5 Prep Items For This Summer That Will Make Filming Your Hunts Easier This Fall
Image Courtesy of Game of Inches TV
By Joe Coy
Clear Shooting and Filming Lanes
If you hunt out of stands that usually stay in one particular spot, it is a good idea to make sure your main shooting lanes are clear of branches that block your view or the camera’s view. This is a very important step if you are hunting with a bow. We all know that a deflected arrow is almost never a good thing. It is also important for filming. Make sure you clear away any branches that block the cameras view or might get in the way of your camera arm. A little bit of trimming might just save you this fall.
Make Sure You Have A Camera Arm That You Are Happy With
Hopefully you already have this one taken care of. If you don’t have a good camera arm yet, do yourself a favor and get a camera arm from fourtharrowcamearms.com. A good, lightweight camera arm that is stable can be a HUGE asset to you this fall. Fourth Arrow offers a variety of options depending upon your needs. A huge advantage of the Fourth Arrow Camera Arms is they level on any tree. That’s right. It doesn’t matter what angle you mount the base at, you will be able to level off your camera arm.
Image Courtesy of Flatline Whitetails
Put A Base In Every Tree
Its all about the base. One of the best advantages of using Fourth Arrow Camera Arms is the multi-base system. Fourth Arrow Camera Arms have 3 parts: the base, the shoulder, and the arm. The base is what you strap to the tree, the shoulder is the leveling mechanism, and, of course, the arm holds the video head which holds the camera. Fourth Arrow has made it affordable to put a base in every tree. If you have a lot of different “permanent” stand sets, this is huge! You can set up the base in the tree ahead of time. This saves pack in weight and makes it so you don’t have to make a ton of noise with a ratchet strap when you arrive at your stand. All that means, less pack in weight, less noise, and faster setup time. Win. Win. Fourth Arrow offers special base pricing when you buy a 4 pack. Setting up a base ahead of time this summer can really make things easier come the fall.
Image Courtesy of November Bowhunter
Make Sure You Have A Good Backpack
Having a good backpack is very important to filming your hunts. You need to make sure you have a good pack that fits all the filming gear you need as well as protects your camera. A comfortable backpack is always nice as well. Fourth Arrow offers a backpack that works very well for filmers. It is designed with self filmers in mind. It has 2 large compartments. In the main compartment is a padded section that you can use for storing a medium sized camera. The pack also has a smaller front section with different pocket sections (perfect for small accessories). The pack also has 2 hip pockets (a great place to store a base and shoulder). Another benefit of the Fourth Arrow pack is it has outside compression straps for strapping on a bow, gun, or camera arm. Having an efficient and comfortable backpack can make your life so much easier in the woods this fall.
Image Courtesy of Respect the Game TV
Practice With Your Camera
The more familiar you are with your camera, the more prepared you’ll be to film your hunts. Don’t neglect using your camera this summer. Take it on vacation. Play with it in the back yard. Make sure you understand all your camera settings. There are a ton of videos online that can help you learn more about your camera and camera settings in general. In the moment of truth, you don’t want lack of practice with your camera to hurt you. Get used to using your camera and it will all be second nature to you.
Being ready to film your hunts this fall boils down to having the right equipment, getting that equipment set up ahead of time as much as possible, and getting as familiar as possible with using your equipment. If you accomplish those few things, you should be well on your way to producing great hunting videos this season. So, go out there, film your hunt, and show your story.