It is pretty early to think about this, but the thought popped into my head so thought I would ask.
Do you or someone you know carry some kind of rest with you when hunting? Any recommendations? I would like to get them early and start practicing to build confidence. Many places around here there just won't be a tree handy.
Maybe ole' sabotloader can come over and I can use his shoulder!!!!
I seldom if never shoot free hand when hunting although I practice that way once in a while. Just when I want to see how bad a shot I really am. I do shoot a lot off of shooting sticks that I make at home. I have three different size sticks. One 60" is a walking stick which I can rest off of when standing. If I am headed to a tree stand, I carry a 48" (I believe it is) stick pictured here. I can sit in my tree stand and use this set of sticks to shoot from. You can also lean the stick into such things as a stump or rock and shoot. If I have time I can adjust it. The small one I have which slides into my day pack is for shooting when sitting on the ground.
I found a long time ago, anything you can use to support the weight of the rifle and balance off of, will increase you accuracy. There are some store bought sticks that people use. Some fold up and others are a walking stick with an adjustable head... etc.
I never cared for a bi pod on a rifle.
__________________
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
For hunting I never carry a rest,When outwest elk hunting its usually prone or sitting If I am walking and the game is close enough I shoot off hand
At ML ranges IF YOU PRACTICE shooting off hand you can be quite good at it. Take your milk jugs and hang them in a tree or whatever and try shooting at those off hand, I have my own woods so I put pop cans on branches and walk around and shoot at those although I do this this with a .17 or 22 mag it doesn't matter its all shooting. The only thing shooting off a bench will do is teach trigger control and sighting the rifle in.IMO
Redclub
One of these trips out, I plan to take some balloons and tie them to the sage brush up and down the draw where we shoot. Can easily get up to 200 yards in both directions, with safe back stop. That should make for some fun shooting also.
I made a pair similar to those shown above, except I made them from some 3/8" Red Oak dowel rods. Make sure they are Red Oak. Drill about a 1/4" hole in them about 4" down from the top, insert a lag bolt and wing nut, sharpen the bottom of the polesso they will stick into the ground,and you are set. The height can be adjusted by spreading the poles farther apart if room allows.
For hunting I carry Stoney Point sticks. Had a leather man make me a nice scabbard with shoulder strap. Sling them over my shoulder till I get to where I'm going and then set up. My wooden sticksaren't as handy so they only get out when I'm playing.
I made a stick out of a telescoping paint roller stick. I can adjust it from about 2' to about 4 1/2' depending on conditions. It works well in a stand or on the ground. I screwed an electrical stand off strap to the end and taped that up with camo moleskin, then painted the rest of the pole. Cheap and effective.
i use shooting sticks i made....i made mine out of dowel rod...i want to say thay were 5/8ths thick but i cannot remember...i think they are around 36" but again i cant remember lol....if i knew where i hid them id measure them for you..but you can figure out thickness..just something strong enough to not bend on you..and legnth i figured it out by sitting down and playing around wth measurements...and added 6 inches or so above that.....that 6 inches i bought a foot of clear plastic tubing and cut it in half and slipped it on the ends....i stained them green and then gave them a camo spray paint job.....and tied them together with leather lace below my tubing....they work nicely....im going to make a set like cayugads though....they look a bit sturdier and my leather breaks all too often....
__________________
>>----Give 'em the shaft!--->
i use shooting sticks i made....i made mine out of dowel rod...i want to say thay were 5/8ths thick but i cannot remember...i think they are around 36" but again i cant remember lol....if i knew where i hid them id measure them for you..but you can figure out thickness..just something strong enough to not bend on you..and legnth i figured it out by sitting down and playing around wth measurements...and added 6 inches or so above that.....that 6 inches i bought a foot of clear plastic tubing and cut it in half and slipped it on the ends....i stained them green and then gave them a camo spray paint job.....and tied them together with leather lace below my tubing....they work nicely....im going to make a set like cayugads though....they look a bit sturdier and my leather breaks all too often....
These are my range sticks. They are made from simple pine. The ones I take into the woods are not as thick. I think I made them out of Walnut for the small pair and oak or maple for the others. I have a mill near me that makes molding, so when I need nice wood, I have a place to go and get some very reasonable. I use the wing nut to hold mine together as it is stronger. On the bottom of the sticks I have nylon cord to keep the legs from spreading out, and to tie them together when I am ready to move...
There is a pattern or instructions for them at percision rifle.. the maker of Dead Center Bullets.
__________________
"Life should NOT be a journey to the grave with the intention of arriving safely in an attractive and well preserved body, but rather to skid in sideways, a total wreck, screaming Yahoo, with a big smile on your face."
Shooting sticks, poles or what?
