Turkey hunting is about hurry-up-and-wait. You can spend hours waiting for birds to arrive, waiting for them to wander into range and give you a shot. Then, in a matter of seconds, you need to decide if the bird is a potential target, whether it is clear beyond and get a clean shot.

It would be foolish not to take advantage of anything that will give you the edge.

Enter the red dot.

Red dots for hunting are not new, nor is the idea of using them for hunting turkey. However, there are still plenty of people who will hit the woods in the coming weeks without this valuable piece of equipment. Given the amount of proof that shows a red dot not only increases your chance of a shot, but more importantly, a kill shot, the question is not do you have a red dot, but rather why don’t you have a red dot?

A properly fitted and sighted red dot allows for unbelievably fast target acquisition followed by potentially pinpoint accuracy. Add the ability to achieve accuracy in low light conditions, when turkeys love to make an appearance, or fast follow-up shots, and it is easy to see why this is one improvement your favorite gobbler gun has been waiting for.

If you are still reading, I assume you are wondering how to select a red dot. Let’s look at what you need to consider.

Too many first-timers get caught up in what type of red dot to select. This is not as important as you might think, especially as a first-time user. Size, weight and battery life are major considerations when selecting an optic for an EDC firearm, not so much when hunting.

Your first consideration should be quality construction. A shotgun is going to put your optic through a lot of abuse, and any optic, including a red dot, needs to be designed to hold up to it.

More important than optic design is reticle options. While a single dot is standard, most optics will offer additional options. Personally I find that adding a circle — either a bullseye or star design — makes it better suited for turkey.

It offers better placement for kill shots, and you can even tune the optic to match the spread at specific ranges.

Once you decide on a style or manufacturer, the next question is color. No, I don’t care if the optic is black, tan, or green. What matters is the color of the dot itself. Despite the common term red dot, many optics offer a green dot as well. In most cases, the choice is a personal one, though some shooters prefer one over the other.

However, in many situations, the red dot will be more visible in the fresh spring vegetation and in the low-light conditions often encountered when turkey hunting.

One thing that many first-time users ignore, or overlook, is adding a cover to your optic. On my EDC, I found a cover to be counterproductive, something I need to remove in an emergency when seconds count. But when hunting it can be the difference between filling a tag and needing a tool kit.

While moving into position, you are likely to encounter dirt, debris and all manner of things that can compromise or even damage your optic. Unlike an EDC, you will have plenty of time to remove the cover when you reach your hunting spot.

If you are still considering a red dot for your turkey gun, you are in luck. It only takes a few minutes to mount one if your shotgun is set up for accessories, and not much more time to sight it in. You could get one tomorrow and still be ready for opening day.