General Discussion

sarisataka

(22,000 posts)

22. I used to hunt prairie dogs on ranches for population control

Thu Sep 11, 2025, 03:21 PM

Sep 11

The rancher preferred us hunting to thin the population rather than mass poisoning because the dogs do serve a purpose.
Using a bolt action rifle in .223 with a 4X scope I would shoot at ranges of 200-500 yards are rarely miss.
A wild prairie dog is a smaller target than a human neck.

Edit history

Please sign in to view edit histories.

Recommendations

3 members have recommended this reply (displayed in chronological order):

orangecrush GoneOffShore mackdaddy

90 replies

= new reply since forum marked as read

Highlight:

The human neck is small from 600 ft away!! [View all] uponit7771 Sep 11 OP

The neck is also a poor choice of a target. RockRaven Sep 11 #1

Agreed...nothing authorizes the unstated premise that this guy hit what he was aiming at Prairie Gates Sep 11 #2

If you sever the spinal column game over Keepthesoulalive Sep 11 #3

This message was self-deleted by its author Random Person Sep 11 #6

Shooters trained to kill never aim for the throat. sir pball Sep 11 #21

This message was self-deleted by its author Random Person Sep 11 #23

A 30.06 to the neck orangecrush Sep 11 #24

I'm not saying it's not lethal sir pball Sep 11 #28

Massive cavitation orangecrush Sep 11 #29

Eh, not with a .30 cal in that soft tissue sir pball Sep 11 #32

And yet they did. Groundhawg Sep 11 #38

Facts not in evidence. sir pball Sep 11 #40

Fact is the hit was where the shooter aimed for. There is zero proof otherwise. Groundhawg Sep 11 #41

The shooter hit where the shooter hit. sir pball Sep 11 #47

the evidence clearly shows, the shooter hit precisely where he aims. Groundhawg Sep 11 #51

What evidence? n/t Ms. Toad Sep 11 #62

The event that occured. Groundhawg Sep 11 #63

So you can tell from the event that occurred us where he was hit. Ms. Toad Sep 11 #69

This message was self-deleted by its author Random Person Sep 11 #72

Agreed. I doubt he was aiming for the neck. surfered Sep 11 #31

This is what I think, too ms liberty Sep 11 #37

The shooter could have been trying to hit the trap area between the neck and shoulder. taxi Sep 11 #7

The shooter might have aimed for the neck and the carotid artery. Vinca Sep 11 #15

A highly skilled person, aka professional, would both choose well and hit what they were aiming for. sir pball Sep 11 #19

what if the highly skilled gun humping POS didn't want it to look highly skilled? Skittles Sep 11 #43

Hell, I'll play. As a reasonably skilled "gun-humping POS" sir pball Sep 11 #46

if he was hired, he'd never take that chance Skittles Sep 11 #48

If he were hired, he'd have gone for the apricot. sir pball Sep 11 #50

I think it's another gun humping coward Skittles Sep 11 #53

Agreed. sir pball Sep 11 #56

If they were hired just to take out Kirk misanthrope Sep 11 #68

"The spectacle was the target" is precisely why I think it wasn't a hired pro. sir pball Sep 11 #70

This message was self-deleted by its author Skittles Sep 11 #44

The Russians tended to shoot people in the neck in executions. Turbineguy Sep 11 #52

He was supposed to hit the ear Fullduplexxx Sep 11 #59

Been reading articles all day by "expert marksman" who believed that Jack Valentino Sep 11 #90

The angle of the trajectory makes it a REALLY hard shot zuul Sep 11 #4

Not a Hard Shot OC375 Sep 11 #5

5x5 inch target from 600 feet is a hard shot for average human, with someone who knows how to shoot that's still a ... uponit7771 Sep 11 #12

5"X5" at 200 yards is almost 3MOA sir pball Sep 11 #16

The neck is not where a CoM shot would miss. sir pball Sep 11 #14

That is exactly what I had considered sarisataka Sep 11 #26

It's really the only explanation I can come up with sir pball Sep 11 #42

Yeah. 183 meters. US Army qualifying has 300 M shots underpants Sep 11 #55

What if he missed... lame54 Sep 11 #8

That's What I Think OC375 Sep 11 #35

That's most likely underpants Sep 11 #58

We don't know that's what he aimed for, but that said, it seems like someone of some skill. That's long distance. themaguffin Sep 11 #9

But, you see, while we know the point of entry of that bullet, MineralMan Sep 11 #10

True, but we can extrapolate to a certain extent. sir pball Sep 11 #18

I DO agree with you sir.... democratsruletheday Sep 11 #27

Oh, for sure sir pball Sep 11 #30

You're probably right. MineralMan Sep 11 #75

How do you know he was aiming for the neck? Kaleva Sep 11 #11

He was probably aiming for his giant head and missed Happy Hoosier Sep 11 #13

This message was self-deleted by its author Random Person Sep 11 #17

Jokes aside, you are right. sir pball Sep 11 #25

That's my thinking too. NT Happy Hoosier Sep 11 #36

... Crepuscular Sep 11 #45

Kirk probably moved his head just as the shooter fired... Wounded Bear Sep 11 #20

I used to hunt prairie dogs on ranches for population control sarisataka Sep 11 #22

A head shot with a slight miss... Sounds most logical. Norrrm Sep 11 #33

I'm assuming Kirk wasn't wearing a vest, but has that actually been asked and answered? hamsterjill Sep 11 #34

This was a deer shot, pure and simple indusurb Sep 11 #39

The .30 caliber M-1 carbine was the go to rifle in WW II for many of the troops. Botany Sep 11 #49

This message was self-deleted by its author sl8 Sep 11 #57

A .30 caliber bullet to the neck will kill you just as dead as a .30-06 bullet. Botany Sep 11 #61

This message was self-deleted by its author sl8 Sep 11 #64

Because the M-1 :30 caliber rifle is a perfect example of a :30 caliber weapon that is deadly @ 200 yards Botany Sep 11 #65

This message was self-deleted by its author sl8 Sep 11 #67

He was trying for a head shot Greg_In_SF Sep 11 #54

That very well might be true. Botany Sep 11 #71

3.6 inches low at 200y for a 308 aimed for 100 yards sir pball Sep 11 #83

That was one sharp shooter Clouds Passing Sep 11 #60

Many hunters are quite capable of such a shot. Kaleva Sep 11 #66

This message was self-deleted by its author Random Person Sep 11 #73

That's possible Kaleva Sep 11 #74

I never knew there were so many sniper experts on DU. Gimpyknee Sep 11 #76

He Was Wearing a Vest Deep State Witch Sep 11 #77

It wouldn't have made any difference sarisataka Sep 11 #81

One person said the bullet struck the top edge of the vest and then up into the side of his neck. mackdaddy Sep 11 #82

Maybe they were aiming for his ear lobe. marble falls Sep 11 #78

do you literally think a skilled shooter cannot be progressive? Skittles Sep 11 #79

Oh I know they can be now, if ish hit the fan I'd rather they be progressive than MAGA uponit7771 Sep 11 #86

huh? Skittles Sep 11 #87

Oh, context of my reply wasn't related to shooting people for stupid reasons. uponit7771 Sep 11 #88

Adding this malaise Sep 11 #80

killer missed his head + lucked out. or, oops, i meant to wing him. pansypoo53219 Sep 11 #84

IMO. They were aiming for the neck. roamer65 Sep 11 #85

I was regularly hitting targets smaller than that when I was 18 NickB79 Sep 11 #89