cost will vary depending on where you go. some states require a license and some dont.
some areas such as indian reservations require a fee to hunt. prairie dogs are very wide spread
across the western states. many ranchers are glad to have them shot and dont charge a fee.
time is the most important thing in my opinion. its a long way from the east to any good prairie
dog areas. allow time for prospecting. get to an area and ask around has worked very well for me.
who you choose to go with is very important. its best to go alone than with the wrong guy.
dont let someone elses schedule dictate yours. sometimes a day or 2 can make the trip.
you will have good guns to take along. id be loading heavier bullets in the 22x250 for the longer shots.
i wouldnt personaly be going less than 50 gr on the 223. wind can be an issue. a bench is good but needs to
be very light in my opinion also. its also a pita at times due to different angles on the shots. the very best in my opinion
are good tripods such as the one by mcfadden machine in blairsville pa. called the shooting tripod. they have a website.
its also on the heavy side and rather pricy. ive shot 338x378s off it to 1500 yds. so i can vouch for how well they work.