Hunting Tripod

[obk]

I'm really happy with it so far. The head is a bit much for hunting use, if I was going to be doing a lot of that and walking any distance I'd probably get one of the smaller ones. I mostly just used it with my spotting scope to check targets today and it'll work for what I need I think. Tried shooting off it a bit with a plate and it worked well enough, but only had 100m targets. Legs all lock/unlock with <1/2 turn and tighten up well. There isn't a hook on the leveling head handle, so I'll probably tie a loop on or something so I can hang a bag from the middle. The head is smooth and the adjustments seem good enough. For the money I spent it's looking like a good combo.

 

[hereinaz]

If you use your imagination, can see in the video the lack of options short rails give the hunter on a hunting gun. I don't know what it is, but very few guys making how to shoot from a tripod, either seem like they really don't know or take the time to show setups that take tripods to the next level like a full ultra-light dovetail for hunting guns.

The video brings up a side point to consider when you're making your HUNTING tripod choice. A light full-length ARCA like Henderson Precision weighs in about 3.5oz, about the same as some thicker short rails and certainly the same or less than both a short rail and a Picatinny rail upfront for the bipod.

The added benefits of a full rail are:

• It is wide and smooth and will provide a better recoil path without getting hung up when shot off a backpack or bag like a patchwork of rails a lot of people and the video shows.
• Total weight can be less than two independent rails
• For steep slopes and large angles, being able to slide the tripod mount a bit forward can really help with fine-tuning the buttstock height and allowing a better body position in some cases.
• It is usually faster and easier to connect when rushed, in the dark, or trying to keep our eyes on an animal.
• If you use a bipod you can slide it back, to have a smaller footprint if needed.
• You can ditch the bipod completely and have bipod stability, by sliding the tripod upfront where the bipod would normally go - (see the image below)
• Losing a light spotting tripod and your bipod, you'll save weight and can upgrade your stability by using a more robust tripod like the RRS 33 and Anvil (less total weight) - I no longer carry a bipod when hunting

With a full rail, you can go from very low prone, medium to high prone with many tripods and have the same or better stability than a bipod. It is unfortunate that many people haven't experienced the full versatility of using a tripod by utilizing a full rail. As an example; last weekend we finished our UKD Team Feild match. Every station had challenges that the teams needed to think through that was based on something that could be encountered in the field hunting; basically, it was a tripod match, and utilizing it quickly and effectively played a role in every solution. I tried to set each FFP in a way that would lure teams that didn't analyze the problem in a less than ideal location inside a marked FFP area as part of the challenge. One, in particular, looked great for a bipod, and it was the only true sub-MOA stage, so stability was a key component. Many shooters didn't see the subtle rise in the dirt and skipped bullet after bullet off the hardpan dead set on trying to make a bipod work. Others that did see the problem, tried to shoot kneeling or sitting on the tripod, when in fact they should have used a tripod high prone, (as shown below), set just a few inches higher than the bipods could provide. It is every bit as stable as prone. I didn't see one team use the easy solution to the problem as pictured below.

View attachment 7485844

The image was talked for the Field Match tripod tips and tricks post. I do NOT carry the Gel-lite rear bag hunting. I just move my pack around to provide the support.

PS I'll put the solution I was hoping for in the match debrief next week.

You have convinced me. I will get the Henderson and try it. There is no downside... I bet I find a use for it.

It appears most people don't know how to shoot off a tripod... the Gunwerks video is a poor example of shooting off a tripod, IMO. I can think of better at least one better position for each one he made.

I have pretty well ditched the prone position, because I have shot all my game inside 600 seated off a tripod and haven't needed to go prone. I could go prone off the tripod if needed.

I practiced standing yesterday and shot submoa at 100 with my AR.

 

[Joee Dirt]

I'm really happy with it so far. The head is a bit much for hunting use, if I was going to be doing a lot of that and walking any distance I'd probably get one of the smaller ones. I mostly just used it with my spotting scope to check targets today and it'll work for what I need I think. Tried shooting off it a bit with a plate and it worked well enough, but only had 100m targets. Legs all lock/unlock with <1/2 turn and tighten up well. There isn't a hook on the leveling head handle, so I'll probably tie a loop on or something so I can hang a bag from the middle. The head is smooth and the adjustments seem good enough. For the money I spent it's looking like a good combo.

Nice! So are you running a level head AND a ball head on top? I’m in the same boat for western hunting so I’ll be glassing a lot as well. I’ve got a manfrotto fluid head which is great for glassing. Didn’t know if I’d benefit from a level head or not?

