Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Deer Hunting For all you western hunters

For me, it depends on where I am hunting and what the terrain and vegetation is like. I do most of my deer and antelope hunting in eastern Montana. It is wide open with lots of relief and great spot and stalk opportunities. I have shot all my animals except two off of a bipod when in that country. It is easy to stalk to a location where the bipod is useful and, of course, it is rock steady.

When hunting in the mountains for deer or elk, I usually have one in my pack, but I rarely have one on the rifle. I don't think I have ever used one for animals in the mountains. That said, I have shot a lot more animals on the prairie than in the mountains, so I use them quite a lot.

Instead of the Primos Tri-pod I use the short mono-pod and the short bi-pod. They are the right height for sitting down.

That, and the amount of gear some folks on this board pack for a morning hunt boggles my mind. I've been told I take my life into my own hands, and accused of never having had to spend an unplanned night out on the mountain, and if I did I would carry all that gear too.

I just accuse those guys of being a pussy. I've been cold, wet and uncomfortable hunkered beneath a spruce tree for the night several times. I'll take a miserable night every once in a while instead of packing the weight of a full load everywhere I go, "just in case". All my safety gear combined weighs just a few pounds, and it is more than I ever have needed. Different strokes, I guess.

Sorry for the derailment.

When I go out west the guides usually just have me use the hood of the truck, but sometimes find the tailgate a better option.

Harris bipod. Make sure to get the swivel model.