Handgun rests and treestands

[freddogs]

Our wisconsin gun deet season is over. i had a real good year. I shot a buck with a shot gun opening day and On Thanksgiving day I shot 2 does with my 7x30 contender. I was hunting out of a treestand. Last year I missed a buck with the hand gun for lack of a rest.
I have a rail around the stand but it's not very solid and it's the wrong height to shoot off of. While I was sitting up there in the predawn I  took a branch that I had cleared for a shooting lane and trimed it to about 55". I left the stubs where side branches came off it stick out about 3".
I figured I could grab it with my left hand at the right height and rest the contender on top of my hand and have a passable rest. The bottom of the stick was resting on the platform of my stand.
No deer and it's 9 am. My buddy comes over and talks to me. 3 deer run over the hill and stop about 80 yds away behind a strip of woods. It's too thick to shoot through and they spook and run off. My buddy leaves. 15 minutes later a doe walks out of the strip about 100 to 150 yds away. It walks through the 3 row of corn and is broadside to me. I shoot. It just keep walking slowly. My stick slides between the slats in my stand and falls to the ground. I brace myself against the tree and shoot again and miss. The deer walks closer. at about60 yds it turns to go into the swamp. I rush a shot while it's broadside but I hvave no confidence. I get down to look for blood . My buddy comes back but there is no sign I hit it.
I'm back up in the stand with my stick. about 30 minutes later 2 does run over the hill and enter the strip, When the first one walks out into the open about 70 yds away I shoot and it goes down. The second one hangs back but I reload. I try to get a bullet through the brush but the deer leaves unharmed. I get down and tag the deer. I still have a tag left.
Back up in the stand. 40 minutes later a doe limps down the tractor trail in front of me, I use the stick and shoot it at 35 yds.  My question is what do the rest of you use for a rest from a tree stand? I would like something easily portable I could carry with me onto public land  when I have a portable climber stand and other gear to haul. The rest of you must have some good ideas.   I still have 2 WI T zone tags for muzzleloading season.

[KYODE]

the very best thing i have found so far, is the use of my 1" nylon sling top help me hold steady. i'm fully confident that i can hold my 14" handgun as steady as i could hold an offhand rifle.
i have swivel studs in the grip and forearm for attaching the sling. i place my left hand, or finger tips on the forearm, loop the shortened sling below the elbow, and the on the backside of the arm. then apply outward pressure with your left arm, while applying a little opposite pressure with your hand on the grip. try it at home, and see if you can do any good holding it that way.
for sitting on the gound, you can make cross shooting stix from fibeglass tent poles. there is an article on making them at www.handgunhunt.com



       http://www.handgunhunt.com/tech/t21/index.html

[Jeff Vicars]

My purpose for this reply is to help you, not to insult or down you.

Elbows on knees should be more than steady enough for the distances you mentioned. Everyone "shakes", the secret is squeeze and hold that pressure on the trigger each time the crosshairs or sights cross the target until the handgun fires, without flinching.

99+% of the problems people have shooting handguns is caused by flinching. Most people refuse to even consider the possibility they flinch and continue to miss. To test this at the range, have someone randomly load your gun with live rounds and spent cases, if you are flinching it will be very apparent when you snap on a empty case. This test along with dry-firing will help you get rid of flinches.

[Questor]

My stand is has a rail that is bent upward. I still have to crouch a little to shoot, but it works fine.  Another thing I do is to set up so I am standing facing the tree, then use the tree as a rest.  The tree also breaks up my outline.  I've heard of people using shooting sticks and neck lanyards to get a steadier shot, but I don't like them with handgun hunting. They're better than nothing, I suppose.  I've also experimented with setting up below a branch, then tossing a rope over the branch and looping it around to make a rest that I can put the gun through. It works pretty well, but is not as good as a solid rest.

[reallybigfoot]

I bent a piece of ½” stainless steel tubing into an “L”.  On one end I mounted a “Y” that swiveled and on the other end, which I had smashed with a hammer, I drilled a hole.  I drilled a hole through the center of the leading edge of my tree stand.  I attached the “L” to the tree stand with a bolt and wing nut.  It’s light and moves easily to give me support.

[Chubbs]

I do have to agree with jeff vicars, I have often before look for a steady rest to make a long sucsessful shot. I have even passed up shots because i did not feel comfortable with my rest. Try knees for a rest, it works wonders. I often missed long distance shots,because i did not know i had a flinch. It is hard to get rid of a flinch once you get it, shooting 22s worked very well for me.

[freddogs]

Sitting in a treestand, knees are not practical. I couldn't get the gun high enough to see through unless I don't understand something.

[rickyp]

You did not say what the maker of  the stand was.
I have a summit climbing stand that has a shooting rest attached to the front of the top secion. Summit does sell this shooting reas by it's self and may workl for your stand as well. it is light weight and always with your stand and it swivles from side to side so you can get a shot from any angle but right behind you.

[Jeff Vicars]

Elbows on knees.

[billjoe]

Freddog- I know your plight.  It's tough to hold steady enough to get that accurate shot when there is no rest.  I tried attaching an 1/8" nylon rope to the frame.  Take a rope and tie the ends together ti make a loop.  The length will depend on your arm length. Insert the loop between the frame and and scope, bringing it around the frame.  Pull the rope through the loop so it is fastened to the frame.  This rope goes around the neck so that when you put your arms out to shoot, it will draw up tight to the neck.  This puts tension on the gun and gives you a bit more steadiness.  This is not a cure all, but I think it does help steady the gun some.  Shots at moving deer will be tricky despite what you do.  FWIW

bj