Shooting off a tri-pod.

basil

Distinguished Member
Any pointers are welcome. Personally, i think controlled breathing is one of the biggest factors in tri-pod shooting.
I`m not always 100% steady on tri-pods, therefore won`t take some shots. I`d rather not take the shot than have a wounded deer i can`t find.
basil.
 
dont rest the gun on the tripod, use the tripod to steady the underside of the front hand so you can adjust final aim.

if you can get set up with your shoulder against a tree it can help.

i shot my first deer off one (87m -too far for me then).
 
Practice

Practice and practice some more.

Dry fire at home two or three times a day using your sticks.

Then get your 22 or pellet gun out and shoot several bricks of ammo - clay pigeons are a very good target - start off with the big ones and then move down to the little ones and once you get used to using sticks you can hit accurately out to a surprising long way.

Then get some cheap ammo - say the prvi partizan stuff and shoot a couple of boxes of that.

Then finish off with you stalking ammo.

Don't try to get a perfect and stationary sight picture. Instead concentrate on the target - if it is an animal imagine where the heart is and try to look through the skin to where it is and shoot in one flowing movement and follow through.

If you start wobbling start the process again.

And in the field confine your first shots on game to short range where you know you can hit them cleanly - 50 yards is enough at first.

I must admit the last few deer I have shot off sticks I haven't even thought about the shot - there it is, nice cull buck, safe backdrop , rifle on sticks, boom. one dead beast. And the bullet within an inch or two of where I want it.

If I had tried to get perfect picture the buck would have been well away.
 
Heym, SR20, has summed it up nicely but you do have to practice, and then you will have taken the shot and not even know you have done it. Best of luck, now get out the 22

John
 
I am a bit similar, never shot off sticks, I have been using Frans yard brush :oops: to practice with my 22 in the back yard, I set up a few old car badges vw type ones similar to a small clay at 60 yds
Then painted a small round circle about an inch wide on a block of 7 by 4
My mate has been doing the same with an airgun exactly same, but at half the distance, if you are not able to use a rimmy due to safety factors.. I am lucky living where I do to be able to practice
Took me a little time but now I can place all my shots with the little rifle into the centre of the target, I will try and set up a target on my mates farm and do the same with the full bore.
 
Shooting off sticks.

Shooting off sticks is always fraught with danger and the possibility of a wounded beast.
A better and firmer rest should be used whenever possible, we frequently hear of someone dropping a beast at a vast range with a neck shot but we are NOT told of the cock-ups which take place.
Below is an example of a cock-up at a measily 40 yards off sticks yesterday at a stalkers shoot, had this been an 80 yard shot at a Deer it would have been a runner.
[ 12 shot DSC1 extended course of fire, I was joint 6th with 118/120.]
A couple of clicks up on the scope would have made things look better !
Not too bad though for a partially sighted 75 year old wrinkly!

15June08shootBowscar.jpg
 
Just traded in my telescopic sticks for a coupla bean poles from the garden centre , and a hoover belt to hold em together , quick cheap and already I feel that I can get steady more quickly without fuss , price £ 1.99 each , bargain.
Trapper
 
i have done the same traded in the tripod for the bean sticks,and over the last season got used to them feel more at easy with just the two sticks,i think its what ever suits you,and what ever you feel comfotable with.
 
I used three of these bean poles as i thought it would give a more stable base, also, if i want to stop for a while i can hang my rifle off the bi-pod instead of putting it on the ground.
basil.
 
Perhaps I may buy another one ! as the post was tri not bi , so thats a damn quick purchase on my behalf ,
Trapper :lol:
 
Personally, I'm not that keen on tripods, due to the bulk and the sheer awkwardness of setting them up - a bipod is often faster and, more importantly, quieter.

When practicing, I make a point of practicing the full shot from start to finish, so far as safety regulations will allow. Mental visualisation is very powerful!

Start with the rifle on the shoulder, the sticks in one hand and binos in the other. Imagine yourself sneaking through the woods, spotting a deer.

Put the binos on the target, then set up the sticks and shoot as if in a real stalking situation.

Chamber the next round and then imagine what might happen next - does the deer stagger and fall? Or does it run? If the latter, shoot again quickly. Practice both ways.

Proper deer-shaped targets are a very useful accessory to aid the visualisation process.
 
For what it's worth, I'd forget the tripod and concentrate on using double sticks. Quicker & quieter - and you'll get more chances of a shot, believe me. In most circumstances where you need to shoot standing you simply haven't the time to mess around.
 
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