During a 2018 Safari to South Africa my professional hunter, Arnold Claassen, introduced me to a novel (at least for me) field rest. I have described elsewhere (African Hunting Gazette, Australian Hunter magazine) the successful outcome of a hunt for a tiny Bush Duiker.
I am looking at this full-mount of this pygmy antelope as I type these lines. He was successfully harvested with a single shot from 107 yards.
This isn’t an extreme distance, but the photo above illustrates the size of this diminutive trophy.
I could not have harvested, except by chance, this tiny male using the tripod rest I had carried all the way from the US; without the availability of Arnold’s ‘Bush Sticks’ produced by 4 Stable Sticks®, I would not have even attempted the shot.
Each of the Stable Sticks products provides a rest for both the forend and butt of the rifle. This design leads to an incredibly secure support. The articles mentioned above, along with a recent post on Craig Boddington’s Facebook Notes reflect range trials of three of the models produced by 4 Stable Sticks.
I have since also worked with their ‘Ultimate Leather’ version. The performance of all of these various models – as measured by accuracy using numerous rifles – has been consistently excellent.
This chart illustrates one of the data sets I collected from comparisons of the 4 Stable Sticks products with other types of rests (in this case, bench and tripod).
As you can see, the Mountain Stick (used when kneeling or sitting) and the Bush Stick (used when standing) clearly outperformed the tripod. It may seem somewhat surprising that I obtained roughly equivalent accuracy with the 4 Stable Sticks rests as from the bench. But I never secure my rifles into a solid rest on the bench.
Instead, I rest the forearm on sandbags, and the butt is cradled on my arm. Shots fired from this rest will also be affected by breathing, pulse and caffeine-induced tremors, etc.
The take-away from my 2018 Safari, and all of my range analyses, is that the 4 Stable Sticks products are superlative rests for hunting. Whether needed for sitting, kneeling, or standing, there is a model that will work.
I’m heading back to Africa in 2020 and I will be taking the Mountain Stick model in my rifle case. That model collapses down for sitting and kneeling, but quickly extends for a standing rest. I already know it will provide a solid rest under any circumstance.
Of course, the only problem with such a secure rest is that missed shots will all be due to shooter error.
Mike Arnold writes about firearms and hunting at his blog Mike Arnold, Outdoor Writer.
No need for shooting sticks with Green Lumber. I make my own rest (consult a physician if shooting rest persists for longer than 4 hours.)
You win internets for today!
+ 1000 points
LoL.
I was thinking “brain” as in “you carry so keeping your mind sharp is important” kind of thing. That is, until the end of the fourth paragraph. No wonder comments were disabled.
Well that’s a lot better than the Alabama method, telling your buddy “hey stand right there and let me use your shoulder” 😉😉😉
It looks like a good product for shots across the clear cuts. They clear cut the pines in my area for paper. Like for 1000’s of yards.
Want.
Nothing like going to Africa, and wondering if the .22 mag you brought, is to much gun.
Good thing you brought your .9mm for backup!
Any rest is good if it works.
Wow, I’m impressed. The danger from that ferocious animal must have been palpable. The power you felt killing, not havesting, that terrible creature. Btw, if you got balls it takes to shoot some living thing from that far away, at least have the guts to honor its death by calling it what it is, killing.
It is kinda like killing a rabbit. But supposedly they taste pretty good and are on the list of least concern.
D*ckwad.
green lumber sticks for bush duiker. duiker? i hardly, ah, never mind.
if you don’t like our prices bring your wife in and we’ll duiker.
the veterinarian at the wooden fenced sanctuary for these critters is a hickory duikery doc.
that thing is cute enough for me to give it a pass. i’d be eating bushrat and warthog that night.
does dice clay know about these creatures?
Nice idea!
$186 for the cheapest standing sticks delivered
Maybe I will ask for it as a Father’s Day gift from the family
Overkill of a good concept. Hinge clamp fiberglass tent poles together and slide on some rubber tubing add footing of your choice. Cheap and fast to deploy.
Please tell me how I can purchase the “4 stable sticks” shooting sticks, I live in Michigan and have used them previously and would like to purchase them.
https://4stablesticksusa.com/