The targets now available worldwide run the gamut from prairie dogs and groundhogs in North America to rabbits and small feral animals in New Zealand to jackals in South Africa. Unquestionably, going on a varmint shoot is the best possible practice for shooting at big game animals, as it presents the same problems one encounters when shooting big game - shooting at angles of elevation and depression, wind drift, heat mirage, range estimation and bullet drop. Anyone who can consistently hit prairie dogs at 250 yards can easily hit a mule deer or antelope at 300 yards or an elk at 350 yards. With all that in mind, here's a glance at a high-quality varmint shoot being offered in Montana.
An oufitter in Montana by the name of High Caliber Hunts is the Cadillac of varmint outfitters. Partners Dave Kidd and Glen Nepil offer all-inclusive three-day prairie dog shoots for groups of six or more hunters at $1,500 per person during July and August. The shoots take place primarily on private land out of customized rigs with special rifle rests. Clients stay in a very comfortable lodge and eat wonderful food. This is the guiding service the shooting industry uses when it wants the best available arrangements. High Caliber is booked up for this year and halfway booked for next, which tells you something about the quality of this shoot.
Further information on varminting is available from the Varmint Hunters Association in Pierre, South Dakota. Yearly memberships cost $24 for US residents. The main benefit of membership is receiving the VHA's quarterly magazine, which contains articles about varminting and advertising from many guiding services.
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