How quickly have you needed to deploy your shooting sticks for the shot when you've used them on safari? <br /> I'm headed out for safari this October. Have been practicing at the range from two different pair of shooting sticks. The first is a Stoney Point that deploys from a belt "holster" very quickly, but is flimsy and gives a wobbly rest. The second is a much stouter Stoney Point version but involves some pulling and twisting to deploy. It takes roughly five times as long in getting ready. However, it's a significantly sturdier rest and I shoot better from it.<br /> Is it fair to assume that if one is at enough of a range not to need to take an unsupported shot, you've got enough time to get the sturdier rest ready? Thanks in advance.

stuntpilot2,

Welcome to the forum.

I have used shooting stick for many years, but the ones I use belong to the PH.

He carries and sets them up, I just lean my rifle on them and shoot.

We have hunted together so often, we can generally get a shot out very quickly.

I think the best thing you can do is leave the stoney points at home and use the PHs shooting sticks. They won't be telescopic, they will be firmer and the tracker will carry them and put them in front of you in time for the shot. Then all you have to do is get the rifle up there and carry on with the shot.

You should be able to get the rifle onto the sticks, acquire your sight picture, safety off and shoot within less than 5 seconds or so.

Whatever you decide to do, have a great hunt!!

stuntpilot2,

Make some bamboo shooting sticks like these,
Shooting Sticks

practice with them and then use the PH's sticks when you get to Africa.

Or you can take your stout version of your Stoney Points and have one of the guys carry them (all set up and ready to go so there is no adjusting of the sticks as you set up for the shot).

Regards,

Terry

This is how it will work

VIDEO CLIP

I don't use them but I learned to shoot offhand early on and to take advantage of a natural rest if available and most of the time one is..

I practice off hand a lot more than anyone I know..something I have never regretted and it has paid off many times....besides I am not allowed to shoot off the sticks by the PH's that know me, I can't seem to get the hang of it and have been told I'm the only person they have seen that shoots better off hand than with the sticks...I shot a Reed buck in the guts with the sticks at 100 yards while it was laying down, then jumped him running at 150 yards and heart shot him off hand, Ron told the tracker to leave the sticks in camp as this had happened on several ocassions prior to the Reedbuck and I have no explanation for it...

I suggest if your going to use the sticks then practice, practice with them, it is a technique and I believe the secret to using them is leaning into the sticks..I came to this conclusion by observation of those who use them well, not by using them...

I do firmly suggest that every hunter learn to shoot off hand, it is almost unheard of these days and that is a shame, many trophies have been lost from hunters piddling around instead of shooting when the opertunity presented itself. If you master off hand shooting then you are capable of any shot under any conditions..Always be prepared for whatever shot you get and do not "piddle" is good advise methinks. It only makes since to me that a hunter should learn to shoot before he starts hunting, but many do not and shooting groups off a bench is not learning to field shoot IMO, albiet it is necessary to sight in and accuracy testing of loads.

I watch these guys on TV and every animal I see should have been shot 15 minutes before they pull the trigger. I get the impression those guys are trying to talk the game to death, or maybe they are just making obscene phone calls, not sure which, but lots of whispering and heavy breathing going on!!!

Some may disagree with me, but it is only my opinnion and it only applies to me, you will have to choose what works for you, but if you have missed your share of shots because you were slow then perhaps this is the reason.

Ray.... Excellent advice.
I'll will add this...
When hunting with a guide or PH when the game is first spotted get into a "shooting" position ASAP. Let him judge the game, just be ready to shoot. If he says it is too small...then.. you can look at it with your bino's. It does not do the hunter any good to have the binos against his face when the PH is saying "shoot him". Especially when the hunter is hunting game he is not qualified to judge anyway.

Has anyone used a monopod in Africa? I took one on an antelope hunt to use as a rest and a walking stick. I found it a very stable gun rest, effectively making a tripod with both my feet firmly on the ground. Yes, I did use a lean-forward stance for the best results. I'm sure having the PH set up a tripod would be even more stable and leave the hunter free to handle the gun, but wondered if anyone had any experience with the monopod?

Ray,

There are rare occassions when sticks come in handy. I would prefer not to use them but last year I had the shakes so bad trying to shoot this critter I didn't have any other choice.

I think one good way to have the guys set them up is just to extend your arm and have them put them up at the height you have your hand held out. That way there is no screwing around raising and lowering the sticks.

Will

Will,
I told you to quit drinking that rotgut and drink good Southern sipp'en whiskey and you wouldn't get them damn shakes!!

I've only used them one time. I really didn't need them but they were there. I've had plenty of off hand practice. That said, I never shoot off hand unless there is no other choice. If it's one of those situations where you shoot instantly or not at all. Most usually there's a tree handy or some rocks to crawl up to and rest the rifle (actually your left hand) on. I was above my Mt. Nyala at 30 degrees lloking at a 225 yard shot with no rest handy. It was what I still consider the most important (and expensive) shot I would ever make. The animal was bedded down but there were natives coming down the canyon so there wasn't too much time. The game scout tossed me a short branch that I used in conjunction with my left knee to form a fairly steady bipod. Three shots...three hits.
Only one would have been necessary but as long as the Mt Nyala wasn't down I intended to keep shooting. Wish all of our clients did that. We've had 3 wounded and lost just this year.

This past fall I was had a very nervous Shiras Moose looking at me from 280 yards away. There was a small pine tree within crawling distance.
Four shots from a solid rest with a .35 Whelen. Four Hits. Moose don't always know when they are dead.
There's almost always a way to "take a rest" if you look for it. Guess it's okay to carry one along though. I'm not too sold on these prefab jobs. We had a client this year who had a set of those "steady sticks' I think they were called. I thought them a bit flimsy. They seemed okay up to around 200 yards but for long distance they were just too shakey. He winged his Mt. Nyala at 300 yards and I'll always think that a good solid natural rest and the story would be different.

Rich Elliott

I, like Ray, shoot better off hand than on sticks... and I don't know why. I do pratice ALOT offhand,,, in fact, for the last 3 years, I've probably shot 5 to 1 offhand vs benching it...

I am planing on practicing with sticks though... kinda 3/2 ratio to off hand, when the jeffe gets back up.

jeffe