Sticks or no sticks?

[Ontario Hunter]

I never used shooting sticks till the first day hunting Africa in 2019. Had never even seen them used. Fifty years of solo stalking heavy timber in the US West and Northwest Ontario, I always had a natural rest near at hand or shots were so close no support was needed. Four animals in the salt before noon, three of them off the sticks in as many shots. The warthog shot offhand and impala was taken at 280 yards, the second longest shot of my life at that point. Needless to say, shooting sticks impressed me ... for that kind of hunting. Less impressed the next day hunting springbuck. The little buggers were on the move and as usual little cover available. Setting up the sticks exposed us with too much movement too long. I wound up taking a fine ram at two hundred yards from prone off a rest. That afternoon I had to come off the sticks to shoot a gemsbuck twice incoming full tilt at very close range. Over the next four days I failed to connect several times on kudu both on and off the sticks before discovering my new scope was wonky. Rifle fell off the seat after the gemsbuck was loaded. I finally shot a bull kudu in the waning light of my last afternoon at 330 yards with a rental rifle resting on sticks fore and aft. Over the next three safaris I became less convinced sticks are the godsend many claim. I shot several animals on the fly offhand and hit them well. I had trouble connecting with sticks on more than one occasion when the animals were moving or the ground was uneven. Even my PH eventually half joked that I probably shoot as well or better off the sticks than on. It seems I often place too much confidence in my ability to shoot with sticks. Shooting offhand at a fixed target requires more concentration. Shooting offhand at moving targets requires less concentration = from instinct. But of course those must be close range shots only with no chance to set up. Though I really do not care for the sitting position, it seems I do shoot very well that way when the situation demands, i.e. animal 200 yards away looking at me and ready to take off. I have made a couple of good shots off bipods but have concluded they are more hassle than benefit. Way too long to set up and only can be used in very limited situations. They are a genuine pain in the ass to carry attached to a rifle.

I will hunt Africa with sticks but from now on I will not hesitate to decline them. In North America they are simply not applicable. For my style of hunting anyway.

 

[G Skinner]

Always find a rest ....so sticks it is !

 

[pilar]

I never used shooting sticks till the first day hunting Africa in 2019. Had never even seen them used. Fifty years of solo stalking heavy timber in the US West and Northwest Ontario, I always had a natural rest near at hand or shots were so close no support was needed. Four animals in the salt before noon, three of them off the sticks in as many shots. The warthog shot offhand and impala was taken at 280 yards, the second longest shot of my life at that point. Needless to say, shooting sticks impressed me ... for that kind of hunting. Less impressed the next day hunting springbuck. The little buggers were on the move and as usual little cover available. Setting up the sticks exposed us with too much movement too long. I wound up taking a fine ram at two hundred yards from prone off a rest. That afternoon I had to come off the sticks to shoot a gemsbuck twice incoming full tilt at very close range. Over the next four days I failed to connect several times on kudu both on and off the sticks before discovering my new scope was wonky. Rifle fell off the seat after the gemsbuck was loaded. I finally shot a bull kudu in the waning light of my last afternoon at 330 yards with a rental rifle resting on sticks fore and aft. Over the next three safaris I became less convinced sticks are the godsend many claim. I shot several animals on the fly offhand and hit them well. I had trouble connecting with sticks on more than one occasion when the animals were moving or the ground was uneven. Even my PH eventually half joked that I probably shoot as well or better off the sticks than on. It seems I often place too much confidence in my ability to shoot with sticks. Shooting offhand at a fixed target requires more concentration. Shooting offhand at moving targets requires less concentration = from instinct. But of course those must be close range shots only with no chance to set up. Though I really do not care for the sitting position, it seems I do shoot very well that way when the situation demands, i.e. animal 200 yards away looking at me and ready to take off. I have made a couple of good shots off bipods but have concluded they are more hassle than benefit. Way too long to set up and only can be used in very limited situations. They are a genuine pain in the ass to carry attached to a rifle.

I will hunt Africa with sticks but from now on I will not hesitate to decline them. In North America they are simply not applicable. For my style of hunting anyway.

Well you’re in the super hero zone or a legend in your own mind on shooting ability
I found that the average hunter doesn’t have enough skill or experience with a rifle to be trusted without sticks or a bipod or some other kind of rest !
I had hundreds of hunters from 1990 - 2016 hunting deer, nilgai, pronghorn on the open coastal plain and west Texas prairie
Yes a bipod is a PIA but it was a request few hunters declined when I did a paper plate test @. 200 meters and they failed ( gotta hit a white paper plate in their preferred position) sticks are awesome tool when shooting a heavy caliber in taller grass.
To each their own when out hunting on their own .but an experienced guide will always be relieved when the hunter sets the ego aside when the chips are on the table!

