waiting_for_a_gift

Just some remarks on gun stands. How many of you plan for a rest aim when preparing a gun blind? I do. For me it is one of the top three considerations, the other two being location and concealment.

I hunt and scout a lot in northern WI, and I’m frequently amazed by other people’s stands I come across. They’ll hike and presumably drag through a half mile or more of fairly rough country, for a marginal setup in a marginal location. Ok, sometimes a great location, but you get my point. Hardly any of the stands that I find have rest aim for the primary area of coverage. There’s evidence they went to considerable effort to scout and prepare the setup, but to overlook that detail doesn’t make sense.

A rest aim turns a marginal shot into a fairly easy one. An impossible shot into a makeable one. Even with a good scoped rifle, anything over 20 – 30 yards I want a rest aim.

wis_bow_huntr

[&:]

Brocster

I am not sure I agree. If I had to have a rest for my shots, I would take about 1/10th the deer I have. I stalk, have stands, sit...etc.

20-30 yards is my bow range, not rifle. I understand the concept, and agree that under some conditions it makes sense. However, where I am in WI, most of my shots are 80-120 yards. I feel that if I can't hit a target with a scoped rifle at that distance, I should put the gun away.

Red Lion

I agree that planning to have a rest, at any rangemakes sense. Also better to have something and not need it versus not having it and needing it. Plus you guys in WI need a rest for "your beverage" anyways!

Brocster

SOOOOOOOOO TRUE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

As my wife says - "Wisconsin - where the men are men and the women are too!" (She's from WI)

furgitter

Ill agree 100% with ya there. Having a rest available will make all the differance in the world! How many times do you get into your stand and an hour later the temp drops 20 degrees. After you are good and cold the shivers set in and its a30 yard miss. Not so for the guy with a rest
Some folks call a rest cheating, I dont buy into that one bit. Using a scope and not a bench is like measuring something precisly with a tape measure, and then eye balling the cut.

RugerM77.270

I agree it is always good to be prepared. Yeah a lot of people can make a 100 yd shot off hand in practice. The question is can you do it with buck fever. Better safe then sorry and better a dead buck then a wounded one.

JUST IN CASE.

DannyD

I always use a rest when sitting in a blind. I use a monopod which is very versatile and can be moved and set up easily. Makes for a much easier, more confident shot

ShatoDavis

180 yard free hand shot. Bang flop! Took out both shoulders. So it can be done. I've years of practice though. I shoot regularly and most of the time I shoot from field positions rather than from the bench. I would say that my personal limit on free hand shots is 200 yards.

I agree that if a rest is available that you should always use it. But sometimes you just don't have a choice. Hunters should take the time to learn the proper techniques to shooting. Get a proper sling and learn that its a shooting aid not a way to hang the gun on your shoulder. with a properly adjusted sling and some basic shooting skills a free handed shooter can easily group shots within 4 inches at 100 yds.

waiting_for_a_gift

I don't use a sling, but I realize that they're almost as good as a solid rest.

When I opened the thread, I was addressing the average hunter. In WI, the average hunter goes to the range a couple weeks before season, or maybe just out in the country over the hood of the truck, just to make sure it goes bang. That's all I do, I never practice with my rifles other than a few dry fires. So I need that rest aim big time.

I bet if you pick out 10 guys at random in WI, set out a 12 pack box at 100 yards, less than half could even hit it offhand with a deer rifle.