#349 | Red Dot Sights for Turkey Guns with Greg Maher
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In this episode of the Birdshot Podcast, host Nick Larson sits down with Greg Maher of Metal Creek Mounts to dive deep into the world of red dot sights for turkey hunting. Greg shares his journey from a college student who fell in love with turkey hunting to an engineer who developed a revolutionary rib-mounted red dot system after struggling with traditional iron sights and scopes. He explains how the red dot’s placement on the rib—away from the shooter’s eye—greatly improves field of view, allows for both eyes open shooting, and eliminates the visual blockage caused by the barrel and bead. The conversation covers the technical nuances of reflex sights versus prism sights, the importance of proper mounting (rib vs. receiver), battery life, auto-brightness, and the critical role of zeroing and patterning with the actual load and choke used in the field. Greg also discusses real-world applications beyond turkeys, including pheasant and duck hunting, and shares his personal setup: a Mossberg SA-28 with a Burris Fast Fire 3 on a Metal Creek rib mount. The episode concludes with Greg’s insights on turkey hunting culture, his love for eastern turkeys, and his dream of drawing a Colorado mule deer tag via archery.
Red dot sights mounted on the rib significantly improve field of view and situational awareness during turkey hunting by eliminating barrel and bead obstruction.
Proper zeroing and patterning must be done with the exact choke and load you plan to use in the field, as changes can affect point of impact.
Rib-mounted red dots are superior to receiver-mounted ones for most turkey hunters due to better ergonomics, lower profile, and improved sight picture.
Auto-brightness and shake-to-wake features enhance usability in variable light conditions and extend battery life, but battery replacement is simple and inexpensive.
The red dot acts as a 'cheat code' for precision, neutralizing minor fit issues and allowing consistent shot placement even in imperfect shooting positions.
The Evolution of Red Dot Sights in Turkey Hunting
Nick introduces Greg Maher, founder of Metal Creek Mounts, and sets the stage for a deep dive into red dot optics for turkey hunting. Greg shares his origin story—starting with a $300 Remington 870 and iron sights—and how the limitations of traditional aiming systems led him to develop a rib-mounted red dot solution.
Why the Rib Mount is Superior
“You don't have to have the reference to keep it centered, but still people want it as low as they can get it. They'd have it lower than that if it was possible, but it's got to go somewhere.”
Red Dot Types, Reticles, and Features
The conversation explores the differences between reflex and prism sights, the pros and cons of open vs. enclosed designs, and the importance of reticle choice (dot vs. circle). Greg discusses battery types, auto-brightness, shake-to-wake, and why low-profile, small optics are ideal for turkey hunting.
Zeroing, Patterning, and the Bullseye-to-Bullet-Hole Technique
“If you change your choke or load even a little bit, like it could like you don't really want to accept that but like I might have to go back on checking on paper...”
Greg’s Personal Turkey Setup and Hunting Philosophy
“I don't want to just do that just to say I killed a turkey in this state. You know, I want to go hunt a bird, have fun. It's not about just saying I shot one here.”
“It's not about just saying I shot one here. It's about going hunting, having fun, and connecting with the bird.”
“I don't want to just do that just to say I killed a turkey in this state. You know, I want to go hunt a bird, have fun. It's not about just saying I shot one here.”
“If you change your choke or load even a little bit, like it could like you don't really want to accept that but like I might have to go back on checking on paper...”
Host
Guest
Greg Maher
person
Nick Larson
person
Metal Creek Mounts
brand
Birdshot Podcast
media
Burris Fast Fire 3
product
Mossberg SA-28
product
South Carolina
place
Georgia
place
Vortex Venom
product
Hollow Sun Optics
brand
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