I find the tripod pretty tough to maneuver when your sitting on your butt in 18” of snow.
Or sitting on a stool or chair.
I've always felt restricted using a fixed bipod so a tripod would be out of the question even quicker! I've used shooting sticks for the last 35 years and like how versatile they are and when shifting left to right or so on in deep snow they can be dragged over it keeping the gun on the same plain, not having to lift it high to get the bipod over your legs. I've made changes to them over the years and now make the square instead of from dowel rod. Also use bicycle innertube for the connect which allows it to slip up and down easily.
I started out w/sticks and never saw the need to change. I can see where the tripod could offer a very stable platform, but proper use of sticks provides an extremely stable platform, as well. Not for everyone, but work for me. Age has restricted mobility of late so prone is out of the question and sitting requires an elevated seat at least 12" off the ground (not to mention that everything in S. Tx has thorns or bites
).
Have always made my sticks from rubber coated steel or fiberglass garden stakes lashed together w/para chord. This does necessitate two sets of sticks, one for sitting and one for standing, but that works for my style of hunting, as I'm never too far from the jeep and choose sticks to fit each stand. Carry rifle on sling, sticks, kid's camp chair and call in free hand. Shooting sticks can also double as walking stick and snake getter outa' way in tall grass
. I don't want to hang extra weight or bulky bipod on the rifle as it makes the rifle less maneuverable. Sticks also do double duty as makeshift target frame in event you need to check a zero in the field as well.
Same. Once this style of shooting sticks becomes second nature its hard to switch to something else. I dont like anything attached to my rifle really and thats the reason I use those.
+1
I used a 3 section Harris for years, and still do at times, but once I got a tripod for night hunting, I started to also use it for day hunting. The stability it gives you for making longer shots cannot be beat. Also, there's no extra movement to shoulder your rifle. It's already there. Yes, it's less maneuverable, but you get a better feel for swinging it the more you use it.
Sitting w/rifle shouldered through the stand eliminates movement. Works well in our environment, as most stands we're hunting pipelines or senderos cut through the brush. Need to be on the gun quickly for the shot as they don't stand in the open long.
Sitting you have to move the rifle so a bipod/tripod is cumbersome, standing you can move your body to change elevation or angle so a tripod works.
Key, for me, to mobility of sticks is, set up sling w/loop on front swivel, slip loop over stick as pictured below. This serves to keep sticks from slipping and dumping rifle if you turn loose to work the call or..... It also keeps sticks and rifle
loosely connected so that you can grasp sling and sticks to pick up w/rifle and swing left or right. If you need to shed the sticks quickly all you have to do is loosen grasp of sling as you lift rifle and your rifle is free to make a running shot if necessary.
Leaning back against fence post, tree, etc. and pulling rifle back into shoulder by the sling provides a three point anchor which is as solid as a bench rest. No post or tree, anchor one elbow on knee is almost as steady.