I agree, you “can” get away with glassing with a ball head, but I think from my experience it was easier with binos. Using my 85mm spotter and maxed out trying to count points/track a bull move was tough. Adjusting drag, smoothing out the pan, etc... more so a PITA. Bought a fluid head right after (manfrotto 391rc2). This thread is full of great info.

 

[obk]

Oops, my mistake. It's got the bowl adapter, but not a leveling head. Fluid head might be in the cards if I find one that seems affordable. Would definitely help with scanning. Most of the time I find what I'm looking for with binos and use the spotter to get a closer look, so dealing with the jumpy adjustments on a ball head isn't the worst.

 

[Joee Dirt]

Anyone know if a fluid head on top of a leveling head base would work well? Or pointless. (Don’t mean to thread hi jack) just figured since on topic of the hunting tripod setup. Fluid head would be great for glassing, but trying to see if a leveling base would be better or just the flat top base with the fluid head.

 

[Diver160651]

Anyone know if a fluid head on top of a leveling head base would work well? Or pointless. (Don’t mean to thread hi jack) just figured since on topic of the hunting tripod setup. Fluid head would be great for glassing, but trying to see if a leveling base would be better or just the flat top base with the fluid head.

True big fluid heads are usually relatively heavy as previously mentioned. The really nice ones are made for filming and generally already on top of an integrated 75mm or larger leveling ball (like a leveling base).

leveling bases are used to make leveling the legs act “Level” but a much faster and easier way to accomplish the task. They are intended to go under a head.

 

[kurtispalu]

This is the tripod RRS showed at Shot. 3.2 lbs for a tripod is super light. It's comes at a premium but worth it IMHO

RRS SOAR - Home

soar.reallyrightstuff.com

 

[Diver160651]

I'm thinking about CO OTC 3rd rifle this year, as you said, it depends on COVID.

CO near meeker had a rough few seasons. The warm weather got the animals on the move really late. We hiked and hiked, spotted and spotted and saw just a few ELK; but just a shit ton of deer that should have moved down already. Near the last day of 3rd rifle, we did fill our 7 elk tags. Again, in large part to the super stable RRS.

Every time we came back to camp we could see this herd on private, well below the snow line

This is about 900y

What did you end up doing?

 

[clinto]

I’m about to pull the trigger on a rrs tripod mainly for hunting though not on long backpack trips. Looking at a 24l with anvil or their new ascend. Any advice on choosing between the 2 ? Would the ascend give up a lot of stability? will be hunting mule deer/ coyotes In pretty open country

 

[Diver160651]

I’m about to pull the trigger on a rrs tripod mainly for hunting though not on long backpack trips. Looking at a 24l with an anvil or their new ascend. Any advice on choosing between the 2? Would the ascend give up a lot of stability? will be hunting mule deer/ coyotes In pretty open country

I don’t think anyone has had a lot of time if any on the ascend. RRS has 4 main tripod leg series. They start from very thin-legged to big legs. In general, the weight ratings go up as the legs become fatter and the Apex larger. The series starts a 1 for the thinnest (like the new ascend) to 4. Then you need to factor in that tripods with more leg sections tend to be more compact when folded, but slower, heavier, and more prone to twisting vibrations than an equally set up tripod with fewer legs extensions.

Yes the 24l is a very nice tripod, is shorter when stowed, but it is only a few ounces lighter than 33. The reason the 33 or 34 are the number one RRS tripods you see being used in PR matches and the size everyone has copied, is stability. The 24 and Feisol 3342 were my main hunting tripods, but I switched over to using my match tripod as the smaller ones are noticeably less stable once standing.

I think it is important to note the weight ratings are only part of the picture and paint an overly optimistic expectation for a rifle shooter. We need to realize that the rifles are gigantic lever arms magnifying any shooter input and vibrations from the wind. My 9lbs magnum is much harder to shot off a tripod than my 20lbs match gun. I need to put way more shooter into the hunting gun, the lightweight hunting guns is also far more easily influenced by the shooter, thus introducing much more wobble. The 33 resists this better than the smaller tripods and it seems to help offset the recoil somewhat better. Both the 24 and 33 are good kneeling, with the 33 still giving you more range with the same CEP; standing is where you really need to dial back the range on the smaller tripods.

Another reason to consider a stronger series than you might otherwise, is when you need to make the tripod taller, maybe it's just a hasty and fast adjustment were you pull the legs together to gain height, or maybe it's that your setup on a down-slope but shooting across a canyon or worse yet, to a higher elevation and you need to clear some sort of vegetation or an intermediate ridge, so max tripod height is the only option. Because you'll have the downhill legs fully extended and your feet are up the slope higher than the downhill legs, the max effective tripod height is drastically lower. Pulling the legs closer together and away from their apex locks will be less stable, but provide a much more possible height. Here is an example in the image below of what I mean.

