A bipod for sure is steady, but it's only useful if the grass and sage isn't tall enough to be in the way, or if you're not on a decline and the ground in front of you is lower than where your feet and/or butt are. I do carry a bipod on my main deer rifle but only am able to use it half, or less of the time.
I have shot a lot of mule deer off my pack, or just using a tree as a rest, when shooting prone simply isn't an option. I can think of 5 or so mule deer I have shot offhand simply due to there not being a rest handy and I had to shoot now or never and probably 5 more that I shot from sitting.
