Shooting sticks

Peter Eaton

Well-Known Member
Just made a few of alterations to my sticks. First one was to take off the foam rubber rifle rests at the top which were far too bulky and replace with cycle handle bar grip,much better as slimmer and grips the stock alot better. Second was to drill them on each side and run a sting from side to side to stop them doing the splits when in use. And the final one was told to me last week. If using a bi-pod attatch a long length of string where the bolt holds then together, the scissor bit. That way when in use either stand on the string and push the sticks away until its taught or clip it to your belt loop at the front and push away until taught. It really makes a difference and act like a third leg on a bi pod.

Pete
 
I tried the 4-sticks a while back. Will use nothing else now. Spent a bit of time practicing and now as quick as a pair of sticks. But I cannot tell you just how good they are. I can seriously shoot a group almost as tight as prone at 100 yards. It has changed my stalking beyond all recognition.
 
I have heard the quad sticks are exellent but I find them too bulky and far too expensive.I too laughed when I was told about the taught string tip...but the smile was wiped right off my face when I tried it...it really does work as it stops the sticks moving in the back / farward plane. It also allows you to use just two sticks and that in turn saves weight. I suppose it each to their own but at end of the day who cares as long as the shot you take is steady and not screwed up at the expensive of the animal it connects with.
 
tried them but found when shooting munties which tend to move a lot while eating etc, found it a pain to keep moving sticks as they move, now use a lightweight tripod with a swivel top, must have half a dozen sticks of different types in the garage. deerwarden :rolleyes:
 
I shoot off bipod sticks and in common with other support I use (posts/boulders etc.) I merely let the forestock balance on the hand that takes support from what is under it or on the V of the sticks. Works OK. I was in South Africa this April and the PH insisted I was wrong and had me hold the forestock and pull it down onto the support. I was shooting 4" high compared to off a bench sandbag or the same sticks in my usual manner. Two others tried and they were the same.

One armed shooters can manage without touching the forestock :)

Stan
 
whatever you use practice off them is the key standing and kneeling.
they are all only as good as you are with them.
small groups off sand bags or bipods mean very little in woodland stalking.
After 37 misses this year now i have taken the miss charge at stalkers discrection off my price list and put all misses WILL be charged for.
You will be better spending £30 on practice ammo now rather than missing through lack of practice.
You do the sums I've only charged for 2 misses this year thats a lump of lost revenue.
You may not think its right but I am trying to making a living at this. Empty chillers don't pay overheads.
 
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whatever you use practice off them is the key standing and kneeling.
they are all only as good as you are with them.
small groups off sand bags or bipods mean very little in woodland stalking.
After 37 misses this year now i have taken the miss charge at stalkers discrection off my price list and put all misses WILL be charged for.
You will be better spending £30 on practice ammo now rather than missing through lack of practice.
You do the sums I've only charged for 2 misses this year thats a lump of lost revenue.
You may not think its right but I am trying to making a living at this. Empty chillers don't pay overheads.

I agree practice makes perfect . I recently bought a snap cap for my rifle (65x55} and practice shooting off my sticks . I know after i have pulled the trigger if the shot was good . i then put three rounds into the target to see how accurate i really am.
 
whatever you use practice off them is the key standing and kneeling.
they are all only as good as you are with them.


I'll drink to that one. I wobble about like a drunken skunk on sticks and it's the fault of shooting off a bipod too often. Getting better with practice though (lots of practice). Gimme a year or two.:oops::rolleyes:
 
I shoot off bipod sticks and in common with other support I use (posts/boulders etc.) I merely let the forestock balance on the hand that takes support from what is under it or on the V of the sticks. Works OK. I was in South Africa this April and the PH insisted I was wrong and had me hold the forestock and pull it down onto the support. I was shooting 4" high compared to off a bench sandbag or the same sticks in my usual manner. Two others tried and they were the same.

One armed shooters can manage without touching the forestock :)

Stan

True, I never hold forestock when shooting with a bipod free hand is tucked under and supporting the stock or under the trigger guard, like you I use bipod sticks then I will support forestock but under it.
 
