tripod setup

I

Indiyote

New member
so im looking to buy a tripod setup for night hunting. just curious as to everyone's setup. i know the night stalker tripods are good but also have a 4-6 week wait and id like to get one before our season ends here in indiana. suggestions?
 
It is going to be hard to get a quality tripod/ballhead/mount for $250-$300.
With your budget my suggestion is to start with a Slik Pro 700 tripod. Then look at some of the camera stores for a used ballhead. I have purchased from Adorama Camera and B&H Photo. They both have a selection of quality used (demo) ballheads but the available inventory changes almost daily.
Then you will need a mount. The Pig Saddle is $130.00 everywhere unless you can find one used. A Reaper Grip is more expensive. A direct mount eliminates the need for a clamp style mount so that will save you some money if you have a way to attach it to your rifle.
 
Indyote ..
Indiana coyote season only ends on public property .. Landowner or someone with written permission from the landowner can hunt/kill coyotes year round ..
 
just picked up a place in milan today. older farmers watching em come up in the back yard. year round permission wont be a problem there. mainly hunt public land though
 

I think it would be hard to beat the Night Stalker for your best option in that price range. Before they came out I tried a lot of different brands and was real happy with Induro tripods and ball heads. If you bought used I think you could get a good set-up for close to that.
 
Personally, I have a slik 700 tripod and a 44lb ballhead from amazon that was only $29.99. It performs flawlessly. I can't justify spending hundreds on a ballhead when all you are doing is coyote hunting and not taking professional pictures.
 
Last edited:
i have the same setup as josh above. however ive not been a big fan of the arca mounted on my AR forearm. i recently ordered a hog saddle from night goggles. i just got tired of flipping my red lens on to slide my AR in the grooves. also, bog is coming out with a new predator tripod with saddle on it that they unvailed at the shotshow. its called deathgrip i believe. Price was between 150-300 depending on aluminum and carbon. Its set to release feb 5th!
 
Originally Posted By: Josh FaulkenburgPersonally, I have a slik 700 tripod and a 44lb ballhead from amazon that was only $29.99. It performs flawlessly. I can't justify spending hundreds on a ballhead when all you are doing is coyote hunting and not taking professional pictures.

Josh would you by chance know what ball head you got?

IME these shooting tripods/heads have proven to be one of the biggest ripoffs in an industry plauged with overpriced junk! I often wonder if the producers hunt, shoot or even tested the garbage. It's like all they invested was time dreaming up a flashy name for marketing. Then I see positive reviews and think the hunting community is just too used to being served crap but I digress!
 
OP not sure if you ever got the tripod.. I plan on trying the Shadow Tech 0311 next if other equipment comes in before our season is over and will try let you know if it's decent.
 
Last edited:
I just setup a Slik 700 tripod and Manfrotto 322RC2 Grip Action ball head with quick release, and installed a Magpul M-LOK tripod adapter on my rifle (AR). I can easily set the rifle onto the tripod from a sling carry position, and it clicks right in. Very simple to take down, too.
 
Originally Posted By: nightwatchmani have the same setup as josh above. however ive not been a big fan of the arca mounted on my AR forearm. i recently ordered a hog saddle from night goggles. i just got tired of flipping my red lens on to slide my AR in the grooves. also, bog is coming out with a new predator tripod with saddle on it that they unvailed at the shotshow. its called deathgrip i believe. Price was between 150-300 depending on aluminum and carbon. Its set to release feb 5th!

The BOG deathgrip looks like a decent tripod. I've been looking for something like that and might pick one up. Cabron fiber or aluminum - is there that much difference in how they work or stability?
 
I can't say anything about the Bog tripod, but as far as aluminum vs. carbon fiber, there is a big difference in weight, carbon fiber is much lighter.
I have been using tripods for 2 seasons now and I will tell you this for what it is worth. Cheap tripods and cheap ballheads are exactly that...Cheap. There is a tremendous difference between a quality USA or Italian made tripod or ballhead and a price point Chinese tripod or ballhead. The rigidity, fluid movement, and stability of a quality setup will outweigh the price difference in the long run. Sure you can buy a $30.00 ballhead and a $50.00 tripod. And then after you repeatedly miss easy shots because it is not rigid enough, or the locking levers strip, or the legs slip, or there is that rough spot in the ballhead that is in exactly the wrong spot, you might rethink going the cheap Chinese junk route.
 
Last edited:
So true trkyhntr. Be careful not to end up with half a dozen "cheaper" ones when you could have done it right the first time. Ask me how I know!
 
Back
Top