Is there a quad-stick in your future?

[steve white]

The answer for me is YES!

Background: For a long time I have been satisfied with an adjustable bi-pod, but I always used it from a seated position which gave support from more than one direction. If it was good enough for Larry Weishun, it was good enough for me. And I made a couple of 250 yard shots, plus closer ones, of course.

Introduce standing shooting: Yes I have done it in Africa with a tripod, and no problems, BUT, the shots were not that long. I have never made a shot in Africa which was more than 100yds, though one should train for more in case it is needed.

What has changed? I was called upon to make a 200 yd shot on a 13 point heavy horned whitetail on Nov. 5th!! Shooting time was suppressed because with full moon the deer did not try to enter the field until last light. (Thats when the 56 mm Zeiss comes into it's own). I stalked within that distance behind a curtain of timber and cactus lining a large field of winter wheat. I tried with the bi-pod fully extended--not stable enough to my mind. I placed it against a chest-high slanting tree trunk for more stability. Crosshairs were still dancing, possibly because my heart was pounding out of my chest with adrenaline--ain't it great? I put just a bit of tight on the sling, leaned in to the tree trunk and did my best to still both heartbeat and breathing. FINALLY got a modicum of control enough that I touched off the shot and heard a "whap" as the rifle rose in recoil. Another chocolate colored buck ran after the shot, and I first wondered if it was my buck, but looking through the scope, I saw that mine was down and out! He was the best buck in the bunch and the best of my career. Fat rascal was heavy enough that I thought I would never get him loaded onto the tailgate.

Lesson going forward: I was at the absolute limit of my shoot ability with a bi-pod, and while I connected, the outcome could have been in doubt. There's no question that if I am called upon to shoot that far, or further STANDING, then I need quad-sticks, and no doubt about it. It is not so much a question of "are they easier to set up" but rather, "can I make the shot without them." I am convinced that they are going to be a necessary part of my equipment. Not so much for sitting, but definitely for standing shots. Depending on the lay of the land and concealment, sitting shots may not be offered. This was a case of shoot or let it walk, and I did NOT want to let that buck walk! Next time I have to stand, I want the comfort of taking a shot from a quad. YMMV
BTW, the ranch where I hunted has a problem with too many bucks and far too few does. What could cause such a condition? We were therefore instructed to shoot bucks only. Also, the buck I shot had a bunch of crusty looking small nodules on the edge of his eyelids. Any comments on that as a condtion on an otherwise fat and sassy buck?
Last note--Throckmorton county is not known for CWD, so I am eating this buck.

 

[mdwest]

For me, probably not… I’ve sorta graduated from shooting sticks to pro camera grade tripods with arca swiss rails or a very high quality clamping head… either can hold things like my 13lb AR10 with suppressor and thermal rock solid.. and are super adjustable and very fast to manipulate..

The down side is the rig is heavy compared to typical shooting sticks… I wouldn’t want to be a PH lugging around my 4 lb tripod all day (even all carbon fiber and aluminum… it’s just over 4 lbs)…

But for my typical North American needs like setting up a nearly perfect rest in a deer blind, or setting up an ambush on hogs.. where I’m typically not carrying the rig more than a few hundred yards… it’s just about perfect..

With a light weight bolt action like my Christensen 308, it’s literally as solid as shooting off of a high quality bipod from the probe..

 

[WAB]

For me, probably not… I’ve sorta graduated from shooting sticks to pro camera grade tripods with arca swiss rails or a very high quality clamping head… either can hold things like my 13lb AR10 with suppressor and thermal rock solid.. and are super adjustable and very fast to manipulate..

The down side is the rig is heavy compared to typical shooting sticks… I wouldn’t want to be a PH lugging around my 4 lb tripod all day (even all carbon fiber and aluminum… it’s just over 4 lbs)…

But for my typical North American needs like setting up a nearly perfect rest in a deer blind, or setting up an ambush on hogs.. where I’m typically not carrying the rig more than a few hundred yards… it’s just about perfect..

With a light weight bolt action like my Christensen 308, it’s literally as solid as shooting off of a high quality bipod from the probe..

Agreed. I’ve tried them. It’s a hard no for me.

 

[375Fox]

I’ve been using since 2017. I was an immediate convert. Once you learn how to use them properly and be fast there’s no going back.

