First of all, I am not a writer. I will have punctuation, grammar, and spelling errors in this. Please do not be the grammer police. If you feel that you must correct my errors, IM me about it lol. Second, this is all based on my opinions and my budget. A few years ago I decided I wanted to try and start filming hunts, mainly solo hunts of myself deer hunting and some duck hunts with my buddies. I decided I didn't want to spend a ton of money on cameras and all the gear that goes with it. I went to website and found a used canon GL1 with a shotgun mic, a camera mounted light, and some extra batteries, for a really good price. I figured this would be a good starter camera to see if I was going to like the aspect of filming hunts and taking the extra gear to the stand/blind. I did a ton of research and found that I needed some additional gear to get the best footage I possibly could and make it easier on me, that includes a tree arm, a fluid head, a lanc "I think it's called", a tripod "for when I'm in the blind", and a bag to carry it all in. I found all the stuff that I felt like I needed on the same site that I bought my camera and had got it all for very good prices (EBay). Now, everything I purchased was all used except for the muddy tree arm. I had about $800 in everything. Ok, this next part makes me feel like a dumb***!!! I went to my stand the opening morning of Oklahoma archery season and got everything set up, it took me almost 45 minutes to do this. It was already light enough to shoot by the time I got settled in the stand. First two mistakes, did not practice setting up camera gear and didn't get to the stand early enough. After about 30 minutes of sitting there, a squirrel came to my feeder to steal a few kernel of corn "yes, in Oklahoma we can hunt over feeders as long as it's not on government land" I decided to film the thieving squirrel for a little practice and some "B roll" as its called. When I hit the record button a little pop up appeared on the lcd screen and said to add a tape, A TAPE!?!?!? How in the **** did I forget the tapes? I was really upset that my first try at this I failed in a huge way. "Mistake number 3, do not leave the house without tapes or Sd cards" I really wanted to get out of my stand, run to the nearest Walmart, and buy some freaking tapes..... But I didn't. Instead, I got over my pity party pretty quickly when I spotted a ear flicker off in the distance "after all, I am sitting in Gods country watching his creations". A doe and her fawn came walking towards me, so, I decided to practice filming... Man that would had been some awesome footage!!! The Doe stood there at my feeder eating, watching her fawn, eating, and watching her fawn some more, this happened for about 15 minutes total. This whole time I would go from the doe, to the playing fawn, and back to the doe with my camera. Never once did they even know I was there. Wow!!! In just a matter of a hour, this filming thing has changed the way I hunt. The year before, I would have smoked that doe, but now, I'm not even thinking about shooting her, I was just enjoying the moment and wishing that I would have had a d*** tape in the camera. After about 15 minutes of my feeder being emptied and the fawn running around like a 3 year old child, the duo finally walk out of sight. I sat there for another hour or so, debating on getting out of the stand due to the extreme Oklahoma heat, when I start hearing something walking. I finally spotted the noise maker coming out of a draw just below my stand. It was the biggest horse headed doe I've ever seen. Once again, I decided to practice filming while trying to get my bow "yes, this one is getting smoked if given the opportunity". Bow in one hand, fluid head handle in the other, I find this horse head doe in my lcd screen. I follow her all the way to the feeder, getting my zoom and focus dialed in, I draw back, aim, and let the arrow fly.... Whack!!!! I see the pink gold tip arrow go right through her. She spins around and starts running. I was able to pick her back up just before she stopped and fell over. Success!!! After feeling all down about my early morning mishaps, I had a ton of confidence now that I could possibly be successful at solo filming. The horse headed doe ended up not being as big as I thought but was she tasty. After my first unsuccessful/successful solo hunt, I decided that this was something I wanted to do, something I must do. I also decided that I needed a 2nd angle camera and some dang tapes lol!!! I went back on EBay and found a cheap Sony handicam, another cheap tripod, a wireless shotgun mic for that camera, some extended extra batteries, a SD card "yes, I am not forgetting that this time", and a little muddy camera holder thingy all for 400 bucks. Not bad I thought. Also, after watching several hunting shows, it appeared that the newest, biggest trend for filming was a bow/gun mounted camera "My opinion now, the stupidest thing ever lol". So, I did some research on this "SPECTACULAR" trend and decided to go with a wild game innovation advantage cam "also, my opinion, another mistake in itself". So I now have a main camera, a POV camera, and a bow/gun mounted camera all for about 1400 bucks. Heck, I spit that on the ground every year "snuff" and don't get near as much fun as I do filming. Due to work, I was not able to go back out and film very much more. I got a few small clips but nothing