Shooting from sticks

[Grandpa Moose]

Have taken 15 trophies in RSA with quad sticks including cape buffalo if you are the least coordinated they set up nicely and if adjusted correctly will allow movement very well. I highly recommend them

 

[BryceM]

2 or 3 MOA from the sticks is plenty good. Stop worrying about that. Now, figure out how to acquire targets quickly, make a good first shot in stressful situations, work the bolt decisively, and get in a quick but effective follow-up shot. That's way more important than improving group sizes from where you are.

If you do want to be more stable, get quad sticks. They probably double my effective range. I really like the Blaser quad sticks as they have an innovative front grip that swivels a bit so you can track right-left easily. They're a bit tough to get in North America. Others work pretty good too.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

For shooting doubles, I find it way, way more comfortable on a flat bag vs traditional shooting sticks. I still use and practice with shooting sticks, but sure wish we’d come up with shooting stick option that would accept an Arca mount, then it’s be as easy as attaching a Cole-Tac backbone and one of their waxed flat bags to it.

Shooting sticks aren’t meant to provide bench rest accuracy, but they do provide deadly accuracy where needed when practiced.

 

[coreydb]

With a group like that, you're good to go. You're not aiming for the bulls-eye, just shoot anywhere in the kill zone.

 

[Woodcarver]

For shooting doubles, I find it way, way more comfortable on a flat bag vs traditional shooting sticks. I still use and practice with shooting sticks, but sure wish we’d come up with shooting stick option that would accept an Arca mount, then it’s be as easy as attaching a Cole-Tac backbone and one of their waxed flat bags to it.

Shooting sticks aren’t meant to provide bench rest accuracy, but they do provide deadly accuracy where needed when practiced. View attachment 773680

So do I. So I made a padded, elk hide covered top for the Gunstix. Best of both worlds; quad sticks, and a "flat bag" for the back of the hand gripping the forend. Allows much better tracking if something is moving and you're waiting for the shot opportunity. The quad sticks are solid enough to sight in a scope with the "5th" leg. Farthest I've tested this 9.3x74R was 225yds off the Gunstix, and put 6 rounds into a roughly 8" piece of OSB.

 

[Nicaburns]

This is one of many reasons I’m thankful for this forum! Reading here prompted me to get a set of sticks for practice prior to my “once in a lifetime” trip two weeks ago. Practicing on them and bringing what I was familiar with allowed me to make a 354yd shot on a gemsbok and take several other animals near 300yds. Even was helpful on my kudu at 160. I’m actually contemplating taking mine out west this fall!

 

[Tally-Ho HUNTING SAFARIS]

I’ll start with- I typically struggle shooting from sticks. I’m currently using a Bogpod tripod with a U shaped rest. I’ve been reading a lot on here and dry firing at home over the last month. This was a hundred yard group today with my 9.3x74. Aiming point was the corner of the red square. I’m still getting a lot of wobble. I’m considering picking up a quality full sized 22 to be able to get more practice from field positions.

at a 100 off the sticks this is very good!!!

 

[Miletic]

Great hits. Nothing more than this is needed to shoot from a stick. I use a Deer Hunter stick. He has support both in front and behind. I also have a wooden stick that I made a long time ago, but it is much easier to shoot with a stick that has two supports. In principle, it is always important that the hand with which the trigger is fired should be close to the body at the elbow. Especially if you shoot with a stick that has one support

I’ll start with- I typically struggle shooting from sticks. I’m currently using a Bogpod tripod with a U shaped rest. I’ve been reading a lot on here and dry firing at home over the last month. This was a hundred yard group today with my 9.3x74. Aiming point was the corner of the red square. I’m still getting a lot of wobble. I’m considering picking up a quality full sized 22 to be able to get more practice from field positions.

 

[Grandpa Moose]

Beautiful gemsbuck

 

[Wildwillalaska]

So do I. So I made a padded, elk hide covered top for the Gunstix. Best of both worlds; quad sticks, and a "flat bag" for the back of the hand gripping the forend. Allows much better tracking if something is moving and you're waiting for the shot opportunity. The quad sticks are solid enough to sight in a scope with the "5th" leg. Farthest I've tested this 9.3x74R was 225yds off the Gunstix, and put 6 rounds into a roughly 8" piece of OSB.
View attachment 773951

This and the share from @Nicaburns …those quad sticks are amazingly stable. I have to admit I need to practice with them more. A good friend of mine who drug me along to Africa for my first trip and started the whole African mess for me absolutely swears by them. He always brings his. Trying them side by side with his set of traditional sticks, big difference in accuracy and stability through the scope, which helps with confidence in setting up the shot.