 

[CBH Australia]

Possibly, I used them in South Africa
But it’s something else to keep among a my accessories that might be useful depending on the scenario or situation I expect to be hunting. These could be good for walk and stalk with longer ranges and open ground.
I have a heavy duty tripod that I can use when planning on shooting from a vantage vantage point.

 

[BryceM]

There are some in my past, present, and probably future. I dropped some $ and got the Blaser ones shipped to the US. They probably double my effective range compared to traditional African shooting sticks. Not as good as a bipod prone, but not every situation offers that shot. They're not so quick to set up, but when you have a bit of time, they're game-changers.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Not in my future.

I used them on my last trip to RSA. Quad sticks are good for stability, but lack in quick setup and lack in any advantage over the tripod for following / lining up a shot on moving game. Too many times on setting the quad sticks up on undeveloped ground there was too much fiddling around to adjust the quad sticks to proper height, then having to move the quad sticks to get on an animal once it moved past the max traverse of the rifle rest.

 

[R eight]

No.

 

[Sika98k]

Quad sticks are initially a bit difficult to deploy and use. However once you get used to them they’re a game changer. My ViperFlex Journey sticks accompany me every time I go hunting. They’ve enabled me to take shots on occasions and distances that previously I would have had to pass on.

 

[Muskox]

I have 3 pairs, a Blaser one, and a couple others. I like them a lot, but they are for short shots maybe 200 yards.

 

[BeeMaa]

After owning (and very much disliking) a set of quad sticks from 4-Lite, I was convinced by @375Fox to give the Viper-Flex a go. I could not be more happy with them. They have been given a place in my Pelican 1700 for travels near and far. The PH's on my last trip really liked how sturdy yet lightweight they were.

 

[uplander01]

Viper Flex,.....no going back. The stability the rear support adds is a game changer.

 

[steve white]

There are some in my past, present, and probably future. I dropped some $ and got the Blaser ones shipped to the US. They probably double my effective range compared to traditional African shooting sticks. Not as good as a bipod prone, but not every situation offers that shot. They're not so quick to set up, but when you have a bit of time, they're game-changers.

I don't have a rifle mounted bi-pod, but if I did, I doubt if deer would notice me as much laying down?

 

[Philip Glass]

It is situation dependent for me. For most of my deer hunting it is either from a blind or sitting on a hill where any tripod or bipod would work well. When hunting or guiding for exotics I'll have the Blaser quad sticks and the client comfortable with them before the hunt. I've made 500yd shots from quad sticks

 

[375Fox]

Not in my future.

I used them on my last trip to RSA. Quad sticks are good for stability, but lack in quick setup and lack in any advantage over the tripod for following / lining up a shot on moving game. Too many times on setting the quad sticks up on undeveloped ground there was too much fiddling around to adjust the quad sticks to proper height, then having to move the quad sticks to get on an animal once it moved past the max traverse of the rifle rest.

Once you learn to use them quad sticks are faster to set up than a tripod. There are only 2 points of contact on the ground vs 3 with a tripod. I can track a moving animal easily and pivot with a running animal. A Tripod takes a lot of practice to be accurate. Quad sticks take practice to be fast. The accuracy is more of a given. I find it a lot easier to be fast with quad sticks than accurate with a tripod.

 

[DLSJR]

Once you learn to use them quad sticks are faster to set up than a tripod. There are only 2 points of contact on the ground vs 3 with a tripod. I can track a moving animal easily and pivot with a running animal. A Tripod takes a lot of practice to be accurate. Quad sticks take practice to be fast. The accuracy is more of a given. I find it a lot easier to be fast with quad sticks than accurate with a tripod.

Zach pretty much nails it in his comments.

It does take a bit of practice to be quick with quad sticks, but they’re so much more stable. When I got a set for the first time I thought they were slow and awkward but damn was I stable when finally on them. I took them to the Selous that year and my PH, Alan Vincent, didn’t like them. He resisted using them, instead kept using his tripod sticks. I had to really press him to try them, and he finally relented. Then he saw me shooting better but he still wasn’t sold and kept telling me about every shortcoming he could think of.

Fast forward to 2024 and we are in Cameroon after Lord Derby Eland. When I had a shot opportunity on day two Alan set up the Gunstix for what was about a 225 yard shot with intervening branches about halfway to the bull. I was taking my time finding a clear path for my bullet and Alan asked if I was having trouble getting steady. I whispered back that I was plenty steady, just trying to find an opening to shoot through. I fired and the LDE dropped in his tracks. There is no way I’d have attempted that shot off a tripod. I shot everything else off the Gunstix and by the end of the hunt Alan asked me to leave the sticks for his next hunter, which I did.

