9 Top-Rated Shooting Sticks for Hunting

Hunting remains a very popular activity today with over 10 million Americans taking nearly 150 million trips each year.

Range shooting is an excellent means of becoming acquainted with a rifle and zeroing in on your scope for practice shots. However, when hunting or shooting outdoors, having a stable shot becomes more demanding when you are exhausted or feeling the pressure.

Towards the end of a long day out in nature, pulling off a clean shot requires focus and clarity – two things that make hunting quite challenging.

This is why hunting enthusiasts recognize shooting sticks as one of the most useful and dependable shooting accessories for their treks.

A shooting stick, also known as a shooting rest or gun pod, consists of single or multiple telescoping legs with a rest on top to support the firearm.

It’s essentially a tool for achieving greater accuracy with a firearm, like a rifle or shotgun. It offers an extra layer of support and steadiness that can make all the difference in your shot.

Shooting sticks are made from a variety of materials, such as aluminum, carbon fiber, or wood. They typically have multiple features like adjustable heights and swiveling heads to accommodate uneven terrain.

They are used in a variety of shooting scenarios, such as hunting, long-range shooting, and target shooting, to provide additional support and stability for a rifle or shotgun, helping to improve accuracy and reduce fatigue for a shooter while they’re standing, seated, or lying in a prone position.

Whether you’re a professional or novice shooter, there is an adjustable shooting stick system out there for everyone, from monopods and bipods to tripods.

Monopods

Monopods are lightweight, quick-deploying, and portable. With its versatility, the monopod is a favorite of run-and-gun hunters – despite it providing less stability when aiming.

Monopods can be an ideal tool if you’re looking to capture a quick shot on an uneven surface.

Pros:

• Increased mobility
• Easy to use
• Quick deployment
• Cost-effective

Cons:

• Less stability
• Limited range of motion
• Requires support of the firearm with hands

Bipods

Bipods are probably the most sought-after shooting sticks, as they enable shooters to have steady up-and-down movement, and also provide side-to-side movement.

Hunters often choose bipods due to the simplicity they provide when shooting while seated or inside a ground blind.

Pros:

• Improved stability
• Reduced recoil
• Versatility & flexibility
• Ease of use

Cons:

• Setup time
• Added weight
• Terrain limitations

Tripods

Tripods offer a hunter the most stable and accurate shot possible at any angle or in any direction. They are ideal for hunters who prefer to remain seated or prone for long periods, patiently awaiting their target.

Our team highly recommends this option for most hunting scenarios, unless you demand a more on-the-go shooting stick that won’t weigh you down as much, such as a monopod. However, some tripods can be quickly deployed with practice.

Without question, a tripod is essential for delivering maximum stability when targeting big game from a long distance.

Pros:

• Maximum stability
• Aiming consistency
• Flexibility of aim
• Hands-free use

Cons:

• Heavy or bulky
• Setup time
• Cost
• Harder to adjust

All of the suggestions on this list were chosen to provide you with a range of affordable options to best suit your needs.

To gain the most accurate assessment of which shooting sticks would be best for you, we extensively researched available market options and consulted with our fellow hunting colleagues at The GunSource to inquire about their opinion on these products.

Not only do our buddies support these shooting sticks as first-rate choices for new or experienced hunters, but it turned out that they own several of the items on this list and can personally vouch for their effectiveness.

BOG Adrenaline Switcheroo Shooting Rest (Monopod Variant)

If you’re looking for a reliable and versatile monopod shooting rest that provides good stability, the BOG Adrenaline Switcheroo Shooting Rest is one of our favorites. The innovative Switcheroo System enables easy customization with other accessories such as a spotting scope.

It features a 360-degree swivel mount, which allows for easy rotation and movement of your firearm. In our opinion, an excellent feature for a monopod at this price range. This shooting stick also has an anti-slip spiked foot for added stability on uneven terrain.

If you’re looking for a middle ground between trekking poles and shooting sticks, this is the one. It should operate well in mountain-style hunts or gentler slopes.

Moreover, not only does its durability enable it to be used as a walking stick in rocky terrain, but also provides an ergonomic handle for easy maneuvering when trekking through the backcountry.

BOG shooting sticks are known for being exceptionally durable and sturdy in their price range. For the run-and-gun elk hunter, this tough yet lightweight precision rifle monopod is an ideal accessory.

Allen Company Shooting Stick

The most affordable shooting stick on our list, the Allen Company Shooting Stick is a telescoping pole made of lightweight materials, such as aluminum, which offers decent stability and firearm support for a monopod at a remarkably affordable price.

The main hallmark of this shooting stick is that it was designed to be ultra-lightweight and portable (0.6 ounces), making it easy to carry in the field. It can be easily folded away into a backpack or gun case.

This shooting rest is equipped with a rubberized foot for traction on a range of surfaces. In addition to the aluminum body, the only components of this device are plastic leg clips, a wrist strap, and an ergonomically designed hand grip with padding.

As previously stated, this monopod is designed to be very lightweight and portable – not the most stable. Despite these advantages, this mount is probably not suited for large-caliber rifles or heavy firearms, particulary since the force of recoil would compromise accuracy.

