With the endless supply of DVDs, television programs and printed information available on the subject of hunting spring gobblers, it is understandable to be left dazed and confused. While that can pertain to all aspects of the sport, one of the most confusing can be selecting the kind of sighting system to use on a turkey gun.
With that in mind, here are the thoughts of some well-known turkey hunters on the subject. Based on their input, in most cases, choosing the type of sight is really a matter of personal preference.
- Paul Butski: Guide, founder and president of Maestro Game Calls and currently featured on Mossy Oak's Turkey THUGs program on the Pursuit Channel - "I'm a firm believer in using optics for all types of hunting, and I'm a Nikon guy all the way. I use binoculars when doing preseason for scouting, and when it comes to a sight for my turkey gun, I'm sold on using a red dot."
- Ernie Calandrelli: Guide and public relations director for Quaker Boy Game Calls - "I'm convinced that nothing forces you to keep your head down on the stock and concentrate on your target better than using optics. That's true no matter if it's a scope designed for a turkey gun or a red dot. Using them allows you to pick out holes in the bushes when looking for a turkey head, and I find that beads cover up too much of a turkey's head."
- Glenn Gaul: Booking agent for Kansas deer and spring gobbler hunts with Catawissa-based Monster Rack Adventures - "Over the years I've shot a number of turkeys with the normal shotgun bead sight, but in 2000 I was diagnosed with diabetes and my eyesight definitely changed as the years progressed. I decided to try a red-dot sight, and the following year in Kansas, the weather was a normal spring with a lot of moisture and I had trouble with the red dot being on when I needed it the most - like a gobbler standing 20 yards from my position. After that hunt I decided not to use a scope that depended on a battery and purchased a Leopold scope endorsed by the National Wild Turkey Federation."
- Don Heckman: Executive officer of Michaux Yellow Breeches Local Chapter National Wild Turkey Federation and honorary president and board member of the Pennsylvania Chapter of NWTF - "After a couple misses one spring season several years ago and several range-patterning shots at 30 to 40 yards I came to realize, and finally admit ,the old eyes were not as good as they once were. Even with wearing prescription glasses those barrel sights over time were not always clear and concise, so after checking several models I purchased a couple Nikon camo red-dot sights for my spring and fall turkey shotguns."
- Shawn Kotchey: Guide and founder and president of Millcreek Valley Game Calls - "I'm old school and like plain old, open sights. I have Dead Ringer sights on my turkey shotgun, and know exactly how far the turkey is with those sights because of its size in the circle sight. That really isn't a factor for me because I believe the fun in turkey hunting is fooling that old tom in close for a shot at 25 yards."
- Matt Morrett: Guide, head of Turkey Division for Zink Calls and AvianX Decoys and currently featured on Avian X program on the Pursuit Channel - "I have used all of them and am pretty firm right now at my age on a two-bead system that allows me to get down in the stock and keep all of my peripheral vision, plus, I am utilizing lifelike AvianX Decoys and trying to get gobblers well inside 25 yards. On the flip side, especially at greater ranges, I really don't think turkey hunting is more than a 40-yard sport, and a scope or dot sight narrows the margin of error by keeping everything in line when it has to be spot on."
- Troy Starr: Founder and president of FearNot Game Calls, Valley View - "I don't have scopes on any of my turkey shotguns, and my setup on all of them is fiber-optic sights made by TruGlo called the Pro Series Magnum Gobble Dot. It's all steel with full windage and elevation adjustments, and a great sight that is very tough.
"A few years ago I had a red dot sight and took notice that from the opposite end of the scope you could see the red dot. It looked like a red blob, plus I was hunting in the rain and the lenses were covered with water. I was wiping the lenses off when my dad said he could see the red blob when he looked at my setup, and that was the day I removed that sight."
Ed Terefencko: National Wild Turkey Federation Champion of Champion first-place call maker and owner of Ed Terefencko Custom Turkey Calls, Pottsville - "I don't use a scope on my turkey gun because in one of my first years of turkey hunting I had a scope on my gun and had to take a follow-up shot on a running bird and couldn't get the sight picture through the scope. I've been debating buying a red dot because the field of view is much better than a scope and even open sights, but I still have some more research to do before I go that route." 2014 Spring Gobbler Seasons
Only bearded birds - including hens - are legal during spring gobbler season.
Saturday, April 26: Special hunt for eligible junior hunters with required license and mentored youth from one-half hour before sunrise until noon. Only one spring gobbler may be taken during this hunt.
Saturday, May 3-Saturday, May 31: From opening day through Saturday, May 17, legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until noon; from Monday, May 19, through closing day legal hunting hours are one-half hour before sunrise until one-half hour after sunset. Daily and season limit is one bird; a second bird may be taken by those who possess a valid special wild turkey license.