What began as a brief discussion in the STAG Arms booth during the 2023 SHOT Show in Las Vegas came to fruition the week of June 12. I, along with three other women in outdoor media, joined three female members of Stag Arms’ marketing team to eradicate prairie dogs from an appreciative landowner in Torrington, Wyoming. It was the official Stag Arms Inaugural Ladies Prairie Dog Hunt, and it was a resounding success.
Sponsored by Stag Arms
Invited guests were Barbara Baird and me from “Women’s Outdoor News,” along with Niki Morrison (Athlon Outdoors) and Becky Yackley (Stag Arms Pro Staff and writer for TeamWON). We arrived in Denver, Colorado, on a Monday morning. Torrie Roodhouse (Marketing Manager) and Jill LeTourneau (Creative Marketing Specialist) of Stag Arms picked us up to begin our adventure, and we headed north into Wyoming and way over by the Nebraska border.
But first, we stopped for a quick lunch, then it was on to Stag Arms’ headquarters in Cheyenne, Wyoming, for a tour and to pack all the equipment we needed for the hunt. We were even given some insight into the future plans for the building. There are definitely some exciting things happening there.
From there, we continued traveling north toward our AirBnB farm in Lingle, Wyoming. When we arrived, Aimee Botkins (Stag Arms Project Coordinator) had unpacked all the groceries and scoped out the fields. The ranch we would hunt on lay 8 miles down the road.
Upon arrival, we all received a care package with Stag swag and a Sisterhood Of The Outdoors Kryptek Cronos ¼ zip lightweight grid fleece.
After visiting with the farm animals and settling into our rooms, we went out for a bite to eat at a local establishment, and some of us tried blueberry beer – in season at the local brewery. Then, it was off to bed.
The following day, Holly Hammond (Manager of Marketing for Fiocchi of America) personally appeared – bringing thousands of rounds of Hyperperformance 223 Fiocchi ammunition to our AirBnB – and joined us on the hunt.
Then, it was off to the fields. Stag Arms supplied us with the unreleased Pursuit Pro in .223 Wylde with carbon fiber BSF barrels. We were helping Stag test these new configurations. Although these may not be the final configurations, as with all Stag Arms firearms, they will be available left eject and have state-compliant versions. Stag Arms plans to release the Pursuit Pro line during the 2024 SHOT Show.
Silencer Central sent Banish 223 silencers. It was nice being able to hear our partners call distances over the gunfire.
For optics, we used Crimson Trace’s Brushline Pro 4-16x50mm.
The field we chose to shoot in had the perfect spot. An old wooden boxcar surrounded by long ago used corrals and a chute offered great support for positional shooting.
Prairie dog mounds lay scattered everywhere and as far as the eye could see. Becky and I began using Crimson Trace’s Horizonline 4000 Laser Rangefinder and Horizonline Pro Laser Rangefinding Binos to determine some distances and determine our holds.
We took turns at the rifles and calling the holds throughout the afternoon. The landowner even stopped by to thank us for our help with the prairie dog population.
The next morning, we arose to head back out to the ranch for more rifle practice. The great thing about prairie dog eradication is the practice at different yardages and learning to add windage to the mix. The ranch gave us the opportunity to shoot out to over 400 yards.
Sure, this event was not for anyone looking for a bougie weekend. We all held our own and helped each other throughout the hunt. We walked through fields of mud and muck (and ticks) carrying gear, sweated a bit and got a little sunburned. But we had a fantastic time building new friendships and reinforcing old ones.
Check out all the products Stag Arms offers here.
Michelle Cerino, aka Princess Gunslinger, first entered the firearms industry in 2011 as co-owner, president and trainer at a national training company. She immediately began competing in both 3-Gun and NRA Action Pistol, becoming a sponsored shooter. Michelle is currently a columnist and Managing Editor of Women’s Outdoor News, as well as owner of Pervenio LLC. She also manages social media for Vera Koo and GTM Original. Michelle encourages others to step out of the comforts of home and explore. View all posts by Michelle Cerino
