I have always had a love/hate relationship with bipods and shooting sticks. When the conditions are right, I have always preferred to be laid down prone, with my rifle rested solidly over my backpack. However, there are those times when laying prove isn’t an option and having the ability to sit up and still have a solid rest to shoot from is key to making precise shots. I have tried many different systems over the years, from having a bipod permanently mounted to my gun, to have a fold-up set of shooting sticks along with me. Although both systems work, it made the rifle heavier to carry and cumbersome when shooting without using the bipod. The shooting sticks were lightweight, but I was never a fan of the marriage between the two while set up to shoot.
In spring 2020, I was looking at the Spartan Bipod at the Hunt Expo and immediately was intrigued with the system. With the system, there is a small, lightweight port with a magnetic connection within it that makes attaching and removing the bipod a snap. This connection is made via the front stud sling hole and the connector has a spot to hook your sling too, so it remains fully functional. This summer when I contacted Spartan about trying out their system, they asked me about what features I preferred and pointed me in the direction of their new Javelin Pro Hunt Tac Bipod.
The Pro Hunt Tac Bipod provides a rock-solid rest on varied terrain. The standard model allows for 7”-9” ground clearance while the long adjust from 8.9”-12.2”. Each leg adjusts independently but pressing the button and either extended or retracting the leg. On unlevel surfaces, you also have the ability to cant your rifle and lock it into position. This makes locking your rifle into a level position, which is paramount with shots in uneven terrain. The Pro Tac model is also modular, meaning you can use different legs from Spartan to match different types of shooting.
Wyoming & Montana Hunts
Last fall, I used the pro tac on two rifle mule deer hunts. On my Wyoming buck, I had some time and was able to lay prone on a steep hillside. Using the retractable legs, I was able to get my gun stable and made a precise 350 yard shot on a buck on an adjacent ridge. In Montana, I caught a glimpse of a good buck leaving the coulee we were in and time was of the essence. I snapped the bipod on my rifle as I laid down. When the buck hesitated for a moment at 550 yards just before going out of sight, my rock-solid rest made the shot much easier than rests I have used in the past. As I said earlier, I always liked resting over my pack, but things shifting in the bag made it so I was always having to get the rifle nestled in the right spot. With the Pro Hunt Tac, my rest is rock solid quickly. This means more time to find your target and squeeze, instead of trying to find a solid shooting rest.
Arizona Hunt
As much as I love shooting from a prone position, there are times when laying down just isn’t an option. For these situations as I mentioned earlier, I used to carry a set of shooting sticks. When I got the Pro Tac bipod from Spartan, I also got their Davros head. This head fastens to any tripod and creates a very solid shooting platform that can be shot from a sitting, kneeling, or even standing position depending on the height of your tripod. This has the same magnetic connection as the other Spartan Bipods, so you have multiple shooting options depending on your situation. While your rifle is connected to the Davros you can pan and rotate both side to side and up and down with the adjustable ball joint, which is very smooth and makes following moving targets simple.
My wife and kids aren’t as fond of laying down to shoot as I am, so they love this system. On a recent youth deer hunt in Arizona, I fastened the Davros head to one of my Outdoorsman’s adapters. When we found a nice Coues buck, I was able to get my eleven-year-old son sat down in a comfortable position and the rifle firmly on top of the Davros mounted to my Outdoorsman’s tripod. He was able to make a great 200 yard shot on a nice Coues buck. I always have my Outdoorsman’s tripod with me, so having this system that I can easily stow in my pack, that can be quickly attached to my tripod if the situation arises is a no-brainer.
