-NEvarmints]

Mike, your idea of a 'rat rodeo' for pdogs is something I have thougt about in the past. If enough land could be rounded up and dates figured out, man oh man would that be a great thing to meat and greet and have a grand old time.

Here was my pyramid (cowboy teepee) at our WY elk camp in 07.


Here was our shelter last year (no this was not our hunting location )


It is nice being able to back up, hook up, and head down the mountain. However the wind was easier to tolerate in the tent. I was awake every little bit with the strong winds we had last year, even though we were behind some large pines in the trailer.

[Mike]

I agree that a rat rodeo would be a lot of fun, if the details could all be sorted out.

Do you run a fire or stove in that teepee?

[WY-NEvarmints]

We were using a gas burning stove, not very big but it did pretty good. It got fairly cold but not really bad, one with more BTU's would have been a little nicer. First few nights there were 2 of us in it, then part of the camp left so we gained one more. He came with one of those 3' high queen sized air mattress' and other 'necessaties' that most would be ashamed to have in a hunting camp. We still had plenty of room and most importantly, we were rested and ready the next morning. We had 2 of these and I think this one was a 12'x12'. We used a two piece PVC center pole that broke down for ease of transport and a nice 'cap' for the top so as not to damage the tent. The bottom was a larger diameter to help stabalize it. I packed up nice and didn't take up much cargo room.

[Mike]

That's a nice setup to have in elk camp. I've only hunted elk once, but that experience was enough to teach me that a heated tent is very nice to have (I didn't have one.). Live and learn.

[Clint E]

Ray:[/ Perhaps one day we should organize a .204 Rat Rodeo for forum members to meet up and have some fun.

Mike i like you're thinking it would be a grand time it would great to put a face to names.

[Mike]

Mike i like you're thinking it would be a grand time it would great to put a face to names.

I agree with you, Clint. I also think that it would be a great learning experience for people. I'm sure that we all have developed unique ways of spending time in prairie dog towns and I could pick up a lot of valuable tips and tricks from other members.