OT - Prairie Dog Shoot

[86er]

3 Leverguns Forum members - RKrodle, CRS and I, along with our friend JoeZ headed West for a weekend of shooting. We had four AR-Type rifles, three bolt actions and a single shot/combo gun. The largest town allowed for some extreme long range shooting. I used Ricky's 22-250 and found it was a lazer beam out to 325 yds - just aim at the nose and it'd get hit somewhere, consistently. Ricky made a long 380 something yard shot with it. CRS and I were sort of under-gunned for this. Not really our calibers, 22 Hornet and .223 respectively, but more our optics. CRS had a 4X scope with thick crosshairs and I had a red dot with no magnification. We each found that we could hit PD's out to just a hair over 150 yds, but beyond that it was just too far. I spent some time spot-and-stalking most of the PD's in the outskirts of the town to w/i 100 yds. CRS was selective with his shots so when he fired it was usually within range and he made it count. CRS and I borrowed a DPMS varmint rifle with 10X scope. With it, we ranged and spotted for one another for some long shots. CRS made a 335 yards shot and I hit one at 479 yards after some walking the bullet in. The PD's cooperated and remained curious while we adjusted our hold. Ricky's two nephews and their wife/girlfriend were great hosts and even shot some with us.

Here's the firing line:

CRS with his kill

My shooting set-up

Something I've never seen before - a real Horny Toad

[3t-]

Joe,

Looks like a blast!

You should start selling guided PD shoots. I'm sure there are plenty of mid western and south western land owners who would be glad to see you coming.

[piller]

That is the first horny toad I have seen in years. Pesticides have nearly made them extinct.

[vancelw]

That is the first horny toad I have seen in years. Pesticides have nearly made them extinct.

Pesticides and fireants. Their main diet is ants. Now there (EDIT their) food eats them.

The only good prairie dog I ever met was dead, so keep up the good work.

[kimwcook]

Sounds like a blast. I used to have a Ruger 77 in 22-250 and that was the hardest kicking rifle I think I've ever shot. Didn't have it for long. We used to have horny toads around here, but I haven't seen one in a million years.

[papabear]

Looks like you guys had a fun day
keep it up
Papabear

[RKrodle]

We had a great time. Burned up a lot of ammo and managed to take out a few Prairie Dogs in the process. Our guide Josh keep us on the dog towns. He had four different towns that he took us to, three of them smaller ones and the one big one on his neighbors place. I think my back is starting to relax finely after two nights of sleeping on the floor . It was great to see my nephews Josh and Joe and their wives and girlfriends, being 7 hrs away we don't see each other as much as we like to. Josh was a great host and guide for us.

[Mescalero]

Sorry to hear about the horny toads,we still have them.

[Griff]

[octagon]

I don't think Horny Toads eat fire-ants, I think they mainly eat those big red ants (harvester ants).

Joe, next time you see a Horny Toad, lay him on his back in your hand and rub his belly - he will fall asleep instantly - a real magic trick for the kids!

I saw one in Tom Green county recently.

[vancelw]

I don't think Horny Toads eat fire-ants, I think they mainly eat those big red ants (harvester ants).

Fire-ants eat them.
Pesticides kill the ants they horny toads do eat.
The reason most die in captivity is people don't realize how many (lots and lots) ants it takes to feed one. Sometimes they can learn to eat small crickets, but usually not. I think in Texas its illegal to harm, keep, or kill one, but people still try.

[Nath]

Like the Savage 24! Use to have one

N

[bdhold]

harvester ants - that is what it takes for horned toads - their primary food.
where fire ants have driven off harvester ants, they've driven off the horned toads, as well.
There are still a few scattered outposts in the hill country, and drought actually helps the harvester ants/horned toads regain ground against the fire ants.

when I was a kid in San Antonio, could catch horned toads in my back yard - fire ants had not yet migrated across the Gulf coast from NOLA.

When I was in college, Indian dragon gekkos could only be found in river bottoms where they were migrating up from the coast.
Now I find them in my garage in Bulverde.

[crs]

Too bad that we did not get a picture of the 13 striped ground squirrel that Joe stakled with his .22 WRM. The little blighter out manuvered him and went down his hole in the ground.

[Terry Murbach]

SO WHY ARE THE TOADS SO HORNEY ??? IS IT THE FIREANT DIET???

[Nath]

SO WHY ARE THE TOADS SO HORNEY ??? IS IT THE FIREANT DIET???

Send me some

N

[OJ]

Great pics - when I was hunting prairie dogs, most just fell down their hole when shot so usually no "thophies" were collected.

I well remember the exception - I was helping Grandpa King maintain his windmills on his ranch - well - I helped (about age 6 or 7) by shooting prairie dogs next to the windmills. On one occasion, I shot one in mid air - it was running from one hole to another. With the wisdom of my age, I decided to take it home (no reason - none needed at that age) so picked it up and took it to his pickup. He was meticulous - one could practically eat off the bed - so I didn't want to get blood on the bed - there was that coffee can sitting there empty so I dropped the body in it.

At the next windmill, he allowed as how he was thirsty and would I get his drinking can for him -

I spent the next 15 minutes or so repeating "I don't know why I did that "

As usual, he eventually forgave me but it was a memorable event for me.

[piller]

As a kid out in South West Kansas, I noticed something about prairie dogs. A wounded one would be pushed out of the hole by another prairie dog. A dead one not in the hole would draw out a live one to drag in the dead one. Using a .22 lr, we sometimes only wounded them, but usually got a second chance to kill them.

[Pitchy]

Firing line, what firing line oh there, looks like fun.