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

I am looking for advice on what you guys use. I can see pro and cons of both. I understand most elk shot close. But where we hunting there is the chance for some 400 to 500 shots across canyons.

I don't like use stock mounted bi pods on my elk rifle. They add too much weight, unbalance the rifle and won't fit in a scabbard. I carry set of expandable shooting sticks. When I am sitting,I can set them up, if moving in thick timber they get stuck in a pack pocket.Shooting 300-400 yards a person usually has time to get set up

That was my thinking I am thinking about sticks . What brand do you use?

sling. Learn how to use it. Its quick and does the job. Offhand...learn to grab what you can or just deal with it. I wouldn't carry anything just due to an offhand shot.

That said we often use a walking stick or cut one...

Prone, for longer shots, I"ve used my wife as a rest, a backpack, or just a sling.

I've had great success with the Polecat magnum shooting sticks for elk hunting.

They fold and unfold easily with shock-cord connections, are very portable and lightweight.

From a sitting position they are rock solid and usually provide enough elevation to shoot over sagebrush. I'd recommend the magnum version as they are a little stouter. They come with a belt carrier or you can strap them to a backpack. Good piece of gear.

slingblade,

For several years, I have been using the Primos Trigger Sticks Tripod. Greatest shooting aid I have ever used- instantly adjustable for height, whether the shot is best taken from sitting, kneeling, or standing position. The advantages of a tripod system over an attached bipod are several: No forward weight attached to your rifle, far more flexibility in varied terrain and vegetation, and can be used as an aid for steadying binocs when glassing for long periods of time.

I am a BogPod fan, but a lot of the guys around here who guide and hunt for oryx like the trigger sticks. I haven't run across the "magnum" version of the Polecat, so I can't comment on it. The older Polecats were a bit wimpy for me.

My preference is the SteadyStix with 3 legs up front and a short PoleCat bipod under the rifle butt.

Exactamundo. I agree with Rost. I'd highly suggest shooting/practicing in field positions. If having difficulty with offhand shooting, just practice more. A tight sling helps a lot as rost pointed out. Learn to do it right, learn to use your surroundings like trees or sapplings. If you can, get down in a sitting position and learn how to anchor your elbows. A good buddy of mine practices field positions more than I do and can consistently shoot sub moa groups (at 100 yards) from the sitting position. The last time he shot my 9.3x62mm in this manner, he shot a .750" 3 shot group in the sitting position. A lot can be done with a certain amount of practice, no need for bi-pod or shooting stics while hunting elk. To be honest, most elk are shot less than 100 yards away anyway and that's an easy snap shot offhand for most practiced hunters... Since the OP specifically stated "400-500 yard shots across canyons" though, I'd suggest practicing from a pack and leave the extra weight and clutter at the sporting goods store....

I've used a Bog Pod and a Trigger Stick on several elk hunts. I prefer the Bog Pod simply because I've had more experience with it, but both work well. Surprisingly steady for long shots and bullet point of impact in comparison with a bench rest zero seems unaffected.

I bought a set of Primos Trigger Sticks for my son's recent hog hunt, then left them at home. The guide had a pair of 24" dowels held together with a piece of inner tube, and my kid used them to make a perfect shot at just over 100 yards. I have no doubt that they would have worked just as well on a far longer poke.

I'm a big fan of the sling because it works for carrying the rifle and for shooting it. A lot of folks confuse the hasty sling and an actual shooting sling--they're two very different things. Jeff Cooper's book The Art of the Rifle goes into how to use a sling at great length, but he focuses on the Ching sling. The Brownell's Latigo also works for a shooting sling, and doesn't require adding a third stud to your rifle, so it's the one I prefer.

If you carry a day pack, that's a pretty good rest if you're shooting from prone. Just practice with it (or with any other shooting aid) before you leave. It can take a surprising amount of fiddling around to get comfortable with any of them, but the results are definitely worth it.


Okie John

Pretty hard to shoot prone off a pack in 2 ft high brush or 15 inches of snow. I don't think the OP is interested in off hand or field positions. .If so so he would not have asked about bipods.Typical answers on the fire though.

In my early years ,I shot .06 Garands and 03's competitively for abou tten years,and I could do better than average. I was comfortable taking a 100 yard off hand shot at deer or elk . Those leagues were ran from early May to late September, ,twice a month, 50 rounds a match and I shot at least that many in the week between the match. A person isn't going to get competent shooting 10-15 rounds once a week for a month or so on field positions.

Now,at times,I will use trees, stumps, rocks or whatever is handy,but if I am set up,I'll sure go with the most solid rest I can find.A bipod does that for me. I like the ones with a head that swivels and telescoping legs. I had a pair that folded with shock cord and they wer to wobbly.

slingblade, I don't remember when I started using (homemade)sticks.....But it's been a long darn time!! My longest (not that long for some) has been an elk at 400 and most recently an antelope @ 420 and a coyote @ 380 during the "goat" hunt. Sticks can be used for much more than just shooting. Can help with balance in rough terrain also we've used them several times to cross a snow covered rock fields to prevent stepping between rocks and "bust'n" an ankle or leg! memtb

I started with 3' homemade sticks for coyote hunting, (better adapted for a sitting position) and quickly made a pair of 4' for deer/antelope hunting, they work for a good walking stick and steady staff like memtb said.

Even at relatively close ranges they real help steady the shot, or binos when glassing. they are tall enough that a shot can be made over brush and tall grass that often prohibits a prone position, or a rifle attached bipod from getting above.

I've used 4' hardwood dowels with a leather wrap forearm protector, everything to build a set or two can be had at home depot or local hardware store for $4-5 bucks
Desertshooter

Ain't that the truth. Guy asks about bipods and sticks, and gets advice to practice with a sling.

The best long range shooter I know favors a bipod but also uses sticks. And he makes and sells slings.

I won't shoot 500 yds but I use a single trekking pole. With a little practice, I can lay it against my leg while kneeling or sitting, grab it and a bush in one hand for a rest, or improvise any number of positions to use it. It's also very useful for hiking over rough ground. The drawback...aluminum poles are very noisy when whacked against rocks. Carbon poles are much quieter. Keep the rubber tip on. The metal tips are also very noisy.

Use either my pack frame, a free standing bipod, boulders, stumps, or trees. I can not get the desired stability from a single stick unless I have the time and place to get it firmly wedged into some sort of structure.

This is a funny thread among so many pros on this forum that won't hunt with a rifle that weighs more than 6 pounds scoped and loaded.

Slingblade: My Elk Rifle has worn a tall Harris bi-pod for over two decades now (some years ago it was upgraded to the swiveling model) and it has sure served me well.
And I carry a Leica Laser Rangefinder as well.
My Elk Rifle also has a sling and the "balance" does not interfere with me at all.
Best of luck to you whichever method you decide on.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

By itself, my trekking pole is pretty wobbly. However, it's easy to find a way to stabilize it. I can brace it against my leg if sitting or kneeling. A very good way is to grab the pole and a small branch of a bush in the same hand. Then pull the pole away from the bush to get the branch tight. It's almost as rigid as a bipod and a lot faster to use.