Shooting Sticks

[ezypikns]

Has anyone else noticed the folks on "The Outdoor Channel" and "OLN" hunting programs? They can't seem to shoot at all without those doggone shooting sticks. It doesn't seem to matter what they're after, from prairie dogs to elephants, they won't shoot unless somebody's holding those sticks for 'em.
Of course, if I were able to hunt the fancy ranches and reserves that these guys (and gals) do, I'm sure I could also take all day to line up a shot. Where I hunt deer (eastern Oklahoma), the animal would be in the next county by the time I got my sticks situated. Maybe I'm being too critical. What do you think?

 

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

I'm with you! There's just shy of putting the kitchen sink in my day pack when I'm out in the woods for a full day's hunt. I don't have anyone to carry my stuff -Like shooting stix, for me. Learning how to shoot in one or more of four positions would be better for these folks. But I'll bet it's the sponsorships, makers of the stix, that promote the use on "TV", more than anything. For the most part, I hunt in the woods. There's little time to even lean against a tree or branch to get a shot off. Practicing the fine art of shooting accurately off hand gets the job done for me.

I challenge myself with a 30-30 lever gun with open sights. 200 meters at a 10" steel plate. Standing. Using the sling. I'm satisfied when I can hit it 80% of the time. Put a scoped rifle in my hands, then it's not even a challenge.

Watching a 'Bison' hunt on one of the hunting shows this weekend, S&W .500's, they used stix and rests at under 100yds. Heck, I can tag a six inch steel plate at 75yds off hand with my Redhawk .44mag all day long. I guess that if they can't shoot that well, they need some sort of support. But dropping to one knee and resting on the other would work just as well.

-Steve

 

[LAK]

I can definately live without them. The weight and space saved will allow me an extra cigar - and still far less to carry.

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[birddog]

I was err...gifted...with a Stony Point Shooting Stick. Not sure of the model name, but it's basically a one-leg monopod with a rubber "Y" at the top. I've used it at the range, when I was too lazy to set up the card table I usually use for rifle shooting, and it worked okay. Also use it to verify the zero on my hunting handguns. Worked okay for that too.

As far as hunting goes, though, I already carry a sizeable pack and the few times I've carted the Stick along, it has been a PIA.

It is good, however, for you photography types for once you've shot an animal, the "Y" can be screwed off, revealing a 1/4 threaded bolt. Attach your camera,then jam the bottom into the ground and use your self-timer to take pictures of yourself with your trophy.

Not that I've done that...of course.

 

[king.460]

They work great...

for us hand-cannon hunters.

 

[Selfdfenz]

I thought the same thing watching OLN when the sticks come out.

After giving it some thought I realized the PH/Guide is the stick handler and, for that dudes perspective, anything that improves the shooter's hit quality makes life easier [fewer second shot, less tracking etc]. While you or I know what kind of shots we are the PH/Guides may not have much or any knowledge of the client's skills and not much time to judge them at least on fleash and blood.

Given that these African guides see a lot more game shot and shot at on a regular basis they must be using a tool that gives them results.

I have a monopole I use with the camera and it works very well for that. Haven't tried it hunting.

S-

 

[RCL]

-Just one more thing to carry out in the woods.
-Just one more thing to think about when you should be concentrating on the shot.

 

[Deer Hunter]

Sticks, as in Monopods? I've never seen people using these, I think it's pretty damned stupid. Learn how to shoot standing up. I was in shooting sports for years, and shot from Prone, Kneeling, and Standing positions with those big heavy target .22's. I swear they weighed up to 8 pounds. You had to swing your hip toward the target to get balanced, but you learned to shoot standing. Now that's all I shoot, whenever I go out with my ol' 30-30. Set up a few targets 100 yards away and watch 'em fall down.

Monopods? Waste of space/time/money.

 

[JackOfAllTradesMasterAtNone]

This season I had just enough time to visually aquire target, swing the rifle to my right looking down in a ravine, shoulder, click the safety off, target cross hairs, squeeze trigger, to get this guy. http://www.cnw.com/~hotrod/Hunting/5x6_2005Whitetail.JPG

Now, how fast you read that sentence, is about how long it took. Else, since the spike had already spooked the two doe's, I would not have had a shot if he'd had moved another step. (no, I was not in a tree stand). There would not have been time to add the step of using shooting stick/mono-pod even if it was in my left hand at the time.