spectacular by any means. Any chance I had to hunt, was short notice and didn't really feel like hauling the extra gear. I did however, practice a lot with the camera gear. When I would have some free time on the ROW, I would pull all the camera gear out and target practice with my bow. That's when I noticed that the bow mounted camera "SUCKED" but it does work "ok" when mounted to a shotgun or used as a POV camera. After all the practice I have done and doing some final touches on how I get the camera gear to and from the woods, it takes me about 15 minutes tops to have everything set up. Also, trying to edit the film has caused me to pull my hair out. Getting the footage off of my GL1 is almost impossible without distorting the footage somewhat. That's what caused me to want to upgrade my main camera. The drive is still with me to film hunts. I decided to get away from the old technology and go with the new. I just purchased a used canon HF G30, a rode shotgun mic, a beachtek audio thingy, wireless mics, Sd cards, batteries, camera camo skins, and a rain cover. I also purchased a GoPro hero 4 black edition for s**** and giggles lol. I'm looking forward to Oklahoma's 2016-17 hunting season. I feel like I finally have all the gear that I WANT and NEED to get the best footage that I possibly can. This second part is not to knock older technology in any way. I loved the GL1, I just didn't have a great way to get my footage off of it to my computer without spending additional money on a new computer. Anyone wanting to start filming, I recommend you doing a lot of research, look deep within yourself and figure out exactly what you want to get out of filming, practice, practice, practice with your setup and operating the camera, learn to have patience, but most important of all, do not forget you tapes lol. Just kidding, the most important of all is to have fun with it. It will truly change the way you hunt, for me, it was for the better. Again, I'm just getting into filming. Hopefully you can learn something from my mistakes and not go through the same stuff that I did. I recommend you do your research on cameras and all the gear associated with it. This site as some great information. Figure out your budget. My opinion, if I could go back and start all over again, I would have went with the newest technology that I could have afforded. Once you purchase your camera/s, read the manuals over and over. Practice with your gear just like you would if you were actually hunting "record it" that way you can go back and view what kind of footage you'll be getting when the time comes, and also have some practice material for editing. Have patience, you don't learn everything in one day. You will not be able to get everything on film and have a 100% success rate at the same time. Have fun. Don't forget you dv tapes or Sd cards. Best of luck this season everyone!!! I hope this wasn't to long and boring. Deer season is upon us and I can't wait to try and get some great footage. <a href="http://s1262.photobucket.com/user/hunterman927/media/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsj38wzxka.jpeg.html" target="_blank"><img src="http://i1262.photobucket.com/albums/ii603/hunterman927/Mobile%20Uploads/image_zpsj38wzxka.jpeg" border="0" alt=" photo image_zpsj38wzxka.jpeg"/></a>
Thank you. I will continue to have fun with it. I can't figure out what I'm excited for the most, deer season finally approaching or just knowing soon I will be out there armed with not only a bow, but with a camera as well.
Good read. I enjoyed that. We have been filming our hunts here and there for the past few years. Started up a filming/hunting/ministry last year. It really is a lot of fun. We aren't aiming to get in TV or anything but just enjoy filming our hunts and spiritual messages. Just me, Joe Bear, and a couple other buddies. I started with a Canon Vixia Hf R52 and it's done pretty good. JoeVear has the G20. Just this week I got a Canon Rebel T3i DSLR. Been wanting to take some pictures along with video so it will be my backup camera along with the GoPro. None of us are at the point that we would pass on a wallhanger if we didn't have it on film...but we certainly are hoping that we can get it all on film. Sometimes we self film and sometimes we film each other. Self filming is a true challenge but it really is fun. Like you said though...you better be prepared. You can't just grab your gear at 5:30am and go. You gotta make sure the camera is charged, the add card has space, you got your camera arm, your GoPro and everything else. Anyways, well said and glad you are enjoying the filming.
Thank you bud. I think I've seen some of y'alls videos on YouTube. I like them. I'm not trying to get on the big screen or anything like that, just having fun and sharing memories with family and friends. I do, however, have a dream of making a YouTube channel for the disabled hunters. Me and my uncle are both physically challenged. I have to use a four wheeler to access my spots on my lease or just hunt close to the road on public grounds. My uncle has Cerebral Palsy and is confined to a electric wheelchair. He can't even feed hisself. He does however, love to hunt. He's killed one deer so far with the contraption that my other uncles made. I'd like to get a video series out there that shows all disabled people that anyone can do it. You just have to have the wants to. "If there is a will there is a way".