Although it has a few downsides, this product is flexible and can easily be adjusted from 21.5 inches to 65 inches.

Vanguard Scout M62 Gun Pod

Although this is one of the most affordable rifle monopod shooting sticks available, it does not sacrifice quality at all. Engineered using light aluminum, the Scout series gun pods are equipped with a rotating V-shaped yoke that swivels up to 360 degrees.

This model has quick-release leg clips that make adjustment simple, while its foam hand grip provides excellent comfort for users. Easily attaching to your firearm, this tool is optimized for mobility.

We like that the Vanguard Scout M62 meets all the criteria for a great, budget-friendly monopod: compact, lightweight, and sturdy.

This entry-level monopod is ideal if you don’t necessarily require quick setups. Its straightforward design makes it easy to use, and it performs well for its price range.

BOG Havoc Bipod Shooting Rest

Whether you’re hunting big game or turkeys, the BOG Havoc is a great choice for seated shots. Its ergonomic design and built-in features are perfect for delivering precise shots from a comfortable and steady position.

It offers 20″ – 40″ height adjustment and weighs 1.13 pounds. Like all BOG shooting sticks, the Havoc bipod features the non-marring Universal Shooting Rest (USR) yoke that provides 360-degree rotation for flexible target acquisition.

This bipod features lightweight yet solid aluminum legs that provide easy setup and stability. It also has comfortable foam grips and adjustable twist locks.

Overall, this BOG Havoc twist-style bipod is perfect for hunters or ambushers who demand a stable shooting platform that is robust, reliable, and easy to transport.

Hammers 39″ Collapsible Shooting Stick

The Hammers 39″ Bungee Corded Collapsible Shooting Stick is an instant setup bipod that’s lightweight and durable, featuring bungee-corded legs crafted from aluminum alloy tubing with a diameter of 3/8 inch.

This bipod’s key features are that it’s easy to assemble by swinging open the tent pole style sections at a maximum fixed height of 39″, it’s very lightweight (0.46 lbs), and it folds down to 14″ to fit into a carrying pouch. This shooting stick gives you the flexibility to set up in a sitting or kneeling position almost anywhere, whereas some bipods force you to sit too low on the ground.

This is one of the more practical items on our list, and its convenience to fold down into a very compact shape for storage is why we recommend it for people who enjoy exploring remote areas while they hunt.

As you can see, it doesn’t come with a bunch of added features. It’s designed to be deployed quickly and provide flexibility. At a budget-friendly price point, this shooting stick is ideal if you need a simple and compact hands-free shooting rest that’s easy to set up and carry on the go.

Overall, the product is high quality for its price – although the sticks are lightweight and collapsible, they offer good design and functionality. It may not have a V-shaped yoke, but the rubber tips still allow for flexible panning of your rifle. A checkered, carbide-tipped end on each leg ensures a firm and steady footing. The holster is very convenient as well.

Vanguard Scout B62 Bi-Pod 

Made of lightweight and durable aluminum alloy, the Vanguard Scout B62 is a feature-rich shooting rest designed for on-the-go hunters, and we think it has a great overall value.

For one, the V-shaped yoke is rubber-coated to protect and stabilize your firearm, while providing 360 degrees of rotation to fire from any angle. This bipod has adjustable “quick-flip” leg locks, comfortable foam hand grips, and an adjustable strap to stabilize leg placement.

Our colleague recently invested in the Vanguard Scout B62 shooting rest, his first bipod, and was delighted with its features.

In particular, he highlighted a few of them that stood out: it felt remarkably durable and sturdy for its weight (1 lb), the manual leg locks felt robust (creating a firm grip on the adjusted height), and he was able to hit targets up to 200 yards away at the maximum adjusted height of 62″ (which comfortably supported his tall frame).

Overall, the Vanguard Scout is an excellent budget-friendly choice for those seeking an easily adjustable option that offers swift deployment and stable performance.

Leader Accessories Lightweight Shooting Stick

This is the first entry-level shooting stick from Leader Accessories and it’s a remarkably flexible one at that. In terms of general features and overall value, it’s not that different from the Vanguard B62 bipod or other shooting sticks in our list that are in the same price range.

However, what makes the Leader Accessories Lightweight Shooting Stick unique is its flexibility to convert into a monopod, bipod, or tripod with a little tooling.

Since it has a detachable, 360-degree V-yoke and optical gear mount, you can mount a rifle or camera on this shooting stick in its tripod configuration and acquire targets without changing your position. You’ll need to decide what your hunting trip requirements are beforehand to choose the most suitable option.

Like the Vanguard B62, and other shooting sticks on our list, it has quick-flip leg locks, comfortable foam hand grips, and a leg strap to provide stability against overextension.

Hammers Telescopic Shooting Tripod

The Hammers Telescopic Tripod is a solid, high-quality shooting stick with good adjustability. One of our colleagues purchased this shooting stick over the Leader Accessories Shooting Stick because he wanted the most compact and portable of the two.

