Lock In this Spring with BOG’s DeathGrip Bantam
Spring turkey season is approaching quickly, and there’s no better time than now to pattern your scattergun or make sure you are set on all of your gear needs for the season.
I recently used BOG’s DeathGrip Bantam tripod to zero a new red dot sight and pattern the turkey loads and shotgun I plan on hunting with this spring.
Before stepping into the woods, I found the tripod useful. Mounting a red dot sight onto the vent rib can be frustrating if you don’t have a solid gun vise — which I do not. Luckily, I had BOG’s DeathGrip Bantam tripod, which essentially acted as a vise. With my shotgun locked into the head of the tripod, mounting the red dot was easy. After the dot was mounted, it was time to run through some turkey loads.
I set up a variety of targets in different locations at once, so I was able to test the tripod’s 120-degree tilt and its 360-degree pan; both functioned smoothly.
However, beyond being practical for preseason patterning, the DeathGrip Bantam has a useful spot in your turkey vest. Weighing just over three pounds, the Bantam’s aluminum telescoping legs make it 60% lighter than the original DeathGrip, and it retracts to just 20 inches, small enough to fit in most turkey vests.
I found it easy and relatively quiet to deploy, though I personally wouldn’t use it for most running-and-gunning scenarios. I think this tripod shines in more static situations, such as in a pop-up blind or in a spot you plan on sitting for a while. On a side note, this tripod is perfect for youth hunters who might not be able to shoulder a shotgun for long. My son will likely shoot his first bird using this tripod.
If you strike up a bird that cannot see your movement, you could be locked in on the tripod with the gun shouldered rather quickly, if you were using it in a run-and-gun scenario. BOG’s “DeathGrip” clamps the gun securely without requiring excessive force. Just a few easy turns and the gun locks in solid.
The DeathGrip Bantam adjusts from 20” to 42”, so it is best for sitting or kneeling scenarios. The tripod is advertised as having a 40 lbs. max weight capacity, which is more than any turkey hunter would need.
The DeathGrip Bantam is a useful piece in your gear repertoire, for spring or fall. The tripod is now available at retailers and boghunt.com in Realtree Original and non-camo, and it is available exclusively at Academy Sports in Mossy Oak Bottomland.
At an MSRP of $139.99, this is a quality tripod that you’ll find a variety of uses for, from spring to fall.