I liked your stories. It reminded me of the time I filmed the greatest turkey footage ever filmed by man. Head color changes.drumming, displaying,radiant feathers gleaming in the sun. for a solid 15 minutes,panning and zooming. I thought WOW When it was all over,till I looked down and saw I never pressed the record button.
Oh man that sucks!!!! I can honestly say I've never forgot to hit the record button. I have, however, forget to change a tape out. I filmed all morning long. Squirrels, birds, chipmunks, even a couple crows fighting around on the ground, when finally a young buck showed up. He was beautiful!!! I'm guessing a 2 1/2 year old with stickers and kickers everywhere. He had some great potential to be a monster. He started making a scrape and rubbing on some trees when my camera ran out of tape. I had only been recording him for about 10 seconds. I thought, crap, how am I going to change a tape with him right here?. I tried, but when the camera started making that noise of the tape being ejected, he heard it and and walked off. That's another time that a tape screwed me lol.
My other famous thing i do is forget to turn the shotgun mic on. Might as well erase the footage when that happens. I was trying to save battery,but now i turn on the mic as soon as I'm setup in the tree and leave it on till I'm done. I do leave my cam OFF, not in standby, however that can lead to some scrambling if a deer sneaks in on you. All part of the fun/nightmare of self filming. I hunt in MA. CT. and NY. Sometimes going for days without seeing anything. It sure is hard to keep schleping all that equipment in and out with no sightings. I shot a deer in NY. on film so the next day i tell myself "take a break from hauling all that stuff". I go to my stand and what happens a beautiful 8pt. walks in and poses for 15 minutes at 12yds and me with no cam.
I guess the worst I've ever done was my last time out trying to film. I was going to hunt out of my blind that morning due to some rain moving through. I unloaded my four wheeler and put my bow and both tripods that I needed in the racks on the atv. Nature was calling that morning and I was already running late. I put my camera bag on my toolbox while I was hunting for some toilet paper. The rumbling in my belly was really growing so I jumped on the atv and took off for the crappy place "that's what we call our bathroom area, it's about 100 yards from our cabin". After I finished, I jumped back on the four wheeler and raced to my blind. Once I arrived at my parking spot I started looking for my pack. I could have sworn I grabbed it on my mad dash. Nope!!! It had my release and all my other stuff in it as well. I thought about just going home. I should have!!! I raced back to my truck and grabbed my pack and raced back to my blind. By now it was getting light out. I quickly set up my gear and started looking for my batteries!.!.!. Where the heck are my batteries? Oh yeah, there still in the truck!!! FML!!! I seem to have a bad case of forgetfulness when it come to this "new" gear that I take into the woods. I grabbed my batteries off the Chargers as I was walking out the door that morning and just put them in the seat next to me with full intentions of putting them in the cameras before I left for my blind. With running late and the unexpected nature business, they just totally slipped my mind. I didn't see anything though, it started raining and didn't stop all freaking day...
Excellent read! I'm in the same boat basically. Started filming 4 years ago on a GL2, and am ready for an upgrade for sure. Probably going to get the G30 or G40. I've got some good footage but am also limited to what my computer capability is. The tapes sure do get old too.
Thanks bud. Check eBay out my friend. They have some pretty good deals on both cameras. Just depends on how much you can afford. I love my little G30.
Thanks for sharing. I have two missed "record buttons" including an 8 pt last year and on opening morning this year I brought my new arm, base, and goodies but left the camera home. I can tell you in the driveway at my hunting property I kept telling my dad... I am forgetting something..I am forgetting something. Ha. This year I had a similar experience to th story above with my new camera arm. Got it set up. Recorded new stands, shooting lanes. Did a little field narration and then thought I better practice on a doe. Well.... new camera arm was in the way for the first one. Couldn't even draw. Ha. Second one pushed the camera out (so missed the video) and then clanged my bow on the camera arm. Third time was a charm. Good kill shot recorded, but the quality is like my 8 year old with a toy camera. Ha. Good stuff. Sure is fun!
My Little brother used to produce the videos for Buck Gardener. "Fowl pursuit". He stopped because he felt the fun of hunting was being lost when filming and all the other stuff the goes along with it. All though waterfowl filming is 100,000 time easier then deer hunting. Now he only takes people hunting with him. He's on DU a ton and enjoys it much more then doing the filming and producing
