rangefinding prairie dogs

Natty Bumpo · #1 10-13-2008, 01:24 PM

Just wondering how you guys determine range to prairie dogs or range of a kill you made. I've never used a Swaro or Leica rangefinder but I find it hard to believe they can range something as small as a prairie dog out past 400 yards. Do they work that well?

When I've wanted to see how far some of my kills were, I walked out to the carcass and ranged back to the truck (but I've got a cheap rangefinder, ill suited to varmints). By the way, their little bodies might be real clear in the scope, but it's hard finding those little guys when you walk out there a few hundred yards. I used to try and keep my attention focused on the mound where I thought the dog was, but after nearly stepping on rattlesnakes a time or two, I look at the ground in front of me a lot more frequently.

B Jordan · #2 10-13-2008, 08:37 PM

most the time i range back to the truck even though i have a swaro i can range the big mounds to 8-900yds most of the time i take 4-5 five gallon buckets with me and spread them out kind of give you a referance point

lerch · #3 10-13-2008, 09:49 PM

The leica and the swaro work very well for ranging pdogs and you would be amazed at how far out they work. when you cant confidently get a range on a dog what we do is try to range things very close to the animal and then make adjustments. range the ground around them, the mound they are near, whatever. sometimes you can only get close but you do what you can.

have a good un
steve

stork · #4 10-14-2008, 02:37 PM

The longest range I've been able to get on a single prairie dog, standing out by him/herself was 711 yards with the Swarovsky.

FWIW
Stork

sscoyote · #5 10-15-2008, 07:05 AM

MOst of my PD shooting is with a 17 Fireball XP-100 handgun, and it's not a problem at all to range them or the surrounding terrain. Usually we're above them a bit tho.

yobuck · #6 10-16-2008, 10:33 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sscoyote

MOst of my PD shooting is with a 17 Fireball XP-100 handgun, and it's not a problem at all to range them or the surrounding terrain. Usually we're above them a bit tho.

hi steve hows it going out there. any moon shots lately with those hand cannons? did you ever mount that 20 x unertle? ernie.

sscoyote · #7 10-18-2008, 01:18 AM

YO, yo!! Hey Ernie, how's it going? No, it's not mounted yet. I'm still waiting on the stock. Supposed to be almost done. Still considering sending it to T.K. Lee for a custom reticle.

I've actually tried reticle-ranging the dogs, and was able to get within 10% of lasered range so far to 300 yds., but that was on a hot day, in an uncomfortable prone position laying on rocks. Next time i hope to do better. Was using a 6-18x Nikon Buckmasters mil-dot at 18x (2.4 IPHY between dots). I actually measured 3 adult dogs and they all measured 3.5 x 11", tho the Leupold Varmint Hunter reticle uses a height of 7.3" for their sitting-dog rangefinding tool.