How many of you are using or considering a tripod for hunting?

[SEB-USA]

Curious who is using a tripod for hunting or is considering it?
What set-ups do you use?
Pictures would be great!

What is the weight(s) of your hunting gun(s) that you also shoot off of a tripod?
This is not my lightest hunting XP.

Do you know the weight of your tripod with head, and what is it's shortest length?
Mine comes down to 22 inches and weighs 3 pounds and smidgen under 9 ounces, or rounded down to 3.5 pounds

2023 will be the year that I dive into this hard, to see what my limits will be, especially with center-grip single-shot XP-100's.
I have used tri-pod's (With XP's and rifles) in the past, but I am wanting to get serious about it in 2023.

Using 8" or 10" steel what is the max distance you can hit your target every time (with your hunting rig) from standing, sitting, or double kneeling? Especially interested in standing.

I am getting Arca rails (2.5-3 inches long just in front of the trigger guard) installed after the first of the year on a handful of my primary hunting center-grip XP-100's: (6mm-284, 25-284, 6.5-284, 280AI, and 300 SAUM).
I do understand I am adding weight to my hunting set-up.

Pros and Cons?

Below is my 6.5-284.
My 6.5-284 is not my lightest weight (8 pounds) hunting XP-100, but I had it handy.
It shoots amazing, even at distance with 140 AB's: 2784 fps (distance was 575 yards on 10" steel)

 

[White Eagle]

I use a bog bench tripod in my deer stand
but that is meant for a bench type of set up not to go into the field unless you shoot prone
it works famously and have used it to harvest whitetails

 

[ARW]

For groundhog hunting I use a Harris bi-pod and for tree squirrel hunting with my .22 or my air rifle I mostly use shooting sticks or a Caldwell dead shot tri-pod.

The most stable by far is the Harris bi-pod that I always use in the prone position and with some type of rear bag and then the Caldwell dead shot tri-pod and the least stable for me is the shooting sticks. I always use the Caldwell and the shooting sticks while sitting.

 

[alf]

Wasn't that long ago I didn't own a shooting tripod, then the flood gates opened......

The front one is a Leofoto LS-284C+LH30 combo.

LS-284C+LH-30 - Leofoto

Leofoto was founded at the beginning of 2014. It is located in Zhongshan, beautiful Pearl River Delta area in China. Leofoto team has been designing and manufacturing series of camera support systems by comparing and studying the high-end photographic accessories made in China and abroad and...

www.leofoto.com

This has been my #1 calling tripod for the last 4-5 years. Perfect size & weight for a calling tripod. I ran a Hog Saddle on it when using a bolt gun w/o an ARCA plate.


Next I decided I wanted a heavy duty shooting tripod setup, and the Innorel RT-90C with the DLOW 55 was perfect for that, as I was never going to be but a few steps from the truck. That's the back one.

https://www.amazon.com/Carbon-Tripod-Professional-Birdwatching-Adapter/dp/B07H8V8WWM

Once I decided to buy a thermal, those two setups weren't going to work, the big one was too heavy, the little one only went to 50" in height. Not enough for standing.


So I bought the Innorel RT-80, 2nd from the back. A ball head wasn't needed, as I was using the bowl adapter with the center handle for adjustments & less weight. Had to add the ARCA plate adapter is all, so I could run the Hog Saddle or an ARCA plate, depending on the gun.

https://www.amazon.com/Carbon-Tripod-Professional-Birdwatching-Camera/dp/B07HH4BYNK

What I didn't like about the RT-80 was the leg angles while sitting. 1st notch was to steep, 2nd notch was too shallow.


After comparing the angles on the Lefoto, I found the next size bigger model had the same angles as the little one that worked so well for me. So I decided to order that one. It was only a pound more than the little one, and it went to 55", so it actually covered sitting or standing for me.

https://www.leofoto.com/products_detail.php?id=225


So I trimmed the fat by selling the big one and the little one. The Leofoto LS-324 was to cover all my hunting, the RT-80 was my everything else tripod, for the spotting scope, and all my shooting practice.

After a short time, I found out, that in certain circumstances, that the 324's 55" height was lacking. So I bit the bullet, and ordered the Leofoto LS-364C. I also ended up selling the ball heads, and replace them with Leofoto LB-65 leveling bases, with their LHC-60 ARCA plate on top. Replacing the ball heads saved 4 ozs and shortened OAL a half inch.

