It's time to think about fishing
Prairie Dog fishing that is!

The new sport of prairie dog fishing has taken the West by firestorm. Since there is no controlling legal authority prohibiting prairie dog fishing it is a perfectly fun legal way to enjoy some quality time with family and friends. No license is required!

Ranch hands and out door enthusiasts throughout the western states have secretly enjoyed prairie dog fishing for many years. It has its roots in the old days of fur trapping. After trappers set out their traps to gather beaver and fox pelts, they passed the time by snaring prairie dogs to hone their skills.

The popularity of this sport has been growing rapidly in the past five years. Ranchers throughout the west have been hosting these events on private property and have not been advertising for fear of reprisal from animal rights groups. The secret can no longer be kept because too many people know. It is time for prairie dog fishermen to come out of the closet and be proud of their secret sport.

Prairie dogs live in colonies generally known as towns. If left unchecked these towns can extend for several thousand miles and include several million animals.

There are several species in the west. The black-tailed and the white-tailed are the most popular. The Mexican and the Utah species are labeled as a threatened species, which protects them from being hunted, shot, trapped and poisoned. Although these particular species are not legally protected from being fished, we will, in the interest of cooperating with the Endangered Species Act take a catch and release approach whenever a Mexican or Utah species is caught.

The catch and release method will be humane in its nature. Large shipping containers will be available at the tournament site. These overnight express boxes will be labeled with the home addresses of individuals involved with the various animal rights groups concerned with saving the prairie dogs. These groups include Rocky Mountain Animal Defense (RMAD) and the Prairie Dog Coalition. Curious both of these organizations share the same street address in Boulder, Colorado. There will be containers labeled for the local PETA folks too.

After they are shipped, tournament officials will be waiting outside of the recipient's home with video cameras to ensure that the friendly, flea infested, disease carrying rodents are properly cared for by those who have pledged to save and care for them.

But you'll need the right gear which includes:

• A good strong bait casting reel and a good stiff pole.
  
• A good comfortable lawn chair.
  
• A small Lousiville slugger that you can wield with one hand. An alternative is a Poly-Carbonate PR-24 Police Baton.
  
• A net to safely handle the rodents
  
• A small pocketknife for field dressing and skinning your prize
  
• Cooler filled with ice to keep your catch fresh and your beer cold.
  
• A portable canopy to provide some shade because prairie dogs are found on the shadeless prairies.
  
• A good pair of binoculars to see what is happening.
  

And don't forget the prairie dog recipes!