Prairie Dog
The black-tailed prairie dog is the quintessential Western varmint and one of the most popular targets for long-range rimfire and centerfire shooting.
🗓️ Last reviewed: July 2026
Overview
The black-tailed prairie dog is the quintessential Western varmint and one of the most popular targets for long-range rimfire and centerfire shooting. Vast "towns" of these burrowing rodents offer high-volume marksmanship practice across the open plains.
Identification & Appearance
Prairie dogs are stout, sandy-brown ground squirrels with short legs, a short black-tipped tail, and a habit of sitting bolt upright at the burrow mouth. They live in sprawling colonies of interconnected burrows.
Range & Habitat
Black-tailed prairie dogs occupy short-grass prairie and open plains across the western and central US, building large colonial towns of mounded burrows.
Behavior & Sign
They live in social colonies, feed on grasses around the burrows, and post lookouts that bark and dive at any threat. The towns of bare-dirt mounds are unmistakable sign.
Hunting Seasons & Timing
Often huntable year-round as an unprotected or lightly regulated varmint, with spring through summer offering the most surface activity. Confirm the local status.
Hunting Methods
Long-range precision shooting from a rest at the edge of a town, ranging targets and reading the wind across open ground.
Gear & Optics
Accurate flat-shooting rimfire and centerfire varmint rifles, high-magnification scopes, a solid rest and a rangefinder are the core of prairie-dog shooting.
Shot Placement & Field Care
Precise long-range placement is the whole sport; prairie dogs are shot for population control and marksmanship rather than the table.
Meat & Eating Quality
Prairie dogs are hunted as varmints and are not eaten, in part because of disease concerns.
Common Mistakes
Ignoring wind at distance and shooting on private land or protected colonies without checking.
Regulations & Conservation
Status varies from unprotected varmint to managed, and some species and areas are protected; prairie dogs can also carry plague, so handle any with great care. Always confirm the local rules and land access. We do not give legal advice.
FAQ
Why shoot prairie dogs? Population control on ranchland and long-range marksmanship practice.
Any health concerns? Yes - they can carry plague; do not handle carelessly.