Though it’s true you can’t take a bench rest up a mountain for hunting, there are a number of tripod shooting rest options that are nearly as good. Thanks to continuing innovation driven largely by the popularity of portable ground blinds, hunters may now have as steady a shooting rest as they’re willing to carry, a task not nearly as daunting as it may seem.
There’s much more to hunting than shooting for sure, but shooting well and accurately is an indispensable part of the whole. Tripod rests can be cumbersome, no doubt, but the hassle-to-benefit ratio is important to weigh. On a spot-and-stalk hunt, everything you’ve done, from putting in for tags to scouting, traveling, camping and more, is all aimed at an accurate shot at the apex of the proceedings. All the early mornings and late nights, all the walking and climbing, every heaving, high-altitude breath, is done for the purpose of putting yourself into a firing solution for an elk, a mule deer, a pronghorn or whatever you’re seeking. Everything you’re already carrying or wearing is meant to help you in your efforts.
Cumbersome or not, there’s no reason for your shooting rest not to be as steady as possible. From improvised rests against trees to paired sticks lashed together as a field expedient, to light weight, telescoping poles that carry with ease and weigh next to nothing, hunters have long been acquainted with various versions of the same concept.
All of these methods work with the rifle from one point of contact: the forearm. All have been used to great success for many years and countless hunters shoot very well while using them. Caldwell’s Magnum DeadShot FieldPod improves on this method though, and I have found it does so very well.
Caldwell offers a broad line of shooting rests and accessories, including their DeadShot FieldPod and Magnum DeadShot FieldPod, tripod rests for shooting from the ground. These use two points of contact with the rifle, fore and aft and, in my experience, the result is easily twice as steady.
No matter the experience level of the hunter, for those hunting on foot, the higher their shooting rest rises from the ground the more unsteady it becomes, standing shots from shooting sticks being the most so. Many hunts in open terrain don’t allow for anything else.
Firing a rifle from a standing position using shooting sticks is a skill that must be learned and practiced. I would never suggest using gear to replace woodsmanship and earned knowledge, but gear that makes its user a more accurate shot and, thus, a more ethical hunter, is a different matter.
Several years ago, I used the Magnum DeadShot FieldPod on a spot-and-stalk elk hunt in eastern Kentucky and was very impressed. Since then, I’ve used it in a number of ground blind scenarios where a steady shooting rest requires innovation on the hunter’s part. The DeadShot FieldPod is designed to be used while sitting on the ground or in a chair, and the Magnum DeadShot can best be used while sitting in a chair or standing, as it adjusts up to a maximum height of 60 inches. The former, which I also tested, includes a center brace to limit how far apart the three legs may spread. The latter, the big version of the tripod, has no such brace, its absence a necessity since many side-hill situations require more flexibility to find three solid points of contact with the ground.
Weighing in at a little more than 10 pounds, the Magnum DeadShot seems to strike a good balance between durability and portability. It is made out of molded plastic and aluminum tubing, but it is quite durable nonetheless. Its tension adjustments for windage and elevation pivoting are effective. In a firing range setting I found it to be so steady I used it for sighting in. I carried it hunting, confident I could shoot well from it from a standing position out to 300 yards, a range that far exceeds my ability with traditional shooting sticks.
The Magnum DeadShot’s legs telescope for portability but aren’t meant to be adjusted on the fly in a spot-and-stalk situation, so I carried it on my shoulder in the fully-extended position. With my rifle riding in a sling on the other side, setting up quickly when shooting time came was easy.
Here at home, either model would work very well from a ground blind. The models retail in the $100 to $200 range, and carrying an extra 10 or 15 pounds on a spot-and-stalk hunt is a bit of a sacrifice, but I believe both cost and weight are well justified by the steadiness of the rest.
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Quality, in-depth journalism is essential to a healthy community. The Dispatch brings you the most complete reporting and insightful commentary in the Golden Triangle, but we need your help to continue our efforts. In the past week, our reporters have posted 28 articles to cdispatch.com. Please consider subscribing to our website for only $2.30 per week to help support local journalism and our community.
