Would you recommend shooting sticks?

nmleon, Nothing up here in the northeastern cali mountains pokes ya when you lean back against it.

Soreloser, your right, I know the southern cali deserts as well, I Used to live in Palmdale when I was a kid. I remember runnin barefoot from shade to shade down the streets.

t/c223encore.
 
IMO there are 4 things that are manadatory for calling. A rifle, bino's, calls and shooting sticks!!!

I use sticks for all my hunting, even when hunting with pistols
 
Well, I am too old and my elbows won't reach my knees any more /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/frown.gif ; besides that, if I get down on my belly like a reptile, would need a winch truck to get me back up, so I never leave home without the sticks.:D

We too, have our share of cactus and thorn bush in S. Texas and, like NML said, ya gotta be real careful where ya sit.

Regards,
hm
 
There is a really good deal on a telescopic monopod @ Walmart that I use. It's mossy oak camoed, and has a Y rest at the top with a hand loop and elastic cord to cinch down your rifle. When closed its only 16" long and very easy to carry. Sale price was $7.99 FYI
 
i always take mine when i go call, I also take them when i hunt corps land for deer, where i hunt it's pretty thick and hilly they keep the gun about level with most of the bottoms in that area
 
I bought a set of the sniper sticks and love them. I have also used a bipod, but the sticks are easier to make adjustments to. I also bought a prone bipod for the convenience of always have a place to put my gun and not having to look for a rest, which really works good in the snow or trying to cross a fence alone.
 
Ditched the bipod last year for stix when a dog jumped out beside me and my bipod got caught in some thick stuff,didnt get that one. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/smiliesmack.gif Thumbs up for sticks /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif, thumbs down for bipods.
 
Yep sticks are a must, I just upgraded to the Stoney Point Explorer tripod. /ubbthreads/images/graemlins/grinning-smiley-003.gif
 
I always carry shooting sticks when I hunt with a rifle. I made mine out of a set of tent poles that I salvaged and a piece of bicycle inner tube for the rubber band. I find them more versatile in the stand than a bi-pod. I also use mine to carry my coyotes back to the rig with. I just bring a short length of rope to tie the feet together and then run the sticks through and carry the coyote like a suitcase. Works great.

Knapper
 
I have never used sticks. It seems like I am always on some uneven hill or slope with bushes. I use my knee as my support. So many times the coyote shows up in the hilly deserts that I hunt at 50 yards from a direction I am not expecting.

How do you find sticks to work when you have to make a shot from a direction you are not expecting on uneven ground?

And, does anyone use a Monopod as an alternative?
 
I use Predator sniperstix and hunters specialties shooting sticks. Both are good and the hunters speciaties sticks will hold the gun up with out your assistance so you can switch guns easily. I dont have a problem moving with the sniper stix quickly to any direction and you can always drop them and shoot off hand if needed.
 
Wow, I am suprised at all the positive answers. I made a set out of dowel rods last year and found them too awkward. I rest the rifle over my knee and practice that position quite a bit, but I can see the advantage of sticks if you are comfy with them.
deadhorse
 
They are not shooting sticks.

First a short rant and explanation. Almost every set of commercial sticks I tried fell into one of two categories: flexy flier whips that were so unstable they were useless or made of materials that required 2 bearers to get them from the truck to the stand. So, being an engineering type, the home built solution had to be applied. Two sets of fiberglass poles - think heavy salt water fishing rods - in two lengths, sitting and standing. Those in the southwest have already explained why standing is an important option!

Put a couple of castration rings on the top, some velcro near the bottom to hold them together when walking and - voila, sturdy, light weight sticks. I even whipped some D-rings onto them so they can clip to my Camel-Bak for long treks.

Uses:
walking sticks
snake flipper (for that rattler you weren't looking for)
shooting sticks
hole poker (mainly for rats and snakes)
water depth sensor (yes, there is some in W. Texas!)
bobcat skinning frame
Coleman lantern stand
etc

Finally, they were also used to 'convince' a rabid dog that it was imprudent to surprise me in a creek bottom. Since they were in hand and the rifle was slung, it was much quicker to shove them right down the throat of the dog. And, yes, they were THOROUGHLY disinfected after the incident.

If you are more than a couple of steps away from the truck - you should be carrying them. IMHO.

Bob
 
Quote:
How do you find sticks to work when you have to make a shot from a direction you are not expecting on uneven ground?

And, does anyone use a Monopod as an alternative?



Shooting sticks are easy to move, unlike a bi-pod. They are perfect for uneven ground as you can adjust each leg independently. The Predator Sniper-Styx are very light-weight, but very sturdy and strong. I've used shooting sticks for many years and have made a number of sets of them. I usually carry my Predator Sniper-Styx now and in fact I have two sets. I have one set of regular length and another set with the extensions for when I shoot off a stool. Shooting sticks are easy to make and can be made in any number of configurations, but the Predator Sniper-Styx are referred by me. I'll share a couple of photos of some of my homemade sticks.


These can be used as a tripod or bi-pod.
IMG_1735.jpg


IMG_1734.jpg


IMG_1733.jpg



One problem with sticks that are joined with a shock-cord is that the bottom half sometimes sticks in soft soil when you try to move them.
IMG_1737.jpg


IMG_1738.jpg


halfinchshootstixtops.jpg


halfinchcrutchtips.jpg



You'll have a hard time beating these: http://www.predatorsniperstyx.com/

Get the extra leg to make them into a tripod and a set of leg extensions and you'll have all bases covered. I have 6 sets of homemade shooting sticks, but since using the Predator Sniper-Styx I was so impressed that I bought a second set.
 
Thanks for that link Weasel, that is really a neat site! I have a Snipe Pod that I really do like, but am thinking strongly about buying their shooting stick as it really looks good.
 
I went 35 years using the shooting sticks hanging from my shoulders (arms/elbows) and they still work just fine. I shoot from a stool most times, prop my elbows on my knees, then raise up on balls of my feet or even toes if shot needs more elevation; all this if a good supported shot is needed, but most called coyotes are at ranges from 15-40 yards, so I just use one elbow on one knee.
I gave my pard a pair of sticks last winter due to his piss poor shooting,and admittedly, they have uped his percentages greatly,and he keeps telling me I need to use them. I did give two different pair a try last winter,I tried the snyper stix and the Howey sticks, but for the life of me just can't get used to them. They are either in the way and I have to ditch them to make the shot, or I end up leaving them at the stand and have to trudege back to retrieve them when I get to the truck.
It's called "calling coyotes" for a reason to my mind, I call, the coyote comes into reasonable range 15-40 yards, I prop my elbow on my knee,shoot, and the coyote tips over....I live in a simple world I guess:)
 
Last edited:
I'm kinda like ChiliRojo on this one. For probably the first 10 years or so that I called coyotes I didn't even really know what shooting sticks were, never used them, I did all my shooting sitting with elbows on knees. I really never had a big problem hitting called critters since they usually were not real far off. I started hunting with a buddy of mine that used to carry around these two sticks lashed together with a leather boot lace, he said it really helped his shooting. Those were the first sticks I tried and will admit, for longer shots I can shoot better off them. For a long while now, I always carry my sticks and pad to each stand, don't always use the sticks, still shoot a lot elbows on knees, but I like having them with me.
 
Last edited:
Back
Top