My Harris bipod is one of the shorter ones and when not in use, it does throw off the balance of the rifle for me...I very seldom shoot prone, due to usually having grass or brush that is higher than my line of sight and if I have to pivot my rifle, they tend to hang up and make the movement more awkward for me...
At least with my homemade shooting sticks, I can pivot more easily and my line of sight is much higher when seated...
The only time I use mine is when I'm shooting off of a stable object, such as a car hood or table...