If I'm on a photo hunt I use a carbon fiber tripod. Lots of good ones out there and some are very reasonable. Very light weight. If I'm on a hunt, a mini tripod or snake twist (goes around a limb) or one of the rods with a mini head and a wood screw on the other end works great. They weigh almost nothing and both attach to anything. The two second delay that Terry mentioned is a great idea. The only problem is with an SLR where light can get in (on some models) and trick the exposure meter. You might have to cover the viewfinder first with something at hand.
I've done wildlife photography for over 30 years and the equipment today is fantastic. You'll make a ton of mistakes as we all do. Just try to analyze what you did wrong and not repeat the same mistakes.
A photo hunt and photography while you are hunting are two different animals and require two kinds of equipment. Unless of course, you bring along a pack animal for double the equipment, as usual, you'll have the wrong equipment in you hands when the moment of truth comes. It happens to us all.