Ranging prairie dogs

[tulku]

TM , my LRF results parallel those of BillR , MTBullet , Visigoth , and StrobeckJ . You will always find some variability in the Rangefinding limits due to variability in the Laser Diodes used . The Ranches I've hunted in the past don't present much of a grass problem and my favorite is sort of bowl shaped with me on the Rim . Unfortunately all of these have been poisoned out or otherwise unavailable . My Leica 1200 Scan worked very well out to maybe 800 Yards or so . Mostly , my shot limit is about 600 Yards , but eventually I want to go out to maybe 1200 Yards or so . With that in mind . I went to a Swaro which does quite a bit more than that , but I had to go thru two DUDS to get a good one ! Not sure how you can tell whether you are Ranging a single Pdog or the Mound or something else close by unless you actually walk to the downed Pdog and sight back on your Vehicle . I preferred the Aiming Reticle and Color on the Leica to that of the Swaro . Same for the actuation button . I also found that the the Bullet drift at long distances far out weigh any small differences in whether you are sighting on the Pdog , Mound , or nearby Rock or Tree . I have been out in Winds so strong that I could'nt even use a stand-up Tripod . When my success drops down to anywhere near 25 % , I go sightseeing or Gunshop looking . I hope to make one or two more Trips out to SD , Wyo , or Montana while I am still physically able .

 

[FAL Shot]

I have more prairie dogs to shoot than I have bullets to shoot them with. I live in the Musselshell Valley, a Montana Prairie dog hotspot. Unless you have a top notch RF like the Leica 1600, you would be better off ranging the mound than trying to range a prairie dog at most distances.

If they are standing up, they can be ranged with some effectiveness with ballistic reticles or mil-dots....or laying broadside to you. If you have a .204 Ruger, just put the crosshairs on 'em and pull the trigger on anything out to 250 yards.