Mode of Operation:
We are well-suited for accomplished marksmen who are serious about their sport and able to make shots beyond 300 yards.  At this range and beyond targets are essentially unlimited.  We have many high vantage points to set up shooting tables, offering excellent fields of fire over large areas at distances from 100 to 2,000 yards.  If you can’t shoot beyond 300 yards this is not the place for you.  I do not allow clients to drive around and shoot from their vehicle.  This practice is damaging to the pastures and makes the prairie dogs more gun shy, effectively diminishing the success of future hunts.  Plan to shoot from a bench rest with several moves throughout the day as needed.  Keep in mind that this is hunting, which means that results will be mixed depending on the day.  If there is light overcast or if a day is particularly hot, there will be fewer prairie dogs out.  One day may yield 60 shots and the next could yield 400.  That being said, your chances of having a good day out are far greater than if you were big game hunting.  The big difference is that you know where the prairie dogs will be.  They are not nomadic like other game and stick within a few yards of their burrows.  Oftentimes a bit of patience is required between shots, especially when you first arrive in an area.  Initially the dogs will scatter when you show up and most within a 300 yard radius will stay below as long as you are there.  But after a short time, usually about as long as it takes us to get set up, the dogs will gradually re-emerge into the open.
 

Firearms:
If you’re new to the sport, I highly recommend a scoped rifle with bipod, sandbags or both.  You will initially get shots within 100 yards but this soon dwindles and you are shooting 200+ yards after that.  At 300 yards and beyond the prairie dogs either can’t see you or are not concerned and will stay out until you connect or get really close.  Because of the ranges involved you need a steady platform (hence the bipod/sandbags), a scope with good magnification (16X-24X is recommended) and a fast, center fire varmint cartridge such as .223, .22-250, .204 Ruger, .17Rem, etc.  Larger, heavier calibers such as .308 Win are needed for ranges beyond 500 yards.  Rimfire rifles are fun to shoot but have limited range and you soon run out of targets that are within your reach.  A scope with bullet drop compensation and windage adjustment is essential.  Scopes with target knobs that can be reset to zero are very effective and convenient.  Shooting with wind is a fact of life in Kansas and can cause your bullet to drift significantly at longer ranges.  The only ammo restrictions I have at this time are on tracers, for obvious reasons. 

AR-15 Rifles:
AR type rifles are increasingly popular with varmint hunters as their level of accuracy approaches that of bolt guns.  I allow the use of ARs as long as they are used like bolt guns, meaning careful, well-placed shots.  What I do not want is the "scorched earth" tactic that I have witnessed in the past where guys are laying waste to the countryside with huge volumes of fire as fast as they can load and empty the mags.  If this is your idea of varmint shooting you need not come here.    

Gear:
We provide up to eight shooting tables, chairs and a sun shade if necessary.  The guide will have a  rangefinder to assist you with determining range.  The guide will also have binoculars to assist in spotting but we highly recommend that each shooter have his/her own pair of binoculars. 
Ammo is not available within 50 miles of Syracuse, so bring as much as you think you will need plus a little more.  Over the past several years people have typically averaged around 300 rounds per day.  If you want to bring more ammo than is allowed on a plane (11 lbs.) you can ship it to Matt Gould, 602 E. Avenue C,  Syracuse, KS. 67878 and it will be waiting for you when you arrive.  Temperatures can fluctuate greatly from morning to afternoon, so bring adequate layers of clothing.  Sunscreen and a wide-brimmed hat are also good items.  Be aware that during the warmer months rattlesnakes are present in prairie dog towns.  Leather boots and long pants provide a greater degree of protection than other footwear and should be worn in the field.

   

The Stalk:
The majority of people who hunt prairie dogs work at perfecting the long shot because that is usually all you are going to get.  However, prairie dogs can also be effectively hunted in a more traditional sense, using camoflage and concealment. This affords one the opportunity to do more work with the rimfires.  The .17HMR is an ideal caliber for this application as most of your shots using this method will be within 200 yards.  We have several places on the property with dry creekbeds which allow you to move undetected and out of sight while manuvering into a good shooting position.  Some fields are also bordered by high grass,  offering cover around the perimeters.  This method is more rewarding for some but requires a bit more motivation and significantly increases your chances of encountering a rattlesnake.  This should be taken into account before you decide to employ the stalk. 

Common Questions:

Do you guys have any dogs?
    - I am astounded every time I get this question.  Of course we have dogs.  If we didn't have them we would not be advertising prairie dog hunts. 

Would my group be combined with other hunters?
    - No.  You will only hunt with the people in your group.  We never combine people of different groups.  You would have exclusive access to any one of our seven large properties for your hunt.

Would we have to share accomodations with other hunters?
    - No.  Your group will have one of our two lodging facilites all to yourselves.

Is there a seperate guide fee?  
    -No.  Your daily rate includes the guide service.  If you feel that your guide has been very helpful and deserves a tip, that is greatly appreciated but not expected.

Can we shoot the hawks?
    - Absolutely not!  First of all, that is a federal crime.  Secondly, you have paid for a prairie dog hunt.  That means all hawks, burrowing owls, coyotes, rabbits, turtles, lizards, meadow larks, antelope,  and all other wildlife are off limits.    

Is a guide necessary?
    - Yes.  If you are new to prairie dog hunting we insist on sending a guide with your group, and trust me, you want this.  For many newcomers it takes some time to know what works and what doesn't, where the best places to set up are and many newcomers have difficulty even spotting the prairie dogs initially because they are so well camoflagued with the terrain.  In this case an experienced guide will be a great asset to your hunt.
    
- We also recognize that there are a large number of you who have been shooting dogs for many years and do not require the guide service.  However, we hunt our properties on a rotational schedule to ensure we are not hunting the same spots two days in a row.  This ensures that we have fresh dogs for every group that comes in.  For this reason alone, it is necessary to have a guide present because when it comes time to move, he will know what has been hunted and where you need to go next.  The guides are not there to babysit you (unless you need it) but to ensure everything goes as smoothly as possible.  Some of the properties we lease will have livestock in the area and the landowners feel better when there is one guy in the group who is keeping his undivided attention on the animals.  
 We have a few simple rules.  (1)  We do not allow hunting to take place from a vehicle.  All shooting must be done from a bench or on foot.  (2)  All vehicles must remain on the fencelines.  (3)  Safe hunting practices must be maintained at all times.  Some properties will have livestock present.  This requires extra caution and constant awareness.  If any unsafe act is observed or if blatant disregard for our simple requests is apparant, your group will be required to leave immediately. 

Just let us know what your experience level is and what you are looking for in a hunt.  We will happily accomodate you any way we can.