Shooting Sticks?

[WapitiTalk1]

Does anybody pack either a shooting stick or bi-pod with you while big game hunting (I'm talking the expending tall ones, not the shorty bi-pod type that attached to a weapon)?  Just curious as to what you use, and, if you feel it's worth packing it with you when out in the elk/deer woods?  I've never owned/used one and am curious to hear what you cats have to say "pro or con" about them.     

[huntnfmly]

Bought both my daughters primos tripod trigger sticks
They work great especially for uneven ground push the  trigger they automatically level them self and are rock solid and best thing out there

[Bob33]

I use a BogPod tripod in certain instances. I've found that free-standing monopods and bipods don't really steady my rifle and in some instances make it worse. Shooting offhand, gravity provides some downward stability that is lost with supports. You might want to borrow someone's monopod or bipod and try it for yourself before buying one. The three-legged ones definitely help.

[Alchase]

I have a couple Primos Pole Cat 25 to 62-Inch Tall Bipods. They work great. They also make walking sticks in a pinch.

[huntnfmly]

Where are you located?
I'm in Bonney lake if you have a hunt  coming up I have no problem letting you use a pair so you can get a feel for them and could meet you somewhere to give them to you

[WapitiTalk1]

Thanks for the offer huntnfmly, very kind of you sir.  I'm way down just outside of the big town of Rainier.  Really just poking around for opinions right now and for the rest of this rifle season (upcoming modern elk), I'll continue to just shoot off hand for closer shots, or, find a handy stump if available as a rest for longer shots.  Thanks to all for chiming in so far.... 

[Okanagan]

I've shot a lot of critters off of sticks and like to have the option with me.  At my age, a stick is nice for walking steep places also.

My grandson shot a black bear from a telescoping stand up monopod I got for Christmas and I've carried a pair of hiking poles at times.

However, my preference, from experience, is a wooden stick.  Most of those I pick up after leaving my vehicle though I have two ready to go, one of those in my 4x4.  The main thing is that wood is quieter than any aluminum, glass or carbon fiber poles I've tried and have no moving parts to rattle.  Bumping the stick against things is inevitable, with me anyway, and the wood is much quieter.  Also, if you forget it and leave it behind somewhere, which I am also prone to do, just pick up another one.  Hard to do in desert but easy outside of monochrome sage country, 

If you decide to make one or a few, wild hazelnut makes excellent straight sticks of the right size and length.  (White oak from the south is good but heavy.) 

There are a lot of ways to brace a steady hold with the stick in various body positions and with various rocks, ledges, trees, brush, slopes etc.  A zillion years ago Sam Fadala wrote a good article on using what he called a Moses stick.  He put a strap on his. 

[Doublelunger]

I've had a lot of success with shooting sticks for both deer and coyotes. I made my own for super cheap out of two fiberglass electric fence posts and castration rubber bands.

[Switchback]

I take them every time I'm going to a place where I might shoot more than 100 yds. The Cabela's Shooting Sticks are a good choice, as are the Bogpod ones. Primos has the Trigger Stick, which is the best (quickest/easiest to adjust), but it's super expensive.

I have probably killed 10 deer (and a number of coyotes) that I wouldn't have been able to ethically shoot without sticks. It's amazing how steady you can get with them. Shooting prone with my bipod is always choice #1 (always also have a short bipod attached to my rifle), but sometimes with hills or tall grass it's not an option, and in those cases the shooting sticks are crucial. I always set them to standing height when I'm walking, and then if I decide to sit in an area for a while, I can shorten them to sitting height.

I use the bipod ones. You should try leaning the sticks toward you, putting your free hand on the sticks and your gun to hold them together, and leaning into the gun. Many people keep the sticks vertical, in which case the sticks do pretty much nothing. Leaning into the sticks/gun essentially makes a tripod, and the increase in stability is remarkable.

[carpsniperg2]

If I’m sitting or spot and stalking not going way back in some place I carry the trigger sticks. They are great and I grabbed the tri pod one this year and wow it’s solid but it’s like packing a 2x4 all day long lol. I have a lightweight huskima for big hikes and if I’m staying in some place that is my normal go to.

[jdb]

I have a stony point monopod that I Carry in open country and have shot a fari amount of game off it, I also have a stony point bipod that attaches to my predator rifle. I’ve killed a lot of coyotes with it and wouldn’t ever go back to hunting without it.i also have a bogpod tripod that is pretty heavy and cumbersome but I occasionally use it but usually just at the range.

[brokentrail]

I have two pairs of the Primos bi trigger sticks and all 3 of my boys have used them to harvest their first blacktail and in some cases, numerous blacktails.  Without them, I doubt they could have shot well enough free hand to make the shot, so it did help them.

My blacktail time is either stalking where I don't want them as it's one more thing to carry and try to be quiet or glassing a cut where I am usually sitting and can rest on my knees or lay prone to take a long shot.  Keep in mind, long for me is 300 yards.

I think they have benefits in certain situations and they really do work.

[Bofire]

I ,like and carry monopod or shooting sticks all the time, I use em as a walking stick, and shoot from them. I do not like attached bipods. I find they increased accuracy in hunting situations.
Carl

[Shoofly09]

I finally started using a bipod trigger stick about 5 years ago.   Wished I would have started using them sooner.   Handy as a walking stick, and helps me steady binoculars when walking and glassing.   

[TommyH]

I’ve had one of the cheap 20$ Telescoping ones for years, the top Y broke off and I taped a broken telescoping fishing pole holder onto it.. it’s considerably lighter (and waaaayyyy cheaper) than the trigger sticks I was checking out yesterday. I had borrowed one that has 3 fold out feet and my son was practicing with it, they helped him get steady and make some good shots. I  Highly recommend having one kind or another if any youngsters are trying to make a shot count. Maybe at some point I’ll have to spend the $$$ and get a quality one for the kids.