Hunting & Fishing Coyote: Tripod or swagger bipod?
- Thread starter Sogan
- Start date
I have both but, depending on how comfortable you are, in area's like that I prefer a tripod. More comfortable and provides a lot more mobility for tracking/leading one.
That’s what I’m thinking. I can see advantages of both but I’d think ultimate stability comes from the tripod while giving up some maneuverability and weight
If you have to shoot coyotes past 200 you aren't much of a caller. If you cant shoot off of sticks into 2.5 moa (kill zone of a coyote at 200) you aren't much of a shot. 75% of coyotes for a decent caller will be inside 75 yards where a tripod is cumbersome. If you want to shoot 400 yard coyotes use a tripod, or sticks and have a bipod mounted. If you cant shoot, use a tripod and scare a bunch of coyotes off with movement. If you can shoot and call just use some Bogpod sticks with a ballhead. Faster, easier, cheaper, less movement.
I've been caught flat footed with my rifle locked into the tripod by coyotes that come in fast and close from an unexpected direction. I usually have my shotgun handy to deal with such situations, but don't always lug it along. From learning experiences like these, I now consider the ideal set up to be a long bipod (Harris 25CS, Swagger, or Hatch) with a short bipod carried in my pack. If smart coyotes hang up way out past 400 yds, you typically have the time and opportunity to go prone. The long bipod allows you to sit more comfortably and deal with the most likely shots. It's the same system the O'Neill Ops guys use, very smart and well thought out. A tripod would be really good though for night hunting farm fields like pictured above.
Shooting sticks for me. Tripods are to cumbersome and slow to readjust. And no way in hell am I putting that ugly swagger on my rifles.
Swagger has a push button picatinny mount set that looks interesting. Ive set all my hunting rifles up with the Spartan system. Easy on easy off, looks clean, the bipod rides in my pocket and weights a few ounces, and I put a Davros on a set of Vangaurd sticks. I have tried a lot of hunting support set ups and this will be the last one. At night I trust this setup to hold my rifle with the stock as the 3rd leg, so like a tripod the rifle is close to ready to roll, and much faster to adjust.
I found a single walking stick, / rifle or shotgun holder that has worked vey well for me. It is aluminum and has a "v" type rest in the top, twist to unlock, with a strap that keeps it in my hand and doubles as my walking stick. I am 66 and I keep my gear weight very low. My cushion, rifle, and calls are simple and allow me to cover ground very well up and down these hills in N.E. Mo. The tripod, if I was younger, is probably something I would consider, the single stick /rest allows me to move very quiet, adjusts for the type of terrain, side of a hill, log pile type blind/cover etc.
