One last ND Prairie Dog Hunt on 12-2-2017

[Silverfox]

The barrel on my Stiller Predator action .17 Remington is showing some heat cracking at the throat. I have decided to put a new barrel on this action and had 14 rounds still unfired. I had been using 30 gr. FBHP Starke bullets and wanted to shoot those rounds before I replaced the barrel. I had formed the casings from WW .204 Ruger casings down to .17 Remington. That was a lot of work, but the brass that was available for .17 Remington wasn’t of very good quality. About 6 months after I formed the brass both Nosler and Norma started to make .17 Remington brass. Anyway, I had been using 30 gr. FBHP Starke bullets and wanted to shoot those rounds before I replaced the barrel. The new barrel will be a Pac-Nor stainless steel super match grade medium Palma .172 caliber barrel with a 1 in 9" twist and 3 grooves. I will have my gunsmith finish it at 24" and thread it for my suppressors. I’ll have my gunsmith use the same reamer he used on the .17 Remington I had built for my son and grandson. I bought 500 of the .17 Remington Nosler casings for that rifle, but the two of them have only shot about 200 rounds in about 3 years so I’m appropriating at least 300 of those casings for my new build. I’m having the barrel shipped directly to my gunsmith and I’ll deliver the action and stock to him in January or early February.

So, back to the prairie dog hunt—I arrived at my parking spot south of the prairie dog colony which is up on a plateau above the creek bottom. I left the pickup at 11:26 a.m. There were lots of prairie dogs scurrying around when I parked my pickup and I could see scores more to my right as I walked toward the creek bottom. I crossed the creek and climbed up the side of the butte to get to where I could see through the sage brush and get clear shots at the prairie dogs. I nailed 5 prairie dogs with my first 5 shots—distances were 105 yards to 123 yards. I moved to the NNE and shot 3 more PDs. I moved ESE and nialed 3 more—distances for these shots were 100 to 135 yards. I only had 3 more shells left. I could see some prairie dogs back in the first area I shot at so I moved back there and nailed 3 more prairie dogs. So now my 14 shells were expended. I decided I needed to take a few photos for the record.

I dragged a couple prairie dogs over to a mound where I had shot 2 prairie dogs and snapped my photos. I began walking back to the pickup. I was experiencing balance problems so I was taking my time so I didn’t fall over and injure myself. I managed to get back to the pickup withou falling. I was going to check in my pickup to see if I could find my little tripod for my camera so I could take some videos after lunch. I found the little tripod!!!!
By 2:15 p.m. the sun had disappeared behind the clouds. I planned on taking my usual nap time. After lunch I took a walk to the east to get a look at how many priairie dogs were out. There were hundreds of them. As I walked back to the pickup, I was getting dizzy and my feet didn’t seem to be able to keep up with my head and chest. I stumbled and fell one time, but managed to make it back to the pickup. I had quit taking a couple of prescription drugs and remembered that one of the side effects of those drugs was dizziness. When I got back to the pickup I decided I would skip my nap and head back home.

I got back home around 3:00 p.m. I drove back to Williston and got my hunting stuff carried into the house. I decided to walk around the block, but my head kept getting ahead of my feet and I fell forward, but broke my fall with the hands. I continued to walk down the alley north of our house. My upper body continued to get ahead of my feet and I took a hard spill. I hit my face pretty hard and look like someone beat the crap out of me. I bent the frames on my glasses, my lip was cut fairly deep, and the teeth on my left side of my jaw don’t feel so good either. I will survive, but I have to find out which prescriptions have me loopy.

Here’s the “Hero Photo” for this hunt.

I had a good time shooting prairie dogs, but when I look at myself in the mirror it looks like the prairie dogs beat the crap out of my face.

[Hal]

Take it easy and be careful, I like reading your stories.

Any idea how many rounds you have on your .17 barrel ?

How are you like the winter so far ?