Here's the two I'm finally happy with, the LS-324C and the LS-364C with leveling bases and Arca clamps.

As pictured, the 324 weighs 3-14, the 364 weighs 4-13.

Long way around the block to tell you want I use, but it explains the road I took to get where I'm at.

My current #1 coyote rifle weighs in at 12 lbs, 5 ozs, & have no issues with either.

 

[alf]

 

[K22]

I've been using homemade shooting cross sticks for many years now quite successfully having taken 1,954 ground hogs, a bunch of predators, and 6 white tail deer with them since 1999.

I tried a Harris bipod in the prone and while I shot very accurately with it, the problem was it limited my field of view too much and I had to give up too many shot opportunities. In addition, eastern PA is infested with Lyme Disease carrying ticks. Laying prone in the hay is an excellent way to have ticks all over you. As I aged, laying in the prone physically became problematic.

So, I went to a shooting cross stick. I enhanced its capabilities by purchasing a light weight highly portable sportsman's chair. I shoot in as sitting position with my elbows resting on my knees and my feet flat of the ground. While it took some time to master it, I can shoot varmint and predator fairly consistently out to 300 yards which cover 99% of my shot opportunities these days where I hunt.

One of the many reasons I like shooting sticks in their versatility. If I want to sit on a tree line for an extended amount of time, they work fine. If I feel like stalking, walking the fields, I can engage a target in less than a minute. Adjustment of the sticks for elevation is simple, just change the spread. There is no fumbling around with adjusting legs. The chair, carried on a sling, unfolds in seconds. I can hunt virtually any terrain and move around at ease with a minimum of equipment encumbrance.

In addition, it's the only way I shoot now. All my range practice is off the sticks. Besides being fun, its practical practice simulating a hunting situation. I keep precise records of performance and score each range session. At first, I got a lot of weird stares at the range but by now they know me, the "Ground Hog" man.

 

[SEB-USA]

Impressive number of ground hogs!

 

[Dusty Stevens]

That bottom picture dont look like wisconsin- i like it

 

[hogpatrol]

Haven't tried this myself but when using a standard size fold up chair, my buddy swears by it. I use a predator chair and a 25" Harris bipod.

 

[alf]

I wouldn't use anything but a tripod for thermal coyotes.

Point it at the caller and get ready, with no fumbling around when the action starts......

 

[Randominator]

I handgun hunt exclusively and for years I’ve used a BogPod with a PSR setup. This year I purchased a Trifecta rest and have been using it with both a monopod and tripod. So far the results have been positive.

 

[alf]

This one was pretty close......

 

[alf]

One of my better shots off the tripod.

Gave him a couple warning shots to get him up to speed, & rolled him at close to 400 yards, just when he cleared the top.

The arrow points to the clump of brush I was set up at:

 

[Rem06]

every rifle and shotgun i have fits it!

easily shot off of and doubles as a cleaning cradle.

 

[CJ6]

Bog Pod Death grip.....Used it this year for the first time. XPs and slug gun. About 8 1/2#'s (Aluminum version). XP's are about 5 1/2# and the slug guns are about 10 #'s.

 

[Alex Wheeler]

Not yet but its my spring project. I have had to pass too many times when a tripod would have let me take the shot. So im learning.

 

[alf]

I've done lots of shooting out to distance with tripods standing and sitting for practice.

The little white dots are balloons and/or milk jugs stretched out to 700 plus:

 

[Mark W]

I use a Kopfjager K700. I don’t know how it compares to others, but I have no complaints.

Kopfjager K700 AMT Tripod with Reaper Grip - JAGER PRO Store

The K700 Heavy Duty Tripod is crafted of a sturdy aluminum material and features 3 level leg extensions with locking levers. Smooth 360 degree pan and tilt range of 109 degree (21 degree up and 87 degree down).

jagerpro.com

 

[varmintshooter]

I use a tripod when nite hunting and have made shots out to about 300 yds from a standing position on fox and about 600 yds in daytime on groundhogs. "alf" has it figured out and helped me in picking my latest tripod, after reading his post on another site. My gun is just shy of 12lbs with can and thermal scope, tripod is 5.2 lbs with ballhead. Very steady to shoot from

 

[hogpatrol]

If not using a chair, and when I have to do a long hike, I can sit on the ground with this rig and make some fairly long shots on larger game. I do like that tripod setup with the rifle clamp though.