Looking at the number of photos of nice rifles equipped with bipods etc I wonder what y'all do when there is an obstacle in the way such as long grass or rising ground or indeed if you cannot see ground (ie safe backstop) behind the game animal you want to shoot.
90% of my shots are taken standing from homemade crossed sticks (another reason why a fixed 6x does it for me)as a prone shot is likely to be unsafe or result in a viewfinder filled with green.
My bipod is long enough to shoot as high as kneeling...or I find a tree to use for offhand. Either way the maximum shot distance is lowered as compared to prone.
I havn't had any experience taking large game, but on varmints i try to position myself so that a prone or rested shot is possible, but if i have to take an off hand shot, i try to stalk as close as i can.
I made a pair of shooting sticks out of 36" long, 3/4" diameter dowel rods. They allow me to shoot from a kneling or sitting position depending on the terain. If given a choice though the bi-pod gets folded out for prone.
My Harris bipod is long enough to use for a sitting shot, however I usually hunt big game without it both to reduce weight, and it doesn't fit in my scabbard. On longish shots, out to 4-500, there is usually enough time to quickly go prone or sitting, braced over my daypack.
I am practicing my shooting with a tight sling. I have found that in a crosslegged or kneeling position with a tight sling around my upper bicep, I can get quite solid. I will not shoot at game off hand so that is not a option for me.
Using this method I have gone from 10" 200yd groups down to 4" 200 yd groups in a crosslegged sitting position. Kneeling I still need much work. I don't know if will work for some of the HEAVY rifles we shoot but it has worked for me with a 12lb rifle.
Dave in Idaho
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