S.B. I keep a fresh battery with me in the field, like I said, I keep the red-dot off until I get ready to shoot. I find it is as easy as taking a safety off a rifle. I practice turning the red-dot on while at the range, so it is second nature for me to do this. Now if I as doing a spot and stalk, I leave the red-dot on. Another thing to consider is, colder temps affect battery life.