I have a couple of Harris bipods something like 13" - 25" that I use for shooting prairie dogs. I'm looking for something to use when out hunting coyotes. I'm considering some Stoney Point Steady Stix.

Anybody have any comments good or bad about them?

What other products are out there? What do you use?

What don't you like about the bi-pods.

But if you want to try shooting sticks go to Varmint Al's look up the bifur-pods it's a quick diy that works quite well.

When I use the bipods they cant the rifle if I'm on uneven ground. Also you can't "range" from side to side as easily since the rifle is firmly attached to the bipod.
Whereas, with the cross sticks you do not need to adjust for uneven ground and swinging from side to side does not require you to pick up the rifle and re-set it causing movement which even a blind coyote will pick up.

for standing or sitting i use an alumminum cructh. i use the part where yuore hand goes when i am sittng, it is padded and adjustable,and i use the part that goes under youre armpit when standing this thing is light and fully adjustable for height. it works great.

Elkslayer,
The Stoney Point Steady Sticks are the best I've found....I have the Harris Swivel Bi-Pod and have used it but you are right about the movement and the up and down adjustment is difficult if it needs to be adjusted in a hurry....I have used the Steady sticks for several years now and I haven't found anything else that comes close..I recommend them and I think you'll like them too........Good luck....George

Sitting position or prone, both with a shooting sling.

But don't mind me, I'm an admitted Luddite.

I'm with Jim on this one. Proper use of a sling makes one a better rifleman....as I was taught many years ago.

The "Latigo", either in "quick sling" form or rear detached, is my shooting sling of choice. Especially....for coyotes.

Just my 2 cents....

Friend Of The 17
Kevin Gullette

I used the old tripod made by Bausch & Lomb. I think it cost me 7.95 back in the 70s. Too bad they not made today.
The rifle sat in a neophrene U-shaped cup, held on by a neophrene strap. It weighed next to nothing. Maximum height was limited though to about 12" so you were hurting when the grass got high, but it was excellent for hunting woodchuck most of the time. You could always make an extra vertical bar for it to gain extra height. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

When I'm working I have a bar that goes across the wind screen of my 4x4 (the windscreen down of course). For foot work I tend to go for the prone or sitting using a sling or any thing that will give a steady rest ie; tree, fence post, termite nest.I have never tried cross sticks ,but know of hunters who swear by them

The Steady Stix work well for getting on target quickly. The Harris bi-pod is steadier if you can use it (like on flat ground.)

A couple of short sections of bamboo held together with s thick rubber band.
HAs proved to be very functional, light and durable. I usde them from a sitting poition, very steady with small amonut of practice.

You are on the right track for predator hunting. Either wooden sticks or Stoneys work well. I picked up a great rest at SCI Reno that attach, have a quick release, are quiet, fold up like Stoneys, and the legs have a friction adjustment. Check out www.snipepod
I got mine a little longer since I like to have the shooter on an elevated location or side hill if possible.

In thicker cover in flat areas, I like the shooter to be standing by a bush or tree. I found that a monopod is the best. Tall bipods and tripods always get hung up on bushes when you are trying to get on the coyote. The monopod keeps movement to a minimum and your shooting will improve substantially. I made mine out of an adjustable paint roller extension pole. I epoxyed in a 1/4 20 stud for attaching the rest. The rest can be taken off and used on a bino tripod (for deer hunting).

Harris tripods are great for prarie dogs but the music those springs make will send the coyotes running the wrong way.

Good Hunting!

I wear a therma-rest pad on my belt. The ones that keep you warm in the winter. I keep it on my butt, that way it's always there when I need it. Than I just plop my butt down, steady the rifle on my knees, and I'm ready for the shot. I've also used the Caldwell bi-pod, but it only extended to the prone hight. I did cut a couple pieces of abs pipe, to make extensions for using at sitting hight, but the bi-pod itself was poorly designed and the legs snapped one day while I picked my rifle up by grabbing the legs.

The best thing I found is the stoney point pole cat. I just stick it in my back pocket when I hike to stands, then as soon as I am there I pull out the legs and tighten the friction adjusters open the thing up and set my gun on it. if its a little long I just slant it back towards me. I set my gun on it fairly close to the trigger guard which allows me to move the gun horizontal and vertical depending on where the animal comes from. I use it mostly for predator hunting but it also works great while deer hunting

My favorite is a small bean-bag that I put on top of a stump, rock, or fencepost. Its light, cheap, handy, effective, and I don't have to screw anything onto my gun.
If I'm caught out in the open, I just rig my sling and shoot kneeling. I have shot so much in position matches that this is almost natural to me.
As a free-rifle shooter, I can hit a 10cm (about 4 inch) 10 ring more often than not at 300 meters, so for varminting, where a miss is almost always a clean miss and any hit is an instant kill, I feel confident in that position. For big game hunting, I would NEVER do this!