 

[cajunchefray]

I never used shooting sticks till the first day hunting Africa in 2019. Had never even seen them used. Fifty years of solo stalking heavy timber in the US West and Northwest Ontario, I always had a natural rest near at hand or shots were so close no support was needed. Four animals in the salt before noon, three of them off the sticks in as many shots. The warthog shot offhand and impala was taken at 280 yards, the second longest shot of my life at that point. Needless to say, shooting sticks impressed me ... for that kind of hunting. Less impressed the next day hunting springbuck. The little buggers were on the move and as usual little cover available. Setting up the sticks exposed us with too much movement too long. I wound up taking a fine ram at two hundred yards from prone off a rest. That afternoon I had to come off the sticks to shoot a gemsbuck twice incoming full tilt at very close range. Over the next four days I failed to connect several times on kudu both on and off the sticks before discovering my new scope was wonky. Rifle fell off the seat after the gemsbuck was loaded. I finally shot a bull kudu in the waning light of my last afternoon at 330 yards with a rental rifle resting on sticks fore and aft. Over the next three safaris I became less convinced sticks are the godsend many claim. I shot several animals on the fly offhand and hit them well. I had trouble connecting with sticks on more than one occasion when the animals were moving or the ground was uneven. Even my PH eventually half joked that I probably shoot as well or better off the sticks than on. It seems I often place too much confidence in my ability to shoot with sticks. Shooting offhand at a fixed target requires more concentration. Shooting offhand at moving targets requires less concentration = from instinct. But of course those must be close range shots only with no chance to set up. Though I really do not care for the sitting position, it seems I do shoot very well that way when the situation demands, i.e. animal 200 yards away looking at me and ready to take off. I have made a couple of good shots off bipods but have concluded they are more hassle than benefit. Way too long to set up and only can be used in very limited situations. They are a genuine pain in the ass to carry attached to a rifle.

I will hunt Africa with sticks but from now on I will not hesitate to decline them. In North America they are simply not applicable. For my style of hunting anyway.

I’ve consulted with a few experienced African hunters regarding tripod sticks. Consistently, the advice given was practice with sticks, and be able to get on sticks and make the shot in 3 seconds.
That takes a lot of practice.
I’m still working on this.
Some hunters are good making a shot, offhand in 3 seconds.
Sticks can just get in the way.

Just my experience, others may know better.

 

[Red Leg]

Anyone who takes a shot offhand at an unwounded animal beyond a hundred yards (for most of us beyond fifty) has read too much of his own press. I suspect that I have hunted as much game as most here in a lot of different environments and if possible, I always will use a rest. Whether a tree limb or sticks, I am comfortable with a single point rest to almost 300 yards. I say almost, because I have never had to use a hasty single point rest beyond 280 or so (a springbok and a nilgai). Done correctly, dual point rests like a backpack ought to be the same as shooting from a bench rest.

I have taken or finished several African animals, one bear, and a lot European boar on drive hunts off hand, but never anything beyond seventy yards or so. My only experience with the new dual support point sticks has been here on our place for deer, and only from the sitting position (in a chair).

 

[JimP]

I'll say that sticks have their place, but even after quite a bit of practice off of them here at home I still prefer to get down on my rear and use the sling and my knees. Yes, I know that even if you are quite tall you are not going to be able to see over the grass or brush. But in two safaris to the Eastern Cape I haven't taken a shot where I couldn't of sat down and then used the sticks for even more support.

On my first safari I took two very long shots. A 435 yard on on a springbok and a 479 yard one on a kudu. And before anyone says that I should of gotten closer they would need to see from where I shot. We were sitting on a hill above the plain that the springbok's were grazing on. The tallest piece of brush or anything was perhaps a rock sticking up a foot above the ground. I was sitting down using a set of sticks as a support, I would of felt just as comfortable just using my knees and the rifles sling when I took the shot. The kudu was moving, we had watched another one for over a hour with me and my rifle on the sticks while I was sitting down. Once again I would of been just as comfortable using my knees and the sling. The kudu that I shot was following some cows and when they stopped he stopped and I pulled the trigger.

My problem with sticks is getting a rock solid rest for when I pull the trigger. It doesn't matter what I do when I am standing up and using the sticks It just doesn't feel solid enough to me. I took a dozen animals using the sticks and standing on my last safari but for this old Rocky Mountain hunter it just doesn't feel natural.

