Opinion
“Ease is a greater threat to progress than hardship” ~ Denzel Washington.
Red dots, bird hunting, and exasperating lessons!
Yesterday afternoon, I was upland bird hunting at our local club here in CO. My quarry was the wily, drab-colored chukker partridge.
I’ve hunted chukkers many times, and I’m painfully familiar with their annoying habit of flushing like patriot missiles and then flying low!
I was armed with a 12ga MAC 1014 Tactical Autoloader and 2 3/4″ Federal 7 ½ shot
My 1014 is equipped with a Vortex Venom Optic, 3MOA dot. I’ve used it extensively during Defensive Shotgun Courses, and it always runs well (and did this time), but I’ve never hunted birds with it.
So, I decided to use it for yesterday’s Chukker Hunt!
I did not do well!
I am no stranger to RDOs [red dot oprics], and the Vortex Venom is an excellent and respected representation of the RDO genera. Yes, my equipment-shotgun and optic- all ran fine and “worked” as advertised.
What I discovered was as the bird flushed (usually within only a few meters of me), it came up fast and then flew very rapidly, but close to the deck. I got on them, and I could see my red dot clearly, but I lost sight of the bird against the background!
When the bird made the mistake of flying high enough so that I could clearly make it out against the sky, I met with some success. But, so long as they stayed low (and blended so well against the background), I kept losing them!
While still an unwavering fan of RDO-equipped shotguns (when used for serious purposes), the combination is obviously not suitable for some applications, as I unhappily discovered!
I know many skeet and trap-shooters are now using optics, but their target (clay pigeon), though moving, is still clearly seen against a bright sky. That’s the part I didn’t adequately appreciate- until yesterday!
We live and learn!
Live Inventory Price Checker
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Vortex Venom 5-25x56 FFP EBR-7C MOA Riflescope VEN-52501 | EuroOptic.com | $ 499.99 |
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Sig Sauer P320 Adapter Plate For Romeo To Vortex Venom - Sig Sauer P320 Adapter Plate Romeo To Venom | Brownells.com | $ 44.99 |
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Vortex Venom 5-25x 56mm Rifle Scope - EBR-7C - Black | Sportsman's Warehouse | $ 499.99 |
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Vortex Venom Red Dot 6MOA 1X Magnification - VMD-3106 | Palmetto State Armory | $ 349.99 $ 199.99 |
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/John
About John Farnam & Defense Training International, Inc
As a defensive weapons and tactics instructor, John Farnam will urge you, based on your beliefs, to make up your mind about what you would do when faced with an imminent lethal threat. You should, of course, also decide what preparations you should make in advance if any. Defense Training International wants to ensure that its students fully understand the physical, legal, psychological, and societal consequences of their actions or in-actions.
It is our duty to make you aware of certain unpleasant physical realities intrinsic to Planet Earth. Mr. Farnam is happy to be your counselor and advisor. Visit: www.defense-training.com
