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Stabilizing Rifle?

I have a bunched. Branches, my bridge, screw in step, backpack on a hero clip....... Use what you have.
 
I have hunted the same trees, BUT have never had the same shot with all the variables.
 
I find what's trickier than stabilizing the rifle is stabilizing my body. Usually your body is more or less firmly planted and the trouble is holding the rifle steady. If you're in a saddle you can rest on the tree but your body tends to be free to sway. I've found that shortening the tether, wedging my elbows in the bridge, and making sure both knees are in the tree helps to lock my body into place so it's not moving the back end of the gun.
 
Loopwing said:
I have hunted the same trees, BUT have never had the same shot with all the variables.
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So I plan how I hang my platform on the tree to give me the most advantageous rest for the long shots, if that makes sense, usually where I hunt open it’s in front and thick on my back sides, or super thick all around where I don’t need a rest, on clear cuts I sometimes use my 300 RUM with a 2.5-16 scope and shots can be up to 500 yards which is my max for whitetails.
 
Topdog said:
So I plan how I hang my platform on the tree to give me the most advantageous rest for the long shots, if that makes sense, usually where I hunt open it’s in front and thick on my back sides, or super thick all around where I don’t need a rest, on clear cuts I sometimes use my 300 RUM with a 2.5-16 scope and shots can be up to 500 yards which is my max for whitetails.
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I always try to set up the way "I" think the deer will travel, they never seem to read the script. Hence the slug gun shot I mentioned in an earlier post.
 
Loopwing said:
He said stabilized or I would have talked about the shot off my 6 with a slug gun last year. Arched back, one foot on the mission, leaning fully into the saddle.
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Rifle/shotgun is easy....crossbow is a bit trickier. Got into all kinds of contortions to take shots last year with the Xbow
 
kbetts said:
If you're shooting deer at 500 yds....is it really necessary to be in a tree?
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Terrain features around swamps or brushy areas like red brush. If you're on the ground you can't see over or around that stuff unless you're up high. Get them sneaking in or sneaking out of those thick areas in the morning or evening.
 
Hero clip. Hang my rifle off of it and then I seat my fore stock in the hook and brace against the tree. Makes for a very stable shoot. If shooting over bridge the bridge and tree are right there for a brace.
 
woodsdog2 said:
Terrain features around swamps or brushy areas like red brush. If you're on the ground you can't see over or around that stuff unless you're up high. Get them sneaking in or sneaking out of those thick areas in the morning or evening.
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Ok. Just curios. I live near marsh land. I can see it.
 
kbetts said:
Ok. Just curios. I live near marsh land. I can see it.
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Personally, I couldn't shoot a deer at 500 yards if my life depended on it. I'm a decent shot but have never had to shoot a deer that far away. That being said, now that we are allowed rifles here in WNY, there are certainly places where you would be at much better of a vantage point in a saddle than on the ground for large expanses of red brush. We have a National Grid powerline ROW that gets so choked up with hawthorne, goldenrod and locust that you can't see anything on the ground overlooking it. At height you can see them much better but its where they meet the woodlines at the transitions where it pays to be at height.
 
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