A steady gun rest, then great photos – the easy way!

by Steve Sorensen

The Instant Gun Rest and Camera Mount serves gun hunters AND archery hunters – both before AND after the shot.

Your typical outdoor catalog is full of great ideas. But there may be no handier item or more appropriate gift appreciated by hunters than the Instant Gun Rest and Camera Mount. The bowhunter or the gun hunter will appreciate this ingenious little item, and it costs amazingly little.

The best outdoor products are often the simplest, and this one is definitely simple. It’s essentially a screw-in tree step with a couple of adapters. It serves the hunter both before and after the shot. Screw it into a tree, mount the “Y,” and you have a steady rest to aid you in making the accurate shot. The bowhunter can use it to hang the bow while waiting for the shot opportunity. After the shot, set up your photo by screwing into a tree, and mounting the camera stud. A wide range of adjustment is built in. For up and down adjustment, just twist it further into the tree or back it out. Swivel the camera mount to align your camera from side-to-side.
I can tell you from experience that it’s fast and easy to use when you’re trying to get a picture of your deer as the setting sun steals the light that your camera needs. It’s also plenty heavy enough to support a video camera, too, and makes it possible to videotape your own hunt. You can also use it for spotting scopes.

For safety, the “Y” gun rest adapter is designed to cover the point of the screw when you’re carrying it to prevent accident or injury.

It’s a sure bet that once you’ve hunted with this, you won’t want to be without it. But one caveat is in order. Be careful what trees you use this tool on. Screw it into a nice, straight cherry and you’ve ruined a substantial amount of veneer. Also, leaving a hole in any tree can provide an opportunity for disease or insects to enter. The better choice is to limit use to non-valuable trees such as poplar and soft maple. My advice is that when you must use it in other trees, it’s best to use it in a limb which, if ever harvested, will merely be used for firewood. Best of all, use it in your own trees rather than someone else’s.

You won’t find this handy and versatile item in stores. In fact, just about the only place you can get one is by ordering online from www.not-in-stores.com. The Instant Gun Rest and Camera Mount is inexpensive, so order several to stuff into the Christmas stockings of all your favorite hunters.