WY Prairie Dog Hunt

This was my 3rd year to go to WY for a PD hunt. I had been shooting my .223 & 20 VT, but this year I also took my 17 HMR. I wanted to take the HMR in the past, but it just didn't group well at 100 yards. I replaced the barrel on the HMR with a Lothar Walther barrel. Man on man, what a difference.

The HMR is in an MDT stock with an arca rail. 19" Lothar Walther barrel, threaded for a suppressor and a vertical grip. I was shooting the Hornady 17 gr V-Max.

During the night a storm came through and when I headed out there was still a drizzle and the temperature was at 56*. Not a promising start. Getting to my location, it was very overcast, wet grass and cool. At this time of the morning it is normally very sunny, but not today. No dogs were out. So I just cruised the property checking out prior hunting spots and looking for new ones. After a couple of hours, the sun came out and warmed up the area. Heads started popping up from the mounds looking around. It was time.


I was still driving across the property when I saw one standing up on the two track road, stopping, I opened the door, laid the HMR across a bag, and down he went. He was the first one of many that morning with the HMR.

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After the first one, I went to the area where I intended to start that morning. It did not disappoint. The wind was working in my favor being very light. I used the HMR most of the morning. With the very light wind and a suppressor on the HMR I was wreaking havoc on the PD's. My longest shot of the morning was a lasered 163 yards with the HMR.

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The following day started the same as the first with some rain and cool temp's. When the sun came up shooting started again. I switched over to the 20 Vartarg since it didn't get much use the day before and again the PD's started flying.

With the very light wind still present, I could have stayed in one location, but using the VT without a suppressor, it is very loud. So when the PD's go down, I walk around. It allows me to get a better angle or closer to some that was not available before.

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It was a great trip and I'm looking forward to the next one.

Thanks for sharing your Wyoming trip with us. Really nice photos of a great PD set-up.

A few years ago a coworker and I went to a ranch here in New Mexico for a Prairie Dog hunt. The owner asked that we "kill 'em all", but we only had a day and a half (of good shooting) before we had to return to work. We wound up shooting just the 17 HMRs, a "Rimfire Safari" with no limit. Our shooting was much like yours, with lots of close shots on unschooled PDs, plenty of mid-range (70-150 yds) and a few barrel stretchers in the 150-175 yard range. We had other rifles, center-fires, that stayed in their cases while we shot our way through a new brick of CCI 17 g V-Max ammo. It was an eye-opener for me to see the accuracy and energy of the 17 HMR on display.

Do you need to take a spotter with you on your next trip? Asking for a friend.

Looks like a great time! I haven't been prairie dogging in many years but it was always a great time. Thanks for sharing!

Thanks for sharing!! Tell me more about the 17 HMR. I'm jonesing for another one (I have a Super 14 Contender) but bolt pistols are hard to find. I am seriously thinking about going the route it looks like you did

Glad you had a good trip. Thanks for sharing the photos.

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Originally Posted by cknight814

Thanks for sharing!! Tell me more about the 17 HMR. I'm jonesing for another one (I have a Super 14 Contender) but bolt pistols are hard to find. I am seriously thinking about going the route it looks like you did

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The 17 HMR is a CZ455. It was never really accurate, so it didn't get a lot of use. I've had it long time and since it was accurate, I never invested any updated parts in it.

After going to WY for several years, I kept thinking how the HMR would be ideal with a suppressor and the PD would not go down as quickly. So, I first ordered a Lothar Walther barrel for it. I gave them the dimensions I wanted for the tenon and did not want any cutouts for the grub screws that hold the barrel in. While waiting on the barrel, I order a Timney trigger, Glades bolt handle and knob, 10 round magazine, MDT chassis and an arca rail from Yankee Hill Machine.

When the barrel came in it was seated into action using a lathe to press the barrel in and left over night. Green loctite, can't remember the numbers, was used on the tenon. The next day, all the other parts were added and off to the range I went. The 17 gr V-max is what it is currently shooting and is very accurate. I tried several others, but the 17 V-Max was always on top.

It is now a very accurate 17 HMR and it will be going along on all my other trips as well as the 20 VT.

That sounds like a very nice setup. What is your barrel length?

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Originally Posted by cknight814

That sounds like a very nice setup. What is your barrel length?

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19"