This year, when I hunted buffalo with Alan and we were going to check the rifles, Alan just said “grab your quad sticks”. I’d brought along a set of carbon 4 Stable Sticks to try and we both really liked them. When we flew home I just left them with Alan so he always has a set. He was a skeptic but is now a believer.

If you give quad sticks a fair try, you’ll find them to be an excellent choice for Africa and anywhere else you may shoot from a standing position.

 

[Ridge Runner]

Once you learn to use them quad sticks are faster to set up than a tripod. There are only 2 points of contact on the ground vs 3 with a tripod. I can track a moving animal easily and pivot with a running animal. A Tripod takes a lot of practice to be accurate. Quad sticks take practice to be fast. The accuracy is more of a given. I find it a lot easier to be fast with quad sticks than accurate with a tripod.

I'm still not getting a set of quad sticks.
I much prefer my tripod. When I need to take a break and the ground is wet/damp I can hang my rifle and pack on the tripod to keep off the ground. Once the tripod is set up it pretty much stays up by itself. Tripods are a whole lot more convenient and multipurpose to use than quad sticks.

 

[Firebird]

That is the only thing a tripod does better is holding your gun for you when you need a place to hang it.
I carry mine constantly now. They make good walking sticks, bino rests when glassing and are wonderfully lightweight.
Reading the comments I think some people haven’t learned to use them and are stubbornly clinging to what they started out with.
Also I don’t care what you use or how you use it, try every method you can and stay with what you like the best. For me it is easily quad type sticks.

 

[Rare Breed]

The answer for me is YES!

Background: For a long time I have been satisfied with an adjustable bi-pod, but I always used it from a seated position which gave support from more than one direction. If it was good enough for Larry Weishun, it was good enough for me. And I made a couple of 250 yard shots, plus closer ones, of course.

Introduce standing shooting: Yes I have done it in Africa with a tripod, and no problems, BUT, the shots were not that long. I have never made a shot in Africa which was more than 100yds, though one should train for more in case it is needed.

What has changed? I was called upon to make a 200 yd shot on a 13 point heavy horned whitetail on Nov. 5th!! Shooting time was suppressed because with full moon the deer did not try to enter the field until last light. (Thats when the 56 mm Zeiss comes into it's own). I stalked within that distance behind a curtain of timber and cactus lining a large field of winter wheat. I tried with the bi-pod fully extended--not stable enough to my mind. I placed it against a chest-high slanting tree trunk for more stability. Crosshairs were still dancing, possibly because my heart was pounding out of my chest with adrenaline--ain't it great? I put just a bit of tight on the sling, leaned in to the tree trunk and did my best to still both heartbeat and breathing. FINALLY got a modicum of control enough that I touched off the shot and heard a "whap" as the rifle rose in recoil. Another chocolate colored buck ran after the shot, and I first wondered if it was my buck, but looking through the scope, I saw that mine was down and out! He was the best buck in the bunch and the best of my career. Fat rascal was heavy enough that I thought I would never get him loaded onto the tailgate.

Lesson going forward: I was at the absolute limit of my shoot ability with a bi-pod, and while I connected, the outcome could have been in doubt. There's no question that if I am called upon to shoot that far, or further STANDING, then I need quad-sticks, and no doubt about it. It is not so much a question of "are they easier to set up" but rather, "can I make the shot without them." I am convinced that they are going to be a necessary part of my equipment. Not so much for sitting, but definitely for standing shots. Depending on the lay of the land and concealment, sitting shots may not be offered. This was a case of shoot or let it walk, and I did NOT want to let that buck walk! Next time I have to stand, I want the comfort of taking a shot from a quad. YMMV
BTW, the ranch where I hunted has a problem with too many bucks and far too few does. What could cause such a condition? We were therefore instructed to shoot bucks only. Also, the buck I shot had a bunch of crusty looking small nodules on the edge of his eyelids. Any comments on that as a condtion on an otherwise fat and sassy buck?
Last note--Throckmorton county is not known for CWD, so I am eating this buck.

The best quad sticks I own are The new Blaser II with a swivel handle. So easy to swing with a walking animal

 

[whisk(e)y hunter]

Big fan of quads, have used both the Gunstix and 4Stable. I like the flat front for left/right tracking and it’s quick and easy to make quick big changes by keeping one foot on the ground and picking up the other to pivot.