Author Topic: Shooting off cross sticks  (Read 3740 times)

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Offline Eric Krewson

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Shooting off cross sticks
« on: December 02, 2017, 08:19:16 am »
I have been missing deer and hitting them high with my flintlock, I hit high on targets as well if I am shooting off my sticks.

I posted my dilemma on the longrifles site and got some really good answers that I hadn't thought about.

The guys said to put your hand on the sticks and shoot off your hand, I had been shooting with my forestock on the sticks.

Most said to pad the crotch of your sticks

Another guy said to cant your sticks slightly backwards or you will get a cantilever effect from recoil that will throw your ball high.

I had been shooting 4" high off my sticks after I had everything dead on off sandbags. I tried their advice and was shooting right where I wanted to off sticks.

I like to make guns but shoot them much less than I should, the finer points of flintlock shooting have passed me by, but I am learning.

Most of you probably know the info posted above but I thought I would pass it on for the newbies.

Yesterday a doe ran in on me, saw me and ran down the hill behind some brush. I could see a adequate opening in the brush to her vitals, I used the advice I had been given and drilled her right where I was aiming.

She ran off the ridge to a briar patch bottom and bailed into the 8' high briar patch about 20 yards, I heard her fall.  I had to cut my way into the briar patch to get her out and never thought about taking a picture while she was in peaceful mode.

I feel it is disrespectful to a deer to post a blood and gore picture which is all I had after I got her field dressed, so, no picture.

Offline Gordon

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Re: Shooting off cross sticks
« Reply #1 on: December 03, 2017, 05:55:10 pm »
Some good tips there. Thank you. And congratulations on the clean kill.
Gordon

Offline Hawkdancer

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Re: Shooting off cross sticks
« Reply #2 on: December 03, 2017, 08:30:00 pm »
Congratlations, Eric.  A pad on the sticks works well, I think shooting off your hand is harder.  The back can't on the sticks is a big help, especially with a heavy gun or big caliber.  We teach "no bloody pictures" in our Hunter Ed program, both for respect for the animal, and for good public relations.  I am familiar with those briar patches - some of them are so thick a small beagle can't get through!
Hawkdancer
Life is far too serious to be taken that way!
Jerry

Offline mullet

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Re: Shooting off cross sticks
« Reply #3 on: December 04, 2017, 08:03:25 pm »
The stick I made is padded with rawhide. So far I've just shot my .300 WM off of it with no jumping. I've had no opportunities with the black Powder when I've been carrying it.

I lost a doe three years ago when it went off in one of those 8' high briar patches with a blood trail only when it laid down. I hated to live it but this was after finding the last blood 300 yards from the first one. I heard the yotes in there that afternoon.
Lakeland, Florida
 If you have to pull the trigger, is it really archery?