Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting Steady rifle support in a ladder stand

I had a little buyer's remorse over the weekend. I snagged a couple of buddy stands off Sportsman's Guide last month. I finally got to put one up over the weekend. Yikes! If I had good sense, I'd ship them back. However, I'd lose a day getting it off the tree and getting it boxed back up. I'm trying to make the most of a bad situation.

The big problem with the stand is the size of the shooting rail. I did not realize it until I was sitting up there in it; this thing is tiny by comparison to all the other buddy-type ladder stands I've ever used. The shooting rail is about 6 inches lower and about six inches closer in. It is just too short and too close to use it as a good rest for a rifle. It might work if I was a 90 lb kid, but I'm a walking landform-- 6'4"/300 lbs.

My question to y'all is this as follows: In a few instances I have seen folks use an overhead rope to provide a steady rest for a rifle. If this is a viable alternative, I would like to investigate it. Has anyone ever seen or used such a rig? What is your experience?

The other possibility is using a monopod-type shooting stick. I've kind of done that before. I used to take a broomstick up the tree with me and use it to steady my shots. The quarters are so cramped, however, I'm not sure I could get it to work.

Remove the damned rail.

I have used a forked stick in the past when muzzle loader hunting. Turn the stick upside down, with the fork over a ladder rung, for a monopod. Only works for the ones in front, but in back you can use the tree that the ladder is against. You could also build your own rail, as I have on several home made stands. miles

I've avoided stands with rails as I feel they restrict my movement too much, especially on close shots.

This looks like a perfect invention for your needs.



http://www.manventureoutpost.com/pr...7f8TX_v-aZrR3W2ASNcLVRdJIH5N0aAgMI8P8HAQ

buy you a 20.00 conduit bender and go to a hardware store and buy a few 10ft sections and make your own shooting rail. i always buy the cheaper ladderstands that do not come with shooting rails because they usually suck. they are to low in most cases and weakly made. i make my own and pad them with pipe insulation.

I've used a telescoping mono pod and it helped tremendously when shooting 200+ yards.