Shooting Sticks...

What have you used and what type do you prefer?

Bog Pod


Long Grass Sticks

I have a 3 leg bog pod at home for practice but there is something about traditional cane/branch sticks that I think would add to the whole African experience.

Maybe I'm cheap, I just use three 5 1/2ft pieces of inch and half bamboo to practice with... I wrap the section up top with hemp cord. They work really good.

I have used the fiberglass extention sticks (don't remember the name or type) but, they worked well also.

Tripods are good on the flat, but in rocky country (mountains) hard to use due to uneven ground, I use two 6ft sticks held together with inner tubing = easy to replace, very functional and allot cheaper.
35 we have the same idea! There are multiple good ones on the market though!

My best

Originally Posted by 35bore

Maybe I'm cheap

Heck while I am in the woods I always used to use the first forked branch I would find! I even did that at the range while practicing for Africa. I figure if I could shoot at 200 yards and shoot good from a single branch I would do great off the ph's sticks. I have since bought a single stick for deer hunting. Shot a doe off of it this year.

Couple of hreads on the topic.

- Build your own tripod shooting sticks
- shooting off sticks or tri pod

I bought three bamboo poles as tall as me, tied/taped them together for all to practice with at home. A very good idea.



What I found in Africa was a range of offerings:


My absolute favourite here and there: (Every animal in Namibia off this set of sticks.)



Three sticks tied together with rope. A little short but they worked.



A steel tripod that was rock steady. You do not want to carry this one more than ten feet from the Bakkie.
Target shooting



Store bought Monopods and Bipods were provided other places and you'll note the other option: bipod on the rifle. Great off rock ridges but just some more weight in most places.

Who knows what you'll get. Ask your PH what he uses!

I've found the commercial versions offered to be a bit too short for us tall guys.
Nothing worse than having to shoot from an uncomfortable hunched over position.
Luckily, my PH Louis is even taller than me and his "custom" sticks were a perfect fit.
Definitely a good idea to check with your PH before you go.

The ting I like about tripods is how versatile and steady they can be. Used in the conventional fasion they are great for short and medium shots and if you sit down, grab the front stick and your forestock while resting your trigger arm on the rear leg (the closer to your hand the better) you can be almost as steady as a bench for the long shots.

Jaco I definitely see your point about rugged terrain. Still if I could hold 2 sticks together to make a bipod in rough country and allow all 3 to form the regular tripod everywhere else I think that would be the best of both worlds since the tripod is so much steadier when you can use it.

For my trip I bought and used a three leg BOG POD. Since it has retractable legs it fits in a suitcase.if you remove the little rubber pads on the bottom of each leg it works on any surface. I found by adjusting the legs it works well on uneven terrain. I have even found a use for it when going after deer in the summer as I mainly sit over wallows or other likely places. Normally it's dry and noisy to stalk so the sit and wait option is the best. The carry bag it come with is handy as I just sling the sticks across my back for the walk to my selected spot.

I guess that if you are very tall 6' 2" or more then maybe the legs on the bog pod may not be log enough. I am about 6' and I don't extend them fully.

I have used several types including the Bog Pod tripod. They all seemed to work well (I am of average height).My very favourite sticks belonged to my PH in Zimbabwe. He had a set of "Long Grass" sticks that held the rifle rock steady and also looked very traditional. Call me a romantic but I loved that they looked like they came out of "old Africa".
My 2 cents, Mike

I use a Stoney Point Polecat 35-65" Works great for me.

I used a stoney point tripod last time. It was my own so I bruoght it with me fit in my rifle case. it helps to have a familiar piece of equipment on those marginal shot angles.

That's what I'm figuring to do,I bought the Bog Pod and will just pack it in my rifle case

I use Bog Pod's...!

BOG-POD SHOOTING STICKS..

My guide uses Bog-Pod so I use Bog-pod. And I learned the benefit of using the Bog-Pod on the range before going on safaris.

Both are good and each has advantages. If I know I'm going to be standing while shooting and there may not be much time to get set up, I prefer to carry the wood sticks like those from Long Grass or African Sporting Creations. I find the wood to be more comfortable to carry and quieter if moving thru brush. Aside from Velcro, nothing says "Here I Am" quite like banging a hollow aluminum tube.

If I'm in areas like Alaska where a lot more time is spent glassing and stalking an animal from a considerable distance, I prefer the Bog Pod. You can keep it collapsed and on your back pack until needed, then adjust it appropriately once the stalk is underway. The attachments that can be fitted to a Bog Pod are great. Especially for glassing, the shooting sticks can also serve as a tripod for a spotting scope or your binos. I use the camera attachment often, making the sticks a camera tripod as well.

Get Both!

Bog pod Bamboo sticks whatever sight in on the bench then never go back.shoot from all kinds of positions my last time in africa i took sitting kneeling prone and standing with and without sticks shots.

Originally Posted by BARTFRNCS

sight in on the bench then never go back.shoot from all kinds of positions .

+1 I agree with and practice, practice, practice.

Hey guys,

I have the BOGPOD Tripods aswell and I love them. You can sit, stand and if you want to even go prone with them. Easy and quick to go from standing to sitting position. You will love them dvdegeorge and say hey to the folks at JVS for me, I have hunted with them for a vey long time. They are good people with a good operation.

Best regards,

Jacques

Thanks Jacques will do!