The next year when taking my then 13yo daughter for her first trip to Africa, I bought a set of the Carbon stable sticks so we could practice with them ahead of time. She had terrible time getting on them (which same holds true for me…just seems/feels awkward how you have to almost mount over the side vs slipping up from behind as you would every other set up) and while she shot well with them, she just couldn’t get used to them. We brought them along but neither of us used them. She was used to shooting off a tripod and bipod, our PH had a set of sticks that were the typical tripod sticks (like trigger sticks without the trigger) where he’d adjust height for her vs me (we had about 14” difference in height then) and she did great with them. I ended up getting a traditional pair of sticks from African Creations as a gift from the wife with the soft suede saddle for doubles. Beautiful sticks, but laying my hand in them, any movement within the saddle and a leg will kick out and totally shifts the sticks…like badly. I think that is just from the soft sand in some of our shooting bays and cement at the 1k rifle range. I need to take them into the grass somewhere and try more. BUT…it’s enough of an issue to destroy confidence in them in situations of sand or hard rock. The simple adjustable sticks with the fixed yoke that is free to spin seems like the most solid I’ve experienced in the field…you just have to lock your elbow in tight for the level of stability needed, which those 4-Stablesticks provides for you.

Where I see the 4 stablesticks winning on all counts is areas where long distance shots aren’t just possible but the norm. The further the shot, the more time is needed to set up and make sure the animal is positioned correctly before the trigger breaks. While I’m rock solid with just a front sticks, the longer I stay on the sticks, the more that changes. If I’m on the sticks for too long, I need to come off and just wait. I will get unstable and extended view through a scope messes with my eyes even. It’s even worse off-hand. I can actually shoot better off hand than I remembered…just hadn’t practiced it in years…like decades. I shot a moose in my underwear in 2016 (boots on but unlaced) that was an offhand shot at 160-ish yards, which moose vitals are huge. That was the first off hand shot I’d taken in I don’t know how long. I just always had a rule that I don’t shoot off hand…I always had a trekking pole, so I’d kneel and use it. Great rule in mountain hunting. Doesn’t work in Africa or when you exit the tent first thing in the morning and the moose you called the night before decides to visit early.

BUT…I cannot hit the broad side of a barn off-hand if I don’t shoot with deliberate haste. I can take my time to set me shot, but I can’t just hold there. Every several seconds that go by, the less locked in I get and I just need to stop, and when ready, take aim and shoot. For me this seems fine…since if haste isn’t the objective, then I’d prefer sticks.

Could be me and my aging shoulders, but play with it when you practice. Shooting off sticks for me is not like shooting off a bench or rest, you can’t just melt into the position and find even greater stability. I get shoulder fatigue and body just seems to move more the longer I’m on the sticks. I kind of believe it’s a timing issue that is likely different for every different body and mind…which is also why practice and more practice before a hunt helps folks find what that timeline is like for them. And share it with your PH so they know if you need more time or less time or if it’s a longer wait, that you need to come off sticks, even partially if the situation doesn’t allow because of proximity and your movement. All great things to learn before pointed at an animal.

 

[Wildwillalaska]

My intended short answer above was that I need to drag my 4 stablesticks out and try them again/more. There is a lot of good there, and just a little bit of awkward to learn around.

 

[wyosteve]

I use the Gunstix like Woodcarver. Longest shot so far has been an oryx at 287 yards. They have been a game changer for me!

 

[PARA45]

I made my longest shot on a quartering away Kudu in the Eastern Cape, ranged at 312 yds. You can spend twice (or more) the amount for a name brand quad sticks, but at the end of the day, they do the same thing. The best thing you could do, is get a set, and use the extra money you saved to buy more ammo to practice.

I shot a bunch of 22 LR, and 375 H&H ammo in practice using the sticks I took with me. I practiced for close to 6 months and never used the bench. My PH liked the quad sticks so much, I ended up giving them to him. He used them for over two years (until they stolen from his truck) with every client that showed up to hunt with them.

 

[Rare Breed]

While I know you are asking what type sticks, I have seen so many people regardless of what type sticks not shoot off them properly so they can be the best they can be. @One Day... has a drawing that is so worth finding on AH that shows you how to face up more to the target versus my seeing so many people turn sideways. Especially with a DR it helped me tremendously.