Bipod practice? (Sticks)

[Red Leg]

Whichever you plan to use, practice off of them. I religiously do so, and I have been at this a while. Like many of the others, I actually prefer the simplicity and speed of a tripod or bipod. Most I have used in Africa were three pieces of cane held together with a bit of rubber tubing. I understand commercial varieties are more common in South Africa.

 

[buffybr]

I've gone on 6 African hunting trips. Some PH's had 2 leg "sticks", others had 3 legs. All were homemade with leather or rubber innertube strips wrapped around the end for the rifle to rest in. After my first hunt I came home and made a 3 leg set of my own to practice with. I used 6' bamboo sticks from a garden store and rubber innertube wraps.

Sticks with 3 legs are definately more steady that ones with 2 legs. With either one, if your PH or someone stands to the side next to you where you can rest your shooting elbow on their shoulder you will be even more stable.

A few years ago I bought a set of 3 leg "Trigger Sticks." I've used them here at home pronghorn antelope hunting and last year on an Alberta moose hunt. They also make a fair walking stick.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I always do a couple practice set ups with my PHs if they don’t use them but they are slowly becoming more and more common. By 2027 the PH you’ll be hunting with might be using them himself. @RAVEN ROCKS PRECISION has 4 stable sticks for sale under $100 if you’d like to give a try. The biggest advantage I see to the sticks is they nearly eliminate left and right movements so your chance wounding is much reduced.

Or they inhibit your ability to move onto an animal that moves, even slightly ... consequently, chance of wounding being much increased.

 

[PapaPaint]

Whichever you plan to use, practice off of them. I religiously do so, and I have been at this a while. Like many of the others, I actually prefer the simplicity and speed of a tripod or bipod. Most I have used in Africa were three pieces of cane held together with a bit of rubber tubing. I understand commercial varieties are more common in South Africa.

Thank you, “Red Leg”!
The downside of 2027 is the L O N G wait (), but it gives plenty of time for asking the right questions, learning, prep and PRACTICE.

 

[PapaPaint]

I've gone on 6 African hunting trips. Some PH's had 2 leg "sticks", others had 3 legs. All were homemade with leather or rubber innertube strips wrapped around the end for the rifle to rest in. After my first hunt I came home and made a 3 leg set of my own to practice with. I used 6' bamboo sticks from a garden store and rubber innertube wraps.

Sticks with 3 legs are definately more steady that ones with 2 legs. With either one, if your PH or someone stands to the side next to you where you can rest your shooting elbow on their shoulder you will be even more stable.

A few years ago I bought a set of 3 leg "Trigger Sticks." I've used them here at home pronghorn antelope hunting and last year on an Alberta moose hunt. They also make a fair walking stick.

Thank you,

I've gone on 6 African hunting trips. Some PH's had 2 leg "sticks", others had 3 legs. All were homemade with leather or rubber innertube strips wrapped around the end for the rifle to rest in. After my first hunt I came home and made a 3 leg set of my own to practice with. I used 6' bamboo sticks from a garden store and rubber innertube wraps.

Sticks with 3 legs are definately more steady that ones with 2 legs. With either one, if your PH or someone stands to the side next to you where you can rest your shooting elbow on their shoulder you will be even more stable.

A few years ago I bought a set of 3 leg "Trigger Sticks." I've used them here at home pronghorn antelope hunting and last year on an Alberta moose hunt. They also make a fair walking stick.

Thank you, “buffybr”.
Six! I’m jealous!
Thanks for the info and reply.

 

[375Fox]

Or they inhibit your ability to move onto an animal that moves, even slightly ... consequently, chance of wounding being much increased.

I just returned from a hunt. I made two immediate follow up shots on two kudu that just began to run. I was able to get on long herds of springbok and track the ram we wanted until there was a clear shot. The difference between what you write and I write is I’ve made the attempt and learned to use them. Most individuals are not accurate beyond a 100 yards of a tripod regardless how quick they think they are. Accuracy is nearly a given with quad sticks. Speed comes with practice.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Quad sticks do afford more stability for longer shots where going prone on a bipod is not practical due to long grass, inclined terrain, etc. But two hundred yards on the sticks standing is really the limit ... or should be. I once shot a kudu at 330 meters standing off two tripods (fore and aft ... essentially quad sticks). But had my PH told me the distance, I doubt I would have taken the shot. It was a rifle borrowed at last minute that I had just discovered was more than a foot low at 200 yards. But I made it work for second attempt, dropping the bull instantly with a neck shot.

