Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Elk Hunting Bipod or shooting sticks for elk hunting

This is my intention for my Oct elk hunt.....to shoot from a trekking pole. I've shot a lot off various single stick arrangements, and find it highly effective and simple to use.

Whatever you use, make sure to spend some range time shooting at distance with it to be sure all is working as expected prior to the hunt.

Or if you use two poles just loop the straps over the top of the opposite pole, cross them, and use both.

That's what I do, and it's very stable.

Neither. You should be able to take up to a 150 yard shot in any position, including standing, and hit a 10" circle. If that's not possible, range time is in order. If it's beyond that range, my experience is such that some sort of alternative rest is available, e.g. tree stump, fallen log, standing tree, backpack, boulder, etc. For me, less is better during elk season, I like to be light and mobile. If you have time to take out shooting sticks, then you have time to take off your pack and use it as a rest. If you are thinking about a 500 yard shot, the rifle has to be on a solid rest, not wobbly sticks supported by your weak hand.

Wait until you get a few more decades under your belt, you might just think differently. A month at the range firing every day,is not going to get the average hunter proficient in off hand shooting. A back pack cannot be used as rest when the brush is 2 ft tall or 15 inch snow or such. Some folks do not have access to range every day.The one I belong to is 45 miles away.

Even if a person is able, a rest is always advisable if available and there is time vs off hand shooting.
I have taken an elk almost every year for the last 30+ years and I'd bet I did not use an off hand shot butv2-3 times and that was when the elk was probably 50 feet or less away

You're obviously not experienced with a good pair of sticks. Much quicker to deploy than taking off your pack, and like SS said, your pack won't elevate you above ground cover.





With the right technique and the right situation, good sticks are not wobbly, and a bipod is very solid.

Agreed. At 69 I'm not sure an offhand shot would be my best option. I use walking sticks and loop the wrist bands around the others handle. Works great and is fast. I have also been out there for 30+ years, although I only have 22 elk, and like SS I have had very few shots under 100 yards. Over that and I will need support. My walking sticks are great for keeping me off the ground in the snow and shooting over 100 yards. I also have a Trigger Stick and the walking sticks are overall better, faster and just as effective. Also, a tree is not always available.

Take a look at the Snipepod

Shooting sticks are my preferred choice.

I use tomato stakes from the hardware store, 48" tall. They are aluminum, coated with a green plastic. Fairly stout, and at $1 dollar apiece, I have several sets.


I just can't rely on finding a bush, branch or other support when I spot game in the field (Colorado).

Shooting sticks and a laser range finder are very important to me. Once I know the range, the sticks allow me to take the shot if I choose to.

I started using sticks about 20+ years ago, while coyote hunting. Pre-sticks, coyotes over 200 yards were probably safe. Post-sticks, coyotes are toast to about 400-450yds.

I'd get some collapsible sticks that can fit in your pack in such a way they can be deployed quickly. A good bipod is generally steadier than sticks, but they are also heavier and more cumbersome to pack on an elk hunt. Since you said there is a chance for 4-500 yard shots, there is likely an even higher chance for 2-300 yards shots. Sticks are worth their weight in gold for the mid-range shots. Sticks will take the shake right out of a 275 yard shot... Sticks give you the advantage of shooting from anywhere because you won't always have a tree or rock handy when the moment to shoot arrives.

Whatever you do buy, practice with them. You don't want your first time using them to be on the elk hunt. Ringing steel or shooting varmints while shooting off your sticks will help you know the strengths and weaknesses. I'd no more head afield without my sticks than without my binoculars. They make the semi-difficult shot almost a slam dunk. You may not need them, but if you do they might just make the difference on punching a tag or not.

Me too and I totally agree. Hunting coyotes is what led me to using sticks for hunting virtually everything. I happen to use the Snipepod and it works well for my needs, but there is lots of good supports available.

Mine are Vanguard,Model Quest B38. Telescoping aluminum tube legs with foam grips. Swivel head.The head unscrews easily and I can mount my camera or binoculars on it. I have an elastic strap on it and I Can carry it across my shoulder.It also extends far enough that I can use it as a walking stick.

http://www.vanguardworld.us/photo_video_us/quest-b38.html#go-sectionTop

Thanks for all the replies and advice. Last year I was hunting heavy cover and elk were high. This year I planning on two plans. One for high at or above timberline. And hunting in heavy cover. Weather drives this. I am a fan of a light rifle. I shoot a hells canyon Long range. Around 7 pounds with scope.

Generally if you are making off hand shots, the hunt has gone to hell. Shoot with sticks,they will effectively double your range. After shooting prone at distance this morning,my 11year old son shot a 3" 6 shot group off his sticks at 164 yds. I shot a 3 shot group of 1.25". We shoot off our sticks a lot. Do that off hand, or with a sling.I almost never kill a coyote,(or anything else) off hand.

I am looking at bog pod and trigger sticks you guys that have them what do they weigh as weight is a thing when hiking ten miles a day

Check out the SnipePod too, they may be what you're looking for.

If you want to pack those awkward, heavy, clunky things 10 miles a day, you're a tougher man than me.....

I'm too tired to read all the posts. My 2 cents, Harris bipod. I use the bigger guy that allows me to shoot it sitting Indian style. Don't know the model #. Used it in Africa and all over Arizona and Colorado for elk and muledeer. On a Weatherby Mark 5 300 Weatherby mag with a BC stock. Bit big and troublesome on the shoulder but it takes a 300 yard shoot off a backpack and turns it into a 500 yard last light monster buck shot.but

I tried a Snipe Pod and bipod, then settled on the Primos Trigger Stick tripod. I killed a bull off it at 346 yards, rock steady.





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I agree that if a rest is available it should be used. On the other issues, I have to politely disagree. In 33 years of deer and elk hunting, I can only recall maybe three times a rest was used and I don't recall a shot over 200 yards. I totally understand everyone's hunting situation will be different, but that's over 3 decades of experience for me. And I strongly disagree with the shooting skill part. Any hunter ethically taking game needs to be proficient with their weapon. Period. If that means the hunter only shoots off a rest, so be it, as long as they are proficient in that manner. The range part doesn't fly with me either. Standing, kneeling, sitting, prone can all be practiced using a BB/pellet gun in a garage, even more so with dry firing. Ask any pro shooter how they got good...dry firing will be top of the list. If hunters can find a way to travel 1000's of miles to hunt, they can surely drive 45 miles a few times to practice beyond that of their BB gun.