FX Royale 500 and Prairie Dogs

[jking]

I went out Saturday for a couple of hours to prairie dog town about 3 miles north of me. The farmer/rancher raises Red Angus cattle so they are glad to see me show up to help with the varmint problem they have. Sometimes I'll take my Savage 22LR or Marlin 17HMR but for a more of a challenge I'll use my air guns as well. The wind was fairly bad, 10-15mph and it seemed to never be blowing out of the same direction. Shots past 65-70yds were really tough that day so I kept most of my shots from 40-60yds. I had several know kills where the PD was setting on top of the borrow and they collapsed back down into the hole and were un-retrievable. The FX 500 shooting the heavies is an ideal gun for the little vermin.
Jimmy

 

[crittahitta]

Nice shooting. Tough shooting in the swirling wind but it looks like you figured it out. Nice gun too.

 

[z-ski]

The FX500 is my go to gun, love it. Looks like a great day of hunting P dogs, by the what is the gold thing on your stock?

 

[sgergen]

Nice job!

 

[jking]

Thanks for the compliments guys, of course it took the PD's participation as well. Z-ski, that is a dope sheet for different yardages.
Jimmy

 

[T3PRanch]

Get out there and feed that 'cat some 'dog! lol

Thurmond

 

[Alan]

I hope you didn't pick them up by hand?

 

[Coreyredd]

Beautiful gun... great shooting given the situation you were in

 

[jking]

Alan, I always use a pair of leather work gloves and then just pick them up by one foot to minimize contact area. Also don't hang on to them long at all. I know what your talking about. There's tons of cotton tails in the same town and I would treat them the same way if I shot some of them. I always give them a break though.
Jimmy

 

[z-ski]

jking, what's your longest kill shot with the FX500 on a PD?

 

[fsa46]

Win, Win situation for both you and the farmer , and you had a ball helping him out. Outstanding outing my friend.

 

[jking]

I met the land owners son inlaw going into the pasture. I walked over to say hi and he asked me if I brought enough pellets. Told him yeah but maybe not enough air since I just filled the gun and didn't bring an air tank. Figure for the time I had to shoot it would be plenty, which work out perfectly. He said "shoot um all", lol. These Red Angus are registered so they have a fortune tied up in them. The bulls are huge, about as big around as they are tall, but seem pretty docile though..

Z-ski, this was actually my first trip with the 500. I have taken my 25 Marauder back when I had it and after I got my Vulcan it became my truck gun. Most shots are out the window and the others are off the hood of the truck. My longest kill was 127yds with the Vulcan Tactic. Was wanting to stretch the distance out on 500 but the wind was killing me. Maybe next time.
Jimmy

 

[z-ski]

Jimmy are you left handed? The reason I ask is because I am and the truck mirror makes for a very good gun rest for long shots, lefties have it over righties when it comes to hunting out of a truck. So far my longest shot was a head shot on a ground hog @ 90 yards but have been practicing 150 yard beer can shots, really want to pop a crow at that distance. We don't have PD's in Maryland so crows will have to do. LOL

 

[Hajimoto]

Excellent shooting! I wish I had reasonable access to such a target rich environment. Thank you for sharing and congrats on the shots!

 

[jtnm]

Nice shooting Jimmy! Sweet rig too

 

[jking]

Thanks Hajimoto and Jim. Z-ski, no I'm right handed. I normally slip some foam pipe insulation over my air tank and partially up on the stock and secure it with some rubber bands for the outings. I prefer to rest the tank on door and not the glass but it all depends on the shot. I also use the side mirror arms as you recommended.
Jimmy

 

[LDP]

Great shooting Jimmy!! That 500 looks like a real killer.

 

[crosman2016]

Looks like you were knocking them down jking. That is a really nice rifle you have there!