When you’re out in the backcountry, a sturdy shooting tripod can be your secret weapon for perfecting your shots. Take a look at my ranking for the best tripods for shooting and hunting.
FYI, prices and ratings are accurate as of time of writing.
1. BOG DeathGrip - Aluminum Rifle Tripod
Highlight: Secure and hands-free rifle rest.
Helpful review: I never thought about hunting with a tripod. I use them with my camera equipment, so why would I not use one to hold a rifle? I like the ability to stand and put my hands in my pockets when it's cold, and the rifle is safe, dry, and clean in the grip of the tripod.
The first thing I want to discuss is a thing I learned from using camera tripods: the feet that sit on the ground. This tripod lets me choose between the rubber feet for the shooting range and sitting on concrete and the metal spikes for sitting in the dirt. The feet must be stable, especially in a device made to withstand recoil. By allowing me to use the rubber feet, the tripod is steady and does not scootch around when I pull the trigger. The wiggles do not transfer like my camera gear, which only uses steel spikes.
The legs are thick or large-diameter tubes, which I guess is the technically correct way to say it. This tripod does not feel like a cheap setup. I am considering putting a telescope on this unit to look at stars in the dark sky country by the cabin.
The head-and-tilt transition is smooth. Some folks have complained about the dragging or tightness. What this is talking about is the motion head movement. This comes from camera worlds. It makes the transition look like my head moving, not a whip-like head unit that is too loose. It takes some time to get used to this, but anyone will learn to love this feature after about five minutes.
This tripod will adjust down to use in a prone position, but I did not like the way this worked. To sit in a chair and wait for coyotes to get dumb enough to get in the open, I must sit the beer down and lean forward to the rifle. Down goes another calf and fawn killer to feed the ravens. Then the ravens come and get the same treatment because I am an equal opportunity dispatcher or vermin.
Get it from Amazon now: $144.74 & FREE Returns
2. Primos Trigger Stick - Lightweight Shooting Tripod
Highlight: Contoured grip with trigger lock release.
Helpful review: The tripod feet are good for setting up on any surface and will last long. The legs are made of aluminum and made well, and they move through the slip-lock rings easily, but they are on the skinny side, in my opinion. If this tripod was a camera rig, I would use it differently, but I think a bit more hefty build should be used for a hunting rifle.
Feet are made from aggressive rubber, which may be a different type of plastic I don't know the name of. As I spoke about, the legs are aluminum and a bit thin for a rifle tripod, but they work well for using or misusing for a trekking pole. The way the legs extend is slow, not hard to do, but not a quick deployment.
The head of the unit is made for a camera or spotting scope and comes with a V-groove rifle mount that can be switched out for the optic mount. The V-grove mount holds the rifle firmly and will work for almost anything I can think of in Utah. If I carried a 375 H&H Magnum to shoot an elk or moose, this tripod and rifle mount might be the wrong choice. The V-mount rifle mount walks and talks like the rifle carrier on the handlebars of my four-wheelers.
The grip release is excellent for quick movement. I have one of these for shooting wildlife with my long-lens camera. It works because the grip is like a motorcycle grip with a broken handle. The mount will not move until I grab that handle and squeeze, then the locks open, and the head of that mount will move anywhere I need it to go. Then I just let go, and it's locked again. The movement of the head is fast, and it locks up tight when I release the handle, which is very nice for shooting and camera work.
The camera mount and gun mount interchange, which forms a quick-change plate, requires some practice to avoid releasing the plate and having the mount slide off and end up on the ground. This is not a massive deal unless the Nikon camera and lens have a dirty dive and cost much money to replace. The gun mount will not hold the gun as I walk away, so that will not happen with the V mount, but a scope or camera hitting the ground is never a happy day.
Get it from Amazon now: $193.45 & FREE Returns
3. BOG DeathGrip II - Carbon Fiber Gun Tripod
Highlight: The Carbon Fiber legs are 17 times stronger than the aluminum ones.
Helpful review: The super-strong carbon fiber is more substantial than aluminum and 15% lighter. This is a dream come true for this style of rifle rest. The only thing that is still a pain in the neck is that the tripod is significant, and that is how it is. If this unit is used as a hiking stick, even though all the manufacturers tell us not to, if you haul one of these to the woods, you will use it to walk with; it's human nature.
BOG uses spikes or rubber feet, so I can use this tripod anywhere I set up. The legs are very substantial, and then they were made out of carbon fiber to improve something that didn't need it. Now, that is my new standard. To make sure this firing platform is as close to perfect as possible, they put a level on the top of the head unit. So, If I have time to set this up, the tripod will be as close to perfect as I can get it.
