seniors with shaking hands

[CoyHunter38]

My dad is in his 80s and his hands shake so much that he's having trouble hitting deer passed 100 yards. My oldest brother and I are buying Wyoming antelope points for us and (secretly) him. He's tough and active, so we think he'll be able to walk the terrain that antelope live in. We plan to take him in about two years. I'm going to be hauling our tent and gear (including an inflatable bed for him) on a cart so he's not going to be carrying any weight other than his clothes and his favorite canteen. My concern is that he can't shoot far enough because of his hands shaking.
Any advice for a way to keep a rifle stable when you have shaky hands? I'll happily carry a shooting tripod if that would work. I have over a year to figure something out, but I hear it's common to shoot antelope over 200 yards away.

Thanks for any help

 

[Buck3]

Can he shoot off a bipod? Just asking because a tripod is less stable. So if he can't shoot off a bipod I don't think a tripod will work.

 

[Coyote Shadow Tracker]

That is really GREAT that you and your brother are taking your dad hunting.
We bought a RCBS "RASS" for shooting PDs and Chucks. But it is heavy & expensive. I ended putting it in a Duffle Bag to carry. Also comes with option large shade umbrella. If you had a spot to hunt where you could put a stand up this would work and your father would enjoy shooting off of it.

I also have a smaller shooting chair for Chuck Hunting that I carry from field to field, but they don't make them anymore. This one is about 40 years old and I refurbished it.

The newer light weight carbon tripods with a Death Grip would hold a rifle pretty still also. We have one made by Vortex.

Or if he feels comfortable laying down go to a Bi Pod and shoot prone.

RCBS Rapid Acquisition Shooting System (RASS) Shooting Bench

The RASS bench offers rapid target acquisition, adjustments for elevation and gun rest height, as well as seat height and distance adjustments. With...

www.midwayusa.com

 

[BigDon]

Bipod and prone will likely be the most stable. Believe it or not the umbrella idea is not ridiculous! Antelope are suicidally curious by nature. I've had them walk up to me while skinning out their mate that I just dumped - like to 25'! Lot's of guys will sit in a lawn chair with a white flag on a pole behind them. The whole herd will come to check them out. This nothing like deer hunting, believe me.

The #1 Antelope defense is their eyes. Look like, act like a predator and they run and change zip codes. Just do what you're doing and they'll come and check you out. I'm sure others will chime in here to let you know that I'm not completely full of 'Bison Blowings'.

 

[CoyHunter38]

Bipod and prone will likely be the most stable. Believe it or not the umbrella idea is not ridiculous! Antelope are suicidally curious by nature. I've had them walk up to me while skinning out their mate that I just dumped - like to 25'! Lot's of guys will sit in a lawn chair with a white flag on a pole behind them. The whole herd will come to check them out. This nothing like deer hunting, believe me.

The #1 Antelope defense is their eyes. Look like, act like a predator and they run and change zip codes. Just do what you're doing and they'll come and check you out. I'm sure others will chime in here to let you know that I'm not completely full of 'Bison Blowings'.

Interesting! I assumed it was all spot and stalk. I'll have to look into some of the antelope treads on here.

 

[mtwarych]

A tripod and a ground blind set up on a water or an obvious fence crossing is the set up I would choose.

 

[Doom2]

I'm assuming you have had your Dad checked for essential tremor and Parkinson but if not please do. I know a respected shooter that has had to add medication for essential tremor. You didn't mention if this was a guided hunt or not. Either way you need to make sure you have a way of emergency communication in the field.

 

[Muddyboots]

Deathgrip tripod will certainly improve stability.

DeathGrip Tripod

www.boghunt.com

I have the aluminum version, HEAVY, wished I bought carbon! BUT I have made some nice kills down range with it.

 

[CoyHunter38]

I'm assuming you have had your Dad checked for essential tremor and Parkinson but if not please do. I know a respected shooter that has had to add medication for essential tremor. You didn't mention if this was a guided hunt or not. Either way you need to make sure you have a way of emergency communication in the field.

I haven't heard of essential tremor before. I'll have him look into that.
We don't have emergency communication yet. That's one of a couple things we are looking into.
Thanks!

 

[Hugnot]

Best fix might be to go for a ground blind & something like the StableTable or as mentioned ^ the RCBS RASS. We use a StableTable for shooting rodents but avoid lugging it around - weight is about 50 Lbs. with heavy steel tubes, seat, and large table - big, heavy & bulky, like naval artillery gun platform - vehicle or vessel dependent. We also have a DeathGrip tripod - just Ok but no more - best use while sitting, light folding chair. Death Grip stability can be improved by contouring stock to improve grip, avoiding up-down pivot movement in clamp/vise.

I too, am an old guy and have some neurological damage causing numbness in both hands - carpel tunnel - wear hand splints but feel more effects after a busy day of hand activity. I boosted trigger pull weights from 2 lbs. to 4lbs. - heavier & longer springs. I also find it impossible to shoot prone - not enough flexibility.

Good idea to get more med. advice. We try to stay within cell phone range & have medical evacuation insurance - deal from VFW.

More old folks should have kids like CoyHunter38.

 

[CoyHunter38]

Thanks. I'm kicking myself for not going mule deer hunting with him years ago. I'd love to have a memory like this of him.
Going prone might be an issue for him. Also, if we end up in grass more than a few inches tall then that might be an issue anyway.

 

[Mr. Magoo]

My dad had bad tremors in his hands for alot of his adult life- had a hard time writing etc. But man that guy could swing a hammer and shoot a gun more accurately than anybody I've ever seen. He shot it like a shotgun, not pausing long enough to shake.

In his last years, it got really bad- so he shot an sks 7.62x 39 with a 10 round mag or a .223 because the 30-06 was too much for his shouder and the anticipated pain made it worse. I think the lightweight low recoiling guns helped.

 

[jjmp]

Bought shooting sticks and Or home made,practice shooting sitting down ina chair ,just as Important is a rear stock shooting monopod make sure it's fully adjustable that will stop the back of the stock from moving, a comfortable chair is easier to pack then a table , remember necessity is the mother of invention,have him start shooting with a 22 rimfire , cheers and a great hunt for you all

 

[Critter Picker]

If you are hunting waterhole from a ground blind you could try a Caldwell dead shot field pod. I've used mine. It's not a bench, but it's portable and helps a lot.