Dont mess this up, was the only thought that went through my head as I lowered my head to the rifle and took aim at a whitetail doe. I was in Oklahoma, hunting out of a blind with Greg Ray, owner of Outdoor Solutions, on a media trip. Suffering through airports, long drives, and zeroing in on the range all came down to this exact moment.

　　For all intents and purposes, this was a complete layup. The deer was standing broadside, less than 100 yards away. There was plenty of time, and it was a doe — not some shake-inducing Boone and Crocket buck.

　　But for me, hunting with someone I just met the day before always ups the ante. All I can think about is how embarrassing it would be to be the professional hunting and fishing writer who absolutely botches something that should be a gimme. That has real potential to become a self-fulfilling prophecy.

　　I stuck a shaky hand on the BOG Tripod, took a few breaths, and got a rock-steady sight picture. Time slowed, the world went quiet, and I squeezed the trigger. It was a perfect double lung shot, with no meat waste.

　　In short: When the pressure is on, the BOG Bantam DeathGrip Tripod ($130) comes through. Its lightweight, compact, will grip any gun out there, and give you the stability you need. Due to its small size, you may need to jump up to its larger counterpart, but for hunters on the move, it cant be beat.

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inner.style.clip = "rect("+pos.top+"px,100vw,"+pos.bottom+"px,0)"; } window.onscroll(); } } }); googletag.display(gpt_id); }); BOG DeathGrip Bantam Tripod Check Price at Bass Pro Shops

　　7.8 How we rate products Specifications Shooting height: 20-42 Material: Aluminum Weight capacity: Up to 40 lbs. Head: 360-degree pan control, 120-degree tilt control. Pros Full swivel and tilt capabilites are perfect for any situation Light and compact DeathGrip head holds rifles and shotguns securely Large rubberized feet Cons Doesnt raise high enough for standing use Twist leg locks take time to use Morgan Nowels Rock-Steady Grip of the Bantam DeathGrip Tripod

　　(Photo/Morgan Nowels) The magic of the BOG Bantam DeathGrip tripod comes down to the DeathGrip head. You can find it on most BOG shooting tripods.

　　It has a level base to place the fore stock in, and two wings on each side that you tighten down with a knob. When fully tightened around the rifle, it provides a complete grip. Its so grippy that you can leave the rifle in it and walk away.

　　That eliminates almost all human error and input when it comes time to pull the trigger. You can get down on the gun, hardly touch it, and focus on sight picture and a good trigger squeeze.

　　While on the range in Oklahoma, I shot a group that I didnt think I was capable of from a tripod. Through binoculars, it looked like I had only taken two overlapping shots, but I had, in fact, taken three. It was that good. I was able to achieve shooting table consistency on a tripod.

　　The DeathGrip head will grab just about any rifle you want it to. There was even a guy on the trip using it with a flintlock muzzleloader. Its rated to hold up to 40 pounds, so unless you have guns that would put you on a government watch list, youre good to go.

　　Lightweight and Compact

　　(Photo/Morgan Nowels) In the BOG lineup, the Bantam is the lightest tripod that packs the DeathGrip head. It weighs in at roughly 3 pounds, and when you strap it to your pack, its easy to forget its there.

　　With the legs collapsed, its small, and it easily fits on the side of a daypack. The compact size makes it perfect for quick whitetail missions or those who need a shooting platform in the backcountry.

　　There is a tradeoff, though. This tripod can be deployed only at shorter heights — 20 to 42 inches. That means you can only use it in sitting or kneeling positions.

　　Adjustability of the BOG Bantam DeathGrip Tripod

　　The adjustment knobs are large and easy to use; (photo/Morgan Nowels) I already talked about how the DeathGrip mount is highly adjustable, but the entire head is, too. You can pan around a full 360 degrees with it, allowing you to smoothly adjust on the fly when an animal takes a few steps after you already took aim.

　　You can also adjust the pitch of the head and tilt it a total of 120 degrees. Ive found that feature to be extremely handy when posted up in the hilly whitetail country of middle Tennessee with my wife. I can adjust it to where my sight level is perfectly balanced every time.

　　All of the adjustment knobs on the head are large and easy to use. You can tighten them down into a locked position or leave them slightly loose, which allows you flexibility.

　　There are two ways to adjust the height. The first is with the extendable legs. They work just like every extendable tripod leg on the earth.

　　The second way isnt as clear-cut as youd think. When I first took the BOG Bantam DeathGrip Tripod on a hunt, I fully extended the legs, and it was still too short for my wife to use while sitting in a camp chair. I thought it was a dud.

　　Then I realized you dont have to fully deploy the legs. Yes, you can lock them out at the most extreme angle theyre capable of, but you can partially fold them in to gain extra height. Its just as steady with them pushed in slightly, and makes the tripod more versatile.

　　What Could Be Better

　　(Photo/Morgan Nowels) The locking mechanisms for extending the tripods legs are time-consuming to use. Theyre threaded, and it feels like it takes forever to twist them open. And, then you have to spend the same amount of time locking them in place once you set up the tripod. There are better ways to skin the cat.

　　I also wish this tripod were capable of a touch more height. Not much, but another 4 inches or so. Ive used it hunting in blinds as well as while sitting or kneeling in the open woods.

　　Ive found its tall enough for most compact hunting chairs, but if youre in a taller chair, youll have to bend over a bit and get into a slightly awkward shooting position. That is the tradeoff you get with the compact design, though.

　　Final Thoughts on the BOG Bantam DeathGrip Tripod

　　(Photo/Morgan Nowels) For the types of hunting I do, the BOG Bantam DeathGrip Tripod is perfect. When rifle hunting, I most often hunt in a blind or lean up against a tree. I can get it set up and dialed when hunting from a seated position, and leave my rifle in it, ready to shoot at a moments notice.

　　The only type of hunting I do that doesnt work is standing. Its just not tall enough to use standing. For those situations, youd need to jump up to the larger version, which I used in Oklahoma. But theres a tradeoff to that. I packed one around for 3 days, and its heavy and bulky. If you dont plan on ever shooting from a standing position, its probably not worth the extra weight in the field.

　　If youre a mountain hunter, Id also recommend this tripod. I spent years spot-and-stalking mule deer and elk in places where every ounce mattered. You can stick this thing on the side of your pack and get it set up once you get within shooting range. Itll give you rock-solid steadiness when your hands are shaking and your heart is thumping.

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