Hal

[Bill K]

Hey Silverfox.. Still enjoyed your story, without all the photo's, etc. But us old guys must slow down and watch our step/s.
Not sure what meds you are on, but I know one thing with the blood pressure ones I take, I must watch the direct/hot sun as too much sitting in it and shooting, will cause me some dizziness and light headed feeling. Maybe it is similar with yours, something to check on with the doc. Take care. Bill K

[Rocklong]

Another good story silverfox and I hope you figure out you medicine problems. Boy you really must have took a spill!! Best of luck with your new rifle when it’s done.

[Silverfox]

Hal--I try to keep accurate records and I come up with a total of 1,613 shots down this Lilja tube. Lilja's bbls are 4-groove and I believe the 3-groove Pac-Nor barrels might last a bit longer.

Bill K--Another situation that can cause dizziness is dehydration so I'm drinking lots of water from now on.

Rocklong--Yes, I'm going to have a long talk with my doctor. I have been suggesting to him for quite some time that he allow me to quit taking one of my meds, but he insisted that I stay on it. I did kiss the pavement in my alley pretty darn hard. It's a bad feeling when your head and shoulders get going way faster than your feet!!! I consider myself lucky that I didn't do more damage.

[dungheap]

The results of that face plant literally make me shiver! Prayers for prompt healing, both injuries and whatever is causing the condition in progress!

[Tparrish]

Once again another good story & pictures. Here's hoping the noggin gets better in a timely fashion.

Tom

[56S]

I quite enjoyed the first half of your hunting story. I wish the second half would have been as pleasing. Maybe some of us more seasoned fellows will learn a lesson from your misfortunes. Too bad it had to come to this but now maybe your Doctor will be willing to accept some feedback on the medication he's decided you should be taking.

[steve123]

Fun hunting story! I'm surprised your PD's are still up, ours at 7000' are long asleep.

The side effects can be worse than the original health problem. If you were to fall hard enough you could sustain an injury you might never recover fully from! If this happens again the wise thing to do is literally "sit tight" and not try to walk it out!

Watch out for doctors and drugs! Every drug they have you on has a set of after effects which they then prescribe another drug for to counteract the last and the cycle continues. You then become their experiment which you pay dearly for. It doesn't take long before one ends up like half of my old relatives who have long since succumbed to big pharm and who have long since forgotten any form of normalcy. Well most of them are gone.

Fight your health problems with good nutrition, natural supplements and exercise. That's what I've done with my few health problems and I feel good. I fired my last doctor, am better off for it and considerably less pickled!

[JSH]

Well, Leroy I found out I don't have as much spring I my step as did a few years ago either. I didn't take a spill like you though!
Had my hands full at work about a month ago and got tripped up. Threw my load to one side and managed to catch myself with bothe hands with out face planting on the gravel. It sure took its toll. Wrist elbows and shoulders absorbed the fall and I have been paying for that.

We sure don't "bounce" like we used to for sure.

As hard as you hit, if you start getting headaches or worse bruising, get to the Dr ASAP!

I walk an average of 9+ miles a day at work, according to the little device. I was in western Kansas last week chasing mulies. First day was good, next morning up but slow. By dark I was dragging pretty bad. Next morning I was stiff all over. Guy I was with admitted the same and he is a foot shorter than me. We voted to drive around and do some looking and glassing.
We did go out and set that evening. At least a mile or better from the truck. Saw one buck, but nothing I was willing to but a 1/2 mile stalk on, then tote it back to the truck in the dark, then an hour drive back to the bunk house.
Came home yesterday, took the off the beaten path route East across the state. Stopped a lot more coming back than we did going out. Got home about 8pm. Was going to wait and unload my stuff this am. But after a nap and back up at 11, I unloaded everything. Sat down in the recliner around 1 am, that is where I woke up at 8am! Latest I have slept no matter what in years.

Check back in let us know how you are healing.

Jeff