Bi-pod, shooting sticks or off hand
 

How do you prefer to sight in and hunt? Bi-pod, shooting sticks or off hand. And if you sight in on a bench and sled, how do you rest your gun in a hunting situation?

Normally I sight in on a bench, and then practice from shooting sticks and trees. Although in my one blind, I have a window exactly to the height of my shooting sticks. So I use both the window ledge and the sticks and that is really an accurate way to shoot.

The reason I also practice from leaning on trees is.. when I walk around, that is normally how I will end up shooting. There really is not all that much difference I find from shooting with sticks and trees as a bench. Do you find a large degree of difference?

I sight in on a bench and use Stoney Point Bi-pod shooting sticks for hunting.

Sight in off a bench, hunting I'm in my climber and have a padded rest to shoot off...

I very seldom shoot any rifle off hand, was taught as a youngster to take a rest...

if you are sighting in free hand, its a big waste of time and money. you should definitely sight in with the sturdiest things available to you...a bench or sled...
shooting at a live target free hand isnt a good idea, but i have done it before successfully.
sticks, or a tree as mentioned, are a good way to go if ya dont have a table (if you will)
main thing, imo, is that when shooting, whether from a bench, sticks or free hand, is that you dont let anything touch the barrel of the "gun" as to not mess with the moa. if yer barrel is resting on sand bags at the range, it isnt gonna shoot the same when something IS NOT touching the barrel in the field.

Sight in on a bench. My hunting styles vary considerably so I either shoot off my primos trigger stick, using my padded rest on my climber or off-hand if the situation dictates.

Always zero rifle off bench and sand bags. hunting and practice situations i carry shooting sticks.

Sight in off a bench with bags and I always have my Stoney Point Tri pod with me in the woods, I use them for a walking stick while moving around and if I am hunting from my climber I prop them up against a tree while I'm hunting. I have a shooting rail on my climber.

I've been using a monopod rest when hunting from my ground blind, but am going to find/create something more stable for next year. The monopod works fine (except when wind catches the barrel) but I want something that offers more flexibility and stability in use. I might even build a collapsible shelf to go just inside the main opening of the blind and keep the monopod as backup or for the occasional side window opportunity.

Sighting in, always off a rest. I do most of my practice shooting from field positions (sitting, kneeling, offhand). In hunting situations I find the best rest possible or use shooting sticks. I prefer to shoot game <100 yds from the kneeling position if possible. I can get into that position fast and I can shoot well from it. Sitting is steadier but slower to get into. Prone is by far the best but here in the east there is very little areas where that would be a viable position.