Shooting sticks

[AWS]

Some thoughts on sticks.

Simple sticks from trekking/XC ski poles. I used to ski and snowshoe into stands when I hunted the northern tier of states. Ski poles made great shooting sticks, you already had them with and you don't need to carry anything extra, further south or earlier in the season trekking poles work also plus they are handy to poke around for Buzz Worms before you sit down. How to handily turn trekking/ski poles into shooting sticks.

I can no longer easily sit on the ground, will be 80 next year and the pins are aging. I carry a camp stool and it gets me above the brush to see better also.

I started extending "Snyper Styks" to work off a stool. and make my own from tempered aluminum tent pole kits. A kit makes two sets and they are light and handy adjusting to any height.

you can see my extended poles sticking out of my scabbard, makes getting to the stand easy and riding the MC, Mountain bike or skiing easier freeing up the hands.

Tripods

I bought a Bog Death Grip when they first came out for really open country and standing up stands, I hate the thing and found the perfect use for it, a stand for my wife to make wreaths and ristas.

It is much easier to make a really nice light tripod. Perusing through Amazon I found a 55# capacity carbon fiber tripod, 90 mm leveling head and Acra Swiss clamp for under $200. Boom a great tripod.

What I use in the field.

 

[alf]

For calling coyotes, gimme a tripod every day all day....

 

[roband]

Im with ALF. I used every kind of stick imaginable(two legged) in the last 40 years ish,dont get wrong they work but for me a tripod is now my go to.I can almost get under mine, always one leg against my leg(s) with a single leg always facing forward.i shoot one handed so my left hand is on the leg out front.
Super steady.I still have a few stands that are a jont from the P/U where i pack the aluminum two legged type.
Hope this helps.

 

[Kracken McGraw]

Google the Bi-fur-pod

I made a set and they work great for seated work.

Here’s one I made based on that idea. Simply 36” square sticks with leather tacked on.

 

[K22]

See post # 12.

This is what I been using for the last 25 years or so. To date, I have taken 2,017 groundhogs and over 100 predators with this system. I made mine from 1/2-inch solid aluminum rod. The following at the reasons I switched to this system many years ago:

1. The sticks, when used while seated on a lightweight portable sportsman's chair provide a lot more field of view increasing shot opportunities especially in rolling terrain.

2. They are lightweight, easily portable and can double as a walking support stick.

3. They can be deployed quickly, in less than a minute. No leg adjustments needed. To change elevation, merely change the spread of the sticks. This is important for stalking style hunting situations. Switching angles is simple, just move in the direction you wish to shoot.

4. The 1/2" diameter solid aluminum rod does not flex or bend yet maintains its lightweight.

5. The rubber heater hose prevents slippage / torquing under recoil.

6. The design is cross stick and allows for the natural recoil of rifle.

7. Probably not a consideration for winter hunting, but for spring, summer and fall, this system (with chair) keeps you off the ground and minimize tick infestation, a prime consideration here in the east.

The downside is that it takes some dedicated practice to master them at the varmint / predator accuracy level. In my prime, I could hold about a minute of angle off the sticks. I can still do it IF I am mentally in the zone which isn't often at my advanced age. With my sticks, I can hunt any terrain.

 

[Tumbleweed419]

I'm using the Springbok bipod. You can shoot prone/sitting/kneeling. This has been the most versatile bipod for me.

 

[K22]

Dang that's a good idea. Pretty solid platform? What's it weigh?

See my post, # 25. I have extensive (25 years) successful experience in using this system.

It's very solid when used with a lightweight portable field sportsman's chair. You have 4 points of contact, two feet flat on the ground, elbows on knees. When locked into the shoulder, it is capable of excellent varmint / predator grade accuracy.

While I never weighed mine, they are aluminum, very portable and lightweight yet they do not flex. See my post for extensive details.

 

[AWS]

Simple hack, I don't use slings so the rifle will sometimes skid off the sticks. I replace the front sling swivel with a post or put a spacer in and extend the sling swivel. You can hook your finger around it to steady the rifle also.

 

[kyotekiller25]

Yah after going down this rabbit hole, I ended up ordering a deathgrip tripod, and have a zero fox given ball head adapter unit kit coming also. Fixes the cant issue, and drops the weight almost 2#. Put it to the test in a few months. I still like the idea of these aluminum sticks tho. Going to make a set of them also.

 

[LHSmith]

See post # 12.

This is what I been using for the last 25 years or so. To date, I have taken 2,017 groundhogs and over 100 predators with this system. I made mine from 1/2-inch solid aluminum rod. The following at the reasons I switched to this system many years ago:

1. The sticks, when used while seated on a lightweight portable sportsman's chair provide a lot more field of view increasing shot opportunities especially in rolling terrain.

2. They are lightweight, easily portable and can double as a walking support stick.

3. They can be deployed quickly, in less than a minute. No leg adjustments needed. To change elevation, merely change the spread of the sticks. This is important for stalking style hunting situations. Switching angles is simple, just move in the direction you wish to shoot.

