Originally posted by WJW You mean something like this attached to a monopod............
Same concept, only really all you need is basically the little piece of plastic with a rubber pad in it that comes with a lot of hiking poles. I think I've seen them available separately, actually. That Slik thing would probably be excessive for a shorter lens.
I think things with the head I'm talking about are most often sold as 'Shooting sticks' fairly often under outdoorsey categories in various places. The cheaper ones that come with such things seem to have perfectly good scope rests, so the cost isn't a big deal. I'm pretty sure I saw just the rests sold alone somewhere really cheap, and I'll be looking for a couple, myself.
(I just scored a little Gitzo knockoff monopod off Ebay: I've been wanting to try on the concept of carrying something really short on my belt or some such for a while, for just this purpose, and see if I really want to deal with unfolding all those sections before investing in something nice. So, I'll maybe report on how that goes. Let me see if I can find those things. )
Here's a random listing for the kind of pole combo I'm always taking about. This one's apparently a real cheapie:
http://cgi.ebay.com/Hammers-Steady-Shooting-Stick-Monopod-V-Rest-Gun-Pod_W0Q...3%3A1|294%3A50