I use a shooting sling and shoot sitting whenever possible. I also carry a bipod in my pack and if I have time to put it on, I do.

For coyotes I don't use anything. If you need a rest to shoot a coyote at 40 yards (probabaly my avg range for a called in coyote), then you should practice shooting a bit.

I use a sling away from the truck (not that often) the rest of the time sandbags over the hood or roof. the roof works real well just point the truck in the direction of gopher town sit on the edge of the box, gives pretty good vantage point be carefull muzzle blast can strip paint.

Well, it isn't two sticks of bamboo, but I like it alot.





Above is PD set up in NE Montana.

Below is Squirrel hunting in SW Montana with .17 HMR Cooper 57.

Click here: >>> Squirrel setup picture

Elkslayer,
I just got back from 4 days of Hunting Coyotes in Texas. We tried several types of "shooting sticks" including the Stoney Point Steady Sticks, Harris Swivel Bi-pods etc.... The very best, by a long shot, were the Stoney Point Polecat Bipods in the 17" to 38" length. I also had a medium Harris Swivel Bipod attached to the front of my rifle. On two different occasions, I layed down, extended the Harris Bipod and Popped a Coyote with them.....The two together worked great.....If you have any questions, I'll be glad to try to help......
George

Thanks a bunch George! That's the kind of info I was hoping this post would bring out.

Last weekend my wife and I made a trip to Denver to visit the daughter who is in college there and I got to spend some time in a Sportsmans Warehouse. I looked at several different versions of cross sticks and all. I decided I liked the PoleCats best.

You just reaffirmed what I found out at the store.

Glad you had a good time bustin' those songdogs.

Elkslayer

Harris Bipod with a level mobile plaform off the Hood of my 1988 Toyota 4Runner.

A fence post in the field, or an irrigation wheel in the field, with a hand towel between it and the rifle so it won't scratch the stock.

Another little handy platform, is a $2.00 canoe gunnel pad, the type where you can put the canoe on top of the car. Well it goes great around the forend of the stock, protects the stock against a fence post or irrigation wheel. The flat bottom also adds a lot of stability, period. I even at times just put a plastic 3 gallon Walmart tub on the hood and the canoe pad on top of that Walmart tub ( which is handy for carrying a lot of gear). The pair also makes a very steady rest.

Seafire is into whatever is simple, and works for the job at hand. Like irrigation wheels and fence posts can make some stable rests. It also helps you blend into the background for ground squirrels or prairie dogs that do not have that good of eye sight. They notice movement, and when you are behind a fence post, you are harder to see for them.

The canoe pad and the Walmart plastic tubs are $2.50 and $3.75 respectively. Easy and cheap to replace.

Cheers and good shooting
seafire

I'm also with Jim on this one. I made my own sticks, but they stay in the truck more times than not. I have not hunted coyotes for long, but find that things happen quick since we are talking about an animal that is running to dinner, not grazing along. Being in a sling prone or sitting enables me to shift postitions as the coyote approaches from one side and then circles downwind which they invariably will do if they get the chance. My last shot had me twisted 180o backwards shooting into the sun at a trotting coyote (which I missed anyway). No way I could have gotten on him with any other setup. My shots have been @ 150yrds and the sling has worked fine and I don't have the extra equipment to tote.

Deke.

These are a set I made. I don't remember where the design came from, but they work well. One for sitting or kneeling and a set for prone. They are lightweight and carry well.

Nice JLK

made from 3/4" hardwood, t-nuts & 2" eyebolts.

Coyote hunting I lay flat in the snow and shoot off a white backpack from Red OX out of Montana.
It is fitted with a unbreakable plastic container sized to fit.In this I carry minimum necessaties as rangefinder,pull chain,extra gloves or headgear to match the surrondings as well as a small bag of peanuts.
I use the same in a camo pattern when sitting and waiting for a possible deer shot in season.

the window leadge of chevy pick/up works well
to.

As I read these responses I am trying to evaluate how I would do what has been suggested while I am sitting in sagebrush a half mile or more from my truck and using a hand call to work a coyote (or two) in from a couple of hundred yards out all the while he has his/their eyes rivited on my location and I am trying to get my rifle to my shoulder without being detected.

