Everyone’s thoughts on bipods/shooting sticks.

Austin Laughlin

Austin Laughlin

Well-known member
I’m just curious to see what more experienced guys are using for their rest, hunting coyotes.

I’ve been using a mounted bipod on my guns, that’s a 13-27” (I think) and it’s handy at times, but I still see some flaws that I could do without.

I’m guessing that’s probably with everything though. I was just looking for some tips from guys that have been, there done it. I see guys running tripods too, which I hate having one more thing to pack in but if that’s the most efficient than I’d do it.

I’m more so meaning “efficient” as in, guns pointed one way and coyotes swing way left downwind or something, having the best maneuverability.

Thanks you guys.

-Austin
 
I've tried mounted bipods in the past. They have their place at the range or other situations where you know with reason where the shot is going to be. Coyotes & bobcats rarely do what is expected though.

I have used shooting sticks much more often mainly because they offer a bit more maneuverability. Try picking up a mounted bipod and swinging it 45* without causing too much ruckus. Not an easy task.

Although I've not been able to get out for a couple of years, I'm now able to hunt a bit again. And I've found that I do better sitting elevated a few feet and using a tree branch or similar as a rest. I can also use my knee/elbow when sitting.

Lots of variables involved in day-to-day scenarios and if choosing between sticks or a bipod the sticks seem to be more adaptable to me.

Now ........ I'm talking about predator hunting in a calling situation. Hunting large game like deer, elk, goats, etc a bipod could be a great asset.
 
Well, for daytime calling I’m old school,,, I still like a bipod of some sort, when I’m sitting. Specifically just an old school rubber top shooting sticks. Calling is a close up game for me and I can do a lot of fast maneuvering with one of these. Im just so used to that simple setup. A Hatch bipod is awesome too as well as a lengthened Harris. I really still don’t like anything attached to my rifle most times though.
I have a couple of tripods and they are nice and pretty much do it all…more stable etc. For me though, daytime calling. I’m just not there with tripods yet. For night shooting a tripod is probably the best way to go.
 
Hidalgo said:
I've tried mounted bipods in the past. They have their place at the range or other situations where you know with reason where the shot is going to be. Coyotes & bobcats rarely do what is expected though.

I have used shooting sticks much more often mainly because they offer a bit more maneuverability. Try picking up a mounted bipod and swinging it 45* without causing too much ruckus. Not an easy task.

Although I've not been able to get out for a couple of years, I'm now able to hunt a bit again. And I've found that I do better sitting elevated a few feet and using a tree branch or similar as a rest. I can also use my knee/elbow when sitting.

Lots of variables involved in day-to-day scenarios and if choosing between sticks or a bipod the sticks seem to be more adaptable to me.

Now ........ I'm talking about predator hunting in a calling situation. Hunting large game like deer, elk, goats, etc a bipod could be a great asset.
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Exactly. I hunt daytime only, mostly in knee high grass and realized early on that I might as well be wagging a set of signal flags as attempting a quick 45* shift. Also realized I need just a bit of elevation to see over low bushes and tall grass; not to mention the fact that the older I got the degree of difficulty in getting up, well, we won't go there.
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The sticks are quite handy to poke around in front of you to encourage any creepy critters to move when traversing tall grass. Carrying rifle on it's sling and adding an M1 Garand sling and velcro strap to hold chair collapsed to the chair leaves both hand free en route.
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I’ve seen lots of guys running the tripod set ups at night, and I ca. understand that. The main reason I run an attached bipod like a Harris or Atlas or something, is so I have less going on when I need to swing and readjust. I just didn’t know, seeing these guys hunting with shooting sticks and tripods (day hunting) if there was a reason for it, and it’s a lot better system or what. I’d like to be as effective and efficient as I can be.
 
Tried a number of different stools/chairs before finding this children's camp chair @ Academy years ago. Have replaced bent legs and sewed up canvas on this one several times over the years. Even put a new one on the shelf in case I outlive this one, and that's a good thing because it doesn't look like Academy still carries them.

The only thing I would improve on it is the height of the back would be more supportive/stabilizing when shooting off the sticks.
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hm1996 said:
Tried a number of different stools/chairs before finding this children's camp chair @ Academy years ago. Have replaced bent legs and sewed up canvas on this one several times over the years. Even put a new one on the shelf in case I outlive this one, and that's a good thing because it doesn't look like Academy still carries them.

The only thing I would improve on it is the height of the back would be more supportive/stabilizing when shooting off the sticks.
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That’s a great setup. Glad you found something that fits you well! I can see what you’re meaning by the higher back, I’d bet that would be a bit nicer.

