Bipod? Tripod? Shooting stick?

[dirtytough]

I’m a bipod/tripod fan. If we can get prone we do.

If we can’t or we are lazy, we clip into a tripod if it’s close. If it’s a long shot and we can’t get prone we use a bipod up front, and a tripod for rear support.

Overall nothing beats a tripod for elevated shots.

Keep it simple. Practice a couple ways to shoot. Not just the shooting. But building the actual position. You don’t want to be fumbling around when it’s go time.

 

[Highvoltage1]

Those who use the tripods… I just picked up the mini Arca from srs, what’s the best placement forend or above the mag well at a balance point? I have the 634 from Slik. I’ve always used a pack in the past but decided to go Arca mount since I always have a tripod.

 

[nm.otter]

Generally in front of mag well if it's for a tripod.

 

[hereinaz]

Those who use the tripods… I just picked up the mini Arca from srs, what’s the best placement forend or above the mag well at a balance point? I have the 634 from Slik. I’ve always used a pack in the past but decided to go Arca mount since I always have a tripod.

I use both. Between them, I would use the balance point.

If I am building support in the rear, I typically push the support out front. If I am not building support, then I go to the balance point.

 

[OverInfinite]

I use both. Between them, I would use the balance point.

If I am building support in the rear, I typically push the support out front. If I am not building support, then I go to the balance point.

If you're on your tripod, do you leave the ball loose if you push your support out?

I am not a big guy (5'7) so when my bipods are at the end of even a relatively short chassis like a MDT LSS, I cant hardly reach to adjust them. But on a tripod I am pretty much 100% at the balance point and I'll still use a pack or a knee and shooting bag under the rear. mostly because I like to be able to lock my ball head down before the shot.

 

[BCDJR]

I’ve hunted antelope 4 times . It’s usually warm weather so you don’t have on alot of clothes for crawling around much. I have used both short bipods, packs, tall bipods and a fence post! I don’t have any experience with the tripod. They can be spooky animals and have very good eyes it seems to me. I have not purchased the Tricer bipod but I have shot off of one. It goes pretty tall compared to others. You will need to see any comments or reviews but the guy I know that has one really likes it.

 

[hereinaz]

If you're on your tripod, do you leave the ball loose if you push your support out?

I am not a big guy (5'7) so when my bipods are at the end of even a relatively short chassis like a MDT LSS, I cant hardly reach to adjust them. But on a tripod I am pretty much 100% at the balance point and I'll still use a pack or a knee and shooting bag under the rear. mostly because I like to be able to lock my ball head down before the shot.

Good point. Ultimately, I think the default should be balance point.

I am 6’2” and have longer arms. Seated tripod I can reach the front. The upright position puts your shoulders closer than laying down. I can’t reach when prone

Also, I am considering position based on the time I have time to shoot. If it’s quick, need flexibility to move, or inside 400 it goes at the balance point.

When shooting tripod prone, I lock the head, spread the legs, and push a leg back and use it as a bipod.

Most of the time the environment doesn’t allow for prone, so I stopped even practicing it much. When I first started tripod shooting, it was a very new thing. I first learned it before it was a thing. Just before the hunt, I put a chopped piece of ARCA onto this rifle on the balance point and still had a pic rail up front.

The tripod was a cheap Neewer carbon fiber model off Amazon. It was solid enough, which shows most tripods work, just which has the features and is most solid.

 

[TaperPin]

Antelope hunting is so fun I get excited for someone even if I’m not going along.

As with all western hunting, not every animal is just going to stand there all day, so practice getting into position quickly. Watching someone try to deploy and adjust a bipod while prone if they aren’t used to it is the proverbial monkey shagging a football. lol

It’s safe to assume some shots are going to be fairly close and the shot is now or never and there’s no time to fiddle around setting up a tripod or even unfolding a bipod, it’s sit and shoot. At least 20% of the goats I’ve taken were 200 yards or less, 60% were 200-400 yards, 20% were farther.

The #1 issue new antelope hunters have other than shooting at long distance is understanding how far to lead moving animals. It’s A LOT. A significant number of goats are shot behind the diaphragm, often way behind. I’ve watched someone shoot the goat trailing the one they were aiming for. If you don’t remember anything else, keep in mind your bullet time of flight at 300 yards is close to 1/3 of a second. Watching a walking or trotting goat, if you say “1 Mississippi” and divide the distance moved in 1/3rds that’s A LOT of movement.