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Tuesday, April 6, 2010

One Opinion - Illuminated Optics

Everyone sees things differently. When it comes to illuminated optics, it is evident that green or red illuminated reticles have a certain "cool factor". This is always true when friends are checking out your latest hunting tool.
But what happens in the field may be another story. When circumstances permit, perform the following test. Be in the field during the last 10 minutes of legal shooting time. In many states, the legal shooting time extends to 30 minutes after sunset. Deer should be in range from your stand at 10, 20, 30 or 40 yards.
Switch back and forth between the illuminated reticle and the straight black line of a glass etched reticle or wire reticle. See how easy or difficult it is for you to distinguish the animal profile, ear movement or antler configuration. As each minute ticks by, make a mental note about visibility. Every person is different but our experience suggests that there is an element of "washout" from the illumination feature that can actually decrease overall visibility during those last magic 10 minutes at the end of the day. It might be better for many hunters to have the illumination turned off and use their eyesight to pick up the black line reticle. The moral of the story --- do a little personal scientific testing for yourself to optimize your setup at last light.