Since I went to handgun hunting with a new (to me) Encore 7mm.08 I am also in the market for some shooting sticks.

I am seriously looking at the Stoney Point Bi-Pod or the Stoney Point Steady Sticks II.
(I would then get the tripod kit for either one.)

I like the fold up and wear on your belt for the Steady Stix II but are they real steady or kinda flexable with the shock cord?

The telescopic bi-pod looks to be a lot more strudy but is not as pack-in friendly IMO.

This is a concern of mine since they will be mainly for walking from the truck to the tree stand. Once on stand I 'may' use then for a steadier rest but do not want another piece of gear that will be in my way if not. (bi-pod)
I also will be using the sticks in ground blinds as well.

Thanks for any inputs.

look in the technical section (under articles),there is a article on making your own and they work great!plus they are about $35.00 cheaper ...jim257

I actually already made my own.
I used two 3' pieces of 3/8" aluminium tubing. Located a small hole about 4" down on each piece for a 10-32 button head and lock nut for its piviot point.
They work very well.
I was wanting something like the steady stix to fold down and put on my belt.
Thanks though for the suggestion.

I own the steady stix, safari stix and pole cat tripod, the pole cat is by far the steadiest, followed by the steady stix and then the safari. The tripod kit does firm them up but if I think I'm going to need to take standing shots I use the the pole cat otherwise I put the steady stix in my back pocket.

Shawn,
I have a pair with the draw cord and when the temps get in the teens or less they lose their tension and the pieces won't stay together.
I got two sets from Onesonek gave one set away as a gift (which has already claimed a coyote) and was out with mine today and love them. I got the longer set and cut them down.
I like to use them as a walking stick too and they help when walking on hills, plenty strong.

Love the Stoney Point Tripod!!! Super steady and work from any position. When hiking I'll strap them to the bottom of my belt pack but when still hunting on hiking in an area where I can shoot game them are extended to full length and ready to go. With all three legs held together I'll use them as a rest againt a tree.

When taking a youth hunter out in the early season, we spotted a deer while crossing a pasture. After it dropped out of the field and onto a lower oak flat we high tailed it to the woods and spotted the deer while we were still standing in the field. I spread the tripod legs apart with one hand while pulling Ian around in front of me with the other...he got a good rest and hammered the doe at 65 yards. If not for the Tripod I would not have let him shoot.

Except for not having the mopane tree limbs, I do it like we did in Africa. Cut my own and lash the three sticks together with a piece of boot lace. Not fancy, but does the job.

for ground blind hunting, i agree on using the stoney point tripod. it is rock solid and provides a good rest. however, unless you have a king kong sized tree stand they are out of the question. the foot print of it is bigger than any portable than i know of and if you did have a big platform just imagine trying to get it into position for a deer behind you. one or the other of you may come out of the stand via gravity. i like to use the monopod in a treestand...not overly steady by any means but sufficient for moderate ranges. i wear the knee high rubber boots and once in the stand i slide it into the inside of the right boot so it's close and don't have to hold it. you can, with practice, pinch the bottom of the monopod against the boot so you can twist it to adjust it up or down. if you ask these guys using the tripod, i bet 99.99% are using them from the ground. they are just too big in a tree. like i said, though, when hunting from the ground they always go and are priceless. if you are going to be shooting LONG range from a treestand much i would advise buying or building some sort of a rest that is as rock solid as you can make it on the tree or stand. and remember a tree swaying in the wind is not the most stable shooting platform to start with.

I like the stoney point tripod system. I have both the short and long versions. I also have a Harris BR bipod attached. This system covers from prone to standing and is very stable. Here is a pic of the stoney point tripod
nmhunter
[url="http://www.hunt101.com/?p=307788&c=539&z=1"][/url]

I built my stixs from 2315 full lenght arrows. I glued the threaded insert in both ends. I used 6" of 3/8" gas line. Cut a scalop from the gas tube 2" apart and slide over the ends of the arrow. In the other end screw in fields points and you are set. They work great from the sitting position. Just move the stix apart for height adjustment. They are supper light, and carry well slid into a belt loop. I think I have $12 in the whole package.

There is another that works well too and that is the Snipe Pod. http://www.snipepod.com

I have the stoney point telescopeing bi-pod. It has worked great all season long. I hunted from the ground all season ans killed 4 deer with them and my handguns. At the begining of deer season I was still walking with a cane from my hip surgery, but when I went hunting I extended out the bi-pod and left the cane in the truck. They are sturdy and strong.

hey guys i got a set of safari stix new in the box if any one is interested

dave

I built some out of 5/8 dall rod 3' long drilled a 1/4" hole adout 5" down and put a bolt for a pivit point. Wraped the tops with leather, put screws in the bottoms so they would dig into the ground and not slip.

go on the net to bipod shooting sticks.you will find what your looking for

Stoney point has a new bipod system coming out. It is in cabela's now. it has a mounting system similar to snipe pod's (a mounting base and attachable legs). it is called a "rapid pivot" system. The legs are expandable/collapseable. they are also flexible at the base where they attach to the stock. I called them and talked for quite a while. I am going down to their plant either the end of this week or next week to check this system out, will take one of my HS's also so we can attach and mount different lengths of the bipods. I will see if they will let me take some pictures. If so I will post when I get back, they are only a hour and half from me.
nmhunter