Long shot of the day

[BillLarson]

The rifle is a 22-250 with a 26" barrel. Longest shot on a prairie dog with this rifle was 1132 yards. Actually Colorado has a season on marmots with a daily limit of 2 and your required to eat them. Another of our game laws that I believe originated on the liberal east slope- Denver etc. Yes I've eaten lots of marmots. I like to boil them to get the fat out of the meat then finish them on the grill. Very tasty actually.
Pictured is a custom built by West Elk Precision in Grand Junction CO. I picked it up a couple days ago. Intended use is ELR marmots with the goal of getting one at a mile. My current longest is 1402 yards. Defiance Deviant, Bartlien 3b, Manners EH1, Trigger Tech, Ken Farrell rings and NF Atacr 5-25, 6.5 PRC. I also had a 300 WSM barrel spin up for cross canyon elk above the ranch I'm on. View attachment 265187

I am very surprised at your story....not many yrs.ago a man starving would eat marmots...Now it s punishment for shooting them....????...When the DNR SHOOTS GAME FROM HELOCOPTERS...and leaves m lay.... I call B.S.
bill larson

 

[Straight Shooter]

COBrad. I think you need a custom rifle.

 

[cvixx]

Wait a second here...you can hunt prairie down in N Utah??? Here in the south they are some protected subspecies and huntin* them is forbidden! That is unless you have a large ranch or are an important institution like SUU. Those critters dig up runways and graveyards but you can't do anything about them..too many colleges and treehuggers here. Hate them little bastards!!

 

[L.Sherm]

Yep, in Utah public land is closed for prairie dogs April 1st-June 15th because they don't want dogs shot during the time they're rearing they're young until they can survive independently.

WOW!!

 

[COBrad]

I believe the pd's you can't shoot are the Utah prairie dog. Threatened or something. I've not seen one before... but then I probably wouldn't know it was different than the black tails unless I shot it out past 700 yards and went out to take a pic. Closer ones don't warrant a pic and only confirmed kills count.
As for needing a custom rifle, I've had 5 Coopers and with their synthetic stocked rifles running about half what we pay for a custom they have to be one of the best values out there. Still, I prefer the customs. Most of the ones I've had built were super accurate and less fussy about finding a good load. And I can get it just the way I want it.

 

[Straight Shooter]

Has the same guy made all of your customs?

 

[COBrad]

I believe the pd's you can't shoot are the Utah prairie dog. Threatened or something. I've not seen one before... but then I probably wouldn't know it was different than the black tails unless I shot it out past 700 yards and went out to take a pic. Closer ones don't warrant a pic and only confirmed kills count.

 

[COBrad]

Has the same guy made all of your customs?

No I've had them built by a number of builders. I've seen and shot several of these West Elk rifles so I'm hoping, expecting really, to see quarter minute accuracy. High expectations.

 

[BiggameBesser]

No bag limit, etc. I guess it's all you can eat!
The rifle is a Cooper custom classic. I have an 8 twist barrel shooting 85.5 grain Berger hybrids. Was shooting 75 grain ELDM's but can't find any.

It's to bad our USA Canada borders are closed. Most of our stores have a good selection of bullets primers and brass. But you have to be watching and be waiting for the powder orders to come in or you have nothing to do or to reload.

 

[skipglo]

wow, I didn't know there was a season on prairie dogs. What is the daily limit? Do you have to have proof of sex when you go through a check station?

Gopher season? Who knew!

 

[skipglo]

Last day of Utah prairie dog season was today. Fortunately I'm only a hour and a half away in Colorado from the areas I shoot in. The day started out with shifting winds up to 11 mph. Once past about 400 yds i struggled, even with the Kestrel beside me giving real-time wind holds. After lunch it calmed down some and I started getting some of those 5-600 yard dogs. Long shot of the day was 757 yards. Looking forward to marmots this fal

 

[skipglo]

Well...good thing the wind calmed down...at least it wasn't at 850 yards in a 30 mph crosswind!

 

[Allen Kitts]

Great Shooting and a very nice looking Rifle.

 

[243ai]

Season in Utah is June 16 to March 31 the next year. The close April 1 to June 15 to let them breed so when I go in June there are LOTS of smaller targets. Let the breed unencumbered for 2 1/2 months so we have more targets, more fun! I use a 243 AI, a 6 BR and a 22-243 AI with light bullets, very fast if you have a crazy friend like Dangerous Dan that pushes all limits for speed in whatever he builds.