PD help, South Dakota Rosebud/Pine Ridge

[jkrueger]

Planning another trip out to shoot some dogs pretty soon and I just found out one of the best ranches i have visited in the past is absent any substantial prairie dogs. Between poison and the drought he told me it wouldnt be worth even driving out to his place for a few years now.
Anybody have any leads or guidance in the southern area of eastern Pine Ridge or western Rosebud reservations?

 

[rick523]

According to my contact in the Pine Ridge area PD's are few and far between in those areas, for the reasons you listed. I think most of it is due to plague, she don't use poison she owns 45000 acres on the Res. and said her PD's are almost non-existent.... Good Luck!

 

[Gary Kaney]

Same here. Was northeast of the Rosebud. Didn't shoot 200 rds, in 2 days.

 

[tenwalker]

Just got back from that area on June 20 shooting was poor - moderate (worst in 15yrs.). Lot's of little guys and lot's of tall green grass. They said the Tail Rattlers were out in force. Never saw any. Maybe 200 dogs in 2 1/2 days.

 

[Joel Russo]

Just got back from Gregory, which is a bit NE of that area. Grass was high as well, rattlers were out, and I would not call it a target rich environment.

 

[Rustystud]

Joel:

At least you got to spend some time with some of the best barrel makers out there. Dan Gave me a run down of your trip. he said he only shot about 150 rounds during the whole trip.
Nat Lambeth

 

[Joel Russo]

Joel:

At least you got to spend some time with some of the best barrel makers out there. Dan Gave me a run down of your trip. he said he only shot about 150 rounds during the whole trip.
Nat Lambeth

Nat~

Dan is a good man.. And so are the others that were with us. Our intention was not to shoot the place up, but to spend time with our friends and have some fun shooting at those little critters far, far away. We managed to accomplish that mission, but it would have been nice to have a few more targets...
Good thing is....I don't have to load for a few rifles for a good bit of time.

 

[Cascade_Sherpa]

The lack of prairie dogs this year seems to be a common theme. I just got back from a trip to Eastern Montana last week and it was pretty slow shooting. The other two buddies I was with still got our shooting in but it definitely wasn't the quantity of dogs as there was a couple years ago.

 

[Rustystud]

About 30 years ago I took 3 guys and we went to Kansas to shoot prairie dogs. After shooting two days on small dog towns we found a quarter square with 100s of thousands of prairie dogs. In 14 days I shot over 18,000 rounds of ammo. 5000 22 rimfires, 10,000 .223s and 3000 .243s. I would estimate that I shot 90% kills. The other guys shoot just as much as I did. I have been several times since, to South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. No times have been as productive as that trip to Kansas 1983.

I would rate that trip as much fun as any big game hunt I have ever been on.

Nat Lambeth

 

[SAVAGE22-243AI]

The best we ever did was 750 rounds of 22-250 and 22-243 A.I. in a day, RoseBud right next to the butte.

Mobridge SD this year was tall grass and low numbers, 500 rounds in 5 days.

Good luck.............its just slow this year.

 

[jkrueger]

Thanks to all, I just got back and like everybody has already said. Tall grass, low numbers, fewer shots taken this year than any I have been out for. Still beats being at work though

 

[Gary Kaney]

Yup. Just think about all that extra ammo you've got( just like me) in case of a zombie attack.

 

[Dogmann]

I've been hunting the rosebud , Winner and Gregory for over 20 years. The plague , poisoning and drought have really taken its toll. I don't think I will drive to that area this year.
I have a new anxious 9 year old shooter along with my 15 year old and I want them to have a lot of targets and a lot of fun for his 1st time.


That area is not target rich anymore...

 

[Dogmann]

About 30 years ago I took 3 guys and we went to Kansas to shoot prairie dogs. After shooting two days on small dog towns we found a quarter square with 100s of thousands of prairie dogs. In 14 days I shot over 18,000 rounds of ammo. 5000 22 rimfires, 10,000 .223s and 3000 .243s. I would estimate that I shot 90% kills. The other guys shoot just as much as I did. I have been several times since, to South Dakota, Colorado, Wyoming, Nebraska, Oklahoma, and Texas. No times have been as productive as that trip to Kansas 1983.

I would rate that trip as much fun as any big game hunt I have ever been on.

Nat Lambeth

God!!! That sounds like a dream hunt......