Well guys here's the story. Didn't get set up and out to the stand until late so wasn't really expecting much. The whole process was rushed so I had a feeling I forgot something all afternoon. We've had pretty rainy weather and the temp was steadily dropping but overall it was good weather to be in the stand. Huge change from last year when it was close to 90 degrees out opening week. This was also the first time I had my camera setup with me and it took a little longer than expected but finally got everything set and felt somewhat comfortable with it. First two hours of the hunt pass and nothing has showed up then look off to my left and see a mature doe feeding along the edge of bean field. Swing the camera over and get her in frame and range her. 100 yards and not looking to get any closer. She stays out in field few more minutes then slips back into the draw. All I can think to myself is how many deer I've watched walk off the field and if I had stand where I originally wanted to put it it would a been a chip shot. But that's another story, involving a few choice words and a chain saw getting thrown across ditch. Anyway I keep scanning the field since it's now approaching 6 and means there's only a hour left of light. Keeping my focus on where the doe walked off the field I turn my head to the surprise that there is two doe 15 yards from base of my tree. This is where it gets interesting. Being the first time with camera and wanting to get this on film I immediately go for it and swing it over and get then into frame. There's a branch blocking any shot so I slowly start to get situated and grab my bow. The smaller of the two does walks into my shooting lane and bounces around and all I can think is they're both gonna blow. The larger and I'm guessing mother continues to take it nice and slow stopping to feed occasionally and finally steps into the open. Now again this is first time with a setup that allows me to film while preparing for shot, last year only had camera, so I look down one last time and see if everything is in frame and not zoomed to far in. Looks good and she has stopped. Time for shot, clip release on slowly draw back and settle my 20 yard pin in. The arrow releases and I can follow the red nocturnal toward the deer and then loose where it hits. But the familiar sound of the smack is there and she turns and trots off about 30 yards. I immediately look down and swing camera over just in time to catch the doe start to sway back and fourth and finally tumble over. I am finally able to see the hit and from what can tell it looked good. She struggles around a little and finally lays her head down and stops moving. I'm thankful that she didn't suffer much and it looks to be a clean kill. So I sit down and swing camera to me and blurt out what I'm sure is rambling but and get to the part where I say she didn't go far and was gonna pan the camera back to show her laying in field and I realize it's out of focus so I just stop the recording and decide I'll do a reaction later and fix it in editing. So I decide to redo my post shot reaction but after talking to someone on the phone and telling them I caught it all on film I wanted to check it out. I mean how could I be so lucky, this is second year in a row I've taken a doe on opening day or my first sit of the year. First trip out self filming and I just captured a kill shot on camera. Perfect right? Well as I go back to the footage I push play and then try to turn it down because don't want to make any noise. The scene stops and I think I must of accidentally hit the stop button. Play again, 10 seconds pass and same thing. Then it hits me. In all may excitement I forget the most important thing with a camera, hitting the record button. Instantly disappointment sets in and I can do nothing but laugh. I realize that I had the camera set on manual mode, which explains the lack of focus when I zoomed in on doe laying in field. When I hit the record button then thinking I stopped the scene I actually just started recording. And when I switched the camera from manual to auto settings that what stopped the recording and explained the 10 sec video. Overall still a very good night and I'm happy with the outcome. Hopefully I got that mistake out of the way and the next one will all be recorded. So sorry fellas no video this time but it was still good experience using the new setup and I'm excited to get out and try it again. Hope you guys enjoyed the story and got a laugh. Sorry bout the length.
CONGRATS!!!!!!!!!!!!! Dude....I did the same exact thing last year self filming, thought i hit the record button, when i already had hit it, i hit it again and turned it off. it's a painful learning experience! Congrats on dropping a doe regardless!!
Thanks guys. Swamp I can almost guarantee that the record button will always be hit and checked and checked again now ha.
Funny story... been there with other videos. I thought you were going to tell us when you looked up the dead doe had gotten back up and run off. I filmed a fishing trip once... then filmed over it for vacation bible school at church. When I played the video... it showed the kids having a great time... then just as someone jokingly asked where I (The Youth Minister) was all this time, up on the screen pops a video of me catching a bass. Hilarious and totally accidental. Congrats on the double opening day does.
still a awesome hunt for you that film or no film can ever take away from you..good job and congrats on the harvest
Cool story. Thanks for sharing the tell. Yeah, videoing your hunts is a love hate experiance. I focus on the hunt 1st, 2nd, and 3rd and then if I get some footage if not no biggie. Enjoy
I definitely agree with this. I only video for myself and to add another challenge but if it comes down to the footage or harvest I'm saying screw the camera 10 out of 10 times.
