How many of you are considering a tri-pod to shoot off of for hunting?

I'm going from memory here, but in 2009 when I did my antelope hunt, the guide had these jointed sticks, tube shaped with an elastic cord inside the tube. IIRC, there were four segments to each side. I used it as if they were two crossed sticks. Personally, I felt they weren't must steadier than from the kneeling position I was lining up on the goat. Nonetheless the shot was good and the goat went down.

In 2019 on my last elk hunt, things were tough. Cow elk were as scarce as hen's teeth. This ranch which usually has about a 90% success rate on the cow cull hunt was running about 40% at best that year. My guide worked his butt off tryin to find an elk for me and he really earned his pay. On the last day we spotted a cow in some thick brush. He set up a tripod, something I'd never used before so I rested my hand in the portion meant to hold the rifle with the rifle on my cupped hand. very steady but I just could not find a hole in that brush to where I'd be confident of my shot. The elk moved out We moved to try and cut her off but she was leaving. By this time it was getting pretty dark and there wasn't much shooting light left when she broke out of the brush and was running as fast as she could. Her luck ran out at roughly 75 yards.
Frankly, the tripod was nice, especially if someone else is carrying it for me. I can usually find something for a rest so never worried about sticks or tripod. Guess I'll just pass on them.
Paul B.
 
I've been considering the BOG Deathgrip Infinite ... but wow $$$
I just have to get past that.
About $300? That's considered quite inexpensive in the world of tripods. I consider my Bog Deathgrip a bargain. Not as fancy as many, but 1/2 or 1/3 the cost...

Guy
 
not yet, at 63 will still put my belly in the dirt and shoot off a bipod with rear support if I can't hit my target offhand. but I'm sure that day is coming.
 
I've been running a Gunwerks tripod with a Arca rail on my 6.5prc (http://www.gunwerks.com/shop/pd-g2050-revic-stabilizer-hunter-tripod-22103#attr=) . I forgot the bipod for the gun and my son shot his cow elk off it from prone. Its hard to get as low with it but with the legs all the way out it can be shot from prone . I can see where there are times a tripod would be way better than a bipod. The taller you go with a bipod the less stable they are where a good tripod is about the same at different heights. I bought another one off of Amazon as well but it's nearly twice as heavy. It has a really right stuff head, which is better than the Gunweks, but they are way heavier ( https://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B09466SQWN/ref=ppx_yo_dt_b_asin_title_o02_s02?ie=UTF8&psc=1 ).
 
Midway USA has the Bog Pod Death Grip on sale.

JD338
 
I have used shooting sticks for years. Sitting position, leaned against something and been very successful. Can also use your backpack the the "third leg" to support your chest when sitting.

Prone seems challenging with the terrain I am mostly in.

This year started to use trekking poles with the Wiser connection. Like the poles for hiking with weigh and climbing/going down. The Wiser connectors work well, maybe a tweak or two to improve. They need an indicator of the to position to separate.


Using trekking poles, keeps everything usable and without having to pack too much extra stuff (shooting tripod)

The trekking poles also work for supporting the binos for glassing, which help tremendously. Much more time glassing than shooting.
 
I purchased a Death Grip Bog Pod specifically for supporting my Pig whacking gun in the blind. It has a thermal scope & I cannot look thru the eyepiece for the duration of the hunt......staring into the dark. The scope has the Bluetooth feature enabling me to watch the activity on my iPad. With the gun already on the tripod I can simply mount it and shoot.

For regular daylight hunting I carry my shooting sticks and have never been disappointed with them.
 
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I have used various crossed sticks and single trigger sticks for decades, but IMHO nothing that's field expedient works as well as a tripod. A few years ago I needed one but hesitated to spend the money. However I did have an older tripod we used for cameras and a spotting scope. It worked very well, mostly for turkey hunting with a flintlock.
The photo of a blind with my .308 is a good example as I set up the blind one afternoon and killed a 9 point shortly after daylight the next morning. I was sitting uphill on an old roadbed when he chased a doe out at the very end of the road where I hoped to get a good broadside shot. But he never slowed then turned uphill and came at a run on the side of the road. One shot and he was down. I later stepped it off and it was 275 yards from my blind to where fell. That makes a tripod worth the money and trouble.
I killed an 8 point in Oklahoma one year using a forked branch the guide had cut. Luckily I had plenty of time to work things out for a steady shot. We estimated the shot between 250 and 300 yards. The key with the single stick is place it behind the knee and push it against the leg with the other knee, done right and it becomes very sturdy and stable. I worked out shots from several positions before I got my shot so I was ready.
I am very much in favor of tripods. I want clean kills the first shot and a tripod helps me accomplish this.
 
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