SmallCaliberCentral

After 2 years off we are back in the saddle again! Heading out Friday before Memorial day to Mobridge SD to see what we can do. This is whith a different leader, but I still have my Winner area connection as well for back up.

I'm down to 100 22-250 brass to prep and 300 to prime. Then I need to get some loads worked up with the new gun.

I have about 400 204 brass primed and ready to be loaded plus around 400 ready to shoot.

Have a great trip! I went out near Winner last year and shot on reservation land the weekend after Memorial Day (dumb move on our part, never to be duplicated again ). I hope you have better success than we had. Saw tons of dogs, but you couldn't get within 300 yards of them before they all dove for cover and stayed down.

Mike, precisely why I don't shoot PD's any more, and only ground squirrels.....dumber than a post, stay up all day while you shoot their buddies. Barely enough sense to come in out of the rain....about the dumbest rodent on the planet, much to my glee!

We can blast away at 300 yard rats, and while you've been concentrating on them, you've got ten of them within 15 yards of your bench! See now why we always carry 22LR belt guns? The bench and truck must be protected at all costs! Ever see what rodent teeth can do to a new set of Goodyear 4WD 33.5's? Or a nice pair of Danners? It ain't pretty!

If you get tired of waiting for PD's to come back up out of their dens, consider going after the harder to hit ground squirrels in WY, more targets that stay up longer, and much, much dumber. Our kind of rodent!

Here's hoping you have great weather, a target-rich environment, warm barrels, and lots-o smiles! Come home safe, and don't forget the camera! Tick-tock.......gettin' excited?

all i have ever hunted is ground squirels but ricks right its constat action all day long. have to beat them off with my .204

South of Boise Idaho at the National guard open live fire ranges we drive the edges shooting into the range. Tons of what we call Whistle Pigs (sage rats). Son and I stayed at one spot and shot them for over 5 hours. Nothing like the look on a 9 year olds face when you make a whistle pig explode at 200 yards while he looks at it through a Scope. Going out again this weekend Ill remember the camera this time.

Need to test a few loads on paper first though

Winchester brass
Sierra Bk's 39gr
Federal 205 primers
27.4 Grains Varget

And another load with 27.0 grains.
OAL 2.258 to 2.261.

JDB

Will be on a 5 day trip to the poodle pasture over Memorial day. Will attempt to get pictures and post.

RIO... had that problem with them when I had MTR's on my Jeep... have since switched to Swamper LTB's and they seem to leave them alone.... maybe they don't like bias ply tires???

Larry

We had pretty good shooting in '07 on this same weekend near Winner (Wood) at a rancher's place. Guy we are connecting with did well up at Mobridge last year same weekend. Dogs (pups) are small, young, and dumb this time of year.

We are planning to watch the weather as the date grows near. Winner and Mobridge are apparently far enough apart that the weather can vary between the two. Looking for a 3rd destination as a backup. I learned from a "guide" that I spoke with that systems tend to travel quickly and be scattered so a couple hoiurs drive will often get you to better weather...

TD-Max wrote:We are planning to watch the weather as the date grows near. Winner and Mobridge are apparently far enough apart that the weather can vary between the two. Looking for a 3rd destination as a backup. I learned from a "guide" that I spoke with that systems tend to travel quickly and be scattered so a couple hoiurs drive will often get you to better weather...

That information is VERY true. Fronts tend to move medium to fast....it is rather flat(ish) across SD.

Well now our leader has had to drop out and his buddy is not coming either so now we are down to 3 and scrambling. I spent way too much time getting ready to let this one slip away. So long as the weather holds we'll be going. We just might have to "wing it" when we get out there as my 2007 contact has not returned my call.

TD, I sure hope your trip works out. I know what it's like to look forward to these trips and how disappointed you would be if plans completely fell through. Good luck and have a great time!

I'm sure we can make something work. Hoping not to have to scout. Then it becomes a prairie dog "hunt" versus "shoot" and I'd rather land, set up, and go to work. I'm working a line from a friend who hunts deer near McIntosh. The rancher there always told him "just don't shoot my chippees" in previous years, but last fall he almost asked them to shoot some as they must not have had much shooting pressure.

Well I broke down and hired an outfitter to guide us. Just wanted to be sure we had the best chance of finding some good shooting and didn't get stuck driving all over. We'll watch and learn this trip and hopefuly go it alone next trip.

Enjoy your trip and be safe. Something similar happend to me this year with folks dropping out so it was my son and I. We had fun see my post for a report.

Jim