Hunting is dynamic, and each shooting opportunity is unique. As such, every hunter should have an arsenal of shooting supports from which they can effectively engage a target. While unsupported shooting is important, when possible, hunters should always find a rest. Here are some common rests that have served me well in the field.
Bipods
One of the most popular shooting supports used by hunters is a bipod. Frankly, while I often use them on the range and in competition I rarely carry one in the field. The strength of bipods is that they are exceedingly stable. However, they are slow to set up particularly on uneven ground. Also, they add significant weight to the front of the rifle. This can be an annoyance when slinging a rifle and also ruins the balance of many rifles for off hand and unsupported shooting. Admittedly, for open country hunting they are an extremely solid rest.
Prone over a Pack
On the other hand, I often shoot prone over my pack. Despite being slightly less stable than a bipod, shooting off of a pack is still a very solid position. Additionally, it requires no extra gear as most hunters are carrying a pack into the field anyways. Finally, shooting off of a pack is much faster to set up than a bipod and conforms well to uneven and rocky terrain.
Seated off of Pack
Next, shooting seated off a pack is another excellent hunting position. This is my most often used shooting position. Underbrush and fluctuations in terrain mean that oftentimes I am unable to go prone. Shooting seated still provides a solid shooting platform and is very fast to get into position. In my test of seated shooting positions shooting seated off a pack was not noticeably less accurate than off of trekking poles or a tripod and was significantly faster. Because of this, seated off of my pack is my default shooting position for inside of 300 yards.
Trekking Poles
Seated off of trekking poles is a very stable shooting position when you loop the handles of the poles over one another. A downside to this method is typically the poles need to be shorter than they would normally be hiking. As such, it is not as fast as simply shooting off of your pack. However, trekking poles allow you to get higher than what is possible with a standard pack frame. An example of this is a moose I shot off of my trekking poles this fall. In that instance, my pack would not get me high enough to see over the reeds on the lakeside, but I was able to break a clean 300 yard shot kneeling from my trekking poles.
Tripod
Finally, shooting off of a tripod is becoming increasingly popular in the field. There are a lot of positives to tripod shooting. First of all, tripods are incredibly flexible. Depending on the tripod you can shoot from prone all the way to standing. Another strength of tripod shooting is with some practice, you can get very stable. Unlike a bipod, many hunters already carry a tripod with them to hold binoculars and spotting scopes, so there is no associated weight penalty.
The largest drawback of shooting off a tripod is the time it takes to set up. Many shooters will take up to 60 seconds to set up a tripod and break a shot. Ball heads and experience can speed this up significantly. However, setting up a tripod is never as fast as shooting off of your pack.
Closing Thoughts
In closing, different hunting scenarios require different shooting supports. Practicing with the supports you actually carry in the field will greatly increase your efficacy. Next time you go to the range, bring your hunting gear and practice so that when that opportunity presents itself you’re ready to build a rest and break a clean shot.