The image is from another thread I did > This and more tips are in the Tripod Tips and Tricks for Field shooting
(Something else you might notice in the picture is I always extend the lowest legs 100% first, leaving the final adjustments closest to the shooter, allowing for the easiest and fastest final re-adjustment if one is needed. In the field, it will come into play way more than at the range. There is also a good reason that in those setups the leg is facing to the rear )

My point to really decide if a few ounces is worth having less stability, or not. The decisions are personal to be sure.

BTW I had access to high-end tripods early on (I had a production company) I shoot off carbon Gitzos, Millers, and cheap Manfrottos before the direct attachment was a thing. I then went on to spend many thousands experimenting finding my personal best balance. We're really lucky today with the plug and play offerings of things like the soar line of shooting products. I would never recommend someone go through what I did, and why I am so passionate about replying and helping people spend once.

I would look up high-end camera shops and rent both at 24L and 33 at the same time. At our UKD we had a couple of people who rented theirs for $25 a day, some are cheaper per day by the week. Try to make sure to get the same Apex if you can not get the anvil on both. The smaller apex's twist more and the 34L is noticeably heavier than the 24L with the 33 being closer to the 24Ls weight, so If you do rent both series make sure you have an apple to apple comparison.

Also, we have Hunter series monthly matches (think of it more as a practice shoot) where people can practice off tripods shooting long-range across various wind filled canyons. It is a great place to practice tripod shooting or even shooting off a pack. See more here: Home | Avenal Tactical

 

[clinto]

Good info there Diver, thanks for taking the time to share it

 

[Luke G]

Two vets has been killing it with the tripods lately

The No Name JR Tripod. *** DISCONTINUED*****

Hunting Tripod

twovetssportinggoods.com

Do you have any first hand experience with the No Name Jr? Was looking at picking one up for a lightweight hunting option.

 

[R_Swanson]

CO near meeker had a rough few seasons. The warm weather got the animals on the move really late. We hiked and hiked, spotted and spotted and saw just a few ELK; but just a shit ton of deer that should have moved down already. Near the last day of 3rd rifle, we did fill our 7 elk tags. Again, in large part to the super stable RRS.

Every time we came back to camp we could see this herd on private, well below the snow line

This is about 900y

What did you end up doing?

Glad you all tagged out, thats great! We ended up with tag soup. Hunted the second season around the frying pan wilderness area and it was so dry and the elk had so much pressure from everyone in the world camping and being outside this year they were both lower in elevation than normal and mostly nocturnal. Found a small herd at one point and pushed them around but couldn't locate a bull in it. To be honest I have never been to this spot, I was hunting with a buddy and his dad - who has had years of success in this area but hasn't hunted it in 5-6 years. After talking to game and fish and seeing how the area has changed, we will most likely hunt a different area next year.

 

[carbonbased]

CO near meeker had a rough few seasons. The warm weather got the animals on the move really late. We hiked and hiked, spotted and spotted and saw just a few ELK; but just a shit ton of deer that should have moved down already. Near the last day of 3rd rifle, we did fill our 7 elk tags. Again, in large part to the super stable RRS.

Every time we came back to camp we could see this herd on private, well below the snow line

This is about 900y

What did you end up doing?

Is this vid shot with your ATX? If so, 95mm? And did you use the 1.7x?

That is some clear video! Phone? If so, what adapter?

Man that is some sweet video. I’m considering buying a Nikon P1000 with its 125x to see how that does prairie dog shooting (going to rent first to see if the zoom is enough), but if I can get decent clarity with my Razor 85mm and the Novagrade double gripper I might go that route. Not as clear as the ATX of course, but better than my brother’s $60 spotter.

 

[Diver160651]

Is this vid shot with your ATX? If so, 95mm? And did you use the 1.7x?

That is some clear video! Phone? If so, what adapter?

Man that is some sweet video. I’m considering buying a Nikon P1000 with its 125x to see how that does prairie dog shooting (going to rent first to see if the zoom is enough), but if I can get decent clarity with my Razor 85mm and the Novagrade double gripper I might go that route. Not as clear as the ATX of course, but better than my brother’s $60 spotter.

It's just the stock ATX with 85mm not multiplier. Just the cheap plastic Phone Skope

 

[Jmccracken1214]

So....... Guessing by all the $1000+ tripods in here.....

Theres no love for the shadowtech tripod???

 

[Hondo64d]

Couldn’t do the $1000+ tripod either so ended up with this one.

John

 

[Jmccracken1214]

Couldn’t do the $1000+ tripod either so ended up with this one.

John

What brand?

 

[Hondo64d]

What brand?

Innorel ST344C with Innorel N52 ball head.

John