Prairie Dog 101 Member Terry Schmelzenbach


last seven years, I could teach Prairie Dog 101. David Lees, John Peabody, and I plan a fi ve- to six-day hunt on the Rosebud. Listed are the items used this year out on the prairie:


T


• Rolling tool box with handle and wheels


• Backpack with attached shooting mat and water bottle (you will need water on the prairie)


• Ear protection with extra batteries (I use Peltors with behind the head strap)


• Ear plugs


(when not wearing Peltors) • Three Harris bipods: bench rest, medium, and long


• 500 rounds are taken each day to the prairie


• 10x50 Nikon Action binocular (eco- nomical but good)


• Elbow pads, knee pads, and gun sling. Sometimes you must move around but I stay on the bench 60 percent of the time.


• Wide brimmed hat to wear with ear plugs when it is sunny and hot • Ball cap to wear with ear muffs when overcast


• Rotating shooting bench (choose wisely)


• One small and one large shooting bag


• On the bench you will want a bench rest bipod with the ability to swivel. • Lightweight jacket


• Cleaning rod, cleaning ropes, bore cleaner, brushes, and cleaning patches


• Lip balm (Chapstick) and sun screen • Small fi rst aid kit • Compass • Lighter


• Small pen light


• Pliers, screwdrivers, and appropri- ate tools If you plan to hunt five days


you will not save much money by go- ing without a guide. An Indian guide charges no more than most farmers charge for trespass fees. There are no places that they have not been before.


Pictured here is the author, Terry Schmelzenbach. The blue pistol case on the ground by portable tool box holds a Ruger Single Six 22 for snake protection. Notice the extra gun case: It holds a 700 V.S.S.F. II Prairie Special, 22-250, 2 lb. trigger, and 6.5-20x44 Nikon Monarch.


www.varminthunter.org Page 139 Downtown Wood, South Dakota.


There are places that have not been hunted as much as other places. We’ve had great success and fun using Indian guides and hunting the Rosebud. Our guides have worked hard at keeping us in dogs. We go to the same areas year after year and shoot until we are tired of shooting. A good guide earns his fees.


Karla at Karla’s Last Kall schedules our guide and provides us a place to stay. Karla’s trailers are fully furnished with a washer and dryer, kitchen, and satel- lite TV.


Plan on dealing with the prairie


wind. This year was very windy, with winds from 5-25 miles per hour. At one


his being my sixth trip to the South Dakota prairie in the


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