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JJ Reich
JJ Reich has a strong passion for the outdoors. He works as staff columnist for multiple national, hunting and fishing publications and contributes product-related, feature articles for several others. Archive
Michael D. Faw
As a full-time professional outdoor freelance writer, author and photographer, Michael D. Faw’s written works and images have appeared in numerous hunting and outdoors publications, and on many Web sites. Archive
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While next spring seems to be year away, it's actually only a few months distant. And if you and your hunting partners--and family--are making plans for adventures, might I offer up a prairie dog hunt. It's the perfect family gathering or place to share premium moments with friends. I loaded up the truck and took my wife on her first prairie dog safari a few years back. My pre-trip purchases included a very comfortable and steady Cabela's shooting bench that also folded, plus a large patio umbrella complete with stand to provide shade from the scorching sun. I also packed a large cooler, a huge Winchester rifle cleaning kit, a comfortable lawn chair, and other "necessities" such as a Savage bolt-action rifle chambered in .22-250. I wanted my wife to be comfortable. Then we reached South Dakota. On her first shot, on the first morning-hey, ladies first-the intended prairie dog target began rolling, squirming, and turning red. That PD was still very much alive and dragging toward the den entrance. The second shot made him only drag faster. The third shot showered him with dust, and yet he lived. My wife turned to give me a very distressed look. Houston, I knew we had a problem. "This is not near as much fun as you said it would be" she reported. Hunting as a family activity was at a crossroads. I remember the rifle was sighted in at 200 yards---not 100-and determined that she had been shooting over the large rodent. Ok, let me digress and point out that prairie dogs are rats-not dogs. The reason that so much anti-prairie rat shooting legislation pops up is because folks think they are dogs. Humans and dogs have history of being friends, hunting together, and sometimes spending the night on the same bed. The history most humans have with rats is stomping them. Enough said. I told my wife to hold low where the PD's belly touched the ground. Her next trigger tug on the Savage rifle resulted in a spectacular sight. She turned to me and enthusiastically said: "Hand me some more bullets." She ran through several cases of Federal cartridges on that adventure. Hunting had been saved.
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