I learned the hard way this weekend. I always check before I hunt to make sure it comes on. So i checked Friday before I headed to Kansas and off I went. Went and hunted some public that I hunted during archery and they must of put a hurting on them during gun season because birds were non existent. Finally I found a lone longbeard about 500 yards out in a cut corn field. I just so happened to bring a fan with me from a bird I killed in Missouri a few weeks ago. I've never attempted to fan a turkey, I enjoy working them in with a call. But it was my last day of the season to hunt so I was willing to try anything. I sneak up closer to the edge of the field and throw the fan up at about my head level. I was standing in waste high brush at the time. At this point he's still 400 yards away just feeding. Finally he turns towards me and sees the fan and instantly his head turns blood red and he goes into strut. I crawl around a little to get in better position to watch him and when I look back up he is gone. So im peaking my head up trying to figure out where he went and there he is about 30 yards coming through the brush in strut. Can just see the top of his fan. So i prop the fan up with some brush and get ready for the shot. Turn on the red dot and to my surprise, deader than a doornail. So i'm flipping out and now I cant see him again. a few seconds later I hear something to my right and there he is, gobbles at maybe 5 feet. I did my best to aim under the red dot, but couldnt pick him up. Beyond frustrating!
I will never own a dot sight for this reason. I can rely on my scope or truglo sights without this issue. Sorry about that happening to you. That really does suck
That is the reason I went with a Burris SpeedBead mount. Even if the batteries are dead the ff3 is low enough that I can still comfortably use the bead on the barrel.
Yep, love the red dot but will be looking for other options next spring.
Center him up in the scope and pull the trigger...
Good reason to turn it on before hand, and carry spare batteries. I switched to a red dot over a scope about five years ago and glad I did. I like both, but prefer the red dot.
Newer red dots are better about battery life like my vortex lasts 5000 hrs or something. New battery at beginning of season and your good. Vortex also has one with the dot reticle etched in the glass so you can see even without it lighted. But like roost said, center the scope of him and shoot. At 30 yds you should kill him.
Quote from: lindllc on May 23, 2016, 09:41:35 AM
Newer red dots are better about battery life like my vortex lasts 5000 hrs or something. New battery at beginning of season and your good. Vortex also has one with the dot reticle etched in the glass so you can see even without it lighted. But like roost said, center the scope of him and shoot. At 30 yds you should kill him.
Yep should have done that, but he was probably 7 yards when I shot so there wasn't a lot of room for error. I'm going to get something with a lower mount that I can co witness with my sights. No excuses then!
I've used a red dot for many years and, luckily, have never had an issue. A couple things however, 1. With mine, the battery lasts a long time...a couple turkey seasons, at least. I know to change the battery if I have to have the setting above 8 to get "normal" brightness. 2. In the event it ever goes dead, I know where I have to hold on a target for center pattern...sight it in thusly at the range. So, if that ever happens to me I'm still good to go.
I can still see the top of my bead thru my sight glass. If the dot on my FF goes dead in the middle of a hunt, I have shot it enough to know where to hold on the bird to kill him. Know your gun...
2015 Old Gobbler contest Champions
had the same thing happen to my little girl on a group of three longbeards dot was on then it just died as they got close enough ... snatched it off when we got home.
at 7 yards, aim for the middle of the body.
Quote from: Roost 1 on May 23, 2016, 09:08:06 AM
Center him up in the scope and pull the trigger...
worked for me once
Boy, that sux. Better luck next time.
That very reason is why i have saddle mounts on all my turkey guns. All mine are were you can still see the sights under the red dot and scopes..
Quote from: dejake on May 23, 2016, 11:07:01 AM
at 7 yards, aim for the middle of the body.
Sorry that happened to you, especially on your last outing, but I definitely concur with this here. At 7 yards you should blow the whole load and the wad clean through the bird. Hind sight is always 20/20 though. There's always shoulda coulda woulda after the fact.
Had a similar deal happen and I switched to a shotgun scope with heavy circle around the reticle.
Ive got a saddle mount on my mossberg that has a groove so you can still see your beads. Used to have a fire field red dot mounted, but that piece of crap didnt last long. I just use my beads now, they work fine as long as i aim a little high.
I use a Fast Fire III. That reflex sight begins to blink 4 hrs. before the battery loses power completely. I always carry a spare battery with my call conditioning equipment.
I have full confidence in that sight but man, that would be a disappointment to have one fail in that moment...
I'm a little paranoid about that, but I think I'll change out the batteries once a year, just in case. I left the Truglo rib sights on my Mossberg when I installed the SPARC II, so I can still see them through the glass,...BUT my FFIII on my BPS is a different story...
Just carry a spare battery with ya in the field
Next year will be my first year red dot
I hope that don't happen to me glad you shared it
Maybe keep someone else from doing it
I am waiting on March 2017 now
If I could go back I would have centered him up at 30 and got it done with. He got in too tight and I panicked. Easy to do when a bird gobbles in your face at 5 feet. It was an awesome season for me so I can't complain, but that would have been icing on the cake.
As a precaution, I remove all batteries from scopes, flashlights, range finders, etc. that I won't be using for a while to avoid a battery corroding while in something using such.
Quote from: Bolandstrutters on May 23, 2016, 11:30:01 PM
If I could go back I would have centered him up at 30 and got it done with...
Go to the range and shoot at 25 yards with the red dot off. I think you'll see that "centering it up" will shoot high.
Quote from: guesswho on May 23, 2016, 09:17:57 AM
Good reason to turn it on before hand, and carry spare batteries. I switched to a red dot over a scope about five years ago and glad I did. I like both, but prefer the red dot.
:agreed:
Ouch thats a tough way to learn a lesson. I always check my sight before leaving the house or getting out of the truck. I also replace the battery before every season and always carry a spare.
Quote from: WAGinVA on May 23, 2016, 08:51:51 AM
That is the reason I went with a Burris SpeedBead mount. Even if the batteries are dead the ff3 is low enough that I can still comfortably use the bead on the barrel.
+1
"So he cocked both his pistols, spit in the dirt, and walked out in to the street."
Tough way to end a hunt.
I change mine out before each season and keep a spare in my vest.
Haven't need the spare yet but I like to hedge my bets.
Scope user here, don't want to deal with that issue in the woods when a bird is right there in front of me.
FF3 will start to blink for a couple hours before it shuts down. I know this from experience too. I always put new batteries in at the beginning of season, but this year I was working and didn't take the 30seconds it takes to change it out. Needles to say after it started blinking I took the time to change it. I keep a spare in my vest for my FF3 and my daughters red dot.
Just call it hunt and release. I'm still using the original batteries that came with my aimpoint 7 years ago. Aimpoint has long battery life but I only turn it on when I think I'll need it.
The batteries for the red dot draw very little current and if you turn them off after your hunt would probably last many years. I change mine before every season just to be safe though. It sucks when it does happen but if it does just center the head in the scope and squeeze off a shot.