Shooting from sticks

[timmymic]

Recently there was an article in a spring bear hunt, One picture caught my eye..

Does anyone have any good resources for learning shooting positions like this or specifically how to shoot more study from sticks? I saw this guy has classes but $2k is a little steep for me. Any help would be appreciated.

 

[PNWGator]

I recommend getting a set of sticks, a .223, a case of ammo and go shoot! Learn to build your positions and go have fun.

 

[COBrad]

Darrell Holland, hollandguns.com, is offering carbon fiber sticks and sounds like he has done a bit of shooting off them. Might be a good resource.

 

[Buck Buster]

I use a mono stick most of the time if I am not near a tree, but they also work better near a tree the key to being steady I feel is having a front and a rear support also the tree acts as the rear support and also helps to keep the side to side motion at a minimum ! I think that the front sticks like shown in the pick would be better at stopping the side to side motion and use another stick to steady the rear of the gun or a backpack or pile up logs or rocks, anything to support the back of the gun ! Like said in #2 get out and experiment and determine what would be best in the type of area you would be hunting in, no trees, a lot of trees, flat open land, steep sides? You have to adapt ! Good luck, just use common sense and you will think of all kind of things or maybe be able to make something better to suit you than anything you could buy !

 

[memtb]

I built a set of sticks from, 1/2" fiberglass rod, 48" in length. They are tied together with leather lace material and put rubber cups (chair leg boots) on the bottom to protect the rod, and give better traction on hard surface. I've used them for 15 or more years, and don't leave home without them! My longest shot so far from the sticks.....antelope at 430 yards. memtb

 

[catamountsierra]

I use a pair of trekking poles. I can loop the two handles together and have a webbing shelf for the rifle's forend. You can also adjust the length of one or both poles for topography. If I can, I shift my pack around under the butt and my shoulder. Also, if I shoot something, the trekking poles are nice for the pack out, so I have them with me anyway and I don't have to carry something specifically for shooting sticks.

 

[mountaincarver]

Im using old ski poles bolted together for the front. I also have some made from old aluminum shaft arrows. 25 12s work nice. another set in the back works nice but sometimes time may not allow for fumbling around with it. I practice by using the front rest and using a single stick in the rear by grabbing it and resting the butt on my fist. sure is hard to get prone sometimes in the mountains especially on a non drought year when the undergrowth is so high.

 

[slv hunter]

I prefer a tall bipod, you can shoot prone with one and a backpack too. Like Gator suggested get something inexpensive to shoot and practice. Get a friend to go along and spot for each other. It's a lot of fun.

 

[WildRose]

Recently there was an article in a spring bear hunt, One picture caught my eye..
View attachment 121846

Does anyone have any good resources for learning shooting positions like this or specifically how to shoot more study from sticks? I saw this guy has classes but $2k is a little steep for me. Any help would be appreciated.

It takes a lot of field practice in all practical shooting positions.

Two things I've found can make a huge difference which is using some sort of rear support when shooting from sticks and improving the bond between the sticks and the gun.

One guy I knew used a piece of para-cord attached to the trigger well and sticks so he could "load the sticks by pushing against them.

I've also seen and used a pair of bipod sticks for rear support and a tripod set for the front tying them together with para-cord. It made a big difference.

Unfortunately it's a very personal thing what will/won't work best for each user and of course the situation will play a big part. What works well for fairly level shooting won't necessarily work as well for high or low angle shooting.

You don't necessarily have to do a lot of actual shooting to practice, just get set up and get as steady as you can and dry fire practice will help a whole lot. Even without firing a live round with a little experience you know when the trigger breaks whether you've made a good shot or not.

 

[WildRose]

Darrell Holland, hollandguns.com, is offering carbon fiber sticks and sounds like he has done a bit of shooting off them. Might be a good resource.

Darnell won't sell anything he hasn't personally used and believes in. Very solid guy.

 

[palerider3]

Your best resource for learning to shoot from unconventional positions like this is probably going to be your local PRS club. Spend some time shooting PRS style field matches and this stuff will become second nature to you. Using a backpack or your sleeping bag to help with your body position can help quite a bit, as well as finding a way to put some tension on your trekking poles / shooting sticks. I have used shooting sticks and or trekking poles before, but now I do a lot of glassing with binos on a tripod and very much prefer to shoot off my bino tripod. Killed an elk a few years ago at 795 using my glassing tripod to get me above the sage brush and hugging my backpack to steady the rear of the rifle. A skill I picked up shooting LR matches. Give PRS a try sometime. It doesn't have to be all about 25lb 6mm "gamer guns", it can be a great tool for the LR Hunter.

 

[huntsman22]

 

[Dean2]

Shooting well from sticks is not that difficult nor is it hard to learn. Get a Primos two leg trigger stick. When you set the sticks, place your swivel stud behind the Y in the yoke and angle the sticks at least 20-40 degrees away from you. You want the bottom of the legs further away than the Y yoke so you can lean into the sticks. That way you can lean into the sticks no matter whether you are seated, kneeling or standing. Now take a 22 and go out P Dog or gopher shooting. Shoot sitting in a chair, sitting on the ground, kneeling and standing. Learn to shoot well without a rear rest to cut down on setup time and the amount of stuff you have to pack in with you. If you have a place to use a 223 at longer distance use it too.

A few trips of gopher hunting will do the trick. When you can hit 9 out of ten to 100 yards you will be pretty good off of sticks. Now take those sticks and practice at 2-700 yards. Do that and you won't have any trouble shooting big game a long ways off.

 

[Irish Neil]

I found using a single stick a big improvement on trying to edge toward a tree for a rest. I then moved on to two sticks which i shot for years. I cut two sticks at about 6.5 feet and joined them with a bridle rubber. Moved on to Primo trigger sticks which i found were unreliable in wet weather. Finally started using quad sticks with a little practice I can shoot happily out to a 400 meter gong. Here's the rub though: you can't go back to the single stick with confidence same with the double stick.