While U.S. hunting participation has declined by almost half since the 50s, more than 11 million Americans participate in hunting activities today — taking more than 147 million trips annually — so hunting remains a very popular sport. While often not the first piece of kit that comes to mind when building out your bag, one decidedly useful piece of gear is a high-quality shooting stick.
Range shooting is a great way to get familiar with your rifle, zero your scope, and train, whether off a bench or standing. Shooting in the field, often unsupported, is usually a lot more challenging.
Hunting, be it with a firearm or crossbow, has a primary ethical responsibility to deliver a clean shot. This can be difficult under stress or after a long trek along uneven ground.
That’s why I recommend shooting sticks: these relatively simple shooting supports make for a more stable shot that keeps your rifle locked into position. Since the colonial period, they’ve been in use in the US and have been helping people maintain a good shooting position ever since. Today, we’re going to look at the best shooting sticks to give you a solid rest for your hunting tool in the field.
Shooting sticks come in various systems, from monopods to bipods and tripods, all of which deliver support for shooting from standing, which keeps you from ending up prone in the mud to make a good shot. The market has various options, with different degrees of adjustment and lots of options to accommodate all kinds of shooting positions and shooters.