I'll drink to that one. I wobble about like a drunken skunk on sticks and it's the fault of shooting off a bipod too often. Getting better with practice though (lots of practice). Gimme a year or two.:oops::rolleyes:

A lot less wobble with three sticks as opposed to two and probably even less with four, but I have never tried quads yet.
 
A lot less wobble with three sticks as opposed to two and probably even less with four, but I have never tried quads yet.

I've two sets though. One is the x-box or x-trail or whatever it is with three legs (X3M1, that's them) which rattles about and is a pain until it's set up. The other is home made with the obligatory long green garden poles, tie wraps and pipe lagging at the top. The latter works better but the failure of both with a rifle balanced on top is down to me.
 
whatever you use practice off them is the key standing and kneeling.
they are all only as good as you are with them.
small groups off sand bags or bipods mean very little in woodland stalking.
After 37 misses this year now i have taken the miss charge at stalkers discrection off my price list and put all misses WILL be charged for.
You will be better spending £30 on practice ammo now rather than missing through lack of practice.
You do the sums I've only charged for 2 misses this year thats a lump of lost revenue.
You may not think its right but I am trying to making a living at this. Empty chillers don't pay overheads.

I'm all for practicing but when you say that it's a loss of revenue when someone misses is wrong. the person as paid to go stalking so there's your revenue, If this is not then shoot them yourself and make more money.
 
I'm all for practicing but when you say that it's a loss of revenue when someone misses is wrong. the person as paid to go stalking so there's your revenue, If this is not then shoot them yourself and make more money.

No you are wrong when we set the price of days we take the sale of venison in to the equation if you want to discard that it would mean that the price of a days stalking would rise significantly
 
So if i pay to go stalking then when we see something i've got to shoot it, I think it's up to me if i shoot. So in that case if i see nothing do i get my money back.
 
So if i pay to go stalking then when we see something i've got to shoot it, I think it's up to me if i shoot. So in that case if i see nothing do i get my money back.


To be fair John is very clear about what he offers and the charges....If I dont like it then I dont go is my way of thinking.
 
It is important to practice off sticks i do it all the time and still miss.But its ok as i will get him the next time or my guest will , charging for missis is just a quick money maker thats a fact and its ok but please dont try and say its lost revenue. If i suggest to some one to take a shot and he missis then thats fine. If i cant put my carcase in the larder because of damage then they will pay what ever is lost i feel thats fair . But for a pro to suggest to his clients that a missed deer is lost revenue is silly. you can only kill deer once but you can charge for numerous missis.
 
I have heard the quad sticks are exellent but I find them too bulky and far too expensive.I too laughed when I was told about the taught string tip...but the smile was wiped right off my face when I tried it...it really does work as it stops the sticks moving in the back / farward plane. It also allows you to use just two sticks and that in turn saves weight. I suppose it each to their own but at end of the day who cares as long as the shot you take is steady and not screwed up at the expensive of the animal it connects with.

well my quad sticks costme 12 quid and a morning in the workshop , ive been using them for a couple of yrs now with great success ! View attachment 2489
 
My outing fees are geared up to take into account of a certain amount of venison.
My prices are there for people to see (all the prices).
35 misses in the year and nothing I couldn't have shot myself.
Now thats 3x the ammount for the whole of last year.
Those deer are found again and sometimes shot, some are not(passing through my land etc).
Time on that land is doubled and my efforts are wasted as if it was shot and killed I could be somewhere else shooting another beast.
Like it or not its over £1000 I have'nt made as I haven't charged people.(lost revenue "stalkers descresion).
My price list simply now states ALL MISSES WILL BE CHARGED.
I have done away with "stalkers descresion".
THOUGH in the event of a deflection or something else would "waive" this charge.
We all make up our own prices people agree and pay them or don't come simple.
No rules nothing will suit all some do day price others itemise everything, each to there own but double my time after a beast its a waste of my time and fuel.
Its simialr to a "no show" you would expect when youv'e got out of bed to be paid if they don't turn up that morning as no venision is in the chiller.
Would you take a £1000 pay cut??
I think not.
 
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