Thread: Who uses a tripod to hunt / shoot from?

I don't even use a bipod now.. tricer tripod and arca rail on my rifle. Take all my shots out to 450 so far sitting behind a tripod

Literally just watched this half an hour ago,

Little bit spendy but looks like the goods

https://youtu.be/tLgbidqll4g?feature=shared

My son and I have been using a set of Viperflex quad sticks (Journey) for the last 10 years. I bought them off a Finnish guy who was out here trying to find a local company to market them here for them.

My thoughts are that if you are hunting on flat, or reasonably flat ground they are fantastic, but they are not good on the side of a steep hill - particularly if you are shooting across the hill as they are too difficult to adjust the length of the legs on one side quickly.

Having said that, we have shot dozens and dozens of deer off them in and around river clearings and flats as they are very good at keeping you above long grass/reeds etc.

Haven’t tried it yet but for shooting on a hillside I have recently bought an Artcise tripod as suggested by dannyb. To me it looks as though it will be much easier to adjust the leg length individually on the side of a steep hill.

Practice.
They are easy to adjust the height for contour by simply lifting one side and moving it closer or away from the other. And the fact that the rifle isn't fixed to it like some tripod clamps means you can shoot with the sticks at any angle.
They may appear expensive but the look of disappointment from someone who has just missed a shot due to a unsuitable rest (which I've seen dozens of times) is horrible too.

Sorry but you are not correct, but what would I know - I’ve only had them for 10+ years.

I don't actually care.
But will add that I have had numerous clients bring their flash tripods then use my quad sticks to shoot their deer.
But if Danny has convinced you you might be on to a winner.

I guess a lot depends on the individuals ability to adapt and discipline themselves. I have a set of Vipersticks but haven't used them much - my bad. But for hunting they are light years ahead of any of the tripods I've tried. A big thing when hunting is hand movement, it gives you away instantly to game, and the tripod requires more hand movements to get it set than sticks.

One of the professional night shooters on here is consistently donging rabbits too 200 yards and beyond with his vipersticks. Nuff said.

Tentman, the issue has nothing to do with ability to adapt or discipline, it is the method used to adjust the length of the legs. Mine are an older set and have metal spring loaded pins that locate into a series of holes on each leg. You need to adjust both legs on the same side at the same time which is cumbersome and noisey, and once you have done it the quad sticks are no longer at the correct height for you to use as intended - instead you are half crouched behind them when on the side of a steep hill, and this is not an ideal stance for shooting accurately.

I’m sure one of the professional night shooters is donging rabbits to 200 yards, but I’m also sure he is not having to adjust the leg length for each shot because he is shooting on a steep hillside - which is what I said they are not ideal for.

Originally Posted by Sauer

Tentman, the issue has nothing to do with ability to adapt or discipline, it is the method used to adjust the length of the legs. Mine are an older set and have metal spring loaded pins that locate into a series of holes on each leg. You need to adjust both legs on the same side at the same time which is cumbersome and noisey, and once you have done it the quad sticks are no longer at the correct height for you to use as intended - instead you are half crouched behind them when on the side of a steep hill, and this is not an ideal stance for shooting accurately.

I’m sure one of the professional night shooters is donging rabbits to 200 yards, but I’m also sure he is not having to adjust the leg length for each shot because he is shooting on a steep hillside - which is what I said they are not ideal for.

Sorry I wasnt trying to "get at you" but just pointing out how any gear needs a lot of adaption and consideration as to how to best use it.

If you need to adjust the leg length for each shot I suspect you aren't understanding how simple it is to adjust the height without changing the leg length.

It isn’t possible to adjust the height of the Viperflex sticks I have without altering the leg length. The design only allows the legs to be opened to a fixed angle- they cannot be opened any further.

If you cannot alter the angle between the legs, and you do not alter the length of the legs, then how can you alter the height? Pretty simple trigonometry.

I use a set of “4 Stable Stix” from France. They’re great to shoot off . It’s mostly fallow here and have shot them out to 290yards off sticks. It’s a sandpit around here so getting in the ground you fill the rifle up with sand. $350 but don’t have the ease of leg adjustment of the Viperflex. I love them for sneaking around d shooting gates in the winter without doing the velvet flop on the wet ground.


Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

I use trigger sticks when hunting varmints at night using thermal bino's and IR scope. Works a treat.

Tentman - I’m not bothered by what you said but I am starting to think that the Viperflex sticks I have are different to those available today. Mine were more than likely the first set in the country as they came from a friend of the owner of Viperflex who was out here visiting Swazi with the aim of the sticks being marketed here by them. As long as 10 years ago I had email discussions with Claus Christiansen (the CEO of Viperflex) over the difficulties we were having using them on steep country. I made suggestions on how I thought the design could be improved for my use, and even provided them with an alternative design that would have suited my purpose.

Mine don’t have the lever arrangement on them that the newer models have so I am not familiar with how this works, but the suggestions that have been made in this thread are simply not possible with the set I have.

Originally Posted by Sauer

Tentman - I’m not bothered by what you said but I am starting to think that the Viperflex sticks I have are different to those available today. Mine were more than likely the first set in the country as they came from a friend of the owner of Viperflex who was out here visiting Swazi with the aim of the sticks being marketed here by them. As long as 10 years ago I had email discussions with Claus Christiansen (the CEO of Viperflex) over the difficulties we were having using them on steep country. I made suggestions on how I thought the design could be improved for my use, and even provided them with an alternative design that would have suited my purpose.

Mine don’t have the lever arrangement on them that the newer models have so I am not familiar with how this works, but the suggestions that have been made in this thread are simply not possible with the set I have.

Now that you have explained your setup I can see where you are coming from.
The newer ones are great. And simple.
The Primos Polecat five leg is brilliant.
I was shooting some meat animals with Dave Hearn and he had his. He set up on an animal and stepped away from his rifle. I stepped in behind his gun and the cross was still on the animals shoulder. If I'd wanted to shoot it, all I had to do was touch the trigger. This was at 347 yards. I was sold and have owned sticks since. Prior to that I thought they were a bit gimmicky.