4. The 1/2" diameter solid aluminum rod does not flex or bend yet maintains its lightweight.

5. The rubber heater hose prevents slippage / torquing under recoil.

6. The design is cross stick and allows for the natural recoil of rifle.

7. Probably not a consideration for winter hunting, but for spring, summer and fall, this system (with chair) keeps you off the ground and minimize tick infestation, a prime consideration here in the east.

The downside is that it takes some dedicated practice to master them at the varmint / predator accuracy level. In my prime, I could hold about a minute of angle off the sticks. I can still do it IF I am mentally in the zone which isn't often at my advanced age. With my sticks, I can hunt any terrain.

Are the bottom ends pointed or blunt with rubber (ala bipod feet).

 

[C.E.Smith043]

I hunt a lot of open/sagebrush terrain. Shots can be anywhere from 50-1K. Most I shoot are typically between 2-600 however. I never claimed to be an expert caller. My shooting skills tend to make up for that haha.

At those distances your best bet is probably going to be a high quality tripod with a high quality ball head attachment.

 

[CharlieNC]

I tried sticks and didn't work for me. A Caldwell tall bipod worked well from sitting position, collapsible and quick to deploy.

 

[Lillico]

There's been an intense period of development on shooting sticks in Europe and in the UK in particular in recent years. The link below is for a 3D printed kit in carbon fibre mix. Originally designed to use garden poles, it is now configured to use commercially availalble carbon fibre tube. The tops are 'geared' together to prevent any listing (nautical listing) of the front or back rests. It weighs around 600g ( 1.3 lbs). With the addition of a fifth leg (available soon) the whole unit becomes a tripod. A 'take down' version with internal magnetic connection is an option. I'm a user only and have no connection or link to this product.
In answer to the original post, you could cut your carbon tubing to whatever length suits you, including a take down option.

For Sale: - Ultralight Carbon Fibre GMM Quad Stick Kits

Make yourself a set of the lightest quad sticks available - sub 600g! Sturdy and quiet. Warm to the touch in winter and you don't feel that you're carrying them. With locking/retaining clips for easy carry. £59 delivered (Buy your own Carbon fibre tubes). Assembly instructions here...

www.thestalkingdirectory.co.uk

 

[spencerhenry]

I never liked sticks. I just run a tall Harris bipod. Less crap to carry, goes tall enough for nearly every place I've ever hunted.

 

[K9TXS]

As previously mentioned, the Swagger Bipod is a really good choice. These can be used with a picatinny rail or arca rail (using an adaptor). Depends on how far on foot I'm going. Long distance the Swagger Bipod goes, short distance tripod & Swagger goes.

 

[alf]

I never liked sticks. I just run a tall Harris bipod. Less crap to carry, goes tall enough for nearly every place I've ever hunted.

I ran the tallest Harris for quite awhile, but found it still too short for certain situations. Which led me to the 1st of many tripods.

Since I always sat while calling, I bought the short Bog Pod tripod. I modified it by cutting 2 angled pieces of a ethafoam broadhead target, and black taped them to both sides of the U for a snug fit of the gun, so I didn't have to hold it while calling.

This worked great until I got into night time calling, which got me into taller tripods and ARCA rails.

 

[5spd]

2 fiberglass electrical fence rods, 4' tall, 3/8" tube 2.5" long at rest, castration ties, strap together, bam, perfect sticks.
I sewed 1" webbing, better than nut ties.

 

[K22]

Are the bottom ends pointed or blunt with rubber (ala bipod feet).

Sharpened to a point to anchor in the ground in the field.

 

[Lefty2506]

Years ago I bought a Pole Cat Expedition monopod for that very reason. I had a Harris bipod on my rifle, but it wasn't really long enough to get over the small hills and tall grass. I think Primos makes the same thing now. I started using it for deer hunting as well (which I do a lot more of). Later I switched to bi-pod version and loved them until I dropped them in the snow and ran over them with an ATV. At that point, I couldn't find them any more (didn't realize they had been bought by Primos) so I bought a BOG POD tripod. It had the removable yolk, not the death grip vice thing. I've since started going out west every year or two for prairie dogs, and I can hit them at 250--300 yds from standing with the bog-pod. Sitting (more like slouching) in a cheap bag chair, I can extend that out to 400-500 yds. This past spring I picked up decent (probably entry level) camera tripod with a ball mount and an ARCA mount. I haven't had a chance to use it yet (ran into scheduling issues with this years PD trip) but I think I'm going to like it quite a bit. We do walk a few thousand yards over the course of a day. I bungie strap my bag chair to my backpack, sling my rifle (Savage Model 12 FV in an Oryx chassis), secure the tripod legs together with a velcro strap and use it as a (big) walking stick. I've done the same thing with my bog-pod tripod, and I did it with the Pole Cat as well. Works well for me.

 

[Big Mc]

What are you guys using for shooting sticks when coyote calling? There are times when my prone harris bipods just aren't tall enough. Looking for a good set but honestly don't know where to start. Need to be somewhat lightweight, have 2 legs, be able to pan, and more or less designed for a sitting position, and be able to support 16-17# rifles.

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Shooting Sticks are waste of time. Tommy Mc The barrel still goes round and round.