African Shooting Sticks
The Art of the Shooting Stick Why a simple tripod may be one of the most important pieces of equipment in a hunter's kit Campfire debates about rifles and cartridges are part of the fun of hunting. Hunters can spend an entire evening arguing over bullet weight, velocity, caliber and the relative merits of one rifle over another. But when the time comes to make the shot, there is a much simpler truth: how well you shoot matters more than what you are shooting. That is where shooting sticks enter the story. For anyone who has hunted Africa, three-legged shooting sticks are hardly an accessory. They are part of the language of the hunt. When a stalk begins, the professional hunter carries his rifle, a tracker carries the sticks, and the hunter knows that sooner or later those three legs may become the foundation for the shot of the trip. There is a practical reason for their ubiquity. African bush is not particularly interested in accommodating a prone shooting position. Thorny vegetation makes lying on the ground an unattractive proposition, while taller grass, brush and uneven terrain often make a low position impossible. Standing behind a set of sticks allows the hunter to shoot over the vegetation while maintaining a remarkably stable platform. The beauty is in the simplicity. Three Legs and a Rifle A good set of shooting sticks does not attempt to replace the hunter's skill. It simply gives that skill a better foundation. The traditional African tripod is wonderfully uncomplicated: three legs, a slightly shorter front leg, and a fork at the top where the rifle's fore-end rests. The system is fast, quiet and adaptable. Once properly positioned, the hunter can









