Quote from: outdoorsurveys on March 29, 2011, 09:44:28 PM
My friend at least we're being civil about our differences in thoughts.
You're right there are indeed more people shooting with open sights than scopes. Absoutely no question about that. On the other hand, if you were to chart out the ratio of scopes to open sights over the past 5 years and ask the question, which option is growing the fastest in popularity .we both know the answer to that question. For years guns manufacturers didn't even think of drilling and tapping for a scope but they see the demand for it and where it once was rarely done, its become expected and a standard.
The good news is that any hunter has his option - scope or no scope or bow or slingshot or whatever they find entertaining. So that's good for us all. I'm being sincere when I say I have met many many turkey hunters who after years of hunting with open sites and tried a scope were hooked and stayed hooked. I've never met the scope hunter who has opted to revert back to open sights. Though no doubt this has happened somewhere in this great land. Well actually I need to qualify that....I did have to give up my scope for a while (not by choice) because I purchased a new gun and the new one I bought did not come drilled and tapped when I had expected it to. I hunted with the new scopeless gun for a few seasons (regular NOVA) and then got the Supernova and got my scope back into the field.
An analogy I often use is the traditional muzzleloader hunter who goes to an in-line model for the first time and realizes what they have been missing relative to accuracy. Some of those individuals may say "nope, I prefer to keep the old timey flintlock...but they can't (not with a straight face) deny they are giving up a measure of accuracy.
Personally, I look for every reasonable advantage, I found one of those advantages in my scope and after having hunted for years with and without a scope, I know that for me personally, a scope is the only way I would have it and its to the point where as long as he's within a reaonable distance, there's no longer a question in my mind if he'll be going down or not. Though one day I'm bound to surpise myself and sit there with my mouth wide open watching one fly off into the distance.
It probably makes sense for each turkey hunter to try both options for a few seasons to learn what they truly prefer and where they feel they have an advantage. I'm sure there are some indivduals who can't get used to a scope and it becomes akward. Ever wonder why at nearly all traditional turkey shoots they don't allow scopes?...the common answer is "an unfair advantage".
no doubt about being civil, i no way am i trying to debunk your opinion of them...just giving my opinion is all...heck i already mentioned i went to a version of an optical sight this year lol
i dont really see an apples to apples comparison using a muzzleloader analogy...2 very different debates in there. I understand where you are going with it but IMO it is not a good comparison. traditional vs in-line is FAR different in many ways where a scope on a shotgun vs a bead are still fairly close to the same POI and the distances needed for the 2 are a big difference.
I will agree on the "want" for optics is higher these days then 10 years ago but the overall numbers are still very far apart... the more hunters today strive for a tighter shot pattern for greater distances the more clean misses are going to be a part of the game, and so will the issues with follow-up shots and scopes.
as far as shooting comps, of course it is an unfair advantage...they are shooting a still paper target at a set distance with good conditions. They are not shooting with adrenaline flowing at awkward angles on a foggy morning at semi moving target.
