sproulman

i was hunting today. i had doe come out in a clearing as i was walking. i pulled up to practice holding on doe , if a get a chance at buck. guess what. boy, it was hard for me to hold on that doe without something like tree to lean on.my arms were tired and hard to hold steadywaiting for doe to turn broadside to sight on vitals . what do you folks do as we get older or out of shape with these heavy muzzleloadrs?is a shooting stick worth carrying?thanks.

cayugad

Long ago I learned the benifits of a shooting stick. I have them in a number of sizes. One is for walking with. It acts as a walking stick shooting stick. Since this one is rather tall I made it much thinner then most of them. I have a short one for shooting while sitting on the ground. I get my back to something and that stick in front of me, and I am set to shoot. The one in the picture here is my range stick and tree stand stick.

I made this out of a 2x4-40" long. Drill your holes first. I put them every 2 inches or inch and a half.. I forget. Then put that on a table saw and rip it down the center. Sand all sides smooth (so you don't get slivers) and I used a heavy bolt, two washers, and a wing nut to lock it. Don't forget the small holes at the bottom of the stick where you tie a 18" nylon cord. When you want to move, it folds together and the cord keeps it in place. It also keeps the legs from splitting out on you.

When you practice with one (this one I shoot from while sitting in a lawn chair and it will act as a short walking stick in summer) it will amaze you how steady you can shoot from it and how fast you can get it into play.

Tahquamenon

I always use shooting sticks when I don't have a natural or blind/rest available If I am still hunting. If I am walking,then I would not fool around with trying to set up the sticks and then sight in on the animal.

I would suggest also some range time off/hand. Makes a big difference when in the field and you have an off/hand shot or nothing.

Here is a nifty plan to make your own very cheaply. You can substitue hockey sticks for oak or hickory. I also made a nice pair from Tammarack Switch that would be considered more traditional.
http://www.prbullet.com/stix.htm
http://www.varmintal.com/abifu.htm

Good Luck!

Tahquamenon

sabotloader

sproulman

IMO they are really handy at times - I do carry a collapsible (sp) one and I get it out while or when on stand. One of my hunting partners brings a large pair of sticks along with him, uses them as walking sticks. Often I will even pick and/or fashion some sort of shooting stick (a real stick) in the woods - especially if i am looking at a long difficult shot.

I think Cayugad uses them alot when he is shooting in his back yard.

Roskoe

ThosePole Cat extendable sticks by Stoney Point are an almost essential part of every hunting trip. They are good for sitting/kneeling when in the lowest position, and are just right for supported offhand shooting when extended all the way up. I usually carry them extended and use it for a walking stick.

DannyD

I use a monopod shooting stick. I never hunt without it. It is easy to use whether i am sitting on the ground, on a chair in a blind or walking.
I am terrible at offhand shots and will never do it. The monopod helps a ton

Finaddict

I sure like them. It really helps me with my accuracy. I used the plan from varmint Al's site that Tahquamenon provided. I think you will like them once you use them for a while. It's amazing how much they help me.

Sharp Shooter

I have shooting sticks that extend. They haverubber gripping legs and a rubber pad where yourgunrests.

The work great. I can use them in a sitting or kneeling position up to a standing position. They are really nice but not the cheapest.

mauser06

i wont(well rather have them)shoot my flinter without them.....even sighting in and target shooting they are my favorite rest!...i made mine and kept size and wieght in mind for carrying 2miles to my old favorite hunting spot......

i made mine using 5/8s dowel rod..cut them to leght..i think 34-36" each...then i bought a foot of clear plastic hose/tubing stuff...flexible soft stuff....cut it in half and slid a 6 inch piece on both of the shooting ends of the dowel rods.....(i did paint them with paint i had laying around first) then i tied them together with leather lace right below the tubing.....thats it.....cheap....easy and they work....and yes....i carried them my 2mile hike to my old favorite spot.....they are kinda thin and flex a bit....but they work for me

lemoyne

Made one out of a telescoping tent pole [I used the aluminum awning pole] mounted a spike on the bottom and an open y shaped piece of wood on top. It’s great for long shot with a heavy pistol.