Red Dots for Turkey Hunting

by
posted on May 1, 2012
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
ot_mind_ah2015_fs.jpg (5)

undefinedI’ve always hated hunting gadgets, which I define as “stuff” that might be cool to have but doesn’t really help me be more efficient in the woods.

Before my eyes started going bad, I thought using a red-dot sight on a turkey gun was only for gadget guys, not serious turkey hunters. My eyes helped change that opinion, and now a red dot handles a couple of very important jobs for me. First, it helps cure the evil error of lifting my head off the stock—can you say, I shot high and over his head?—and it provides a very precise aiming point when birds are out at the 40-yard line, making it easier to center the pattern than when using open sights.

Lest you think the red dot is something a turkey might be able to see, rest easy. These are not laser sights that project light downrange. Instead the light hits the front lens and reflects back toward your eye. This provides single focal-plane sighting, which makes it much easier and faster to acquire the target and make a precise shot.

The last week of April, I successfully used a Remington 11-87 with an Aimpoint Micro during a South Dakota turkey hunt. Even in a steady rain the sight picture was crisp, providing a good shot. In fact, I loaned this gun to several friends and watched them bang birds at distances ranging from 9 yards to 53 steps.

Of course, mounting a scope to a shotgun is more difficult that a rifle, but many of today’s turkey guns are drilled and tapped to accept a Picatinny rail, which makes mounting a sight quite easy. There are also mounts that clamp onto the barrel’s vent rib, if it has one. I used an old cantilever mount on my 11-87 and that worked perfectly.

There are several companies that make red-dot sights that work well with turkey shotguns. A few of them are Aimpoint, Bushnell, Nikon, Truglo and Weaver. You can check them out at a local dealer, visit each manufacturer’s website or find them in the major mail order catalogs like Cabela’s and Bass Pro Shops.

However, if you go this route, remember that when it comes to optics, you get what you pay for. On a gun that will be dragged around the turkey woods in both good and bad weather, the last thing you need is a failure when it is time to put the hammer down. That said, as long as using a red-dot sight is legal where I am hunting, I won’t be afield without one on my turkey shotgun ever again.

Latest

44 Mag HST LEDE
44 Mag HST LEDE

New for 2025: Federal’s Personal Defense HST .44 Rem. Mag.

Federal Ammunition has recently added a new HST .44 Remington Magnum “Light Magnum” load featuring a specially designed hollow-point bullet, ideal for those seeking HST performance for self-defense with magnum revolvers.

Utah Wildlife Board Updates

The Utah Wildlife Board approved a few new and updated rules, some of which are necessary after recent legislative changes—including the wildlife management area license requirement for certain counties and the new process for regulating hunting guides and outfitters—along with a few other proposals during a public meeting Thursday.

Member's Hunt: A Tale of Two Moose

This month's Member's Hunt comes from John R. Bean of Tucson, Ariz.

Breeding Duck Numbers Decline Again in ND

The North Dakota Game and Fish Department’s 78th-annual spring breeding duck survey conducted in May showed an index of about 2.66-million birds, down from 2.9 million in 2024 and 3.4 million in 2023.

2025-26 Pennsylvania Migratory Game Bird Seasons Set

Pennsylvania’s 2025-26 migratory game bird seasons have been set. There are two significant changes to waterfowl seasons. The regular season daily bag limit for Canada geese in the Atlantic Population Zone has decreased from three to one, and for northern pintail, there will be a flat daily bag limit of three.

New for 2025: Christensen Arms Evoke in 450 Bushmaster

Christensen Arms has announced the release of the Evoke rifle chambered in powerful 450 Bushmaster.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.