Although both tripods weigh about the same (slightly over 2 lbs), the Hammers tripod can fold down to 25″ (and includes a carrying pouch), which is 5″ shorter than the Leader Accessories shooting stick. It can also extend out to 68″ instead of 63″.

Other than that, you can expect pretty much the same features such as a heavy-duty V-yoke (with pivot), foam grips, and durable aluminum alloy construction that doesn’t feel flimsy at all.

Keep in mind that the telescopic legs can be adjusted using a twist-lock system instead of a “quick-flip”, so don’t expect this tripod to be deployed as quickly as other shooting sticks. Thick rubber feet ensure a secure, non-slip setup.

Overall, the Hammers Telescopic Tripod is a great value; it offers remarkable adjustability for sitting, kneeling, or standing and has superior craftsmanship including its rubberized gun rest.

BOG DeathGrip Aluminum Tripod

BOG is one of the top brands in the shooting accessories market (which is why we included three of their shooting sticks in our list).

The BOG DeathGrip, with its catchy name, is the costliest shooting stick on our list, however, it comes with an array of unique features that make it worth every penny. In addition to being a reliable and ultra-durable precision tripod, this product offers superior performance and accuracy. It pretty much has everything you want in a reliable tripod that isn’t too expensive, and that’s why we saved the best for last.

This tripod is designed for strength and portability, combining a durable aluminum construction and sturdy large-diameter legs, this tripod can withstand flexion to maintain accuracy — even for novice hunters — making it one of the most stable shooting platforms on our list.

The BOG DeathGrip provides 25 degrees of shooting rest adjustment via a knob and an adjustable clamping head (called the DeathGrip) that can pan up to 360°, with tension adjustments for added stability and a spring-loaded mechanism. You can swiftly change the angle or position of your firearm with its smooth-pivoting head and tilt up to 90 degrees, making it easier and more comfortable to get on target.

Additionally, this tripod is equipped with a built-in bubble level, which allows the shooter to confirm that their firearm is balanced and secure before firing. This unique feature can be an invaluable asset when shooting from a tricky angle or uneven terrain.

It features an innovative clamping saddle that tightens around any forend size, including crossbows. The legs can be adjusted to any position from standing to prone with no-slip lever locks, and there’s even a leg angle adjustment switch, cam lock to secure height adjustments, leg retention straps, and different feet options.

Finally, the BOG Deathgrip can collapse down to about 33″ in length and weighs 8.5 pounds. There is also a carbon fiber variant that weighs 1 pound less. But despite its weight, it’s still a portable and compact accessory in its retracted form.

A shooting stick is a piece of equipment commonly used by hunters, outdoor enthusiasts, and photographers to stabilize their aim or to provide a stable platform for their equipment. It can be used in various shooting activities such as hunting, bird watching, photography, and target shooting.

Shooting sticks are particularly useful when shooting in uneven terrain or when shooting over long distances, where maintaining stability is critical. Shooting sticks help hunters in blinds to operate other accessories such as turkey calls.

In addition to hunters and photographers, shooting sticks can also be used by hikers, campers, and other outdoor enthusiasts who need a stable platform to support their equipment, such as binoculars or spotting scopes. Some shooting sticks are also used in sports like archery, where a stable shooting position is essential for accuracy.

Stability

Stability is crucial when shooting because it directly affects the accuracy and precision of the shot. You want a durable shooting stick, made of high-quality materials, that will provide stability on specific terrain to support your shooting stance, grip on the firearm, the weight of the firearm, and recoil.

Some shooting sticks have legs that are heavier and more rigid while others are lighter and more flexible. These are considerations you have to make. At the very least, you don’t want any piece of your shooting stick malfunctioning due to extended use.

Weight

Do you want to carry an extra pound or eight pounds on your hunting trip? That depends on you. However, we believe in striking a balance between weight and stability when planning for extensive shooting excursions in the wild.

Carbon fiber and aluminum alloy are the ideal materials that ensure a combination of lightweight yet robust construction.

Aiming flexibility

Although not necessary, having shooting sticks with swivel capabilities that allow your firearm to move at multiple angles is essential for successful shooting in certain situations such as mountain hunting.

Look for gun yokes with 360-degree panning or tilt adjustments if that’s what you need. The material of the shooting rest matters too.

Versatility / Adjustability

This has to do with how easy or capable the shooting stick is at adjusting for different shooting positions, angles and terrain. For example, can your shooting stick be easily lowered to support a prone position? What’s the maximum extension height for a standing position? Are the legs and feet suitable for rocky or muddy terrain?

Moreover, some shooting sticks are designed to be quickly deployed (i.e., “run and gun”), while others take more time to set up.

Shooting sticks are remarkably versatile firearm mounts that provide stability for rifles, shotguns, and crossbows when shooting from various positions. Not only do they offer a more secure stance to reduce fatigue but also elevate your accuracy. Hunters, snipers, and range shooters all benefit greatly from these field accessories.

With your specific situation in mind, we at The GunSource hope that our recommended budget-friendly shooting sticks will suit your hunting and shooting needs. That’s why we offered a carefully chosen selection of monopods, bipods, and tripods.