Jim Golden
AH veteran
Hi everyone,
I see a lot of discussion on here about using shooting sticks. I've seen some that have four sticks and these diagonal links that look really complicated. The ones I've looked at buying were either a monopod or more likely two sticks that form an "X" where the top legs of the X are about 1.5" long and the bottom legs are 5' or so.
I've never used shooting sticks before. I've either shot off a stand up bench (for the Big Boomers) or a sit down bench (for the Mortal cartridges) but most of my hunting has been either get a rest off a tree, or just shoot offhand.
It seems like a lot of the range that you shoot the dangerous stuff at is under 70 yards. I'm not saying that I'm "Super Shot" or "Annie Oakley" or anything like that, but I can hit a frisbee at 70 yards off hand easily enough. At 40 yards I could probably hit the end of a soup can.
I'm just curious as to the use of sticks for these close in shots. I would think you could simply shoot off hand and drop the critter at that range. Especially with these big heavy rifles that hold very steadily.
On my.375 Weatherby, shooting off a Rubbermaid box on the back of an ATV (that's my high tech stand up bench) I can pretty much hit a 1" square rock at 80 yards every time. Maybe I could do that off sticks....I think I probably could. And, that is better than offhand. But, at 80 yards offhand, I could keep them in a 6" circle easily enough at that range and much better if I was slow and took my time.
Anyway, I was just curious about the sticks. I don't want to come off as cynical and say they're just a band-aid for guys who don't practice enough. But, I could see them as a "portable bench" that would make it way way easier to hit a big target than just shooting offhand. I wouldn't attempt a 200 yard shot just off hand standing up....maybe sitting down with a rest on my knee. But with sticks, I wouldn't hesitate to shoot that far.
I'd like to get a set and practice with them. I don't want the four post kind with all the diagonals....I'd be happy with a simple two leg V type set and that leaves me totally free on the "behind the sticks" movement.
Anyway, just curious....
I see a lot of discussion on here about using shooting sticks. I've seen some that have four sticks and these diagonal links that look really complicated. The ones I've looked at buying were either a monopod or more likely two sticks that form an "X" where the top legs of the X are about 1.5" long and the bottom legs are 5' or so.
I've never used shooting sticks before. I've either shot off a stand up bench (for the Big Boomers) or a sit down bench (for the Mortal cartridges) but most of my hunting has been either get a rest off a tree, or just shoot offhand.
It seems like a lot of the range that you shoot the dangerous stuff at is under 70 yards. I'm not saying that I'm "Super Shot" or "Annie Oakley" or anything like that, but I can hit a frisbee at 70 yards off hand easily enough. At 40 yards I could probably hit the end of a soup can.
I'm just curious as to the use of sticks for these close in shots. I would think you could simply shoot off hand and drop the critter at that range. Especially with these big heavy rifles that hold very steadily.
On my.375 Weatherby, shooting off a Rubbermaid box on the back of an ATV (that's my high tech stand up bench) I can pretty much hit a 1" square rock at 80 yards every time. Maybe I could do that off sticks....I think I probably could. And, that is better than offhand. But, at 80 yards offhand, I could keep them in a 6" circle easily enough at that range and much better if I was slow and took my time.
Anyway, I was just curious about the sticks. I don't want to come off as cynical and say they're just a band-aid for guys who don't practice enough. But, I could see them as a "portable bench" that would make it way way easier to hit a big target than just shooting offhand. I wouldn't attempt a 200 yard shot just off hand standing up....maybe sitting down with a rest on my knee. But with sticks, I wouldn't hesitate to shoot that far.
I'd like to get a set and practice with them. I don't want the four post kind with all the diagonals....I'd be happy with a simple two leg V type set and that leaves me totally free on the "behind the sticks" movement.
Anyway, just curious....