Thread: Buying a bipod for rabbit shooting

I’ve been tossing up the idea of buying a cheap 6-9” bipod attaching to the front sling mount. Thought it may help have more success shooting larger distances. Do many of you use a bipod for rabbit shooting and if so, does the added weight affect you much while doing standing shots?

When I was doing rabbit culls I barely used a bipod I did use a shooting stick.

If your tossing up whether to buy a bipod. Fill a sock with sand and use it for a front rest.

You will soon tell if you need a bipod or to improve your shooting skills(which is a constant)

This is a "Horses for courses" situation depending on terrain, time of the day and technique.

I use the Harris 13" model with notches. Yes the notches make a slight click but.... Bipods have advantages and disadvantages. Advantages: Light weight, which you get used to. Steady for long range shooting in prone position or off the bonnet of the ute. Disadvantages: In hay season the grass is too long for prone shooting, in winter the ground is wet and cold, when spotlighting they are next to useless because (if you are prone) you get too much light reflecting into the scope from the grass which makes them bloody hopeless. Almost all my spotlighting I do off-hand or off-fencepost/tree/ute etc.

Technique: If you are constantly walking, and competent at off-hand shooting, then you don't need a bi-pod. Constantly walking a stick comes into its own. I've taken it one step further and have two bamboo sticks about 2m long, joined with a heavy rubber band 100mm down from the top. So its a GIANT bipod and works well. I find it more steady than a single stick. But stick is good.

Technique #2: If you are planning to lay on the top of a hill, with 360 degree views, and bing rabbits just on dusk, then a bipod is essential. You can add the sock of sand, which MCCPRO mentioned, or day bag, under the heel of the stock to steady for those long shots.

I'll give you a couple of recent examples of where a bipod has helped me.

It's hay season right now, and the rabbits can be hard to spot when you are walking. The other night I parked the ute in the middle of a hay paddock, dropped the tailgate and stood on that, resting the Hornet/Guide thermal/Harris bipod on the canopy roof. Then spotted rabbit eyes with the NITECORE or thermal monocular, the whacked them at ranges out to 150m. Funny thing is, rabbits will sometimes stand on their hind legs when they hear a sound, to get their head above the tall grass, that's all you need! I got about 20 like that.

I did exactly the same thing where the bailage had be pile two high, like a pyramid. Sat the bipod on the top bail and stood on the lower bail. 360 degree view. I spotted them with a handheld thermal, then lined up the Hornet with daylight scope and Nitecore spot. Lights on - WHACK - light off.

I wouldn't be without my Harris 13'' bipod, even if I just carry it in my day bag. But then again, sometime I hunt without a bipod, "Horse for courses!"

Originally Posted by MCCPRO

When I was doing rabbit culls I barely used a bipod I did use a shooting stick.

If your tossing up whether to buy a bipod. Fill a sock with sand and use it for a front rest.

You will soon tell if you need a bipod or to improve your shooting skills(which is a constant)

Cheers. I will give the sock with sand trick a go. I have access to a shooting stick so I will also try that and see if I like that better. You’re right there, I probably need to improve my shooting skills further as well with a bit more practice.

Originally Posted by Hugh Shields

This is a "Horses for courses" situation depending on terrain, time of the day and technique.

I use the Harris 13" model with notches. Yes the notches make a slight click but.... Bipods have advantages and disadvantages. Advantages: Light weight, which you get used to. Steady for long range shooting in prone position or off the bonnet of the ute. Disadvantages: In hay season the grass is too long for prone shooting, in winter the ground is wet and cold, when spotlighting they are next to useless because (if you are prone) you get too much light reflecting into the scope from the grass which makes them bloody hopeless. Almost all my spotlighting I do off-hand or off-fencepost/tree/ute etc.

Technique: If you are constantly walking, and competent at off-hand shooting, then you don't need a bi-pod. Constantly walking a stick comes into its own. I've taken it one step further and have two bamboo sticks about 2m long, joined with a heavy rubber band 100mm down from the top. So its a GIANT bipod and works well. I find it more steady than a single stick. But stick is good.

Technique #2: If you are planning to lay on the top of a hill, with 360 degree views, and bing rabbits just on dusk, then a bipod is essential. You can add the sock of sand, which MCCPRO mentioned, or day bag, under the heel of the stock to steady for those long shots.

I'll give you a couple of recent examples of where a bipod has helped me.

It's hay season right now, and the rabbits can be hard to spot when you are walking. The other night I parked the ute in the middle of a hay paddock, dropped the tailgate and stood on that, resting the Hornet/Guide thermal/Harris bipod on the canopy roof. Then spotted rabbit eyes with the NITECORE or thermal monocular, the whacked them at ranges out to 150m. Funny thing is, rabbits will sometimes stand on their hind legs when they hear a sound, to get their head above the tall grass, that's all you need! I got about 20 like that.

I did exactly the same thing where the bailage had be pile two high, like a pyramid. Sat the bipod on the top bail and stood on the lower bail. 360 degree view. I spotted them with a handheld thermal, then lined up the Hornet with daylight scope and Nitecore spot. Lights on - WHACK - light off.

I wouldn't be without my Harris 13'' bipod, even if I just carry it in my day bag. But then again, sometime I hunt without a bipod, "Horse for courses!"

That sounds bloody ideal standing on the tailgate and using the canopy. I hadn’t thought of that myself. I don’t do any night shooting as of yet, only a casual shooter. Like you said it sounds like it’s good sometimes and others not always. I’ll have a think about it over the next while and in the mean time try a stick that I have access to borrow.

I would love to have a go at popping off rabbits at range with a nicely setup rifle and bipod, but never had the opportunity. Everywhere I've shot rabbits, either the terrain hasn't been ideal or the grass has been too long. Quad sticks have been much more useful and I wouldn't be without them for rabbit shooting. You can make them yourself for pennies or spend hundreds on something flash.

If you do decide to get a bipod, check the 6” - 9” will give you enough height for all occasions, I feel the 9” - 13” height is a better all round option.

Originally Posted by Arced

I’ve been tossing up the idea of buying a cheap 6-9” bipod attaching to the front sling mount. Thought it may help have more success shooting larger distances. Do many of you use a bipod for rabbit shooting and if so, does the added weight affect you much while doing standing shots?

Go for it! You wont regret it. Only seconds to remove it when its not needed.However......you will regret buying a cheap one.

I wouldnt buy a cheap bipod the rabbits will be able to tell and wont die...

Originally Posted by SL600

Go for it! You wont regret it. Only seconds to remove it when its not needed.However......you will regret buying a cheap one.

What are the noticeable differences about the cheaper ones? I saw a couple spika ones on sale at the moment. Do notches make a huge difference?

You wont impress your mates with a cheap one. Ive been using a cheapy for around 10 years and it works for me. If you one of those guys whos rough on gear it might not last long

I got a cheap Remington 6 - 9 for my 223 from GC on special, other than being too short it was fine/not loose in the leg pivots at all - discarded it due to the height thing.
I have had 2 Harris bipods for a long time, one fixed with friction legs, the other swivel with notched legs. Both are very stable, but the latter is far quicker and easier to get set up so I’d recommend that design.

IMHO I think nothing wrong with a Harris copy for a 22

mine is a remington one from memory friction legs 9-13 or something like that. The shorter ones are too short unless your shooting down hill or maybe off a bench. A bipod is one of the most universal accesories you can get as it can go on any of your rifles...

Quad Sticks DIY https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8L2Kgmvs_PY&t=61s

I normally use basic DIY shooting sticks