Night Vision NV and thermal kills...

[carbonbased]

The Trigger stick needs to be maintained like any other tripod.
The internal screws do get loose over time and I've had the same thing happen to me, but with a pig saddle attached.
Luckily I was able to trace my route and found it with the help of the thermal monocular.
I bought another trigger stick as a backup the next day.
The Alpha Trigger stick is an option, but still too heavy and not quick enough adjustment wise for my style of hump and shoot hunting on uneven terrain.
I have several high dollar tripods available, but always seem to gravitate towards the trigger stick.
I'm willing to compromise on stability for a much lighter and quicker set up tripod.
I carry a shortened trigger stick monopod for the web/brush clearing.
It also makes a great quick adjustable rear rest for longer shots.
Crimped a small bungee to secure it to the stock and act as a wrist strap during nighttime swordplay.
SJC
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I don’t hunt in the woods. Pdog shooter, so weight is a lesser concern.

But for the times I hoof it a little to a dog town I like my RRS tripod. I started out with a trigger stick tripod, however.

The RRS is unsurprisingly better, but I’ve fooled inside with using the trigger stick tripod as a rear support with the RRS. Seems to work well.

Now I just have to remember to try it outside when shooting something!

 

[SkyScrapin]

I ruined a shot at a coyote once as I crept under a LONE TREE out in the middle of a pasture towards it. Ran face-first into the huge web, and shook it off no problems. I could hear the snapping of each strand of that web in my ear as i kept moving forward...mostly because it was literally covering my ear.

It was about 30 seconds later when I was setting up my sticks that the ~40% moon (I was facing towards it) highlighted this huge grizzly bear of a spider dangling from my ball cap lid about 3" in front of my left eyeball.

I did not scream...but my movement combination of Bruce Lee in "Enter the Dragon", and John Travolta in "Saturday Night Fever" definitely gave me away. As such, I lost the chance at that coyote, but I spent the next 60 seconds not really caring about that too much as I danced and swiped.

I now do a combination of circular swings, ups-and-downs, and general spell-casting with my sticks each time I go through any wooded area.

LOOOOOOOOOOOL.

Feel like there's an opportunity for a night hunting mishaps thread. We have to have a little shame.

 

[rlsmith1]

LOOOOOOOOOOOL.

Feel like there's an opportunity for a night hunting mishaps thread. We have to have a little shame.

I shot at the first line of Starlink satellites I saw

 

[diggler1833]

Worst I've ever done was kill hogs on the wrong property. I've had some equipment and general operator malfunctions, but the stories of uh-ohs is pretty short for me. I feel like I'm cursing myself with this. At least I don't have to be worried about being confused with a professional in any sense of the matter anyway.

My wrong property story went like this: I had just met the elderly lady that afternoon, and her son gave me the 2.5hr tour across all 1,250 acres of their property. Needless to say, I was not going to remember a lot regarding landmarks. They had pig damage everywhere though.

Went back that night and it was about 11PM. I saw pigs in this huge (it is a solid 160 acres) hay meadow right next to where the son drove me a few hours earlier. Unable to find the gate, I just wormed my way through the barb wire fence and got to business.

The next day I sent the son a dropped pin on Google Maps to where he could get the hogs. "That's our neighbor's place" was the response. In OK, you are required to have written landowner permission. I about crapped my pants. I told the son that I would be heading over to go apologize to the neighbor. "Hang on, I'll talk to him" was the response, followed an hour later with "He says come on over and shoot all the hogs you can"!

I went over two days later, apologized, and got written permission. That would be this video here:

 

[smarcus]

6mm CM

 

[SkyScrapin]

Worst I've ever done was kill hogs on the wrong property. I've had some equipment and general operator malfunctions, but the stories of uh-ohs is pretty short for me. I feel like I'm cursing myself with this. At least I don't have to be worried about being confused with a professional in any sense of the matter anyway.

