Great Makeshift Rifle Rest For Tatanka Hunting
- Thread starter .308 Norma
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Armored farmer
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After missing a pig in texas, I've been thinking about making some cross sticks.
We use 'em in our BP rifle competitions sometimes.
We use 'em in our BP rifle competitions sometimes.
OP
OP
.308 Norma
Member
Yeah, I've never done it myself, but I've watched some of those competitors in BPCR shoots do some amazing work using a set of cross sticks. It's pretty neat when they almost have time to lay their rifle down in the time between when they shoot and a 500 meter steel ram topples over.
My father in law makes a pile and leaves them in his truck. When he gets out to check an area he takes a set, and if he shoots leaves it behind when he goes to get the animal. Ive used a couple of his discarded sticks to good effect since they also mark what are usually the best overlooks in an area lol.
So part of your scouting for sign is looking for discarded shooting sticks?
That's hilarious.
buck460XVR
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Seeing how high the ladder sight is, he probably needs the rest.
Aletheia
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I have a good idea where there are a few sets of shooting sticks made from doweling and "forgotten" in the heat of the moment. They're so cheap to make, I won't walk very far to retrieve any of them, but I bet I could find many of them if I tried. I seldom shoot off hand except in very fast, very close situations.
Shooting sticks have been around forever, but lots of guys are just now rediscovering them. I've never made any, but have 2 sets I bought. One is made from shock corded aluminum poles that will break down really small and light in a daypack. It is only good seated or prone, but I almost never go hunting without them. I have another set that uses telescoping poles that will extend enough to be used standing or kneeling to shoot over grass. They are steadier and I can do pretty well with them. But they take up a lot more room in a pack and are heavier. I've been known to simply extend them and use it as a walking stick in some terrain. It does take practice to use them.
I have a set of big pod ones that I carry in my pack. They are light. Combined with a sling from a seated position, it's dead steady.
I want to make a walking stick pair. I think it would be useful.
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YUP!
That a nice looking set up for sticks. I like the rear rest component. Can you post some pics of that design?
Aletheia
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I practice shooting from sticks while seated (and kneeling) by shooting gophers at "longish" ranges. Wandering around in a field trying to shoot gophers at 150- 250 yards in the constant wind wherever they live, sharpens the technique very well, and I find sticks get me above the weeds much easier than the tripods I've tried. Seldom get to shoot prone, and there is just no point in me trying to shoot gophers off hand.
It's actually just crossed sticks at the front. I bent a pair of little Haole Koa trees over and crossed them behind the rear sling swivel to hold the rifle for the picture.
That green thing is actually my Fils tower stand, but his sticks and lawn chair were next to it, so I assumed that it was better to stay down.
Found out why when I climbed up to take a nap on the platform the day after.
You stick out like a sore thumb, and the thing sways so bad in the wind it would be a real challenge making the 200-300yd shot across the ravine.
That green thing is actually my Fils tower stand, but his sticks and lawn chair were next to it, so I assumed that it was better to stay down.
Found out why when I climbed up to take a nap on the platform the day after.
You stick out like a sore thumb, and the thing sways so bad in the wind it would be a real challenge making the 200-300yd shot across the ravine.
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Do you support your trigger hand elbow on your knee or do you free hand it like in the picture in the OP?
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Well that explains it! The last time I was hunting elk I couldn’t find a Haole Koa tree to rest on..
Well that explains it! The last time I was hunting elk I couldn’t find a Haole Koa tree to rest on..
lol, yeah I don't think they would do well in the cold, tho who knows....I don't know what the real name is for those
Those sticks are made from them also. Springy and strong enough I could lean into them pretty hard, which made taking that shot a lot easier since i had to do it from a partial standing position.
redneck2
Member
I carry a bipod type rest when deer or turkey hunting. If shooting from a blind at deer, we usually use fold up camping chairs. The sticks telescope. You can put your elbow on the chair armrest. It’s close to as solid as a bench. Did this on prairie dog hunts and we’re getting hits at 300+ yards consistently.
Also use them for turkeys. It isn’t so much for accuracy, but I use a SP-10 that’s maybe ten pounds loaded. Holding it up more than a few minutes is impossible
Also use them for turkeys. It isn’t so much for accuracy, but I use a SP-10 that’s maybe ten pounds loaded. Holding it up more than a few minutes is impossible
Aletheia
Member
I support what I can with whatever I can as the shot presents itself. Sometimes it's a classic "sit", sometimes I'm sitting on one foot, sometimes it's actually kneeling - the height I need often dictates. If I am just walking a big "gopher patch" the shots are often catch as catch can, and I do whatever is necessary to steady the sights. I like the unpredictable nature of the set ups because you learn to work quickly and steadily. If I can get my back up against a tree, or rock, or maybe a truck tire, I can be almost bench steady over the sticks, and the practice is invaluable for hunting season.
Chuck R.
Member
Back when I competed with BPCRs I used two sets of sticks, prone for silhouette and sitting for the buffalo matches (buff guys didn't believe in prone). Both of my sets were oak 1x2s with felt linings and had fairly robust spikes. In both prone and sitting I kept my support hand keeping the buttstock into my shoulder and just let the barrel ride on the sticks. I now shoot with a tripod the same way, tucked with elbows on my knees and support hand on the buttstock, left elbow on left knee.
Each of my BPRS have electrical tape wrapped on the barrels as an indices point for the sticks to maintain consistency.
Practicing on my 385 meter turkey swinger:
Standard "prone of sticks position":
Each of my BPRS have electrical tape wrapped on the barrels as an indices point for the sticks to maintain consistency.
Practicing on my 385 meter turkey swinger:
Standard "prone of sticks position":
Random 8
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Not just for tatanka! I routinely use a set of ski poles for a rest while hunting coyotes on skis or snowshoes.
Patocazador
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I have read (50 times or more) never to rest your barrel on a solid object. They said to rest the forearm instead. Is that a fallacy?
Chuck R.
Member
No, it's generally true.
In this instance, the benefits outweigh the possible negatives. The sticks act like a fulcrum and the further out they are, the steadier. Note the felt linings I use on my sticks, I never saw another competitor resting his barrel on "raw" wood, all had some sort of padding. Also a lot of guys, myself included did their load development/refinement off of their sticks. Some guys went even further and made little bench crossed sticks to simulate actual shooting conditions.
Also, most of these games allow for "sighters" that also account for the barrel on a solid object effect to some extent. In silhouette a normal bank of animals is 10 tgts for score, in a total of 12minutes, but there's a swinger to shoot sighters on that's included in your time 1st bank time of 7 minutes.
Also keep in mind most guys are using a #1 barrel profile which is a good sized chunk of steel, not really sure how badly resting on a set of sticks screws with the harmonics of one.
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