quote:

Originally posted by Deke:
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.

But with one shooter, you don't have the fun of dogging the other guy when he misses...

Godsdog: I agree with you that doors are useful rests and I have tried about all the methods you suggest. And some more. I have several sand bags in various sizes and configurations that are made especially for shooting from window ledges and from the "V" created by open doors.
BUT!
In the high mountains and prairies of the west the wind is USUALLY (ALWAYS?) blowing. That introduces movement to the vehicles door via the rocking of the vehicle! My VarmintMobile wobbles a LOT in the wind and that imparts difficulties in holding a steady (sure) sight picture.
I try to manuever my VarmintMobile (Dodge diesel 4x4 extended cab - with cab high canopy) so it faces directly into the wind. This diminishes the wind induced wobbles of the truck somewhat but if the wind is blowing (and it usually is in the states I Hunt Varmints in) it is rather difficult to get off a correctly squeezed shot when trying to time that with the trucks movements.
I bet I have been on 20 Varmint Missions so far this spring/summer and rarely has my VarmintMobile offered me as STEADY a shooting platform as I like.
My shooting benches both offer a much steadier platform in windy conditions than the truck.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

quote:

Originally posted by VarmintGuy:
Godsdog: I agree with you that doors are useful rests and I have tried about all the methods you suggest. And some more. I have several sand bags in various sizes and configurations that are made especially for shooting from window ledges and from the "V" created by open doors.
Hold into the wind
VarmintGuy

VG, good ideas on vehicle placement and keeping down wind movement. Not really much of a concern here in Oregon as shooting from a vehicle is not allowed unless you are on private property AND have landowner permission to hunt that is.

I also made a rifle rest about three feet high[like the one in the third or fourth post above]
that really steadies the rifle. If I go to a shoot I would take it.

quote:

Originally posted by VarmintGuy:
Godsdog: I agree with you that doors are useful rests and I have tried about all the methods you suggest. VarmintGuy

Yep! The pickup is best suited for night coyote hunting since I hunt in an area w/lots of rattlesnakes and high grass. Not too dingy about getting down on the ground at night, so my favorite nighttime rest is:



Wind not usually as much of a problem at night, but know what VG is talkin' about it moving the truck.

Daytime prefer to use shooting sticks made from plastic coated tubular steel garden stakes available @ Kmart in 6' length for standing and about 3.5' for sitting. These are extremely lightweight, quickly deployed and easy to adjust for both elevation and windage:


Regards,
hm

Hm, great pictures.

I'm with you on the rattlesnake deal. I never really worried or cared much about rattlers until I saw this on the Big Game Forum: Big Ouchies.
There is a link to pictures of a guy's arm that was bitten by a rattlesnake.
After 22 months and 10 or so surgeries, he was almost back to his former self.

I don’t hate or fear rattlesnakes, but I sure don’t want to get bitten by one…

quote:

Posted by flippy: There is a link to pictures of a guy's arm that was bitten by a rattlesnake.
After 22 months and 10 or so surgeries, he was almost back to his former self.

Several years ago, at an NRA convention, saw a video on rattlesnake bite treatment. It, too, was very graphic; I would watch about all I could take and walk off. Continued to be drawn back, however and finally saw the whole video in about four installments. Gave me a very healthy respect for rattlesnakes.

Regards,
hm

Hm, if somebody had told me the process before I saw the pictures, it would have been hard to imagine.

sand bags, home made "gun vise"-you gotta see it to believ it. or a harris ultralight-bi pod

I use a Bausch & Lomb bipod, have two of them. They cost me a whopping 5.95 each. B&L stopped making them about 20 years ago. They hang from the stock by a neophrene strap. They weigh only ounces. The only problem is they only give you about 9" of elevation so are only good early in the season or right after a cutting. Very simple rig, one yoy could make them in a home workshop easily enough and make the legs longer. Best wishes.

Cal - Montreal

quote:

Originally posted by Deke:
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.

Deke:

I just noticed this; sorry, I wasn't blowing you off.

You are correct - it does whack you in anything bigger than a 7mm Rem Mag, and even with that, you need to be careful.

If you put a muzzle break on your big guns, the bipod position works great, even on a .300 RUM.

The problem with using muzzle brakes in the prone position is the amount of dirt that blows around when you fire. Been there done that.

Plus they are NOISY.

I've used AZ Writer's method of shooting off a bipod that he wrote up in TVHM a # years ago, and i can say that it IS THE STEADIEST FIELD POSTION I'VE EVER USED, PERIOD!

Now i've been hunting coyotes voraciously for the last 30 years here in CO, and for the last 15 or so take 40-70/fur season, and here's what we've settled on for our system--

We usually hunt all day traveling ranch roads and stopping, and walking to calling stands. We use a soft-sided stadium seat that provides good back support, that's covered with a burlap bag for camo. This provides for the 2nd steadiest sitting postion i've ever used with a tall Harris swiveling pod. Only rarely (if ever) has the lack of efficient lateral movement ever kept us from getting the coyote with bipod attached. This system allows us to set the rifle with the buttstock right in our lap pointed in the direction we think the dog will come in from. It provides for the least amount of movement we could ever come up with to get the gun on target-- something i consider important for calling coyotes. Normally we miss few if any coyotes using this system that r within range in a days hunt.

Actually i don't call much anymore having switched to spot and stalk as it provides for a lot more excitement/challenge these days (with Harris bipod always attached to the end of my handguns), BUT when i go out calling still i consider those 2 items (bipod/stadium seat) a necessity. It's certainly provides for an accurate shooting system as this coyote can attest to--
http://www.perry-systems.com/what_others_have_to_say.htm#Steve

I use bags taht resemble the bully bags but they are lighter - my wife stitches up denim material and I fill with dry rice. works well and is real stable - also keep a set of sticks and have several Harris bipods that I can attach when in the mood

Doesn't everyone use their gun bearer's left shoulder???

quote:

Originally posted by Old Elk Hunter:
Doesn't everyone use their gun bearer's left shoulder???

OEH, are you braggin' or offerin'?

Door jam or the hood of the pickup more often than not. Otherwise if I get "caught" out then I will position shoot.