Do you like shooting sticks or bipod, or neither

Boomer said:
I practice quite a bit off hand, and to me when I watch an African hunting video and the sticks are set up for the client, it makes me think he should have spent more time at the range.
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It makes me think you've never been to Africa.
 
philthygeezer said:
I like sitting or kneeling while I'm cinched into a sling. I could see the monopod thing working OK, but haven't tried it.
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Monopods are wobbly. Better than free standing but I like to lean on a tree or something.

Prone simply isn't an option where I hunt so that's why I'm leaning on sticks being the best option.

OP is from van isle so I understand the bush he hunts.
 
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sunray said:
Quit using the Harris I have for that reason. They're not stable enough for any kind of bench shooting. Certainly not for load development.
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Here is a group I shot at 200 yards with my custom .270(load development with new bullet) using a Harris bipod as the crosswind was too strong to use my range that day. I would say the Harris bipod is plenty stable enough... I know I couldn't have shot any better from the leather bags sitting on my bench.




Lots of convenient natural rests in the bush. Learn to use a sling and you'll never bother with bipods again.
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Come on Sunray, lets be realistic. I shoot using field positions using a sling quite often but a bipod or sticks will beat it every time if you know how to use them.
 
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I have tried the monopod and find it very unstable.I made a set like the one's mentioned earlier on the varmintal.com Site and love them.They will really come in handy this year since I am waiting for surgery on my left wrist and can't even hold the old 06 up to shoot freehand.
 
Bipods are great in the right situation. Unfortunately I've never been hunting where I thought my shot would have been improved with one.

In my hunting blind I have a 2X4 leveled perfectly so I can rest on it and sweep easily about 60 degrees. I prefer a rest, if I can find one, when hunting.

When I'm walking around, though, a bipod is simply too short.

Pussy willows and grass are at least a few feet high. Any time I've tried to lay on my belly to shoot (and mine is big) all I see is roots and stalks!
 
crazy_davey said:
I guess the disc full of pictures I have here from Boomer and his wife in Africa must be fake then... Dang Boomer, why would you do such a thing to me ;)
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It amazes me that someone that has been to Africa would belittle those that choose to use sticks and his comment still makes me think he's never been there but obviously he has.
 
Boomer said:
Absolutely, yes! That is why God invented slings and gave us elbows and knees to support our rifles.
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Perhaps our African experiences have been different but all of our shooting there has been from the standing position at ranges from 20-406 yards. Sorry, i'll take both the sticks and lots of range time.
 
I have been using trigger sticks (bipod version) for the last couple of years. I find them to be extremely handy. Yes, they are one more thing to carry, so they don't always get taken with me to the field, depending on the situation. The OP is asking who uses them, and what you use. That's what I use, and have been happy and successful with them.

When it comes to shooting offhand, or off your knees, or using your sling, or even using a bipod or sticks, it all come down to practicing and knowing you are able to make a clean killing shot before you pull the trigger. Many people either don't practice, or simply can't shoot offhand effectively, so things like shooting sticks are a very good option for them. I have taken many animals over the years either offhand or using rests other than shooting sticks, but I'm with sheephunter, if the option is there to have a better more stable rest, I would rather use it. Clean, swift kills is my objective every time I squeeze the trigger on game, shooting sticks make that easier.
 
elker said:
After I missed a bear on logging rd last year, I bought primo shooting stick, a bipod. But when I practiced it at our range, I found it is difficult to stabilize itself, needless to say it does not help with shooting either. So I started online research for Harris bipod, atlas bipod. In my area, atlas bipod is useless as we need long legs. But customer reviews show that Harris bipod is not stable either.


Thanks
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Bipods are good. If you have time to set them up properly they are very stable. At the range it should be very easy to set them up. In some hunting situations, not so much.
Shooting sticks are one extra thing to carry (unless you have the luxury of someone carrying them for you.) And in several years of hunting, I can't recall of one situation where they would have improved my shot. But, I haven't been to Africa, so my knowledge obviously is not up there with the professionals.
 
I've found bi-pods are just completely impractical for big game hunting. Shooting sticks or an improvised tripod are somewhat better; at least you can see over all the ground cover.

In reality however, I almost always end up doing what philthygeezer does, sitting with a cinched sling, or a pure off-hand shot if there isn't even time to sit and get stabilized.
 
Fire306 said:
Many people either don't practice, or simply can't shoot offhand effectively,.
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That's a really good point to consider actually.

From the time I was little I always had a pellet gun or 22 with me and I plinked constantly. Still, I think my off hand shooting is weak but it really depends on the weight of the rifle I'm shooting.

I can hold well with a light rifle like a model 94 or my remington 760 but with a long barreled magnum or something I have to aim and shoot pretty fast or I start wavering.

All considered I don't like to shoot free hand over about 130 yards. Anything more and I always look for a rest.
I don't like to just down an animal, I'm a meat hunter so shot placement is very critical to me.
 
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