Wow!
 

Wow...what a difference. The Oldrookie was feeling pretty stout after the last session off of the bench. I was punching holes touching each other. I decided it was time to start shooting off of sticks today and get some real practice in.

Holy cow!.....I found myself shaking like a 16 year old on his first date. Folks I need some technique. Actually, I was shooting off of a monopod and di hit aper at 100 yards 8 out of 10 times. To call them grouped would be a stretch.:D

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When I shoot off shooting sticks, I like to have my back solid up against something. With a high back chair it is all right, but better is off the ground leaning against a tree. I then like to balance the rifle in the X so much so that when it is rested against my shoulder, it stays there without being held. Then all I need do is adjust the X or adjust my body position. WhenI practice with them for a couple days, to me they are as accuate as a single bag rest.

Now a mono stick is another thing. I have hunted on snow shoes. And I use walking sticks to move about. I also use them to shoot off of. You're right, it does take some getting used to. With a single stick, I let the rifle balance on my hand while holding on to the topand actually let the rifle kick me a little more then normal. I do not lean into them as much. It is the only way I can get any accuracy off a single stick.



This is my range sticks I made out of a 2X4 and a large bolt with a wing nut. You can adjust the lefts for un even ground, they are easy to carry, and I wrap a blaze orange T shirt in the middle of them (so they do not scratch my rifle and it keeps them quiet) when I hunt from a blind. They are easy to make and work real good.

On the bottom of the legs is a string (nylon cord) 20 inches long. When you are ready to move, you fold the legs together, wrap the string around the legs to hold the bottom together and use them as a walking stick.

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Cayugad, several questions. So, you make sure you don't feel like your leaning into the stick? With regards to holding the stock, I felt like I needed to hold the side of the stock and the stick but with little pressure.

I had a baseball style hat on and the first shot did come back on me and hit the bill of the hat....lol. I held it a little tighter on subsequent shots but not tight.I was free standing and not leaning on or against anything. What should my ultimate goal be at 100 yards.....4-5 inches?

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Even with a Mono stick, if I can lean against or into something while at the same time supporting the rifle off the stick and my off hand, I feel I can shoot better. I hate to state that you should be able to shoot X size group. All you can do is practice and if you are satisfied that you can handle the rifle at that distance and make an accurate shot, then take the shot.

Another funny thing... I have a friend that can shoot bulls eyes all day long. Let him see a deer and I have seen him miss at distances I could have done it with a rock.

There are some days I shoot a real tight group. But as I have said on here a lot.. there I some days I really wonder if I ever shot a rifle at all whn I see the size of the group I shoot. Now off my X shooting sticks, sitting, with my back to something, I can do some real impressive shooting. On snow shoes, off a ski pole it can be a whole different story.

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I did some shooting off hand @ 125 yards yesterday. Didnt plan on it but my nephew and i went hiking and i had the 45 loaded with 30grains RS and PRB. That Ant hill got bombed by .440 roundballs and .22 longrifles:D:D. The .45 is 10" low @ 125 yards with 30 grains RS. Once you figure out how to hold yourself, things will steady up a lot. Its also a good idea to do some running or hiking to get your heart beat pumping and then shoot off hand. Im usually shooting off my knee during hunting season. Also do some push up's so you can build your upper body strength.

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Crap FG.....if I had done all that exercizing first, I would have missed the hill behind the target!

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Frontier Gander ... running, and push ups? That's why I have a rifle. :D:D:D:D So I don't have to do all of that physical stuff.

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lol but you have to do that! Thats the only way you'll learn. Have to learn how to controll your movement when you're under pressure. The last time i hunted elk, i had to run full out for a 1/4 mile, climb a steep hill with a foot of snow, then i had to crawl over the rim and set up for the shot. Talk about worn out! Then i had to hike down the side of the mountain and gut the thing! Thankfully our friend on his 4 wheeler came by and drug it back to camp for us. I do a good amount of walking when i hunt and theres times where i'll spook up a deer and my hearts pounding from the walking. Gotta practice shooting when your heart is up in your throat:D
Doesnt matter one bit on if you hit the target on your first off hand, paper target shoot. What matters is, you learning how you react when your body is working hard. You'll hit the target sooner or later with your heart/ breath working hard. Just keep at it and sooner or later, all the hard work will pay off.

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I've never hunted anything but whitetails and small game. If I had been there with you on that elk hunt, the elk would have lived! I only climb steep hills in a truck.

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Wow" no wonder I quit thinking I wanted to go elk hunting thirty years ago.:D

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FG...although I dream of the day I can head your way and hunt elk, we hide in trees here in Indiana. Get there quietly (no running required) early and wait for the deer to either come your way to eat or sleep.

I am finding this free hand stuff enough challenge without making myself see double.

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IMO if you have to lean into your shooting stick's then they are too short. I like longer shooting sticks. You can always lower them, but you can never raise them. I set up my sticks close to my right leg(I shoot LH) then I pull them into my right calf. This gives you one more point of steadiness. I also hold my right hand around the leather strap and wrap my thumb over the barrel, then hold down with my thumb. I pull the rifle into my left shoulder with my right hand-which is gripping the leather on the top of the shooting sticks. This is a very steady way to hold and shoot your rifle. I shoot chunk rock out to 500 yards with my Sharp's using this hold. Tom.

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Now now! Not all my elk hunts have been like the one i used as an example. Most of the time they are doing the running while i roll around on the ground crying over the fact i was 5 minutes to late:D:D:D. There have been times where ive laid back and relaxed and waiting all day and its paid off twice but i either didnt have a tag or they were just to far into thick timber to make a stalk. I just try to prepare for what i may run into in the field.

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Thanks for your tip Tom. I like the idea of the additional anchor point. I wasn't sure if it was a good idea to cup the index finger over the barrel. It was a natural thing to do butI left my finger off of it. I thought I read here in another thread that you don't want any influence on the barrel at all.

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It is not my index finger that I wrap over myrifle. I use my thumb. My thumb is not long enough to wrap completely over the rifle, and I am actually pushing the rifle into the leather strap. I am not really holding the rifle down, but I understand how it might appear. IMO not holding the rifle down during bench rest shooting is a good idea. However again IMO that type of shooting is very impractical in the field. Personally the better I hold, the better I shoot.

The point you made about holding the rifle is a very important point. I believe it is the most important reason why a hunter should practice from hunting conditions and stay away from the bench as much as possible. Tom.

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Tom, I understand what your saying about the leather. I removed my sling while sighting in on the bench. It was getting in the way of the my clamp rest. I'll put the sling back on it and use as tension against the stix. Thanks again! Its going to take me the rest of the summer getting used to it!