Tripods have come a long way...

[AP2020]

Funny how as recent as 10-12 years ago, Tripods for hunting were really non existent.

I am really impressed with the Warrior Tripods new ball/leveling head.

 

[SKWERLZ]

They have.

 

[Lonny in ID]

Bipods have also come a long way. A good bipod is approaching a middle-of-the road rifle in price

 

[TheOtherZilla]

I have a BogPod Death Grip . Solid.

 

[HawgBonz]

Ages ago in the early 2k's the Hart Bros used to make "The Ultimate Tripod". The legs were a lil janky but the planetary ball joint was solid. I made a different top for it and mounted that joint on a surveyor's tripod to make "The Ultimater Tripod". The thing worked great but sommers along the way I sold it and the Harts quit making it.
I'm currently diggin on the available options and trying ever bigger ball joints.

 

[AP2020]

Ages ago in the early 2k's the Hart Bros used to make "The Ultimate Tripod". The legs were a lil janky but the planetary ball joint was solid. I made a different top for it and mounted that joint on a surveyor's tripod to make "The Ultimater Tripod". The thing worked great but sommers along the way I sold it and the Harts quit making it.
I'm currently diggin on the available options and trying ever bigger ball joints.

View attachment 1767604

As I get older, I find it really difficult to shoot prone utilizing a bipod. My neck no longer "bends" at that angle!

I have found that using a tripod in the seated position is surprisingly rock solid.

 

[moorepower1]

I have a BogPod Death Grip . Solid.

I'm tempted to get a ball top and ARCA plates on all my rifles that I varmint hunt with.

 

[TheOtherZilla]

As I get older, I find it really difficult to shoot prone utilizing a bipod. My neck jo longer "bends" at that angle!

I have found that using a tripod in the seated position is surprisingly rock solid.

80 years old and ARTHRITUS.. Yeah prone is a pain in the neck.

 

[ohlongarmisle]

I have a BogPod Death Grip . Solid.

That's all I use ,never has failed me.

 

[HawgBonz]

As I get older, I find it really difficult to shoot prone utilizing a bipod. My neck jo longer "bends" at that angle!
I have found that using a tripod in the seated position is surprisingly rock solid.

I can't say as I ever really cared for belly shooting. I did it in the groundhog fields and such out of necessity, but only if there wasn't a better upright option. I also dislike layin' all over my rifle as well. Tripods and benches make for better shooting platforms afield when it's practical to do so, IMO.
Anybody remember the old "Point Blank from Long Range" videos? The old Hart joint was more solid than some of my newer ball heads. That said, I don't yet have any of the "premium" versions.
Here's one of the original homemade tripods that my mentor turned me on to. I saw the man make some impressive shots from such a simple device. But I think he'd be all over the current offerings if he'd have had a chance at'em.

 

[ohlongarmisle]

I can't say as I ever really cared for belly shooting. I did it in the groundhog fields and such out of necessity, but only if there wasn't a better upright option. I also dislike layin' all over my rifle as well. Tripods and benches make for better shooting platforms afield when it's practical to do so, IMO.
Anybody remember the old "Point Blank from Long Range" videos? The old Hart joint was more solid than some of my newer ball heads. That said, I don't yet have any of the "premium" versions.
Here's one of the original homemade tripods that my mentor turned me on to. I saw the man make some impressive shots from such a simple device. But I think he'd be all over the current offerings if he'd have had a chance at'em.

View attachment 1767679

My Bog Pod is going to work. Any sharp-eyed hunters see the groundhog ready to meet his maker?

 

[Rick in Oregon]

ohlongarmisle, LOVE the sneaky trailer hide! Sweet!

Like some others here, now being into "geezerhood", laying prone is no fun any longer for the same reasons already noted. And the image of an old fart trying to get upright again from prone would make for some u-tube funnies. And bipod shooting over tall grass was becoming an issue too.

I also went the Death Grip route. I upgraded my standard unit with the ball-head conversion from Little Crow Gunworks and could not be more pleased. I was surprised at how steady it was shooting from just sitting in a lawn chair. I normally shoot colony rodents from my BR Pivot Lite for all day shooting, but used the DG for the first time sitting in rat camp shooting a field that bordered our camp with my Anschutz 1715HB in 17HMR with repeatable hits out past 200 yards on the rats. I'm sold now on shooting tripods....no more stiff necks from shooting prone.

 

[AWS]

I don't do a lot of hunting off a tripod but keep two rifles set up with acra plates and have a HD carbon fiber tripod in the truck set up with a half-ball leveling head and a 70mm acra clamp. I have a spotting scope set up with an acra plate so I can use the tripod for either the rifle or the spotting scope

 

[WV Hitman]

I've used a heavy duty BogPod tripod with a PSR handgun rest for "ever sense they came out". Made massive numbers of shots in OR,AZ,NM, AK, FL, ID, Africa and, of course, WV. Best shot so far- 565 yds. on a crop damage deer with my 6.5/.284 XP-100 handguns. Best Africa shot-365 yds. on a Cape kudu.

 

[alf]

Like many, you go through a lot of options that finally meet your goals/requirements.

To me, Leofoto hits the sweet spot of cost vs quality.

And in my opinion, leveling heads are the way to go.

 

[ohlongarmisle]

ohlongarmisle, LOVE the sneaky trailer hide! Sweet!

Like some others here, now being into "geezerhood", laying prone is no fun any longer for the same reasons already noted. And the image of an old fart trying to get upright again from prone would make for some u-tube funnies. And bipod shooting over tall grass was becoming an issue too.

I also went the Death Grip route. I upgraded my standard unit with the ball-head conversion from Little Crow Gunworks and could not be more pleased. I was surprised at how steady it was shooting from just sitting in a lawn chair. I normally shoot colony rodents from my BR Pivot Lite for all day shooting, but used the DG for the first time sitting in rat camp shooting a field that bordered our camp with my Anschutz 1715HB in 17HMR with repeatable hits out past 200 yards on the rats. I'm sold now on shooting tripods....no more stiff necks from shooting prone.

That is an old storage trailer, it overlooks a 25-acre field along the Mohican River, many, and I mean many groundhogs and coyotes have been shot from it,a great place to call from, coyotes are used to it and present themselves often for a kill shot, it gets a little warm in the summer months, the only trade off.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

That is an old storage trailer, it overlooks a 25-acre field along the Mohican River, many, and I mean many groundhogs and coyotes have been shot from it,a great place to call from, coyotes are used to it and present themselves often for a kill shot, it gets a little warm in the summer months, the only trade off.

For the summer heat inside the old box van trailer, maybe consider one of those small battery-powered whisper fans blowing on you to keep cool inside? Quiet, won't disturb the critters and would be better than sitting inside sweating.

 

[AP2020]

That is an old storage trailer, it overlooks a 25-acre field along the Mohican River, many, and I mean many groundhogs and coyotes have been shot from it,a great place to call from, coyotes are used to it and present themselves often for a kill shot, it gets a little warm in the summer months, the only trade off.

Nice.

Mohican River? I am just South of you in Knox County.

 

[Rick in Oregon]

My Bog Pod is going to work. Any sharp-eyed hunters see the groundhog ready to meet his maker?

Guess my eyes are not sharp enough, can't see the critter. Can you give us "optically challenged" guys a circle or arrow showing the location of said critter?

 

[ohlongarmisle]

Guess my eyes are not sharp enough, can't see the critter. Can you give us "optically challenged" guys a circle or arrow showing the location of said critter?

Jpeg 4 follow the end of the rifle barrel to about 11 o'clock,he's standing right at the intersection of the brushy area where it meets the grass.