Sitting, Kneeling & Standing

Lesson 20 of 33 · Module 5, lesson 2

Assumes the Hunting Primer. New here? Start there first.

Your objective

By the end, you'll be able to build each upright field position correctly and choose the lowest, steadiest one that still clears the obstacle between you and the target.

Procedure ~8 min

The deer steps into the cut 90 yards away, feeding slowly toward the tree line. You’re in light brush — prone is blocked by a knee-high ridge of grass. You have maybe 30 seconds. Which position do you build, and how fast can you get it right?

This lesson makes that decision automatic.

Quick recall

Quick recall from primer — in sitting position, where should you place your elbows relative to your knees?

Over the knee, on the muscle of the thigh — not on the kneecap itself Directly on the kneecap for maximum height Tucked against your ribs — arms in close is steadier

Show answer

Correct: Over the knee, on the muscle of the thigh — not on the kneecap itself — Right. Elbow on soft muscle locks; elbow on the bony kneecap rolls like a ball in a socket. That one distinction makes sitting either near-prone-steady or uselessly wobbly.
Not quite: Directly on the kneecap for maximum height — Kneecap is a bony ball joint — the elbow rolls instead of locking. Slide the elbow forward onto the flat muscle of the thigh.
Not quite: Tucked against your ribs — arms in close is steadier — Pulling the elbows in removes the leg support entirely and forces muscle to hold the rifle up. You want the elbows OUT, planted on the thighs.

Sitting: the best upright field position

When prone is blocked — by cover, slope, or terrain — sitting is your next move. It gives you two elbow-knee contacts (left arm on left leg, right arm on right leg), which creates a stable triangle between your body and the ground.

How to build it:

Lower yourself straight down onto your seat, facing the target or turned slightly toward your strong side.
Plant both boot heels firmly — dig in if the ground is soft.
Place both elbows forward onto the muscle of the thighs, just ahead of the knee. Not on the kneecap: on the flat, meaty part of the quad that locks the elbow in place.
Rest the forestock in your support hand, snug against the position, and set your cheek weld.
Set your natural point of aim: relax, close your eyes, breathe twice, open them. Adjust your whole body — not the rifle alone — until the sights are on target when you’re at rest.

Edge case Two sitting variations: crossed-ankle vs. open

Most hunters learn the open-leg (feet spread, heels dug in) variation because it’s quicker to build under pressure. Competitive shooters often prefer the crossed-ankle variation, where the ankles cross and the legs form a lower, more compressed triangle — this drops the center of gravity further and can feel more locked in. Try both at the range and pick the one that gives you the tighter groups; the one that works is the right answer.

Kneeling: faster, less stable

Kneeling trades one elbow-knee contact for speed. You can drop into it in one motion, and it clears a bit more cover than sitting. The cost: you have only one arm supported (the other holds the pistol-grip or stock), so it’s noticeably less stable than sitting.

How to build it:

Go down on your strong-side knee (right knee if right-handed). Sit your weight back on that heel.
Your support elbow goes onto the forward (weak-side) knee — again, on the muscle of the thigh ahead of the kneecap, not on the kneecap itself.
Your strong-side elbow floats; it’s the one holding the pistol-grip, so it has no support and that’s expected.
Set cheek weld, set NPA, breathe, squeeze.

If you have a few extra seconds, sitting will nearly always be steadier. Kneel when time or terrain leaves no other option.

Standing: last resort, or braced

Standing — truly unsupported — is the least stable of the four positions. Both elbows float, the whole rifle is suspended by muscle, and the crosshair moves with every heartbeat and breath. Reserve it for shots inside 50 yards where you are very confident of the margin, or when you can brace on a rest. A standing shot off sticks or braced against a tree is a different animal — covered in the next lesson.

Offhand technique for when you must:

Stand perpendicular to the target, feet shoulder-width apart.
Support hand cradles the forestock; strong hand on the grip.
Pull the rifle firmly back into your shoulder — the cheek weld creates a third contact point with the stock.
Hold your breath at the natural pause, squeeze smoothly, follow through.

The limitation is real: most hunters cannot hold an offhand shot in the vitals at beyond 75 yards for long enough to break a clean trigger press. Know your limit and respect it.

Schematic diagram showing three stick-figure positions side by side. Left: sitting figure with both elbows resting on thighs, labeled 'SITTING — both elbows on thigh muscle.' Center: kneeling figure with one elbow on the forward thigh, labeled 'KNEELING — one elbow on forward thigh.' Right: standing figure with both elbows unsupported, labeled 'STANDING — no elbow support, last resort.' — Diagram (not a photo). Three upright field positions ranked left-to-right from most to least stable. Notice that each step up removes one point of contact between the body and the ground.

The decision in real time

Decision

A doe walks into the field at 110 yards. You're in knee-high native grass. Prone is blocked — you can't see over the grass from the ground. What position do you build?

Drop into SITTING — both elbows over the thighs, heels dug in

Your profile clears the grass by a foot. Both elbows lock into the thigh muscle, the crosshair steadies. She's still walking...