Elkslayer,

My point exactly. Things happen fast and the coyote knows right where you are, and he is moving to your scent path with his eyes on you. If I can be a little elevated allowing a shot across vegetation, then I prefer a prone position since the rifle is closer to the shoulder, prone/sling can outshoot sticks, and I am laying down freeing both hands until I shoot. If I have to readjust my position (usually the case), I can do it as low to the ground as possible minimizing the chance I will be figured out.

Deke.

It may be a bit hard to see in the image but the Harris BR bi-pod w/swivel yoke works great for me.

The absolute most steady field position is this:

1. Use a Harris bipod with longer legs (sitting style)
2. Put on a shooting sling.
3. Sit on your butt, extend the legs, and place the buttstock on your knee.
4. Slide your left arm thru the sling, reach under your left leg and grab the sling right where it attaches to the buttock.
5. Relax your left leg.

The steadiest version of this is to get a bit low; the rifle will not be touching your shoulder but rather your bicep. Be sure to use a muzzle brake if you are shooting a hard hitting caliber.

I never zero from a bench anymore; I use this position. I can keep my shots way below MOA in the field with this position.

Well Fellas! I read all the answers to this post and I gotta say the the replies about Bipods, Shooting Sticks, Bean Bags, Tables and such are all good answers and I've used 'em all - BUT - You all missed one of the most used! PICKUP TRUCK DOORS! Now a good book (101 Ways to Shoot from a Truck Door) could be written on how to use a Pickup Door. The door has to have a good mirror that sticks out at least 14". You can shoot sitting in the drivers seat and use either side of the mirror. You can put a split foam insulation tube on the window edge and raise and lower the window plus use the mirror for a side rest. If you want mobility, you can shoot from the inside side of the door over the mirror and use the door as a pivot, (Works great for shooting to the back of the pickup and to about a 45 Degree angle to the front.) Then if you want to shoot straight to the front and pivot to an angle about 30 degrees to the right front side over the hood, you can stand on the outside of the door and use the mirror for a rest and keep your elbow on the window sill to steady the rifle. Plus there are several "Combinations of Mirror, Window and Door position, Inside the door and outside the door, depending on if you have a bean-bag in between the mirror and the door Ect. With a good Pickup Door and the knowledge of how to use it, You can cover a firing arc of about 200 degrees! Now, when you want to get away from the pickup and shoot just take the damned door off and pack it with you!! Works Great! Godsdog!

AnotherAZWriter,

That sounds good with a low recoiling rifle, but what about a mid to heavy recoiler (lets say .308Win on up)? Sounds to me like your brow and bicep could take a beating....

Deke.

In my part of the world (New Hampshire and Vermont), hunting and shooting from a motorized vehicle is unlawful (illegal is a sick bird!)

I use a pile of groundhog scalps.

Just another vote for Varmint Al's style shooting sticks. They work great for me especially when you incorporate a clip for carrying in the field. I have tried the Stoney point style sticks and they are good as well.

Recently used the MTM Predator rest, the lightweight red one with the handle, on a rock chuck hunt. Works very good if you don't mind getting down on the dirt, steady out to the really long shots.

For ground hogs I get into the sitting position
with my rifle strap tight across my elbow and over my left hand holding the rifle and that elbow rests on my knee other hand is holding rifle into my shoulder and is ready to shoot

quote:

Originally posted by Elkslayer:
As I read these responses I am trying to evaluate how I would do what has been suggested while I am sitting in sagebrush a half mile or more from my truck and using a hand call to work a coyote (or two) in from a couple of hundred yards out all the while he has his/their eyes rivited on my location and I am trying to get my rifle to my shoulder without being detected.

quote:

Originally posted by Deke:
Elkslayer,

My point exactly. Things happen fast and the coyote knows right where you are, and he is moving to your scent path with his eyes on you. If I can be a little elevated allowing a shot across vegetation, then I prefer a prone position since the rifle is closer to the shoulder, prone/sling can outshoot sticks, and I am laying down freeing both hands until I shoot. If I have to readjust my position (usually the case), I can do it as low to the ground as possible minimizing the chance I will be figured out.

Deke.

That’s where two shooters are better than one, and why I’m buying a REMOTE caller…

Flippy,

You still have the same amount or more movement with two shooters (one guy calling and the other shooting, or one guy doing both), but I agree that it is easier for one to be independant of the other.

Also agree with the remote caller, but somthing about the challenge of a mouth call over the electronic that is appealing to me. With that said, I have picked up a remote caller and will alternate between it and the mouth calls next fur season.

Deke.