Filming hunts

[frassettor]

I am intreseted in video taping my hunts, while hunting from either on the ground or in a treestand (most likely hunting from the ground in my Ghillie suit). Any tips or ideas that you may have to save me alot of "rookie" mistakes.

[Clay Hayes]

Well, what will you be hunting?  If it's white tails, you've got your work cut out for ya.  You'd better plan on plenty of spooked deer while messing with your camera.  If you want to sit in a ground blind or a tree stand, it's very doable, but still difficult to get quality footage.

ch

[Weekend Warrior]

Its hard to do for me anyway.  
I haven't gotten any on video bowhunting but gun hunting I have got lots of footage.  Most of the time nothing that I wanted to shoot.  
  Where I hunt its hilly country packing equipment in and out.  If you can use a blind and you able to leave it out without someone steeling it.

tripod
Get extra batteries & tape
I used camo tape on my camera, cover the blinking light in front of the camera. If yours has it.
Move slow when you see game.
Thats all I can add.  

(Hopefully some of the more experenced will give tips)

[bill langer]

Hey Richard, Filming your own hunts is very rewarding but can also be very frustrating as well. You have to set your mind to the fact that the film comes first and the shot second if you want good footage.

Extra bat. and tape are a great suggestion.
Know your camera inside and out so that you can run it with out looking at it.
Remember what you see in the view finder is what you are capturing.
Sitting on the ground with out a blind to hunt and film deer and turkey is very challenging. I say go for it.
The best advice I can give is to go out and practice. On squirrels and other small game to learn the ins and outs of filming your hunts. The more you do the easier it gets. Good luck

[metsastaja]

I started filming my hunts about a year ago. Rewarding yes and Frustrating too.  The additional equipment adds a whole new level of complexity.
In a blind I use a tri pod with quick release.
Up in tree stands and in the brush I use wrap around tripods like these. With my stands I can have a camera by each knee. Plan to burn lots of batteries and film.. I turn my cameras on the moment I suspect game is approaching.  MUTE/TURN OFF ALL CAMERA sounds that you can.  

The pods are made by Joby

 

[frassettor]

I would be mainly get sitting still, and not stalking...Would this make it any "easier". or should I just forget it, and worry about getting my first kill on the ground.

[Andrew Wesley]

with filming it is a good idea to have 2 people.
one shooter one filmer.
that way the shooter doesn't have to worry about anything other than the shot.
use a bypod for the camera.. it's very hard to get good film without them.
also. cover up anything shinny on the cam. animals can pic out shinny stuff a mile away, literally.
as far a rookie stuff with a ghillie... remember your basics. dont sky line when setting up. set up in the shadows w/ your back to a bush if possible. sun behind you, check wind.. all that good stuff.
my company will be coming out with a instructional video about hunting with a ghillie in a little while. but if you need pointers and what not just PM me.

goodluck

[wihill]

I'll film for ya bud -  :D   we just need to take turns missing.

[bowmaster12]

i would say film with a firend one filming the other shooting its alot of fun my friends and i try it as much as we can get togeather to bad we dont have alot of time to hunt togeather lately. good luck

[Gehrke145]

I'll be doing it on all hunts this year! muledeer, white tails, elk, antelope, turkeys, bear, and what ever else comes along.

[paleFace]

first like said above be prepared for a bunch of additional equipment to lung in and out of the woods. no way around this one if you want good footage.

a tree pod or tripod will make a lot of difference in the quality. there is nothing worse than video that jumps all over the place.  get a good fluid head to mount your camera to.  this will really help when you need to follow game as it walks past.

learn to use manual focus. if you try to film using the cameras auto focus you will end up getting all the tree limbs and branches in nice focus while your game is a blur.  

carry an extra battery and make sure they are fully charged. a long with this have plenty of blank tape on hand. if you get down to the last minutes of the tape, switch before that huge buck comes walking in and your tape runs out just as he steps into your shooting lane.  

finally spend some time using the camera now so when crunch time comes you don't even have to think about the camera. getting out now in the spring will help you learn all the controls and how the camera reacts to the different lighting conditions and so on.

[Boone the Hunter]

two people is very helpful, I filmed all last season and it's a lot of work, but is rewarding. I missed a chance at a huge 12 point in Indiana because he walked under my tree at 5 yards and i was self filming and couldn't get the camera on him in time, then i just tried to shoot him off film and missed my chance   :(   so you need to be prepared for possibly missing opportunities. I'd say a big part of it is really knowing your equipment very well, if you film with a buddy
communication is so key, hunt as close to each other as you can, go over everything you'd like to accomplish and possible concerns before the hunt and situation. If you are self filming make sure the camera isn't going to be in your way, check all your different shooting positions, and make sure you can work your camera with as little movement as possible and like said above extra film, batteries (cold weather can kill them fast) and knowing your lighting and focusing. To make a long story short it can be frustrating and at times very difficult, but stay focused (LOL) and in the end it's very cool to have your adventures on film

[Arwin]

I have learned that evrything will go wrong before it goes right, LOL! Here are some lessons learned:

 1) Once your camera gets wet, it's over.
 2) Frozen batteries or camera do not work so well. I stuck a glove over my small digital camera with a Hot Hands pack stuffed inside to keep it unfroze.
 3) Batteries tend to die right when you need them the most.
 4) Did I mention extra batteries?
 5) Deer will usually come in way faster than you have time to get the camera ready.
 6) Invest in a video camera arm to mount on the tree.
 7) Cheap cameras will sort of get the job done, but the footage will reflect what your using. I'm stuck with a half reject digi cam that has been through the ringer. I have my sights set on something a bit nicer in the future.

[Boone the Hunter]

Arwins very right, you can get some very nice used camera's on line
I recommend going high-def, I bought a used in good shape sony hdv- fx1 for 1,500 bucks on e-bay and it works great, i would also
recommend a better mic. Really it all depends how serious you want to get if you want to spend that kind of money.

[paleFace]

to add to what Boone said, the video is only one aspect of the filming. Audio is equally as important and a good mic is a must.  the on camera mics leave a lot to be desired even on higher end cameras.

[Manitoba Stickflinger]

Learning to "anticipate" where the shot will happen is the toughest part for me. Follow the animal approaching then move the camera so it is pointed to where the animal is "expected" to be for the shot. Do this with enough time to prepare to shoot as if you don't, the animal will be passed without letting an arrow loose. It's hard to balance being a hunter and a videographer at the same time.