I’m seriously contemplating getting one of those Sly Dog chairs. The only problem I run into all the time with using a chair, is not being able to use my bipod cause it’s to short. That drives me nuts.
 
The only advantage to bipods, as I see it, would be the fact that being attached to the rifle, they would move w/rifle, but the setup above does as well. Note loop on sling serves two purposes, one, keeps sticks from sliding forward dumping rifle if left unattended plus, when you need to make a drastic windage adjustment, grasping sling/sticks with off hand makes the sticks and rifle a unit, if that makes sense.
I use same sling setup on bolt gun and grasp sling/sticks to load the sticks by pulling the rifle back into shoulder.
 
Austin Laughlin said:
The main reason I run an attached bipod like a Harris or Atlas or something, is so I have less going on when I need to swing and readjust.
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Less going on? Sticks are the simplest thing you can use. One hand on them and they adjust instantly. And you already have them in your fingers on the forearm anyway. Obviously everyone has their preferred manner of doing things that they are comfortable with, but I'd suggest trying sticks before you write them off.
 
Austin Laughlin said:
That’s a great setup. Glad you found something that fits you well! I can see what you’re meaning by the higher back, I’d bet that would be a bit nicer.

I’m seriously contemplating getting one of those Sly Dog chairs. The only problem I run into all the time with using a chair, is not being able to use my bipod cause it’s to short. That drives me nuts.
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The Sly Dog looks like it would work fine for a younger fellow, but at 87, I'd need to call a winch truck to get me up after a 30 minute stand. 🤣
 
Hidalgo said:
Less going on? Sticks are the simplest thing you can use. One hand on them and they adjust instantly. And you already have them in your fingers on the forearm anyway. Obviously everyone has their preferred manner of doing things that they are comfortable with, but I'd suggest trying sticks before you write them off.
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^^^^Only picture I have showing (off) hand position used to pull rifle into shoulder and/or to switch left or right quickly, but works same standing or sitting. Shooter grasps sticks & sling together, essentially making the sticks a "bipod".
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I use a monopod and Cabela's bipod that the legs extend on. Sometimes a Harris bipod. At night a Bog Pod Deathgrip. They all work well. The only downside to a monopod is if you have much wind to deal with. But I've killed more coyotes and bobcats off of one of those than anything else.

My brother uses Sniper Styx. They work really well too.
 
At night I'm standing with a ball head (arca plate) tripod. I took the tripod out the last prairie dog run in Sept, I used it with a folding chair. No issue shooting past 200 yards with my carbine. My winter day rifles have 9-13" bipod for prone shots at sleeping fox, coyote. I think for any calling day or night I'm using the tripod, it will go from sitting on the ground to standing(I'm 5'11" barefoot). Then my hands are free. Not much difference between moving the rifle with bipod or tripod attached,other than weight.
 
I used sticks before I got me a bipod.. But the reason I got a bipod is because I was using sticks, had a triple come in and we were sitting on a pretty steep hillside facing north. The triple came in from my hard west side, I gave them time to go behind some brush and I swung to get over on them. My sticks got caught in the rocks and the gun slipped and barrel banged pretty hard on a rock. It was just a mess.

Now I’m not saying it’s totally the sticks fault either. I was dead focused on those 3, maybe I should’ve paid for attention. But all I do know, is I was mad enough at the time, I drove 40 miles into town and got a bipod immediately after and left the sticks somewhere on that hillside.

I’ve since, never had a problem. That’s what I meant by “not as much going on”. My bipod is attached and I don’t have to worry so much about having ahold of my gun, and my sticks, to swing. Just pick the rifle up and go.

I’m not at all saying that’s right either. That’s just how I got it in my head after that situation, that’s why I’m asking.
 
That is why the rubber loop on top of shooting sticks is so important to me. It’s an old design from the 50s and 60s that grips the rifle but also lets you adjust as needed. I never use sticks without that feature…. Not saying the rifle can’t come out of it though… it happens.
I can also slip it off the rifle real quick to shoot off hand if needed…you have to be careful doing that in heat if the moment though.
I’ve used them so long that it’s all second nature concentrating on the animals and at same time manipulating the sticks. …but yeah it can be a cluster.
 
LONEHOWL said:
That is why the rubber loop on top of shooting sticks is so important to me. It’s an old design from the 50s and 60s that grips the rifle but also lets you adjust as needed. I never use sticks without that feature.
I can also slip it off the rifle real quick to shoot off hand if needed…you have to be careful doing that in heat if the moment though.
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That makes a lot of sense. I didn’t have those style of sticks, but know what you’re talking about. It would make sense that it’s a lot better system than standard sticks.
 


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