SmallCaliberCentral

There has been discussion lately about Devils Tower in Wyoming. If you ever get out that way, it's a sight to see (remember Close Encounters of the Third Kind?). That area is ripe with prairie dogs, and if anyone has ever wondered if the shooting is good in that general area, I'd answer a resolute "YES!" .



There are dogs all around the tower, but these guys are protected.




Be sure to leave your guns in the truck, lest you be tempted.....



Lots of PD's, but fortunately, no aliens this time.....

Your posting is mean hearted. How dare you post those dogs at such close range-my tongue hanging out and trigger finger twitching-then tell us they are protected, darn!

Oh, well, there are lots of other good places in WY to exercise the .204. Next year I hope to get out there, but I better bring more than one rifle from what I hear because there are so many to shoot at.

Do you have any in OR?

AZ Hunter, no PD's in Oregon, but we're blessed with literally zillions of Beldings Ground Squirrels, some Columbian Ground Rats too. Plenty of rock chucks, and the usual assortment of badgers, crows, coyotes and other varmints.

We usually head out east to either MT, WY, or SD in the summer for PD's after our rats have gone down for the season, but considering the cost of fuel these days, lodging, etc., it's more cost-effective to just shoot here, as we can melt a rifle barrel here as easily as in the PD states.

"Yes", definetly take more than one rifle for this kind of shooting. I usually take rimfires (HMR's now) for the stuff inside 200 yards, 223/204 class for the mid-range stuff, 22-250/220 Swift class for the longer shots, and for me, it's my 243 Ackley (or other like calibers) for later in the day when the wind is always up, and the shots get longer. Besides, when one rifle is on the rack soaking with solvent and cooling, you're still getting trigger time with a fresh rifle on the bench. It's the most fun you can have with your clothes on, I promise.

Here's a typical shot of a fun day after squirrels. One of my buddies dropped by to harass us that was shooting in a different field that day.



Be warned though, take plenty of firepower, as the PD and sage rats are getting better equipped daily!

Here's a rock chuck for you guys

It was with my dad's cooper .204 at 300 yards.

Verm2: As this post is getting away from PD's a tad, (but it's my thread, so it's okay with me ), here's a few more chucks from over this way for the chuckless fellows out there to ponder.



Rifle is one of my Sako Vixen's in .223 Rem, a nice light sporter walkabout rifle that shoots bugholes, and holes in general in chucks. Compared to shooting ground squirrels, shooting at a chuck is like shooting at a pickup! (But no less fun, right? )

Mr. Chuck on the far right was taken at 472 yards with a Nosler 50gr BT while he was out munching on short pasture grass. I almost shot over him, as you can see from the spine wound. Another inch high, and he'd be in his hole right now.

That's some good shootin' Rick. I love shooting rockchucks because there is so many opportunities to get some 400-500 yard chucks. We were shot 4 of them buggers in a snow storm