If the animal moves, shooter has to pick up the quad sticks with rifle in it and reposition. With tripod, the shooter can usually stay on the moving animal without having to reposition the sticks. Check out the online videos and you will see almost no one using quad sticks for dangerous game. They do not afford enough flexibility, slow to set up, and dangerous game are typically not long shots. Tripod is the ticket for dangerous game.

 

[BJH65]

I had the same concerns as you. 3 of us have booked a multi bag Cape Buffalo hunt for 2026. It seems many of the PH’s use some type of tripod shooting sticks and I confirmed with my PH that’s what they use. I’m not familiar at all with tripods and have only used the old Stoney Point bipod a few times, quite effectively I might add, while sitting.

Funny on our first Safari to SA and Mozambique in 1997, shooting sticks didn’t seem to be too common although my assistant PH in Mozambique offered to make me some! I simply used nearby trees for most shooting and shot prone once and offhand once.

Anyhow, here’s what I’m doing to prepare for our hunt. I got a set of gen 3 Primos Trigger sticks and also 3 416 Rigby snap caps and I practice throughout our property both life fire and dry firing with the snap caps, always reloading and firing 3 shots at the target.

I also printed out a Cape Buffalo target for dry fire and plan on acquiring a life size target for actual shooting. The tripods are not 100% stable. I recommend watching several videos that show shooting techniques with bipod and tripods, and I believe they are helpful. I believe those quad sticks are much more stable but I wanted to use exactly what my PH will have.

Brendon J

 

[Ontario Hunter]

I had the same concerns as you. 3 of us have booked a multi bag Cape Buffalo hunt for 2026. It seems many of the PH’s use some type of tripod shooting sticks and I confirmed with my PH that’s what they use. I’m not familiar at all with tripods and have only used the old Stoney Point bipod a few times, quite effectively I might add, while sitting.

Funny on our first Safari to SA and Mozambique in 1997, shooting sticks didn’t seem to be too common although my assistant PH in Mozambique offered to make me some! I simply used nearby trees for most shooting and shot prone once and offhand once.

Anyhow, here’s what I’m doing to prepare for our hunt. I got a set of gen 3 Primos Trigger sticks and also 3 416 Rigby snap caps and I practice throughout our property both life fire and dry firing with the snap caps, always reloading and firing 3 shots at the target.

I also printed out a Cape Buffalo target for dry fire and plan on acquiring a life size target for actual shooting. The tripods are not 100% stable. I recommend watching several videos that show shooting techniques with bipod and tripods, and I believe they are helpful. I believe those quad sticks are much more stable but I wanted to use exactly what my PH will have.

Brendon J

For buffalo your PH will want you on the sticks quickly and readjusting quickly if needed. Quad sticks are somewhat handicap in both categories. Shots are typically 50 to 70 yards. The boiler room target is not small, especially at that range. You should be steady enough on tripod. Plains game are often as not longer range whete more rigid quad sticks work better. This is especially the case for kudu in hilly country with thick brush. Quad sticks can be a pain to set up in that environment but a kudu at 250 yards more often than not won't know you're onto him so plenty of time to fiddle with resetting the sticks if needed. But fiddling can be frustrating. Don't get upset or flustered ... note to self!

 

[BJH65]

For buffalo your PH will want you on the sticks quickly and readjusting quickly if needed. Quad sticks are somewhat handicap in both categories. Shots are typically 50 to 70 yards. The boiler room target is not small, especially at that range. You should be steady enough on tripod. Plains game are often as not longer range whete more rigid quad sticks work better. This is especially the case for kudu in hilly country with thick brush. Quad sticks can be a pain to set up in that environment but a kudu at 250 yards more often than not won't know you're onto him so plenty of time to fiddle with resetting the sticks if needed. But fiddling can be frustrating. Don't get upset or flustered ... note to self!

I’m not using quad sticks. I’m practicing with tripod shooting sticks, Primos Gen 3 trigger, like what our PH uses currently. I want to practice with exactly what our PH uses since I’m not taking shooting sticks to SA, will be using theirs. I believe the OP will be using same or similar. Some really good videos online, shooting with tripod shooting sticks with good advice on technique and of course practice, practice!

 

[WyoBull]

In my experience, what makes it pretty simple to shoot off sticks is in your form. Slightly crouched and not standing straight up, if a righty, feet at 10 and 4 or maybe 11 and 6, lean into the bipod just like you would on a bench, put the fore end of your rifle stock into the crevice of the sticks about 4-6 inches back from the end, I personally hold the upper part of the stick with my left index finger over the top of the barrel with just a slight amount of pressure. My right elbow is down toward my right rib cage.
I find this to be a very comfortable way to shoot.

