Quote Originally Posted by kerplode View Post
So yeah, it's not really "hunting" per se...More like plinking at live animals. And you honestly don't need a fancy optic. I used to kill slews of them with a Walmart blister-pack Tasco 3-9 on a 10/22. I don't do it anymore because these days I'm not really into killing things for entertainment. It damages my karma and I prefer to just leave them to their business. But I suppose it is fun and is worth experiencing so you do you. Not like they're endangered or anything.

Anyway, the Trijicon you have now will be fine. As long as the glass is clear and the zoom is reasonable enough for you to see a coke-bottle sized thing at 400yds well enough to provide it a clean death, you'll be fine. I don't think you need FFP for prairie dogs, but if you find your multi-purpose unicorn optic, having FFP won't hurt you. You can go as fancy as you want. I know guys running $2k Mk5 HDs and $4k ZCOs on their prairie dog rifles. A suppressor can be helpful if you have access. After a while of shooting, they'll scram down their holes...Less noise stretches out the session.

Main thing is to take sunscreen and lots of water 'cause you'll be sitting in the sun all day.
Absolutely agree. I've found that your experience will depend on how conditioned the prairie dogs are to human activity. On land that gets hunted alot, they are more wary and you'll need a gun that can reach out and touch them. Otherwise, something like 17 HMR works well. Also, don't underestimate how many rounds you may end up shooting on your trip. It can really add up.