Go to KNEELING — higher profile, faster

You're up, but the single-elbow support makes the crosshair move. There was time to sit — sitting would have been steadier. Kneeling works but you chose the harder option unnecessarily.

Stand up — fastest and clearest view

You see fine but the crosshair swims. At 110 yards offhand, your margin inside the vitals is razor thin. She trots off before you can break a clean shot — or worse, you rush it.

Check your position knowledge

Knowledge check

In a sitting position, where exactly does the elbow contact the leg — and why?

On the flat muscle of the thigh, just forward of the kneecap — not on the kneecap itself Directly on top of the kneecap for maximum bone support Off the leg entirely, pinned against the ribs

Show answer

Correct: On the flat muscle of the thigh, just forward of the kneecap — not on the kneecap itself — Right. The flat muscle locks the elbow; the rounded kneecap rolls it. That one detail is the difference between sitting feeling like prone and sitting feeling like an exercise in futility.
Not quite: Directly on top of the kneecap for maximum bone support — The kneecap is a convex bony surface — the elbow point sits on it like a ball in a socket and rocks. Slide the elbow forward onto the flat quad muscle.
Not quite: Off the leg entirely, pinned against the ribs — That removes all leg support from the equation. The whole point of sitting is to rest both elbows on both legs — use the triangle the position gives you.

Knowledge check

You have 20 seconds, 90-yard shot, knee-high grass. Prone is blocked. What position do you build first?

SITTING — it's the steadiest upright option and still clears the grass STANDING — fastest and highest profile KNEELING — it's faster than sitting and high enough

Show answer

Correct: SITTING — it's the steadiest upright option and still clears the grass — Yes. Sitting is almost always the right answer when prone is blocked and time allows. Kneeling is for when even sitting is too slow or too low.
Not quite: STANDING — fastest and highest profile — Standing is the least stable position. With 20 seconds and 90 yards, sitting is fast enough and far steadier. Standing is the last resort.
Not quite: KNEELING — it's faster than sitting and high enough — Kneeling is faster but less stable. With 20 seconds, you have time to sit. Take the steadier option when you can.

Take it to the woods

Field positions are a physical skill. Reading about them builds understanding; drilling them builds the reflex that works when a buck steps out.

Upright-position range drill (at home or range)

0/7

Safety Four rules confirmed, ear and eye protection on, muzzle always downrange.
Dry-fire: practice dropping into SITTING position — from standing, in one motion. Ten reps without the gun, then five with an unloaded rifle. Speed matters in the field. Practice the movement until it's smooth.
In your sitting position, check your elbows: are they on the flat muscle, not the kneecap? Look down and confirm before shooting.
Fire a 3-shot group from SITTING. Note the group size — compare to your bench group from the previous drill.
Dry-fire from KNEELING: practice the drop, the elbow placement on the forward thigh, five reps.
Fire a 3-shot group from KNEELING. Note whether the group opened relative to sitting.
Set up one string where you deliberately can NOT find your NPA on target. Practice the discipline of NOT firing — call it a pass. The pass decision is a field skill too. Train it.

Sources

NRA / American Hunter — “Training to Shoot from Field Positions”: https://www.americanhunter.org/content/training-to-shoot-from-field-positions-prone-sitting-kneeling-and-standing/
Texas Parks and Wildlife — Rifle Shooting Positions: https://tpwd.texas.gov/education/hunter-education/online-course/shooting-skills/rifle-positions
Hunter-Ed (IHEA-USA) — Firing Positions: Sitting: https://www.hunter-ed.com/national/studyGuide/Firing-Positions-Sitting/201099_92890/
Mossy Oak — “4 Shooting Positions Every Hunter Should Know and Master”: https://www.mossyoak.com/our-obsession/blogs/how-to/4-shooting-positions-every-hunter-should-know-and-master
XLR Industries — “Rifle Shooting Positions Every Hunter Should Know”: https://xlrindustries.com/blogs/xlr-precision-rifle-blog/rifle-shooting-positions

If you remember nothing else

Sitting is the best upright field position — both elbows lock over both knees, giving two bone-on-muscle contacts and near-prone stability.
In sitting and kneeling, place the elbow on the MUSCLE of the thigh, not on the kneecap — bone-on-bone is a ball joint that wobbles.
Kneeling is quicker to build than sitting and clears more cover, but only one elbow-knee connection makes it less stable.
Standing is the least stable and the quickest — reserve it for close, obvious shots or when a rest is immediately available.
The rule: take the lowest position that clears the line of sight. Never go more upright than the terrain forces you.

How ready do you feel?

How ready are you to drop into a sitting or kneeling position in the field and build a solid shot before the animal moves?

Before you go — a quick look back

Distributed practice: one fast recall from an earlier lesson keeps it from fading.

Quick recall

From The Steadiness Hierarchy: Bench & Prone — what is the bench rest actually for, and why shouldn't you skip prone practice?

Show me the answer

Show answer

Correct: Show me the answer — The bench is a diagnostic and zeroing tool — it removes human wobble to reveal the rifle's accuracy. Prone practice matters because the bench doesn't transfer: bench-only practice leaves you unable to build a steady position when the field doesn't give you a table and sandbags.

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