Welcome to TheOhioOutdoors
Wanting to join the rest of our members? Login or sign up today!
Login / Join

Red dot on a bow

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
Is a red dot scope permitted on a bow or crossbow? The Ohio laws #8 states no mechanical electrical device that projects a beam of light.
With MS I have a vision problem of seeing the pins and looking through a peep on the string.
I emailed DOW yesterday but as usual I get a simple "not permited". I sent another email not answered yet stating not to argue but a red dot doesn't project a beam of light and only has a red lighted dot inside the scope.
I plan to take this all the way to the Director.
Anyone use a red dot on a bow?
 

Derek j

Senior Member
3,058
0
Knox Co.
Your ok. A red dot does not project a light....only has the red dot inside the scope. There are plenty of people who use red dots on their scope
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
Thanks as that is how I see it.
But the DOW email states "not permitted".
I truly believe whoever answered my email doesn't have a clue what a red dot is or does. But I must say it was a guy who answered the email.
No reply yet to my 2nd email requesting to show me where it's stated not permited. I will post a follow up when or if they reply. A DOW supervisor will be next to be contacted.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
I recieved a 2nd reply on my Red Dot scope request.
"before I run it past the law again I wish to clarify that there is no light projected from the scope to the target".
I politely explained the red dot aiming spot is shown in the scope only and not projected to the target as in a laser.
Just as I expected they had no idea what a Red Dot scope was and took the easy way out and denied use.
I will advise when final word is given by the DOW.
 

bowhunter1023

Owner/Operator
Staff member
48,879
274
Appalachia
Yeah, you are fine. Not sure why you need to push it much further as you are liable to give yourself a coronary dealing with those idiots...
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
Yeah, you are fine. Not sure why you need to push it much further as you are liable to give yourself a coronary dealing with those idiots...

I know but with our Local Warden I would perfer to have the proof in hand.
 

Bigslam51

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
25,778
127
Stark County
If you want proof in hand why don't you just take the hunting rules and regs that come out every year to the woods with you. It clearly states it in that. Your wasting your time dealing with them.
 

Jackalope

Dignitary Member
Staff member
38,841
260
Agreed. Call them with any question regarding the law and the answer is no. They have a possession limit of something like 50 on crawfish. They assume its bait. My Mississippi ass catches them to eat. I called to ask if it only applied to crawfish intended to be used as bait. They said any possession. They also have a max size for the opening on minnow traps. Crawfish traps look the same but with bigger openings. How am I going to explain that it's not a minnow trap but a crawfish trap, and I have 100 of them in the bucket.

They stuck to the words on paper regarding bait and minnows.

Basically they have a bunch o flip chart monkeys answering emails. If its an off question they send it to legal. Legal will almost always answer no.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
I giving up on replys from the DOW.
Do you guys have any preferance between the red dot or green dot? Both are eye catching.
I'm just going to order a Truglo Power Dot in either red or green.
 

brock ratcliff

Dignitary Member
Supporting Member
24,834
247
Agreed. Call them with any question regarding the law and the answer is no. They have a possession limit of something like 50 on crawfish. They assume its bait. My Mississippi ass catches them to eat. I called to ask if it only applied to crawfish intended to be used as bait. They said any possession. They also have a max size for the opening on minnow traps. Crawfish traps look the same but with bigger openings. How am I going to explain that it's not a minnow trap but a crawfish trap, and I have 100 of them in the bucket.

They stuck to the words on paper regarding bait and minnows.

Basically they have a bunch o flip chart monkeys answering emails. If its an off question they send it to legal. Legal will almost always answer no.

My crawfish traps have larger openings too. When I called them regarding that a few years back they told me I had to modify the traps to have only a 1'' opening. No big deal, I'm a law breaker...though I haven't set them in several years. I can get crawfish pretty darn quick with a sein when I want them.:)
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
I ordered a TruGlo bow sight with a green dot. The new scope I put on my AK47 has red and green lighted crosshairs and I preferred the green so I got a green colored headsup sight for my bow. After receiving it and installing the jury is still out on if I should have went with a red dot.
I have it installed and I like it. Since it has rained everyday it's not sighted in yet. Now I'm waiting for a neighbor with a backhoe to put some driveway drains in to correct my driveway washout problems.
A detailed report and pictures will follow. But so far without shooting it I believe I favor the lighted sight. We will see.
Installing it was only removal of the original sight and installing 2 screws. It comes with a removeable quiver attachment. I found the instruction straight forward. I must say I read some online reviews and the reports was anywhere from great to junk and impossible to install. But as a rule I don't pay much attention to online reviews as doing gunshows and selling reloading equipment for over 25 yrs I got a idea that some people need shoes with no shoe strings and must have slipon shoes.
 
Last edited:

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
I have the TruGlo Green Dot sight installed and I like it so far. It was easy to install and sight in and not like the unfavorable reviews I read.
Just goes to show some people can't tie their own shoes.
It appears I misunderstood the sight use. I was under the impression you would use the sight only like on a gun or crossbow.
I tried the sight only without the peep and couldn't hit the backstop at 20 yds.
So back to the peep and almost touching grouping at 20 yds. Now to sight in at 25-30-35-40 yds. There's a simple knob to change longer distance settings once sighted in.
Overall I can see the dot much better with my eye problem and of course there are 5 brightness settings.
I'll do a followup after I shot more but at this point I'm impressed.
 

MK111

"Happy Hunting Grounds in the Sky"
Supporting Member
6,551
66
SW Ohio
Well sad to say the TruGlo green dot sight didn't work out for me. I liked the sight concept and it installed easily and no problem sighting in.
The problem is I have started getting cataracts that are like dots on my lens. I would see 2-3 green dots and never in the same place. I never knew which dot was the real one. I did shoot excellent groups but didn't feel OK with it in a hunting situation.
I ordered in a IQ retina lock 7 pin sight that I installed today. I can get the IQ sights wholesale so the price was right. I only got the 7 pin sight because the 3 and 5 pin sights were out of stock. Anyone looking for a IQ sight let me know.
I'm taking the TruGlow sight to the Lima gunshow setup this weekend. If anyone wants it at 90.00 I will ship it for that.