 

[Mekaniks]

I had not used sticks until my first to Africa as well. Now I am not sure why I haven't been using them before....
We used the 4 post style in Namibia and they are even better than tri-pod or bi-pod style sticks.....Just heavier...
I always use a rest...The only exception is close range where its not practical. Otherwise I always use a rest, does not matter if that rest is a fence post, tree limb, day pack, get down on one knee, or a good set of sticks, I always use a rest whenever possible.....
When I was hunting Axis in Argentina with Rocket, he broke off off a tree limb and stuck it in the ground to set the front of the stock in, and let me rest my right elbow on his shoulder. It worked perfect...I always use a rest whenever possible....

 

[Tundra Tiger]

After Africa, I use mine in Alaska aaaalllll the time. Shooting, yes. But I use them a LOT to steady my binos, and I have used them to hang game bags of meat. Frankly I feel silly I went so long without trying them.

 

[Puddle]

Where I hunt cow elk in central Oregon, southern Idaho, and northern Utah the bush is typically chest high if the rainfall has been on track. This is where I get in my "bushveld" practice with finding shooting lanes, and testing 2, 3, and 4-legged sticks.

Heck, I recall trying out a 1-legged stick. Once. Don't bother.

 

[khesser]

I tried sticks in Africa and didn’t care for them. I prefer to use a tripod with an Arca rail attachment as it’s more stable than the sticks commonly used. One PH liked my Really Right Stuff tripod setup so much he is gonna buy one for leopard hunts. I can see why people like using quad sticks though.

 

[Mark Biggerstaff]

Shooting off sticks is no real issue for me. Been doing it for 20 years or more. I hunt hogs at night with farmers using thermals and AR15. We walk on them and set up on sticks, usually Primos. Have fired thousands of rounds off sticks. So it is just natural to me when going to Africa.

 

[375Fox]

The only area in Africa I’ve hunted where there are alternatives to shooting from standing sticks is eastern cape because of the terrain. All other areas I’ve hunted the only opportunity you will have is a standing shot off sticks. The ground in most common hunting areas doesn’t facilitate sitting or laying down for a shot and still having a line of sight to the animal. Also it’s generally unnecessary added movement as well. I’ve made free hand shots when needed but it would be foolish not to use sticks if the opportunity allows. Any shot you can make freehand will only be more accurate off the sticks. I generally use quad sticks. With some practice they can be as fast as a tripod.

 

[skydiver386]

I think we owe it to the game we hunt to be as steady at the shot as possible. Bipods and shooting sticks can be valuable tools, but I think far to many hunters place total reliance on them, and fail to practice fundamental marksmanship skills.

Standing, kneeling, sitting and prone should all be practiced on a regular basis by anyone that considers themselves to be a proficient and humane hunter. Slings, bipods and sticks should be viewed as adjuncts to basic skills, not a substitute for them.

 

[Ontario Hunter]

Anyone who takes a shot offhand at an unwounded animal beyond a hundred yards (for most of us beyond fifty) has read too much of his own press. I suspect that I have hunted as much game as most here in a lot of different environments and if possible, I always will use a rest. Whether a tree limb or sticks, I am comfortable with a single point rest to almost 300 yards. I say almost, because I have never had to use a hasty single point rest beyond 280 or so (a springbok and a nilgai). Done correctly, dual point rests like a backpack ought to be the same as shooting from a bench rest.

I have taken or finished several African animals, one bear, and a lot European boar on drive hunts off hand, but never anything beyond seventy yards or so. My only experience with the new dual support point sticks has been here on our place for deer, and only from the sitting position (in a chair).

You made my point: it is not always "possible" to get set up on sticks or a rest. I have shot dozens of animals offhand but never any further than seventy yards. Most very close. A couple come to mind that were twenty yards or less. That close you don't mess around trying to find a rest or set up sticks. I can think of two bucks that I could only see their heads and they were looking at me. Shot them both offhand. Jump around looking for a rest and they would be gone.

The point I was trying to make is I sometimes seem to be less careful on sticks. Offhand I trust myself less and consequently pump up the concentration. The shot is less "easy" and my unconscious adjusts. But only for appropriate offhand shooting distance, of course. I'm not sure I've ever taken a hundred yard offhand shot. I'm pretty sure I haven't (wait ... a nyala in 2021 hit too low - I came off the sticks immediately and shot it again at 100 yards). For "long shots" at plains game (200 yards+), a rest is required. Period. But most animals that far will stop and stand long enough for sticks to be set up, even if they do see us. Incidentally, I was hunkered over the sticks for an hour and twenty minutes waiting for that nyala to get up and move. My neck still has a kink in it. I was so crippled up by the time I had a shot, it's a miracle I was able to hit the bull at all. And then I leave the sticks, straighten up, step clear, and punch him through the heart on the run ... at a hundred yards ... because I had to ... because I could ... off the sticks. Another five yards and he'd have been in the heavy stuff. With no dog it's unlikely we would have got him before dark.

