Pennsylvania Game News - July 2022 - 60

The author self-filmed each of his buck harvests
over the past 10 years, allowing him to relive
the excitement and share it with others. That
alone has made it worth the effort.
or clamped directly to the stand replaces
a tripod. The cheapest version is a small
mount that slips over and clamps to an
EZ-hanger screwed into a tree. On public
land, where screws are illegal, a strap-on
camera arm that won't damage the tree is
the answer.
In either case, mount the arm just about
even with your dominant shoulder when
seated and at roughly waist height when
standing. You can check the viewfinder,
ensuring deer are in frame, without the
camera being in the way when you shoot.
Models with at least two pivot points are
best; I can keep the camera out of my way
and tight to the tree but also extend it around
to the other side when necessary.
As with a tripod setup, turn the camera
on and try out various sight lines beforehand
so you're not scrambling to get ready during
the moment of truth. I add just enough tension
to the camera arm adjustment to hold
it in place without squeaking or jumping
erratically when steered into position.
Another thing to consider is weather.
While avoiding bowhunting in the rain
in general, I always keep a large resealable
plastic bag in my pack to protect my
camera in case precipitation blows in. A
tree umbrella keeps things dry in a passing
shower or light on-and-off drizzle.
Cold weather, meanwhile, can drain a
camera battery quickly, so consider taking
along a spare stored in an inner pocket.
Lighted nocks are another great asset
when filming, making it easier to follow an
arrow's flight in shaded or low-light situations.
Even then, understand that the earliest
and latest minutes of legal hunting hours
may not show up clearly on video. You may
need to pass on those dawn and dusk shots
or sacrifice not having them recorded.
When possible, try to film elements of
60
the hunt beyond just the shot: deer you let
pass, squirrels chasing each other in a tree,
or a red fox mousing in an old pasture. It's
great practice, helps pass the time, and adds
to the overall video.
Then, if you're lucky enough to harvest
an animal, consider recording a brief recap
of the hunt, filling in any gaps that weren't
captured, so you'll always remember how
everything played out.
Finally, use video editing software to
clean up any rough or choppy movements
on camera. The result is a smooth video that
can be saved on your phone or home computer
to share with friends and loved ones.
Without a doubt, self-filming that way
can be incredibly challenging. It's a burden
to carry extra equipment afield, to spend the
extra time setting up, and to potentially sacrifice
shot opportunities because the camera
isn't lined up just right when a deer crosses
your shooting lane.
But it's a challenge I've fully embraced
over the past decade, using a camera to
better assess situations after the shot while
also capturing incredible sunsets, unique
animal interactions, and the beauty of fall
woodlots.
Best of all, I now have numerous videos
to pull up and replay anytime one of my
young children asks to see another of
Daddy's hunts.
That alone makes it worth it.
Pennsylvania Game News - July 2022

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