Self Filming A Hunt
More bowhunters are filming their hunts than ever before. Some bowhunters film their hunts because they want to post the videos on YouTube and grow an online following. Others want to relive the hunt over and over. Some do it so they can watch the shot sequence and see how good of a shot they made. Regardless of the reason, there is no better time to start self-filming a hunt than now. Technology has advanced so much in the last decade that anyone can purchase a decent camera without breaking the bank and start filming their hunts. The only thing a person needs besides a camera is a camera arm.
Probably the most popular camera arm on the market today is the Fourth Arrow Camera Arm. Joe Coy from Fourth Arrow says there are a couple different camera arm options for hunters who just want to tip their toes in the water and not spend a lot of money on gear. “The camera on most smart phones is a great way to start filming,” Coy said. “Over the last few years, the camera on a smart phone has become so advanced that the zoom is amazing, thus allowing hunters to get pretty good footage of their hunt.”
Fourth Arrow offers a couple different camera arm options for hunters wanting to film with their phone. The Baton Arm straps to a tree like a traditional camera arm and is designed to hold a smart phone. Hunters who want to invest less should check out the Fourth Arrow phone bow mount.
After a bowhunter has invested in a camera arm, another option to help tell the story of a hunt is to invest in a second camera like a GoPro. “Having a GoPro in the tree pointing back at the hunter can give viewers a different perspective of the hunt. Another option is to put the GoPro on the ground near a decoy or runway. Hunters should remember that if the footage is coming from the same camera and the same angle, the hunt can become boring to watch. The more angles the better when trying to film a hunt,” Coy explained.
It is important to note that one of the easiest ways to make sure footage is of the highest quality is to make sure whoever is filming the hunt understands all the key features of the camera. “Cameras can be complicated; whoever is filming a hunt should know all the main features of the camera. The last thing a hunter wants is a friend filming him who has never used the camera before. Understanding the camera ensures that the hunt and the story of the hunt is filmed properly,” Coy added.
One last thing to remember when filming a hunt is to tell a story with a camera. “The species of animal the hunter is chasing isn’t the only thing friends want to watch. “When I am filming for Youtube, a TV show, or even for myself, I try to film everything about the hunt,” Coy said. “I film other species of animals I see on the hunt. I film my buddies walking in the woods or a fresh scrape. I might even film a friend hanging a scouting camera or climbing into a stand. Filming a wide array of different footage makes for a more interesting video, even if the only people watching the video is the bowhunter and his friends.”
Thirty years ago a hunter would have to spend $10,000 or more to get all the equipment needed to film a hunt. Today hunters can capture their favorite hunts with the camera built into their phone and a few other accessories. The time for every hunter to start filming their hunts is now.
