Bipod or no, what’s your experience?

I always have them on. If weight is a concern, I take it off in other areas of gear and use the light weight models. People obsess about rifle/scope weight then forget about much of their other gear. Heck, I saved over a pound by simply changing my boot style.

I own a couple bipods. I've taken them on a couple high elevation backpack hunts. But I've never shot at anything with one on my gun. I usually shoot offhand, only if it's close and a quick shot. If it's farther away and I have more time I usually find a tree to lean against, this has become my suedo go-to-shooting-rest. My bipods have devolved into excess weight hardware that either gets left at home or in my truck.

On my last out west hunt my guide had a Gen 1 Trigger Stick that he loaned me when I was getting into position for a shot. I sat down, leaned my back against a tree, and placed my rifle on his Trigger Stick. I was amazed at how steady my setup was. I was able to make probably the best shot of my entire life on a nice white tail at 390 yards. (I just picked him up from the taxi yesterday and hung him on my Wall-O-Whitetail.) When I got back to camp I ordered the exact same Trigger Stick...it was that impressive. My guide used it as a walking stick also.

Lots of sage brush and a stiff neck make prone shots a problem. And 500 700 yard shots common.
I use a short tripod front and trigger stick rear to shot kneeling. Rock solid as a bench

Longshotjames said:

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!

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Always here too!

Marine24 said:

Absolute necessity at the range shooting prone or from the bench, but rarely use bipods while hunting.

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I do have a bipod on my PSS, switched from a 6-9 Harris to the 9-12 I think. I only use it when the bench and if the grass is low. Mostly around here the grass and sage brush makes it impossible to go prone. So my ruck sack and shooting sticks are use more often in the field for hunting. Bipods are for other jobs when a pack isn't available, for me that is. but like you I don't have them on my hunting mountain rifles. I don't like the extra weight out there on the fore end for offhand shots. And I'll take a field position of some kind when needed.

Velvet said:

I think there is not a single hunting situation, therefore, there is no solution for all of them. But I was watching the evolution bipod, and it comes with short legs, but you can add the long ones to shoot sitting over the tall grass. Shots in plain terrain, to the antelope for example with tall grass, is complicated, but with the extensible legs, it would be a solution. It's a matter of trying.

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I love my evolution bipod, it works so good I bought my daughter one also.The extra legs are so quick to deploy and are really light weight. Its built rock solid also. I have also used the tripod adapter a couple of times on hunts.

Has anyone used the Hatch Out West bipod? If so, how do you like it and how stable is it

If you're really trying to shave weight just leave it home. On the rifle it makes it more awkward to swing on fast shots. I usually just bring a few pieces of cut up inner tube and cut some branches when I get to my hunt area. It makes a more flexible platform for all shooting positions because you can spread the legs out far for lower or in tight for standing. It doubles as a great walking stick too. My pack covers anything else.

See my prior post. My bipod weighs 2.9 oz (about the equiv of 3 30-06 loaded cartridges). I only backpack/mountain hunt where there are no trees (usually 1k to 5K or more above tree line). For the first 30 years that I hunted I did not use a bipod ... now I doubt that I will ever go back. I used to snicker at all my peers that all used bipods ... now I am a user too. Your situation may vary so do what works best for you and your hunting style/situation. Good luck!

Marine24 said:

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.

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...but at least you can see while you're looking for your shooting sticks!

Last year was my first hear hunting with a bipod I will always have one attached to my hunting rifle now.

Son and I killed, 2 Bull Elk this year off of CHEAP (about, $15.00), Hunter Specialties Wood sticks, just braced the "Toe" of Rifle stock, on our Packs, with pack on Chest, to steady the Rifle. We can hit our 11" dia steel plate, repeatedly.
We use the sticks in sitting position, to about 4-450 yards then, it's Prone over packs to 700 yds ( IF, necessary). But, we practice this "Chit" in the "Field" at, various distances,.. a lot ! We have "Validated" scope Turrets, to "Dial" the distance and hand load's shooting, sub 3/4 MOA. I will carry a Bipod, for close to Truck shooting on Ground Squirrels/ Marmots, chucks, etc. Why carry the extra Pound, in the Mountains after Elk, tho ???

I used a bipod for years and loved it. I shot off a sandbag with my MZloader, and put the bipod on right before the hunt. It shot 12" low at 100 yards, and cost me a deer the first day. Then I was shooting up a steep hill and I had to put mine on a log to get the height I needed. Another time shooting down a steep hill, I had to rest the legs on my boots. I switched to shooting sticks, and sold all of my bipods. They are more versatile, and lighter. I sit with one leg sticking sideways, and rest the butt of the rifle on my knee. I can shoot almost as well as off the bench. I don't leave home without them.

Shooting/walking sticks for me...

Trigger Sticks Tripod also doubles as a spotting scope mount/bino rest. Only issue I ever had was this last fall, I missed a whitetail because my rifle sling "tinked" against the leg ever so slightly. He was on me like flies on roadkill and took off like someone put a bottle rocket up his rear. I cracked open the pack and taped up all hard connections on the sling with duct tape right there.

I may not be the brightest bulb in the drawer but I learn from mistakes