First trip to dogtowns this weekend

[rayfromtx]

Well, y'all have convinced me, so this weekend we take off for Colorado for our first prairie dog hunt. I've been prepping for months now. I've built two 204s on Savage target actions with heavy pacnor barrels and Shehane tracker stocks. They're topped by a pair of Zeiss conquest 6.5-20 scopes and both are almost capable of agging with my competition benchrest rig. I've purchased a pivoting bench and replaced the top with long leaf pine that is the right size for my farley front rest.

I have 1350 rounds of 204 loaded with 40 grain bergers. (I chose accuracy over splat factor) I have another 1500 rounds worth of components to take with me in case I need to reload at night. I also have a Shilen barrel in 243ai to swap out if I want to really reach out there and I have a couple of hundred rounds to use in that one. Spotting scope, range finder, cleaning stuff, camera, wind flag, tent canopy, frozen barbque for sustainance. I'm bringing a couple of friends along to share the fun.

I'm set for the wind and the sun. I've connected with some ranchers and they have neighbors so we should have plenty of acreage to check out. We're planning on two days of travel and seven days in the field. With Arnold Jewell along it will never get boring.

Have I thought of everything? I've been listening to y'all and hope I haven't missed anything but if I have I'm sure we'll more than manage. I'm so excited I don't know what to do with myself. I even scanned the satellite images on google and marked my maps with the areas that show lots of prairie dog mounds. The images are a few years old so I suspect some areas have changed but it's keeping me occupied. I guess we'll get licenses when we get there. 56$ for non residents is steep but I'll probably make one more trip up this year. I don't want to add up the total cost of this trip.

Anybody have any last minute advice?

[Mike]

Anybody have any last minute advice?

Bring a camera and take lots and lots of pics for us!!!

Otherwise, it sounds like you're all set. You're gonna get hooked!!

[Ray P]

rayfromtx.............Good luck and have fun. Once p.dog trips bit ya, it's hard to stop. Planning, anticipation and a hot barrel!! Yep I know the feeling. Enjoy and have a safe trip.
Later
Ray P

[Hotshot]

Good luck Ray!

Bring extra batteries for range finder, ear protection, lot of water, sun screen, and insect repellent. Sounds like you got the guns and ammo part all figured out. Hold and sqeeeeeeze that trigger!

[Rick65Cat]

cleaning kit and some basic gun tools. I had to field strip one of my .22 semis at camp on a shooting table beside the truck to clean it while waiting for the camp stove to heat dinner.

Yeah....sunscreen, lots of it. I forgot mine and got my arms burnt. Just back from a 3 day gopher trip to southern Saskatchewan.
Shooting there wasn't very good due to hi winds the whole time we were there. My Ruger .204 M77 Mk II Target saw very limited action. Only about 30 rounds the whole time.

[Rick in Oregon]

Ray, it sounds like you've done your homework well my friend. About the only thing I could suggest from years of doing this, is to take at least one windflag.

I use the ones from Russ Haydon that sit on a video light tripod, and the wind never knocks them over, unless you happen to be in Wyoming during a real blow at 40 mph+, but then it's time to put the rifles away and head to the motel anyway.

Have a grand time, and be sure to share the adventure with us when you return...and take some extra sunscreen and spikes to nail down your sunshade. Go git 'em!

[tuck2]

I live in prairie dog country. I wish that the few people I have taken out would be equiped as well as you. Good shooting..

[rayfromtx]

Thanks y'all. I didn't think of an extra battery for the range finder. I'm thinking 2 or 3 windflags Rick. One up close and one out about 100 and upwind. I'm thinking I've got a lot of weight. Arnold and I will be in the Toyota Prius. I think it will all fit but we'll find out for sure on Friday night. Overflow can ride in Sam's truck but I think it will all fit ok. Mileage will suffer with all the weight and the speeds I'm expecting to drive going up. I loaded all the ammo and reloading stuff for two calibers and all the extra bullets and primers and powder and it's a load.

Three more days of work. The waiting is killing me.

Thanks again everybody.

[acloco]

GOOD LUCK!

Bring sunscreen and extra water.

Where in CO will you be?

[Captqc]

I find that binos work better than a spooting scope for scanning for targets, folding camp chair is nice to have and a folding table to set stuff on is helpful, other than that it sounds like you have thought this trip thru quite well. Take lots of pictures and have a ball! Gary

[mriddell]

You may have timed it right, the last 2 weeks we had to postpone going out because the wind has been so bad, but it's calming down this week. Get up early because we're getting to the time of year where we trade wind for afternoon rain.

Have fun, welcome to CO, and make sure you shoot every last round of that ammo, you'll get better mileage on the way back!

[glenn asher]

Of course you know this, but take your prescriptions along, I have to remind myself not to forget them when I go places, so I thought I might as well remind you
Lots of sunscreen, long sleeved shirts, wide brimmed hats, and some aloe, because if the sun don't get ya, the wind will burn you anyway. BTDT.
You can't take everything with you, although I've tried a couple of times Watch for Mr. Noshoulders and have a good time, report back when you've got it all straight in your head, if it's your first time, you're really in for a treat.

I'm stuck in a car with my Mother, Sister and nephews this weekend. Not looking forward to it. They're good kids, but they don't travel too well......... We're shopping for burial plots

[Silverfox]

rayfromtx--I sure hope you find a target rich environment and fairly calm winds. Oh, one thing I didn't see you or anyone else mention as a must have item for your trip was at least one roll of TP!!!!!

[rayfromtx]

Y'all are great. I worked on the rifles this evening and got them packed for the trip. I had to modify one of the bolts and install a bolt lift kit in the other. I modified my farley rest for the trip and bought some more 6mm bullets on sale. sierra 100s and speer 105s for 10 cents apiece. I won't need them but I don't think my buddies are taking enough ammo. They are taking 300 loaded rounds apiece in 6br and plan to reload at night. I may have to do a little reloading at night too but I don't want to spend all my extra time reloading. Arnold reloads so fast that between benchrest matches he is reloaded before I've put a few patches down the barrel and run a brush. Then he sits and watches me reload while teasing me about being slow.

Thanks for the tp reminder silverfox. I have a great travel kit Glen. Two More Days!

[mriddell]

You may have timed it right, the last 2 weeks we had to postpone going out because the wind has been so bad, but it's calming down this week. Get up early because we're getting to the time of year where we trade wind for afternoon rain.

Have fun, welcome to CO, and make sure you shoot every last round of that ammo, you'll get better mileage on the way back!

Shows what I know about wind. 24 hours after I posted, we get a tornado! Looks like the afternoon storms are going to be kicking up all weekend, hope you get some good morning shoots in.