Monopod versus sticks - African plains

geologist

geologist

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I might be hunting in South Africa next year. I'm not planning on anything dramatic, just an impala, warthog and maybe a bushpig.

I will be bringing my BRNO 600 30-06 and my 602 .375 H&H.

I shoot off a monopod with a U on the top. I have always read that African plains hunting is done off of sticks to allow shooting quickly while standing.

Is there any reason why a monopod would not work?

Secondly I like to shoot sitting or prone with a 1907 sling. Is there time in Africa for a shooting sling or should I just go with carry slings?

Thanks for any advice guys/gals.
 
Hi geologist,

I have only once used a monopod, my actual walking stick, and missed a very close shot at a warthog! Looking back, I believe I had the rifle slightly off to the right hand side, and the shot went astray. I would have done better just shooting offhand, and possibly about 5 seconds earlier!

Tripods work much better for me (only used twice). More stable, but practice with them (setting up and actual shooting) before going out. They are heavier, and more cumbersome, than a monopod, but worth the effort. My one son (6" 3") has a very long bipod on his 30-06 Mauser 98, and he can shoot it sitting, and does well with it. I find it too heavy, and would prefer just sitting with elbows over/in front of knees. This obviously depends on having short grass/shrub.

With the 3 species mentioned (impala, warthog and bushpig) you will usually get quite close, and distance will most likely be under 75yards. You may also have a tree for support in daytime hunting (mostly impala and warthog). Your guide / PH or his tracker will then have to carry the shooting sticks.

Most outfitters/reserves will have a tripod/set of shooting sticks, so no need to take one. You can make one very cheaply (for practice here) by buying 3 extendable handles for painting from the Dollar store. Mine are bright red, but cost less than $10 for all 3, tax included. These have "nylon/plastic" tips, so may slip on concrete floors (my indoor range) but work well on natural surfaces. I also use these for setting up my Chrony.

My last four hunts were about 180kn south of Johannesburg, and my shots varied from about 60m (impala) to red hartebeest (80 - 140m) and blesbok out to 220 m. However, my oldest son shot his blesbok at about 80m, and his wife (about 140m sitting, resting over my shoulder), both on walk and stalk, both using 308 Win with handloads. Shots in the open plains will be much longer, out to 300m), and these will be blesbok and blue wildebeest. If you are willing to walk, you may get an opportunity to get much closer, and shooting sticks may not be needed.

RSA1
 
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I also find a monopod pretty useless, but I'm sure there are lots of folks who have practiced with them, enjoy them and can benefit from them. I never used a tripod either until I booked my African hunt, but I practiced extensively the entire year prior to going and was completely comfortable with them when the time came. As with most things, practice is critical.

One last comment: many posters on African hunting sites go on and on about how important it is to use the sticks or tripod with which you have practiced and are familiar. They suggest bringing a set with you, something like a multi-piece or collapsible set which you just "slip into your gun case...you'll never even know they're there until you need them!" Boutique online hunting retailers market hand-made sticks of rare woods and sophisticated design and construction, leading you to believe that you need them. IMHO this is unadulterated nonsense. Sticks are sticks are sticks. The idea of schlepping a set of shooting sticks halfway around the world is ludicrous. Practice with them at home, preferably a cheap-ass set you can make yourself out of gardening stakes, dowels, bamboos or whatever. When the tracker slaps the tripod or bipod down in front of you, don't worry or wonder...just shoot the way you practiced, and all will be well.
 
I personally hate sticks of any kind, give me a tree trunk or even a sapling and I'm happy. I used a good sitting position many times with great success and I have used the one leg of a tripod while kneeling, like I would use a sapling and popped a hippo in the ear at 120 mtrs. I find shooting sticks so unnatural to my shooting style that I just can't get used to them, I would rather shoot offhand any day. The other flaw with shooting sticks is that they get in the way if the stationary animal you are trying to get crosshairs on starts to move. The last PH that stuck sticks in front of me after being told no twice, had to go look for his sticks way over yonder in the wait-a-bit thorn..........I made a nice running shot on my kudu bull at about 150 mtrs and he never stuck them in front of me again. YMMV
 
Don't they have trees in Afrika? If they do, step to the nearest tree, use it for a rest and shoot. Or practice offhand and sitting shots and using field expedient rests.
 
Depending where you are hunting and the type of vegetation, prone or sitting shots are often not practical as the vegetation is just too tall. As for resting on a tree, there may or may not be trees and if there are trees, that tree will likely be covered in thorns. African game can be very spooky so the idea of the sticks is to be able to shoot quickly no matter where you are and what the vegetation is like.

If you shoot the monopod well there is no reason it wouldn't work. I personally prefer three-legged shooting sticks and am very comfortable on those to well over 300 yards. Whatever you decide to use, practice lots off it before you go. Shots are often very fast.
 
sheephunter said:
Depending where you are hunting and the type of vegetation, prone or sitting shots are often not practical as the vegetation is just too tall. As for resting on a tree, there may or may not be trees and if there are trees, that tree will likely be covered in thorns. African game can be very spooky so the idea of the sticks is to be able to shoot quickly no matter where you are and what the vegetation is like.