 

[HookMeUpII]

I hunted RSA my first time in May of 2023. There are basically 2 things I would say are absolutely necessary.

1) Practicing off the "sticks".
2) Studying shot placement.

As long as you have enough rifle and good ammo? You do those 2 other things and you'll likely be very successful.

Don't get lost in the weeds with a practice bipod/tripod. I had a Primos trigger-stick tripod at home I was practicing with. Everyone told me "get this" or "get that." It was usually some iteration of a hard-to-find African shooting stick that online small-shops wanted a fortune for. I got to RSA and wouldn't you know it: My PH had the same Primos tripod trigger sticks. I just recommend getting a Primos trigger-stick tripod for practice and call it a day.

Also, shooting animals off of sticks vs. punching paper is actually way, way easier. Punching paper off sticks you'll get target-fixation in the sense you will be over-aiming at the black/bullseye. When you actually put animals in your sights off the sticks, it's actually must less frustrating than chasing groupings on paper. That critical-kill area is actually much bigger than trying to stay on the money with a 100 yd rifle target. Before I left, I had 2-4" groupings at 100 yds off the sticks on paper. I didn't think it was enough. It was more than plenty.

My biggest advice for practicing off sticks/tripod is come up with a repeatable process to set up. Your PH will set the sticks and they quite damn good at it. Every time my PH did, sure enough, that rifle was right at my shoulder height. Rehearse how you will set up on the sticks in terms of hand/finger placement on the rest. After that, work on your breathing and most importantly (IMO), trigger pull. You want to "drag" that trigger back. Don't yank, don't pull, slow drag into the breakover and boom...

I over-practiced (if there is such a thing) and cleaned up when I arrived in RSA.

 

[PapaPaint]

I hunted RSA my first time in May of 2023. There are basically 2 things I would say are absolutely necessary.

1) Practicing off the "sticks".
2) Studying shot placement.

As long as you have enough rifle and good ammo? You do those 2 other things and you'll likely be very successful.

Don't get lost in the weeds with a practice bipod/tripod. I had a Primos trigger-stick tripod at home I was practicing with. Everyone told me "get this" or "get that." It was usually some iteration of a hard-to-find African shooting stick that online small-shops wanted a fortune for. I got to RSA and wouldn't you know it: My PH had the same Primos tripod trigger sticks. I just recommend getting a Primos trigger-stick tripod for practice and call it a day.

Also, shooting animals off of sticks vs. punching paper is actually way, way easier. Punching paper off sticks you'll get target-fixation in the sense you will be over-aiming at the black/bullseye. When you actually put animals in your sights off the sticks, it's actually must less frustrating than chasing groupings on paper. That critical-kill area is actually much bigger than trying to stay on the money with a 100 yd rifle target. Before I left, I had 2-4" groupings at 100 yds off the sticks on paper. I didn't think it was enough. It was more than plenty.

My biggest advice for practicing off sticks/tripod is come up with a repeatable process to set up. Your PH will set the sticks and they quite damn good at it. Every time my PH did, sure enough, that rifle was right at my shoulder height. Rehearse how you will set up on the sticks in terms of hand/finger placement on the rest. After that, work on your breathing and most importantly (IMO), trigger pull. You want to "drag" that trigger back. Don't yank, don't pull, slow drag into the breakover and boom...

I over-practiced (if there is such a thing) and cleaned up when I arrived in RSA.

Thank you, “HookMeUpII”!
This is great info.
- The Primos Trigger Stick tripod has been ordered.
- I will sight in at 200 yards at the range, then we will practice there and also at my brother’s where we have steel at 100 yards.
- I envision repeatedly mimicking a stalk and then getting up on the sticks quickly.
Will practice until hitting a X” gong comes naturally from the sticks.

 

[HookMeUpII]

Thank you, “HookMeUpII”!
This is great info.
- The Primos Trigger Stick tripod has been ordered.
- I will sight in at 200 yards at the range, then we will practice there and also at my brother’s where we have steel at 100 yards.
- I envision repeatedly mimicking a stalk and then getting up on the sticks quickly.
Will practice until hitting a X” gong comes naturally from the sticks.

What caliber are you shooting?

 

[Tra3]

Quad sticks do afford more stability for longer shots where going prone on a bipod is not practical due to long grass, inclined terrain, etc. But two hundred yards on the sticks standing is really the limit ... or should be. I once shot a kudu at 330 meters standing off two tripods (fore and aft ... essentially quad sticks). But had my PH told me the distance, I doubt I would have taken the shot. It was a rifle borrowed at last minute that I had just discovered was more than a foot low at 200 yards. But I made it work for second attempt, dropping the bull instantly with a neck shot.