The legs are segmented and operated with a standard lever lock and quickly deploy. Quick deployment is up to interpretation; just because the legs drop out fast does not mean this tripod is ready to go in under a minute. The legs will be out, and adjusting the legs to be leveled takes some time. The legs are made from carbon fiber, so they are quiet when opening. My camera tripod makes a ring like a wind chime, even more so when I am in a hurry; this one barely makes a sound, like a whisper.
The head unit has a tension knob so I can set the drag for panning and tilting to keep on a moving target. The rifle is held in a grip, not a v notch, so I can put the 7mm in there and step away or put my hands in my pockets when it is cold. This is great to hold the rifle, and that is all it will have; there will not be a way to mount a camera without replacing the mount itself, and if that is the case, another trip and set up a dedicated scope tripod, etc.
Get it from Amazon now: $196.96 & FREE Returns
4. Vanguard Quest - All-in-One Shooting Stick
Highlight: It's a transformer-style mount with Tri/Bi/Mono pod setups.
Helpful review: This shooting stick setup is very adjustable. As I pointed out, it will be set up as whichever shooting platform I need. I don't take this setup as a tripod, so I remove the legs as required. If I think a mono will be the answer, that is all I take, and I leave the other legs in the car.
This setup is very lightweight, and it is significant that it also comes with thinner legs. However, be careful, especially if you are like everyone else, and use it as a walking stick; this may bend it on the way to the hunting spot. The way this unit changes from a tripod to a monopod is simple and effective; all I have to do is unscrew the legs from the head unit, and I am done adjusting the style of the shooting platform.
The feet are rubber without cleats, so they will work at the range and in the mud. However, the mud may grab the rubber foot when you leave the spot and find out when you return to the car. I am sure the feet on this tripod can be replaced from the Home Depot hardware aisle; the feet are not a unique or odd setup, just a slip-on rubber cover. If I were to use this in a muddy area that may yank the rubber feet off the ends of the legs, I would boil some water and put the foot in it, then remove the end when it loosens up. After I get the foot off, dry it off, put a bunch of superglue on the end of the leg, put the foot back, and let it cool and glue in place.
The one thing I do not like about this shooting stick is the lack of movement in the head unit. The rifle mount is a simple V notch, and it is a slick one as well. Others are lined or covered with a thick rubber to tighten the gun. This is not as big of a down point as it sounds; if this is dropped in the mud, a simple hose will clean it back to brand new. The entire tripod must be picked up and moved to the new target to move the rifle to a new target. This is a down point, but for a third of the money, it may be a good fit for my pocketbooks.
Get it from Amazon now: $79.99 & FREE Returns
5. TKKOK 360 - Aluminum Hunting Tripod
Highlight: Three angles to fit the shooter's needs: 20, 45 and 90.
Helpful review: The foot pads are rubber and do a great job sitting on the concrete, but I am worried that they will pull off in the weeds. Not right off the bat, but after this tripod lives in the car and the shop for a while, it will most likely become a little loose.
The legs are thick and heavy-duty. My problem with the leg build quality is that the slip joints are loose. They will tighten up when the locks are used, but the tripod is a little wiggly when I handle the gun in the clamp. This should not be a problem for hunting, but for precision shooting, this will not be the answer. The head mount at the top of the leg attachment has a bubble level to help ensure the tripod is set up for the best performance possible.
The head unit is made with a well-made padded grip or parallel vice. The grip is mounted on a ball mount and will move to any position by simply turning the set screw, moving the head then tightening the set screw again. The hang-up with the ball mount is holding a heavy gun and will wear and tear faster, and with the long lever of the rifle working against the set screw as well. The ball mount will probably never wear out and fall off the head unit, but the set screw to hold it all in place will eventually wear and fail to maintain a gun in place.
The vice jaws are well padded and look to be covered in plastic vinyl, for lack of a better word. The grips will not mar the gun; with the padded jaw, it will fit whichever gun I put in there. I will turn the bolt to hold it tight. I can wash off the head unit with a hose, which is back to brand new. If this is a plan for anyone looking at the tripod after hosing off the ball joint, spray it liberally with some Prolix to ensure the rust does not feel at home and the remaining water is displaced. It is necessary to keep the ball mount free and clear of dirt and debris as that will jam up the moment, and if it gets bad enough, the ball joint will need to be replaced.
Get it from Amazon now: $177.77 & FREE Returns