-Steve

 

[Matt G]

Shooting sticks in the old "buffalo sticks" style are usually a pair of long-ish sticks (~3 to 4 feet long), bound together about 6" from the end. After stalking up on the game, the sticks are spread so that the top forms a saddle for the rifle forend can rest in it while the hunter takes a seated or kneeling shot. It gives a good rest out in fields and pastures where the grass is too high for a prone shot after a spot-and-stalk. They're also of use for the hunter who decides to move about, creating improvised ground blinds. They're easily and cheaply made with two lengths of 5/8" dowel and a bootlace.

On my longest shot (a tad over 300 yards), I belly-crawled about a hundred yards into a field to get closer than the quarter-mile shot I initially was presented. When I got as close as I dared, I REALLY would have liked a better rest than the squishy backback that I had with me, to shoot over the low grass. In the end, I rested my arm across the pack crooked, and had the rifle elevated a mere 8 to ten inches. I would have preferred more, as I was at grass-top level. A set of sticks would have been nice.

Depends on the hunting you do.

 

[Noban]

I've used a home made pair of sticks for a few years now with excellent results. I made them from dowels a yard long obtained at OSH, slipped a 6" length of automotive tubing over each top end and laced them together with shoe laces. They weigh just a few ounces.

I carry them attached to the side of my back pack and can get at them easily. They make a big difference in keeping the scope steady on the long shots.

 

[ezypikns]

Interesting Replies

I can definitely see the advantage of using them in open country on long shots, maybe on Mule Deer, Elk, or Antelope.

 

[Grumulkin]

I'll use shooting sticks when I get the chance but it's true there isn't always time to use them. How useful they are also depends on how big the garget is. There is a big difference in how hard it is to hit a ground squirrel at 100 yards vs a Whitetail at the same range. They're kind of like scopes; nice but many times not necessary or even a handicap.

I made some shooting sticks from straight branches from a Willow tree of appropriate height for use sitting on the ground or in a tree stand. I personally think the home brewed variety are more steady and useful than "store bought" and if I lose them, I'm not out much.

 

[redneck2]

If you ever guided, you know the level of "expertise" of some clients

I had a friend that guided for elk in Colorado. Had people that couldn't hit an elk standing broadside under 100 yards

Maybe I'm not as macho or sporting as others, but I'll use about anything that improves my chances of a clean hit. I use a fold up Harris bi-pod on my muzzleloader for deer. Only needed it once in 14 years, but at least it's there.

 

[MCgunner]

I love 'em for certain types of hunting. Feeder watching in east Texas, well, you have to be in a blind or tower stand or something. But, I had a lease out west of Langtry, Texas for a while. Out there, I always had the stix in my day pack. It was spot and stalk style hunting. But, I'd usually go to a hot spot on a brushy draw I knew about to sit until well into the morning. I'd plop down on the edge of the draw and set the stix up and place the gun on 'em. I got a really nice 8 pointer out there off those sticks, about a 150 yard shot at a pretty steep quartering angle. I made a PERFECT shot off those sticks, like having a little portable bench vise in the field. Out there, shots can be long, unlike the eastern woods. And, there's few natural rests.

I also like 'em for my Contender, but they're GREAT in such situations with my rifles. They're better than most bipods mounted on the stock 'cause I can sit up with 'em. You can even get 'em tall enough to shoot off of standing, but I really would rather sit to use 'em. Rarely will a standing shot at long range let you set up for 'em standing and even if so, you're better off sitting for such a shot, steadier.

I was taught by my grandfather to seek a good rest to shoot off of, never take an unsupported shot unless that's all I had. I've stuck by that all my life. I have made running 100 yard shots on deer. I grew up with a .22 in the squirrel woods, shooting at running rabbits, too. I can outshoot most folks I know off hand with a rifle, but I still prefer a support to shoot off of.

Just my $.02 on the subject. I love my shooting stix, though.

 

[bigbearhunter]

I love my bipods for long shots but here in Colo. you better be ready to take that off hand shot too and be good at it.