Without sticks I will shoot from the sitting position, elbow on knee, if further than 100 yards and no chance to get closer. Had I been set up in the sitting position instead of standing on the sticks for over an hour, that nyala likely would have been dead on the first shot.

 

[CBH Australia]

I only started using sticks while preparing for Africa.
The had not used them in my hunting or known anyone else using them that I knew. I just don’t think they were widely used like they are in some places.
I had a bit of a go and once I got to Africa I was offered to use three legged or quad sticks. I tried the quad sticks and used them for most of my safari.
I see now they are quite popular in EUR too and I am seeing more Australian hunters using them when appropriate.
I don’t think there is a one size fits all for every scenario but they have their place.

 

[JP50]

Have been using Quad stick for a number of years. Both for UK deer stalking and Hunting trips in SA. Once you get used to them , there is no going back. Regular head shot deer at 100 yds plus with no issues.

 

[Denvir Tire]

Well you’re in the super hero zone or a legend in your own mind on shooting ability
I found that the average hunter doesn’t have enough skill or experience with a rifle to be trusted without sticks or a bipod or some other kind of rest !
I had hundreds of hunters from 1990 - 2016 hunting deer, nilgai, pronghorn on the open coastal plain and west Texas prairie
Yes a bipod is a PIA but it was a request few hunters declined when I did a paper plate test @. 200 meters and they failed ( gotta hit a white paper plate in their preferred position) sticks are awesome tool when shooting a heavy caliber in taller grass.
To each their own when out hunting on their own .but an experienced guide will always be relieved when the hunter sets the ego aside when the chips are on the table!

It's been a while since the Great White Northern Hunter has reminded us of his superhuman prowess behind "Dad's Springfield".
Next post is surely about the 404 Jeff, or perhaps his feelings regarding any topic, relevant or not....

 

[Red Leg]

I'll say that sticks have their place, but even after quite a bit of practice off of them here at home I still prefer to get down on my rear and use the sling and my knees. Yes, I know that even if you are quite tall you are not going to be able to see over the grass or brush. But in two safaris to the Eastern Cape I haven't taken a shot where I couldn't of sat down and then used the sticks for even more support.

On my first safari I took two very long shots. A 435 yard on on a springbok and a 479 yard one on a kudu. And before anyone says that I should of gotten closer they would need to see from where I shot. We were sitting on a hill above the plain that the springbok's were grazing on. The tallest piece of brush or anything was perhaps a rock sticking up a foot above the ground. I was sitting down using a set of sticks as a support, I would of felt just as comfortable just using my knees and the rifles sling when I took the shot. The kudu was moving, we had watched another one for over a hour with me and my rifle on the sticks while I was sitting down. Once again I would of been just as comfortable using my knees and the sling. The kudu that I shot was following some cows and when they stopped he stopped and I pulled the trigger.

My problem with sticks is getting a rock solid rest for when I pull the trigger. It doesn't matter what I do when I am standing up and using the sticks It just doesn't feel solid enough to me. I took a dozen animals using the sticks and standing on my last safari but for this old Rocky Mountain hunter it just doesn't feel natural.

I simply have never seen the sort of terrain in Africa where a sitting position was practical. I did shoot my first buffalo off my butt, but that was from the slope of one ant mound islet to the next in the middle of a Caprivi marsh. I also shot a sable in Mozambique from sitting position using the trunk of a sapling for support. I can not think of another where the added height wasn't necessary to get a clear shot at the animal. I hasten to add that I have never hunted the Eastern Cape.

I would add, even wrapped in a sling, I find a simple tripod as steady as sitting position. In fairness, I also likely haven't used sitting position as much as many here. Prone is another thing entirely, but I have never been close to having the opportunity to use prone on a game animal in Africa.

 

[mdwest]

For Africa, I find sticks to be the most sensible and practical rest for almost every scenario.

For other locations, different rests work better (for me)..

For example, I have a yolk from a pair of sticks mounted on my mystery ranch pop up 40 pack… that will be my primary rest for hunting in the mountains of Idaho…

In my deer blind I have a mini tripod with a death grip head on it that I use as a rest…

When walking our lease and I hope to bounce a pig or something out of season I typically have a monopod that I use as a walking stick and hasty rest ..

Etc etc..

But… 50+ years of shooting… experience as a competitive shooter.. experience as a “swat sniper”… experience hunting 4 continents (adding a 5th this next spring)… and I ALWAYS opt to use some sort of rest whenever I can…

 

[Hunt anything]

The only time I won’t use sticks on an un wounded animal is if the animal is close and moving. My shotgun skills take over as I think I’m a pretty fair shotgun shooter.
On everything else I’m going to find as many points of contacts as I can. If I can rest my rifle on a tree limb I’ll put the sticks under the but to create a very solid rest.