Best Alternatives to Shooting Prone

[bonepoint]

Looking for some input.

Our elk spot requires shooting across a canyon from a steep hillside where it is nearly impossible to set up prone. The elk go through the far side anywhere from 400-800 yards, with 500-600 being the most common shot. In years past we did our best to set up on the hillside over a boulder and our bag and that was ok for 300-450. Last year we brought up a Bog Pod tripod and that was better. It worked for 2 elk at 400-500 yards, but I tried it at 700 and missed several times. While it felt good and steady, the results say otherwise. For background, I am not a super experienced long range shooter like many on here, but I did shoot steel out to 800 yards several times before the season and felt very comfortable in making hits at 800, but that was always prone. The difference seems to be in being able to get a real solid rear rest.

Any recommendations or suggestions shooting positions on those longer shots? I do plan on practicing more this year with the tripod.

A buddy suggested that I go up there before the season and carve out a shooting pad on the hillside so I could shoot prone.

 

[fuzzymarindave]

Sitting but on ground with long bipod up front and backpack as rear rest. Carving a shooting pad works until you have to relocate. Nice to have such a good spot!

 

[rookieforever33]

Can you get on top of that ridge before the elk move through?

 

[hereinaz]

100% solid tripod front and rear support with something like pack, treking pole/shooting sticks.

I call it old man prone and can shoot kneeling better than prone because it’s just not as comfortable for me to get prone.

Here is a post with some videos. If you search using tripod and my user name I have a couple other threads probably useful, and comments on other tripod threads.

Thread 'Thread for Fast/Solid Tripod Techniques'
https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/thread-for-fast-solid-tripod-techniques.415512/

 

[43.6N]

My dad with 2 knee replacements struggles with the typical mobility required for prone shooting.
We have worked a lot over the last year to help him build good seated positions.

Key principles:
Stable front support
Stable rear support
And the “key” is something to take up the negative space between the stock and your belly/waist.

Tripod front, backpack rear in a bear-hug has worked well.

Tripod front and rear with a sleeping bag as a space filling bear-hug bag has also worked.

Practice building and breaking the position on the clock. A lot of the missing comes from inconsistent grip and cheek pressure. So practicing getting into the position so that the setup and pressure is always the same leads to the same type of consistency that you can get prone.

Good luck

 

[Formidilosus]

While it felt good and steady, the results say otherwise. For background, I am not a super experienced long range shooter like many on here, but I did shoot steel out to 800 yards several times before the season and felt very comfortable in making hits at 800, but that was always prone. The difference seems to be in being able to get a real solid rear rest.

I’m going to go a different direction than others…

800 yards is so far beyond “several times before the season”, that it shouldn’t even be in the conversation. The reason “it felt good and steady”, yet you missed several times is because you do not have the shooting volume or experience to be shooting at animals at 700 yards. 700 yards on animals- let alone 800 yards, is thousands upon thousands of rounds a year, rear round, and in the conditions you will experience while hunting. Prone, tripod- doesn’t matter. There is no way around that.

 

[hereinaz]

Meant to post this video to show how I learned to shoot from a hillside. I never look for a prone shot anymore.

I also thought about some other things, and have some time to kill and share my thoughts.

Building a position for every shot, maximizing support for the rifle and body parts is critical for stability. Think about how to build every position as supported and relaxed as prone, and with as much meat behind the rifle to absorb/control recoil. Besides the stability of prone, the mass of our body behind the rifle is a factor that some don’t seem to realize/consider.

For those longer shots, understanding how a rifle moves when connected to a tripod is critical, especially for heavy recoiling rifles. It is easy to get a stable position for the rifle, but your upper body is not well positioned to control/manage recoil consistently.

I spent part of a year practicing in the field doing build and break drills shooting rocks off my tripod. I learned a lot about the fundamentals beyond just the rifle support. Recoil absolutely wrecks what otherwise seems like a stable shot. It is especially true the longer the shot.

Also, I found that I got inconsistent results from rifle clamps. I find clipping into a good ball head or shooting off a bag on top of the tripod are the most consistent. If the clamp, small ball head, or whatever is front support moves during recoil, inconsistent results typically follow. All movements of the rifle before the bullet leaves the barrel decrease precision and cause misses, especially as the distance increases.

All that is my opinion and experience tripod shooting, and I think it involves more than most realize. This is one situation where it requires practice with the gear you use in the similar situation.