If you shoot the monopod well there is no reason it wouldn't work. I personally prefer three-legged shooting sticks and am very comfortable on those to well over 300 yards. Whatever you decide to use, practice lots off it before you go. Shots are often very fast.
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I'll be in Eastern Cape, South Africa near Cathcart. One of our senior geologists has a hunting lodge. I have business in Namibia but either before or after I'll go on a hunt, hopefully with a couple of buddies from work. The photos look pretty open in terms of bush/terrain. It is a big spread and we'll have a fair bit of walking to do on the hunts. We're all field geologists so walking in the bush is what we do for a living anyway.

It sounds like I should leave my 1907 slings at home and use carry slings instead. I might keep the 1907 on my 30-06 in case the shots are long and I have a chance to sit, kneel or go prone. My .375 H&H is heavy so I'll probably go with a wide neoprene carry sling for it and forgo the 1907.

Please keep the advice coming guys, it is all greatly appreciated.
 
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Two or three legged shooting sticks are the traditional method in Africa when on foot.......To me, part of the experience in a foreign country is doing things the traditional way.
 
I used a monopod on a couple animals, mostly because it was my first couple hours of my first trip. As far as I'm concerned they teeter on useless, except maybe for pointing at things, seeing how deep water is or poking things to see if they're dead. Double shooting sticks are better, and tripods a bit better yet.

Shooting sticks were originally called grass sticks and were used for long shots in tall grass that was devoid of trees. Somehow they became standard fare, and someone will likely shove sticks in front of you even when their use would be retarded. If the range is so close that standing shots are normal you can probably use one of the trees that god left scattered all over. They work pretty good. If the ranges are longer the vegetation is usually shorter and standard sitting, kneeling and even prone positions are possible. I had a PH get all pouty when I didn't stand up to use sticks when I was already sitting on bare ground, proving little more than that people are creatures of habit. I do remember slinging up for a zebra once, because they were sitting at over 300 yards. As luck would have it they ran back more or less toward me and closed the distance considerably. I've done a bit of close range shooting from the sit that was more about shooting under vegetation than stability.


There are few instances where sticks are a good deal; shoulder high grass being the main one. I used sticks while standing in water up to my nuts in the Zambezi River once. It doesn't hurt to learn how to use them, because its another trick in your bag of tricks. Someday you might find a use for it, but in the meantime all the crutches in the world won't replace a solid basis in fundamental field positions and whatever improvised rests you can work into them.
 
geologist said:
I might be hunting in South Africa next year. I'm not planning on anything dramatic, just an impala, warthog and maybe a bushpig.

I will be bringing my BRNO 600 30-06 and my 602 .375 H&H.

I shoot off a monopod with a U on the top. I have always read that African plains hunting is done off of sticks to allow shooting quickly while standing.

Is there any reason why a monopod would not work?

Secondly I like to shoot sitting or prone with a 1907 sling. Is there time in Africa for a shooting sling or should I just go with carry slings?

Thanks for any advice guys/gals.
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What you're hunting will most likely be sub 60 yd stuff. Why not just off hand it?
 
rimfire458 said:
What you're hunting will most likely be sub 60 yd stuff. Why not just off hand it?
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Its possible, but other than a buffalo, that wasn't my experience. Typical plains game shooting in that part of the Selous seemed to be out to 175 yards, give or take. Other areas where the grass was short and the ground flatter could produce the occasional long shot, and in the tall grass or the thick bush in a karunga it might be bad breath range.

I don't like the idea of hunting sticks, but for a while I did practice shooting with a staff, although I've never taken game when shooting with one. Chances are there will never be a tree a round when you need one, but you might find a termite mound that could double as a rest. In the meantime, practice your offhand.
 
My Impala was about 150 yards. Not a difficult shot, but it was angling away from me, so I had to aim just in front of the hind leg and angle the bullet through the chest. There was not much room for error. I wouldn't have taken that shot offhand and I was glad I had tripod sticks to lean on! The sticks our outfitter used were just that- three hardwood sticks wrapped together with inner-tube. Work fine. I have since made my own using three 5/8" bamboo poles. They are available at garden supply stores for about $5. I cut them to length and wrapped them together with surgical tubing. I hunted near Cathcart with Ray Kemp of Lalapa Safaris. Had a great time and look forward to going back some day. Enjoy your hunt!
 
Back to the sling use; you will likely find that they would rather you carry your rifle in your hands all the time. That seems to be the pattern, cocked and locked, rifle ready all the time. PHs get tired of people who lose opportunities by not being ready. (I find that there are just as many lost opportunities through PHs being indecisive but that doesn't count;)) If you're used to using a sling there is no real pressing reason not to continue

I've used a military sling, Ching sling, padded carry strap and a small nylon strap that rolls up small when removed. Over half of the time it was a bare rifle, but I'm moving to a padded carry strap when theres any meaningful amount of walking. Its not much slower and it does help with muzzle control when there are people all over. You can unsling and get ready faster than he can judge trophies, just get going at the first sign that you might need your rifle.
 
rimfire458 said:
What you're hunting will most likely be sub 60 yd stuff. Why not just off hand it?
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I shot my springbok at a lasered 287m and my buffalo at 118. Sticks help in those circumstances.

I have a set of tripod sticks. Nice thing about them is they have two piece legs so you can shorten them up if you're sitting on a fenceline waiting for deer to come out.
 
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