RE: " Artificial" Rests
I have a snipe pod and it is the only bipod I would carry in the mountains.
Lightweight and very adjustable for uneven terrain.
Having said that I normally do not carry a bipod.
On close shots I do not need one and on long shots I either use my day pack or find a natural object, branch, small tree, etc. If I can not get a solid rest I try to get closer.
Sitting and resting on your knees works pretty good but I would not shoot at an animal over 200 yards away like that, it is just not rock steady enough. Just speaking from my own experiences on that one. I can hit a paper plate consistently that way at 300 yards on the range, but in the field it is much more difficult to stay steady.