Shotgun sights for waterfowl hunting

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halhunt

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I'm thinking about getting into waterfowl this fall both geese and ducks. I have 870 pumps in both 20 & 12 gauge that I use for turkey set up with with fiber optic front and back sights. I have experience only with lining up the sights on a relatively stationary turkey, not a bird in flight.
Would you recommend only a front bead for wing shooting or do some waterfowl hunters use the front & back system?
Also thinking about hunting waterfowl from a kayak. Thanks.
 
Use just the bead Remington put on the shotguns you have. Aiming is required for turkey hunting and slug hunting for big game but water fowling is a dynamic point and swing with follow through. A lot of guys like fibre optic beads etc but they are gimmicks. You should not be concentrating on a bead when shooting flying targets or game.

Darryl
 
If you try aiming at flying birds, like you do at stationary targets , you will fail miserably. When wingshooting, you need to concentrate on the target, not on sights or beads. If the gun fits you, it will shoot where your eyes are looking. As for beads, they are useful for checking to see if the gun fits, and to verify your gun mount, but other than that, they serve no purpose when wingshooting. In some instances, especially with new wingshooters, beads can actually be a distraction, that can hinder your shooting. I have actually helped some new skeet shooters to improve their scores by removing the hi-viz beads that they had attached to the rib. One fellow, actually had two large hi-viz strips attached to the rib, and he tried to line them up like sights, and when they were removed, his scores doubled.
 
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Step 1: As mentioned above, use beads to determine if the gun fits. If yes, move to step 3. If not move to step 2
Step 2: Purchase a shotgun that fits and start again from step 1
Step 3: Remove hi-viz sights and/or beads if you find that they attract your eye
Step 4: If you felt you needed to remove the sight/bead, dont replace them with anything. Leave the barrel the way it is, with sights/bead removed
Step 5: if you're shooting waterfowl, focus your eyes on the bill of the bird and nothing else. A shotgun that fits will shoot where your eyes are looking
 
I use a SeeAll sight I got from Questar for waterfowl. It allows for quick sighting. It takes a bit of getting used to. It's very fast for hitting moving targets.
 
The best sight in the world for wingshooting is no sight at all. Second is a bead. Third a a set of fibre optic front and rear rifle sights in a shotgun for turkey hunting is nothing more than a sales marketing gimmick. It's a shotgun for god's sake and you're firing a heavy load of "shot", usually size 4-6. It is not a single projectile like a slug which can give you an accuracy benefit from rifle sights over a bead. Funny thing is no matter how much technolgy changes one thing remains constant in shooting "shot" from a shotgun. The pellets do not come out in a single file row, they spread out in a cigar shape as they travel. Pattern your gun, learn where it shoots and go forth without some marketing gimmick.
 
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what happens when your eyes degenerate enough so you don't see the bead anymore?- I think there's a reason for the red dot
come to think on it my dads old t&s barrel ( Remington 31) had a CENTRE bead on the rib if I remember correctly- I wonder what that was 4?
 
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Listen to stubblejumper and the spank.

Follow the bird and swing through. Don't stop your swing when you shoot like I do.
 
The old peepers aren't what they used to be,so,after I had cataract surgery and new lenses put in both eyes,I put TruGlo fiber optic sights on both guns. Now,I don't even need my glasses. I'm thrilled at how fast target acquisiton and lead is achieved. TruGlos aren't that expensive and they're easy to install when you get the right size to fit your vent rib.
 
t-star said:
what happens when your eyes degenerate enough so you don't see the bead anymore?- I think there's a reason for the red dot
come to think on it my dads old t&s barrel ( Remington 31) had a CENTRE bead on the rib if I remember correctly- I wonder what that was 4?
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I don't need to see the bead, I only need to see the target.

The old peepers aren't what they used to be,so,after I had cataract surgery and new lenses put in both eyes,I put TruGlo fiber optic sights on both guns. Now,I don't even need my glasses. I'm thrilled at how fast target acquisiton and lead is achieved. TruGlos aren't that expensive and they're easy to install when you get the right size to fit your vent rib.
Click to expand...

Most of my target guns came with replaceable hi-viz beads, the first thing that I did was to remove them, and replace them with the smallest white bead in the selection.
 
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t-star said:
what happens when your eyes degenerate enough so you don't see the bead anymore?- I think there's a reason for the red dot...
Click to expand...

For wingshooting you don't "SEE" the bead... you see the target... my eyesight has deteriorated to the point that all my rifles are scoped... but it hasn't hurt my wingshooting one bit... you don't "sight" on the target, if you try, you will miss more than your share.
 
I completely agree with the experienced wing shooters who have advised about concentrating on the bird, not the sights. Shooting a stationary target with sights is completely different than shooting a flying target. One is about precision and control, the other about athleticism and hand-eye coordination.

My advice to the OP is to strip your gun of the superfluous after-market sights, and shoot some skeet or sporting clays with the original bead only. On second thought, not just "some", but I'd advise that you buy a flat of 250 light target shells, if possible find a coach or an experienced mentor who can show you proper technique, and fire the whole flat at clays before the waterfowl season - then you will understand the difference, and appreciate our advice.
 
Take your gun to the the trap range or sporting clays range and dust some clays....that will help you immensely. And I agree with all the others a single bead is all you need and swing and follow trough when shooting a flying targets!
 
stubblejumper said:
I don't need to see the bead, I only need to see the target.



Most of my target guns came with replaceable hi-viz beads, the first thing that I did was to remove them, and replace them with the smallest white bead in the selection.
Click to expand...

hoytcanon said:
For wingshooting you don't "SEE" the bead... you see the target... my eyesight has deteriorated to the point that all my rifles are scoped... but it hasn't hurt my wingshooting one bit... you don't "sight" on the target, if you try, you will miss more than your share.
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All the above. If your focus is on your sight you are focused on the wrong thing for wingshooting!
 
Longwalker said:
I completely agree with the experienced wing shooters who have advised about concentrating on the bird, not the sights. Shooting a stationary target with sights is completely different than shooting a flying target. One is about precision and control, the other about athleticism and hand-eye coordination.

My advice to the OP is to strip your gun of the superfluous after-market sights, and shoot some skeet or sporting clays with the original bead only. On second thought, not just "some", but I'd advise that you buy a flat of 250 light target shells, if possible find a coach or an experienced mentor who can show you proper technique, and fire the whole flat at clays before the waterfowl season - then you will understand the difference, and appreciate our advice.
Click to expand...

A flat is a start, if you shoot 100 shots per week for five or six weeks prior to the season opener, you should notice a significant improvement in your shooting. Shooting only once or twice, will just teach you how much improvement your shooting skills could use.:)
 
Thanks for the advice. Between now and September I'll practice on clays. I already know that shooting at moving game is my weakest link, I've got the bush and hunting skills to get up close to game but have blown a few shots over the years.
 
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