In my part of NY, we cannot use rifle. I've been using a fixed 4x scope on my 870 for a number of years. It has definitely helped me pick out a "hole" through some thicker areas. With open sights, I do not think I would have been able to see some of the smaller branches that might have deflected the shot. The drawback is that I have to be a little more careful with the handling of the gun as to avoid knocking it out of center.

For turkey hunting, I hate using a scope. I greatly prefer my tru-glow open sights.