If the animal moves, shooter has to pick up the quad sticks with rifle in it and reposition. With tripod, the shooter can usually stay on the moving animal without having to reposition the sticks. Check out the online videos and you will see almost no one using quad sticks for dangerous game. They do not afford enough flexibility, slow to set up, and dangerous game are typically not long shots. Tripod is the ticket for dangerous game.

It is incorrect that quad sticks must be picked up to pivot.
To pivot quad sticks for a moving shot, one must only lift one side and move. It is very easy and will still have the rifle balanced in the sticks during the pivot.
@375Fox is correct that practice is required. quad sticks allow a longer shot that and tripod. I shot two moving fallow out of a herd over Xmas in England. First shot was about 200 meters, second was 240 meters. Practice makes it work.

 

[PARA45]

I used a set of Rudolph quad shooting sticks and shooting out of any of the quad sticks it's a game changer. I purchased a set for my 2022 trip to the Eastern Cape, and I practiced with them close to 6 months prior to heading out. I practiced once a week, and I would shoot a 22 LR, followed by a 375 H&H, and I would end the session shooting the 22 LR again. My PHs loved the shooting sticks, and regardless of the terrain, I was always solid. Made some shots with my 375 H&H that would have never made with a regular shooting sticks.

 

[Inline6]

For buffalo your PH will want you on the sticks quickly and readjusting quickly if needed. Quad sticks are somewhat handicap in both categories. Shots are typically 50 to 70 yards. The boiler room target is not small, especially at that range. You should be steady enough on tripod. Plains game are often as not longer range whete more rigid quad sticks work better. This is especially the case for kudu in hilly country with thick brush. Quad sticks can be a pain to set up in that environment but a kudu at 250 yards more often than not won't know you're onto him so plenty of time to fiddle with resetting the sticks if needed. But fiddling can be frustrating. Don't get upset or flustered ... note to self!

I'm happy the Buff I killed did not know this. Quads are fast, never used them before that trip. We played with them at the range for about 15 minutes. That was all the time needed to make the decision. We had RRS tripod (1800.00) and shooting stick from Africa Shooting to choose from. We went with the Viper flex for the speed and stability. People that think you can't use quads in high angle, uneven ground or in rocks. We'll they just have not tried or practiced with them. I also killed a Zebra at 286 yards with them. 30 yards or 300 I'm comfortable with them.

 

[PARA45]

My PH had never used them before, but that night, I had them out, we adjusted them to my height, and my PH practiced setting them up. We never had any hiccups setting them up. @Inline6 said, setting them up in uneven terrain was not an issue.

 

[PapaPaint]

What caliber are you shooting?

300 PRC

 

[PapaPaint]

I hunted RSA my first time in May of 2023. There are basically 2 things I would say are absolutely necessary.

1) Practicing off the "sticks".
2) Studying shot placement.

As long as you have enough rifle and good ammo? You do those 2 other things and you'll likely be very successful.

Don't get lost in the weeds with a practice bipod/tripod. I had a Primos trigger-stick tripod at home I was practicing with. Everyone told me "get this" or "get that." It was usually some iteration of a hard-to-find African shooting stick that online small-shops wanted a fortune for. I got to RSA and wouldn't you know it: My PH had the same Primos tripod trigger sticks. I just recommend getting a Primos trigger-stick tripod for practice and call it a day.

Also, shooting animals off of sticks vs. punching paper is actually way, way easier. Punching paper off sticks you'll get target-fixation in the sense you will be over-aiming at the black/bullseye. When you actually put animals in your sights off the sticks, it's actually must less frustrating than chasing groupings on paper. That critical-kill area is actually much bigger than trying to stay on the money with a 100 yd rifle target. Before I left, I had 2-4" groupings at 100 yds off the sticks on paper. I didn't think it was enough. It was more than plenty.

My biggest advice for practicing off sticks/tripod is come up with a repeatable process to set up. Your PH will set the sticks and they quite damn good at it. Every time my PH did, sure enough, that rifle was right at my shoulder height. Rehearse how you will set up on the sticks in terms of hand/finger placement on the rest. After that, work on your breathing and most importantly (IMO), trigger pull. You want to "drag" that trigger back. Don't yank, don't pull, slow drag into the breakover and boom...

I over-practiced (if there is such a thing) and cleaned up when I arrived in RSA.

Forgot to mention. Based on other posts, I purchased “The Perfect Shot II” book and have been reading it. Great book. I got a chuckle out of seeing in one hunt video…the PH pulled out that book and was showing the hunter where to aim for the day’s planned hunt.