My wrong property story went like this: I had just met the elderly lady that afternoon, and her son gave me the 2.5hr tour across all 1,250 acres of their property. Needless to say, I was not going to remember a lot regarding landmarks. They had pig damage everywhere though.

Went back that night and it was about 11PM. I saw pigs in this huge (it is a solid 160 acres) hay meadow right next to where the son drove me a few hours earlier. Unable to find the gate, I just wormed my way through the barb wire fence and got to business.

The next day I sent the son a dropped pin on Google Maps to where he could get the hogs. "That's our neighbor's place" was the response. In OK, you are required to have written landowner permission. I about crapped my pants. I told the son that I would be heading over to go apologize to the neighbor. "Hang on, I'll talk to him" was the response, followed an hour later with "He says come on over and shoot all the hogs you can"!

I went over two days later, apologized, and got written permission. That would be this video here:

What part of Oklahoma?

I’m headed out now. Can’t wait to bump into a Monday night tweaker at 2am. The best stories!

 

[BamaSE]

Nice setup.

My particular Triggerstick had been stuck extended for about 6 months. I actually did find the head this morning as I was running some coon traps. I just made it work up until this past weekend.

I have literally spent 10x the cost on a very good tripod setup over the last 6 months in guns...this was nothing more than me being lazy, and I learned my lesson. I'm now researching an area that I actually have no experience in.

For many years I have just shot off round hay bales during daylight hunting. They are stupidly stable, and offer fantastic concealment too.

It is time I stopped being a quasi-Fudd, and got some acceptable supporting equipment.

I got my first front bag just two years ago and have used it to kill a ton of stuff since. Off my porch grill, off my SxS, off of fence posts...it just works. It was an eye-opener and a "why didn't I do this sooner" moment for sure.

I mostly use the Primos Trigger Stick Tripod as the majority of hunts these days seem to be short stalks and woods. But when needed I’ve been using a Kopfjager Reaper Grip on a Slick tripod for a few years now. It has worked out fine. And not too too heavy to tote if needed. For short treks to reposition I sometimes leave the rifle clamped in and ride the rig on my shoulder. I’ve had one of the Bog Deathgrips but did not like it and gave it away.

 

[diggler1833]

What part of Oklahoma?

I’m headed out now. Can’t wait to bump into a Monday night tweaker at 2am. The best stories!

Pushmataha County.

I have only ran into road hunters (poachers) at night. Dudes were popping armadillos in the field between us and never knew they were in the crosshairs. Or they were scanning with a bright white light.

 

[SkyScrapin]

My buddy put a quick shot on this guy with the x39 and AAC Black Tip at like 25 yards. Driving through gates with stacked round bails. Found a pair of boars on the other side.

 

[shields shtr]

Feel like there's an opportunity for a night hunting mishaps thread.

Yes. There is. I stepped on a snake once, I am not sure of species, but I am thinking it was an Anaconda/Cobra/Rattlesnake/Mamba type reptile. I don't know what came out of my mouth when I opened it, but I wish for that moment back on at least a yearly basis. My buddy thought a dolphin was being murdered somewhere amidst a pecan bottom in South Texas, he said he had never heard such a high pitched scream. I am not a real big fan of creepy crawlies, and my mind went to a real dark place as soon as it recognized the substance under my foot was alive and of substantial girth.

I have only ran into road hunters (poachers) at night. Dudes were popping armadillos in the field between us and never knew they were in the crosshairs. Or they were scanning with a bright white light.

I have a friend who is ridiculously paranoid and couldn't get out of his head that thermal hunting at night for yotes is 100% legal where we live and even encouraged. We were getting all our gear ready at 2 am to head out on a set and a pair of headlights came down the old county road we were on. He was scrambling around trying to put all his shit away and I told him to relax. I explained not only what we were doing is legal, odds are the person in the vehicle was probably out doing something they shouldn't be doing. Sure as shit, the truck pulls up and the dude in it was at least 27 beers into a 30 pack of Busch Light. He was taking "the back way home" and was lost as hell. We gave him directions to an out of the way trailhead and told him a nice nap would be in order.