The second animal, a cow, galloped at twilight through heavy rain in shaded forest. Iron sights or a black reticle would have been swallowed by the gloom, but with Aimpoint’s dot at a low setting, I made the fast shot easily.

Trijicon offers the AccuPoint line--1.25-4x24, 3-9x40 and 2.5-10x56 models--with red or yellow pyramid-on-post reticles that are powered by a combination of tritium and fiber optics. Brightness can be adjusted by turning a ring on the scope, and best of all this system requires no batteries. Trijicon’s new TriPower uses similar technology but adds a battery backup.

I used an AccuPoint recently on an elk hunt. Sneaking into bedding cover with an 1895 Marlin, I slipped into a herd, looking for antlers. A bull slipped from behind a deadfall thick enough to claim my first bullet, and I missed the second shot but landed the third perfectly just as the elk reached heavier cover.

Against the mottled woods, that bright yellow delta shone clearly and made fast follow-ups possible.

On scopes of high magnification, I forego lighted reticles. Here’s why. Powerful optics are best suited to long shooting in open places under good light. They also suggest still targets, deliberate shooting and a requisite for precision, and if a shot’s that far and it’s so dark I can’t see a black reticle, I don’t want to take the shot.

Also, I like slim, simple, lightweight sights, and though some makers have replaced those ugly battery warts with cleverly tucked compartments in the turret, I’d rather limit my battery indulgence to red dot sights.