2020 Trip #3
On a trip with me, myself, and I. Short day trip. The two days before the trip it was 96 degrees in Denver, Colorado. This day was supposed to be cooler. It was, they got that part right.
But when I arrived at the field the wind was already blowing 20 – 25 mph with higher gust. Before leaving I had decided to use small-caliber rifles on this trip. I was hoping to get into mostly pups at close range. Being the middle of June, not the middle of May, that didn’t happen. The rifles I chose for this trip was the 17 Hornet and 22 KHornet.
The rancher also wanted me to park on the road and not drive in his fields, they were way to dry. I didn’t want to start a fire so I complied.
After about three trips back and forth carrying two rifles, tripod, chair, ammo, water; I had a look around.
All the prairie dogs were at 150 yards plus, mostly plus. My Savage 17 Hornet only has a 3 x 9 scope on it. The 22 KHornet did have an old 6 x 24 1-inch tube scope on it, better, not much. At 150 yards plus the 17 Hornet with the small scope was like shooting ants with a BB gun at 30 yards, real hard. But I stuck with it.
I had also left my hat at the truck, 300 yards away. By the time I finally took the time to get up and go get my hat and sunscreen, it was too late. At nearly a mile high the Colorado sun is relentlessly hot; add gusty wind and you will get burnt.
2020 Trip #3
I shot for around five hours and didn’t do badly. I did miss, probably less than 50 percent. My total for this trip was 118. The rest lived for another day.