I was planning to shot p-dogs this weekend in northern AZ, but it's to blasted hot to camp out...also, my hunting buddies all had conflicting schedules

Every day I see all those 204 cartridges on the shelf just begging to be sent out over the prairie.......oh, well, maybe next month for my wedding anniverssary. Maybe my wife would think it's a great present for me Yea, not too likely, right?

No but I did shoot them in SE CO last week. It was hot and windy. Made for some rough shooting at times but many pds were laid to rest. I took 2 .204s, a 6mm and several hundreds rounds of ammo.
I don't camp out because I don't have to, I stay at my sisters place and I can shoot around there within only a few miles.
Go early in the morning, shoot til 10:30 or so, take a break, eat lunch and go back out later in the afternoon. Less wind and better shooting then anyway. My anniversary is next weekend and its not likely that I will be approved for taking another trip out then. It would pretty much assure me that I would not see our 17th anniversary.

I spent some of my youth in SOuth Central Arizone, Eloy, Coolidge. Hottern he!! both places. Cant see how any one can stand to work for a living in that heat. Much less hunt/shoot and have fun.

I agree....even tho I've never spent alot of time in AZ

their hot is totally different than my hot

thier hot is well into three digits ......mine hovers in just over 90f

The back patio thermometer hit 117 today, although, I haven't heard the official temp for our little Valley of the Sun. But, if you can't endure the summers here, you don't deserve the winters.

Arizona's diversity allows me to travel a mere hour and a half to be in the tall pines and cooler climes. Highs in the 90s during the Heat Season.

Arizona Hunter: Monday/Tuesday will be my first prairie dawging adventure now that the season has officially begun. Ammo loaded, rifles ready. This trip will be to the Boquillas Ranch which is in proximity to Seligman as well as a short stint on the Baca Float's northern range. Now, I need to find out where to buy my prairie dawg tags. wink.

Lots of Arizona people here i see. It was 110 here in Tucson today.

When I was spending time with myFather in Eloy, The temp got up to 120+ a few times while I was there. I thought I was gonna freakin die! Sick for a few days as a matter of fact. About the time I got used to the heat and could venture out for a few hours at a time.....It was time to come home. After that, I made my visits during Christmas season.

Follow Up: my prairie dogging companion came down with hitideritis and couldn't go wth me. (Hitideritis, for those unfamiliar with the dease name, may be familiar with the symptoms: its when the iron in the blood settles to lead in the ass.) I fired up the F150, camping gear, guns and all, and headed out for a solo hunt and it was a good one.

To me simply assassinating praried dogs is not the goal, rather, I want to improve my kill ratios at longer distances. I take a lot of time planning the shots and thanks to portable computer programs (Pact Pro) and the aid of a anerometer (sp?) and laser range finder, the ratio continues to improve.

I found a nice dog town courtesy of the advice of one of the Navajo honchos at Boquillas Ranch (a big expanse of land bougth by the Navajo Tribe, but, not reservation land). This area offered ranges to 700 yards and had me set the shooting table up on a slight incline. I first set out ribboned stakes up to 600 yards in 100 yard increments from 300 yards out. Then I set up the shade tent, got out the computer, the rifle rests and the three rifles and ammo and 10X42 binoculars. And a good book.

Two 220 Swifts and one 223 Improved, all heavy barrels and 2 lb triggers, all capable of SUB .5 MOA. The minimum range was 300yds, but, mainly I wanted to get with the program at the 450 to 550 range. At 300, there simply is no challenge until the strong winds come up.

I arrived Monday and left mid-day today, Tuesday. I fired only 250 or so rounds, but, the kill ratio in calm wind was 3:5. When winds topped 18mph, left to right, the ratio went to 1:3. This is an improvement for me over last year and I hope to continue refining those longer distance kills, the longest of which was 635 yards (three shots to do it).

As temps rise, so does mirage and when it hit 90+ degrees the scope power had to come down to 12X or less. In fact, 12x is about all the magnification I find I need regardless of wind or temp. Getting to know holdovers and windage is challenging for me, but, I can see some progress and look forward to the next trip. Next Tuesday.

Sounds like you had a good time Handloader.