I always carry sticks with me and really like them. When elk hunting I use the lightweight flimsy folding kind like an elastic tent pole, but I broke those this year in the cold shooting a muley buck so since then I've been carrying a set of bog pod sticks, which worked for a couple of deer and an antelope. They're not as handy but very solid and not too much trouble. I'm going to fix the folders for next elk season - easy to carry in my left hand loose or along the fore end of my rifle, or folded up and stowed in my pack. I like to shoot kneeling or sitting and they help a lot to get a solid rest in the field, especially in sage or grassland but even in open timber they can be very useful if you get a sudden opportunity a little way out and can't move to a tree in time to shoot. I think they are minimal annoyance while on patrol and lots of help when the time comes.