Cliff Bryan - Bryan Guiding Parmalee SD

[JJ]

Back from another trip out to Rosebud Reservation chasing the not so elusive prairie dogs. Back to back years now, we have encountered heavy rains, and less than optimal shooting conditions. Not much you can do, when you schedule a year out, and your guide is booked solid for other dates.

Arrived late Thursday, and sat around and shot the breeze with Cliff for a bit, He had a couple good towns, but one that he knew was lights out, averaging 6-8 pups per mound when the sun managed to be out (a rare commodity this spring). Luckily it was right off the road, and the entrance was relatively dry, so getting setup was nice and easy. We got a couple hours of shooting in before the rain returned, and forced us off for about 5 hours. We snuck back out late in the afternoon, and even though the sun never showed, we never spent more than a minute or two without a handful of targets.

Saturday we woke up to rain that just would not stop! We finally got the trucks headed toward dogs at about 11am, so a late start. Considering the amount of shooting the day before, compared to the massive number of dogs we saw, we elected to head right back into the same town. We changed our setup on Saturday, to gain some elevation, and we again were plagued by overcast weather. Shooting opportunities were ample, but the weather just kept the biggest numbers down. We managed to shoot consistently right up until 7pm, when we were all sore from shooting.. Weather reports for Sunday were degrading by the minute, and as the afternoon progressed we had to make the best, and get all of our longer shots taken care of, as we knew the chances were pretty slim. I ended up with a handful of hits in the 600-650 range with the trusty 6mmBR that appeared to be the long shots of the trip. My wife's back issues prevented her from ever really settling in to her 243AI, otherwise I am sure she would have once again taken the crown for long shot on the trip.

Sunday we woke up to rain. Lots and lots, of rain. And it just would not stop. Finally at about 1pm, we had to make the decision, to either call it, or pray for a very small window to shoot. Ultimately considering the heavy rains, and how late in the day we would end up with at best a mediocre opportunity, we reluctantly packed it in.

All in all, it was a good trip. The weather just would not cooperate, and we maybe saw the sun for an hour in the three days we were out. Not exactly weather conducive to high volume shooting. Even considering the poor weather, we all got around 600-700 rounds in per person, which isn't too bad for a six person group, and poor weather. As usual, Rosebud provided lots of dogs, and dog towns with more mounds than one could ask for, and Cliff provided plenty of conversation for the time sitting and waiting for breaks in the rain It's just too bad the weather bug bit again.

None the less, a great time was had by all! Cliff is completely booked for the rest of the season, but he is now taking bookings for next year. In three years, he has quickly become a commodity, and has been turning down trips since March of this year. If you are looking for a great time, I would highly reccomend giving him a call soon, to get booked for next year!

Lisa Bryan
Parmelee, SD
605-641-3027
605-641-4856

Guiding Services Provided
Antelope, Coyote, Deer - Archery, Deer - Muzzleloader, Deer - Rifle, Grouse, Pheasant, Prairie Dog, Turkey, Varmint
lisachief@yahoo.com

[Ron Burgundy]

Thanks for the review. Two questions: what type of rig is preferred for exploding prairie dogs (I do not own a rifle)? Do you really need a guide service or are there dogs on public land?

[JJ]

Thanks for the review. Two questions: what type of rig is preferred for exploding prairie dogs (I do not own a rifle)? Do you really need a guide service or are there dogs on public land?

Any heavy barrel 223 will do. I would highly recommend two rifles for when the shooting is good, as you can overheat a barrel pretty quickly. You also have to remember when your barrel gets hot, you have to deal with some tough to see through barrel mirage.

There are dogs on state lands, as well as the national grasslands. But, to hunt Rosebud Reservation, you have to have a guide to hunt tribal lands, which usually have the highest numbers.

[Randygmn]

I'm trying to understand this- are the prairie dogs a nuisance? Thx

[JJ]

I'm trying to understand this- are the prairie dogs a nuisance? Thx

Yes and no.

Prairie dogs generally suffer one of four deaths;

Poison grains to eradicate them
Natural Preditation (hawks, eagles, snakes, etc)
Disease (plague)
Or via kill pill

They can be dangerous for both cattle and horses, as they can step in holes and break their legs. This is not too common, but mostly an issue when they are being driven, as they don't avoid the holes when running. In fact our guide Cliff, had to put a horse down after breaking a leg when driving from summer to winter pastures.

Mostly they are a nuisance, in the fact that they compete with grazing cattle for grasses, as around dog towns, the dogs keep the grass clipped pretty short.

[Rip Van Winkle]

They can also carry the Plague. http://www.fws.gov/mountain-prairie/species/mammals/btprairiedog/plague.htm

[forcefed]

As always, another fun year of turning prairie poodles inside out!

[JJ]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SL_Mt8LVcSg

My first attempt at GoPro filming and editing and such. Please forgive the relatively low production value

[BigBlue]

Thanks for the trip report. So, what's a weekend like that cost? Do you stay in a motel somewhere close or camp or ?? Could one use a typical AR-15 style rifle for this or is that not accurate enough (or would overheat too fast)?

BB

[JJ]

Thanks for the trip report. So, what's a weekend like that cost? Do you stay in a motel somewhere close or camp or ?? Could one use a typical AR-15 style rifle for this or is that not accurate enough (or would overheat too fast)?

BB

$73 for a three day tribal license
$75/day per hunter (fully guided)
Lodging is around $80/day for a double room, but is about 30 miles from the areas you shoot.

So, if you did a two person hunt for three days and three nights, $338/person plus food and fuel. Round trip mileage is around 1100 miles to Parmalee and home.

We have stayed in Murdo, and Valentine (at casino) in the past. The casino is a PITA, as they mandate that all firearms need to be checked by hotel staff to verify they are not loaded, and no ammo, or alcohol is allowed inside. Murdo is a viable option, as there are multiple restaurants and bars, and multiple hotel options (although being interstate hotel/motels, bedbugs are a concern).

Long term, they are looking at building some sort of bunk house to lodge on site, but that is still a ways out.

As for rifles, my recommendation would always be a heavy barrel rig, built for high volume shooting. That said, in the past I have brought sporter weight bolt guns, and a 16" HBAR AR15. these lighter profiles are certainly viable options, but you just have to be a bit cautious about barrel heat. The old rule of thumb is, if you cannot grab and hold your barrel for more than a five count, you need to let it cool. Accuracy wise, repeatable shots from a 16" AR in the 3-400 yard range kind of become your limit. If you have the space, extra guns are always an option as well. After a couple years, I have winnowed it down to a CZ527 Varmint in 223, and a blueprinted 700 in 6mmBR with a heavy barrel (.920 muzzle dia) for my longer shots. My wife is shooting an AR15 with a 20" Wilson bull barrel, and a 700 custom (.800 muzzle dia) in 234AI.

Just an FYI, tribal regs limit caliber to 6.5mm (IIRC) for p-dogs, and no FMJ's are allowed.

[BigBlue]

Thanks for the details.

BB

[jags]

Three and a half side flip WITH intestinal whip off the low mound. That has got to be at least a 9.5.