Bipod or no, what’s your experience?

[Longshotjames]

for a back packing hunt going in with lots of steep hills but possible long shots.

1. Attach a bipod that covers quick steady shots from sitting, kneeling or prone but it adds 1lb to the rifle

Or

2. Figure shots are either close&quick and go w/o to cut weight and plan to use your pack for longrange opportunities and either walking stick or closest available tree for close shots

I've only killed 2 elk, the first one required an offhand rush shot at 90yds(no time for bipod). The 2nd was at 200yds and I was topping an open hill, the herd had already gone on alert so it was quick to fold out the bipod, drop to a knee and make the shot. That time, the bipod was worth it's weight in gold!

 

[wyowinchester]

Always.

 

[slv hunter]

Always have one. Sometimes it's in my pack until getting to the area I'm going to hunt. With a QD it's easy enough to put it on real quick.

 

[Toolhand]

Always have it attached to my rifle even when it's strapped to my pack hiking in.

 

[FIGJAM]

Always for me. Every bolt gun I own has its own harris.

 

[dmj]

Always have one. May be in my pack. But not hard to put on. Usually do install it when I sit down and go glass for any length of time.

 

[Mackinaw BOB]

Wouldn't even think of going hunting without my bi pod mounted on my rifle, but to each their own

 

[aebhunter]

I don't always shoot off of it, but I think I would feel naked without it.

 

[shphtr]

Always have with me and attached 98% of the time even tho quick detach/attach and only weighs 2.9 oz. All shooting always done with bipod: case forming, load workup, zeroing, practice, etc. As I stray further from home the shots seem to get longer and misses more expensive.

 

[Rick Richard]

Always attached to my rifle.

 

[FIGJAM]

There are a couple benefits to keeping it attached to your rifle - one nice thing about a bipod is even if you end up using a rock or log as your rest, your bipod is still what makes contact with the rock or log instead of the forearm of the rifle - so it protects the gun. Also, I run the 12-25 model, so it protects the forearm and a lot of the barrel from branches and bushes when I am out boondocking through the woods and the gun is slung over my shoulder.

 

[FIGJAM]

for a back packing hunt going in with lots of steep hills but possible long shots.

1. Attach a bipod that covers quick steady shots from sitting, kneeling or prone but it adds 1lb to the rifle

Or

2. Figure shots are either close&quick and go w/o to cut weight and plan to use your pack for longrange opportunities and either walking stick or closest available tree for close shots

I've only killed 2 elk, the first one required an offhand rush shot at 90yds(no time for bipod). The 2nd was at 200yds and I was topping an open hill, the herd had already gone on alert so it was quick to fold out the bipod, drop to a knee and make the shot. That time, the bipod was worth it's weight in gold!

Last fall I shot my mule deer at 330 and my elk at 430 sitting with the harris 12-25 fully extended. Prone was no good, the sage brush was too high in both instances to see them while laying down. So glad I had the taller bipod instead of the 9-13, which is what I had been running for a while. Like you said - worth their weight in gold when you need them.

 

[xsn10s]

Never for mountain rifle. I generally will either shoot kneeling, sitting, prone or offhand depending on the conditions and range. I use a sling and pack also. If sitting in one spot I'll set up my shooting sticks.

 

[Marine24]

Absolute necessity at the range shooting prone or from the bench, but rarely use bipods while hunting. I switched over to shooting sticks in recent years and/or using a field expedient rest/pack. Shooting stick doubles as a walking stick, which is nice on some of those mountain trails.

Downside is that it is another piece of gear to keep track of. I seem to lose track of them about as often as I do my reading glasses.