I have been using the stock bead(s) on various shotguns for years and have been very successfull in bagging my share of gobblers. For some reason or another I now feel a need/want to scope my dedicated turkey gun. I have seen that Weaver, Zeiss, Nikon, Simmons all make shotgun scopes and then there are the red dot scopes and also the Bushnell Holo Sights. My question is what are the pros and cons using scopes on a turkey gun, are there any big drawbacks? Any imput will be appreciated.
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Life is good, Give God the Glory....doubleA
I really don't know why you would even need a scope. I don't use one and never will. If I can't kill a turkey without one then I need to quit turkey hunting. Just my opinion. If you want to use one that's fine.
I decided to try a scope on my turkey gun a few years back. I had
good luck just using a bead but let me tell you, a scope to me makes
alot of difference. With a scope you get to see the whole turkey
and with a bead, the bead and barrell cover up part of the turkey. As
for what brand, I really like the Simmons Pro Diamond. I hope this
helps.
A scope on a turkey gun is just another angle to make all the thoughts of the hunt at the true moment come easy. Back in 1990 I decided to scope my turkey gun and it was never heard about then. After thinking of the close patterns I was getting ,I wondered why a scope would not work the same a rifle. I was not real good at getting the bead on a rail of a gun at the time of a shot and decided to try this. What a change in the way a person could lift the gun set the crosshairs and sqeeze off the shot. You knew where every shot was going. I have since taken shots at birds that a person without a scope would not ever chance and have easyly killed the bird.
I never went expencive with a scope , but wanted to go a light as possible so I decided on a Tasco 1.75x5x20. It gave me what I needed for a field of view on low power. Since that day of chnging over I have never looked back and have always had a scoped turkey gun with the same scope on it.
Last passed season the scope proved its self on this gun , as my wife was always a advid turkey hunter. She never did use a scope on her gun but last spring her life changed. She had a Massive Brain tumor the week before opening of the turkey season and after the surgery the tumor was messed up in her optical nerves. She came out of sergery and could not see well enough to use any open sight. Matter of fact she could not see distances. The last day of the season she used my scoped turkey gun and we setup on a field edge where a Tom worked his way to the setup. At 17 yards she killed a mature bird for the first time with a scoped turkey gun and was able to enjoy what she was going to miss out on ....BT
ORIGINAL: doubleA
...are there any big drawbacks? Any imput will be appreciated.
- 27 April, 1994: my third and lastyear with a scoped shotgun -the scope had pretty good eye relief. I had a mid-morning bird come in from afar, and he begin to move to my left around a dead fall out in front of me. I was in a supine position and rolled some to keep the bird in my sight. He stepped out in the openat ~18 yds in my 10 o'clock position, and when I pulled the trigger, my lights almost went out. The stock of the shotgunwas no longer backed up solidly againstmy shoulder and the recoil drove the scope into my nose (my nose saved coring-out my eyeball).I was alone, bleeding profusely, and about 1/2 mile from the truck.Ijust laid down on the ground with my head back, and eventually the bleeding slowed. I tagged the bird, and cleaned up at the truck before drivingoff with a cloth over my nose to an emergency room 30 miles away.Got some stares along the way, lol. I recovered ok, but my nose is no longer centered on my face, angles off a bit. And it took me a while to overcome a nasty flinch, even after taking off the scope and going to2-3/4 game loads. I use the bow a lot more these days, or otherwise just let my partner(s)take the shot, more funanyway...(edit:I do not mean to imply that Itag their birds, I don't).
- Just to say if you are as careless as I was, a scope can bite you.
-fsh
edit #2: here's the memorable photo:
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The gods do not subtract from the span of a bowhunter's life the hours spent in a treestand...
I've been turkey hunting for only 5 years now; and have been fortunate enough to take a nice tom each year (last year's was a monster; 25 pounds, 11 inch beard, good hooks). I have a Bushnell, High Contrast Optics 1.75-4 power variable turkey scope on my Mossberg 835 with the raised comb attachment. The reticle has a circle in the middle. I understand where some traditional old-timers are coming from about not using a scope (I hunt with many of them). The advantages of using a scope far outweigh the disadvantages IMO. We only get 1 spring tag in Michigan, so if you're only interested in a trophy bird, having the scope to assess the incoming bird can be a plus, and if forced to take a longer shot, the scope can't be beat.
The scope I mentioned was pretty cheap as I recall, but it's worked without problem every year for me. Best of luck.
Being a bowhunter and trained to pick a hair when I aim, I wanted that same advantage with my shotgun on turkeys. What I found was the Truglo sights on my gun were too large and blocked my intended target downrange. It wasn't "fine tuned" enough. I went with the Bushnell turkey scope with a cross hair and a circle around the center. It gave me the fine tune ability to pick a spot on the bird rather than point and shoot.
I would hope by some of the responses I've read below that our fellow turkey hunters are degrading the use of scopes on shotguns. I like Adrian chose to go with a scope and will never look back...does that make us less of a turkey hunter and should quit?. [&:]
I have edited my comments as I seem I offended a few - sorry if I did htat - was not my intent! Each of us are open to our opinion.
I 1st started with no sights at all. And then I learned the tuff way to KYHDD!
KYHDD = KEEP YOUR HEAD DOWN DUMMY! I wounded a bird cause I think I peaked. I lifted my head! Dang! So I went to Tru glow sights and used them for years. But alas - I have been wearing spectacles since I was in 2nd grade! Some day you'll all be where I am or at least the majority of ya!
To answer your question - Yes I have gone to a scope. I put a Nikon Monarch Turkey Pro on my shotgun.
Why?
Well I can't see theback ramp of my true glow sights I previously had any longer. My old eyes won't allow it. No I don't use the scope to take long range shots - for 30 plus kills to date my average is still less than 21 yards from where I sat!
Let me ask you this?
Isn't our ethical goal, as turkey hunters, or any type of hunting, isto make sure we take a good clean shot?
And yes care should be taken mounting a scope on a shotgun to make sure you have the best eye-releif you can possibly have. I feel bad for ya fshafly2,but that too is a great tip to share with others who are thinking of scoping their gun. I know I am going back to check if I shot off handed - (am a righty and will try lefty) to see if I still have the same proper eye releif. Thaks for the heads up.
Have a safe one out there
Safe hunting is after all no accident!
JW
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Turkey Hunting! ~ One Turkey Calling Another!
I love using a scope. I would prefer a Bushenll Banner Dusk & Dawn 1x4x32. This is a very affordable scope, but is a very good one as well. As someone said before, I like being able to see the whole turkey in my sights than to have the barrel cover everything up.
Turkey Gun Scope Preferences?
