Hello all,

I am preparing for my first guided deer hunt in two months shooting from the blinds attached.

Currently I am practicing every other week from a bench (and sand bags) and I am very accurate at 50 to 100 yards with just placing the stock on the bags.

For my deer hunt I will be located in the attached blinds and sitting in chair with rifle resting on window material making the shot.

I have been thinking of buying this Rifle Shooting Rest and practicing with it for better shot placement and accurate rather than letting the rifle hang out the window. https://www.amazon.com/dp/B00QJCK5A8/ref=psdc_4200841_t1_B00AVUIZ4W


Question:
1. Do you recommend buying and practicing with a Rifle Shooting Rest when shooting from a blind or just shooting outside the window? I also think this will be a good idea for when i start teaching my 2 newphews (11 and 12 years old) how to shoot rifles.

Thank you,

IF you have the room for a rest, go for it.

My main hunting blind of several years has a big carpeted bench or shelf in front of the main window. My camper blind I attached a bench under the main window. It is so nice to prop my rifle up on a big rabbit ear sandbag on the bench pointed at what I am shooting at and have a perfect steady shot when I pull the trigger. I can also set a spotting scope, binoculars on a sandbag, Camera on a small tripod, a drink etc. on the bench. I will never have another hunting blind without a shooting bench. I have old salvaged adjustable height office chairs in both blinds so I can line myself up with the height of the window/bench/shooting rest. Just like shooting at the range or easier. I highly recommend you just mount a bench under your window.

Thank you Sniper John,

The blind is the ranch owner blind I will be hunting.

Just to make sure I understand you, you do recommend I use the Rifle shooting rest?

This would work perfect for you. We had one in every blind on one ranch I managed about 10 yrs ago. Worked great for first time hunters to experienced hunters. Very lightweight and adjusts easy. Not sure the man from Katy who made them is still doing it since he was retired back then. If you are handy with shop tools you could make one very easily.

You mentioned shooting with the barrel stock on bags. Just so you know, whether using bags or window sill, never place the barrel on the rest. Only the stock. Otherwise, a rest is always handy, but you can use the windowsill as a rest.

Thanks unclebubba,

Yes, correct I meant stock. I agree the barrel never goes on the rest.

Yes, I may stick to the windowsill. I have been practicing with only the stock on the sand bag and I hold the rest of the rifle when shooting.

I've used a shooting stick at the back of the stock before. Rock solid hold with the window sill and a shooting stick. I certainly wouldn't discourage anyone from using anything that would make them more accurate.

That does change things if it's not your blind. Sorry, I missed that in your original post. If the shots are not far, you should be fine. You might practice shooting similar to how you will be hunting if you can or at the least do some of your shooting with the forward end of the stock on a sandbag, but keep your arm and body off the bench to try and see how you do. Or on a bipod might simulate it some. Sitting in an office chair holding a rifle with only the front edge of the stock on a window edge will not be near as steady as a benchrest with the rifle rested on sandbags where you can shoot with your arms and body braced against the bench.

This is my bench. A little over wide angle on the picture, but shows how easy a steady a shot from a setup like this can be. I have no problem shooting Turkey heads from this setup.

Here is another one that can attach to the bottom of the window and can be taken with you on different blind/stand hunts.
http://www.xshot.us/ready-rest.html
Another one that is same concept.
https://www.srbfieldrests.com/product/box-blind-cradle-rest-item-3802/

This is what I use. Simple and compact. It fits in the window sill.

I use this same bag on the window seal and shooting sticks to support the rear of the stock. I have a benign tremor and can’t hold super still, so this setup helps me a lot. I have a set of Bog Pog shooting sticks In each of my blinds that are already adjusted so I can quickly deploy them.

X2...this is all you need and if you don't have it, resting the rifle on the window seal will work just fine.

Thank you all so much for your responses,

For now, and my frist hunt I have decided to just let the rifle (stock) rest on the window seal. The owner of the ranch says many clients have had sucessful hunts using this method.

Thank you all.

FYI, in the future I do plan to buy a shooting stick for stalking hogs in the woods and a Rifle Shooting Rest as stated above to help the young boys in my family practice shooting initally.

OP, I haven't read all of the comments above. For stand hunting, I've always used a dog-ear sandbag over the windowsill, and a Primos Triggerstick monopod.

Never put your barrel or sling stud on your sandbag. Just the fore end of the rifle stock. Typically just back of the stud.

The triggerstick goes under the buttstock of your rifle. Between the pistol grip and butt. Again, don't rest the sling stud on the V in the rest. You can slide the stick backward or forward on the underside of the rifle stock to change elevation. Then use the trigger to fine tune.

It's as close to shooting off a bench as one can get, w/o something like stxranchman posted. I carry this set-up because I seldom have an angle on a deer from a stand where I can rest my elbow on a wall or windowsill. Good shooting and to the hunt!

I have a rest like stxranchman posted above. My wife heads to the blind with a rifle in one hand and the rest in the other. The stability is awesome.

for get all that extra stuff, for get the sand bags get a triple r gun rest! you will not be disappointed. http://rrrgunrest.com/

Google window shooting bag. You will find several sand bags that lay over the window sill. Easy to carry and easy to move when that buck steps out at a weird angle. Seems a lot of time and trouble to move all the other stuff around. The bags could be a good Christmas gift for the nephews. Each one could have his own making it easier for all.

I love my reaper rest, bring it to the blind or mountains.

Reaper rest
Hog saddle
Bogpod deathgrip
Even cadwell are good

Simple answer yes they help