webhunter

I use the Panasonic Pro-Line of DV Cams, also finding the 3 chip models to be the best in the low light. I am not laughing aboutPinnacle Studio 11, as I use it too; works great for what I use it for. I find it easier to use then some of the leading brands Adobe or Sony....etc...

Wireless mics are a must for sure!

Most of all great vids just take some good'ole fashion time.

hoosierhunter2

Adorama.com has some good stuff and prices as well. I would suggest a better tree arm though, that Gorilla is too light weight for the good 3CCD prosumer cameras, plus it doesn't have a fluid head which makes for hurkyjerky footage when trying to pan and tilt, I would recommend the Hunter Cam cradle arms, we mainly film with the GL2s and the HD model is recommended for the weight of that camera. Good equipment like that can really make it easier to film as well as make for a better product! Also I might suggest a little video light for those early morning pre hunt preparations on video, and prehunt interview, etc. Also good for those last light tracking videos.

Urban Legend

I agree with Hoosier. You need a rock solid arm with a good video head in order to get good video. As far as not having a camera man. Unless your hunting over bait, it is almost impossible to get good footage, especially of the kill shot by yourself. And forget about following the animal after the shot. It almost never works out. I would rather miss a day in the woods hunting because I don't have a camera man, than to shoot a monster buck and have unusable footage because I tried to film myself. I guess you have to start somewhere though.

lungbuster12point06

I disagree..................take a look at this footage, not over bait and pretty good I think:

Click HERE

Good footage can be obtained be self videoing, if you know how to do it properly and practise,practise,practise!

I do agree that a quality tree arm is essential to good footage while self video or if you are just running the camera , nothing will cover a weak arm with poor joints or a bad head that jerks and squeaks.

Here is some info on self video that you might find interesting:CLICK HERE

WKP Todd

I think the most important thing if you intend on producing good quality footage - is a cameraman. Self filming is ok if you are doing it for personal entertainment - but if you ever intend on getting serious - you better enjoy filming as much as hunting or you are in the wrong "sport"!

lungbuster12point06

Again, I disagree with the notion that you must have a cameraman to lay down good footage...................preposterous. Also remember that just because you have a cameraman does not guarantee your footage will be anything other than "home video"

It just takes extreme patience and discipline to get good self shot video footage, but it can be done, so just because you don't have a cameraman on any particular day does not mean you should stay out of the woods, it just means you may have to pass on a shot or two that otherwise might have been doable with someone else on the camera.

Be original and use your OWN production ideas and shooting style and I guarantee people will want to watch your footage.

spikeman

I agree that a hunter can do both, with a camera man and without one ifthere is no one to help you. But that said a cameraman is the best option for great footage.

I myself have decided to hang up my weapon and just be a cameraman. I have shot many animals in the passand the interest leans me to the camcorder now.

I have made up a long lasting battery pack which will last all day without shutting the cam down. It cost me less than one small camera battery and rechargable for only $22. I also built my own pods, that mount to trees, blinds,with fluild heads and no squeaks to be heard for $48.

I have hunts booked just to do that. Twelve so far starting in Sept with Elk. I have blinds made for the cold Canadian Nov hunts, which will hold 3 hunters with room to spare over excellent food plots. The plots have huge bucks that should make tapingsome great vids.




As far as leaving your camcorder on pause and ready to go its to your own decission. My manual suggest not to. It shuts off on pause after 5 minutes to protect the heads and tape. When running expensive equipment why cause a problem down the road?.

HuntingBry

To me, this is a ridiculous statement. I'm not saying you're wrong, because obviously we have different priorities. I am a hunter first, and film producer second. You feel the footage is your juice, so I respect that decision. I would never pass on an animal or ask a hunter (that is not a pro-staffer) to pass on an animal in favor of footage. The opportunities at quality animals are just too rare for us to pass up. I'm lucky in that there are enough guys on our staff that we can get good footage without sacrificing shot opportunities.

With that said, I'd rather have a cameraman, but if one isn't available I'll still be out there hunting.

Steven McBee

hey if yall dont think a person can have quality footage without a cameraman just ask Jim Shockey. when he hunts deer in canada he films himself all the time. the buck that his daughter Eva is holding in the "Im In Love With Jim Shockeys Daughter" post in the WKP section is actually one he filmed by himself when he shot it

Bukmastr

I always film... Camera man or not. Usually not. I am beginning to like not haveing a camera man better. They tend to screw things up and limet your set ups. Getting right in close to big bedded bucks is hard enough alone, bring some dude into the picture and he is bound to screw something up... I have found it is very diffacult to find camera men who are not only also good hunters, good enough to keep from busting the set up you waited all year to hunt... But also in tune with me as a hunter. He needs to know when I am going to shoot, what I am going to shoot, and exactly what he needs to film... Very dissapointing to get a great hunt in, and find out the guy behind you never hit record, or had something set wrong or whatever...
I have gotten bad footage with camera men, and bad footage by myself, I have also gotten great footage without a camera man, and great footage with one. If you watched my latest hunt on Whitetail addictions TV show or Vol. #2 of there DVD I got my best footage ever for the show by self filming my hunt for a Wisc. 14 pointer, and it was voted 2nd best show of the year...
I will also say that I dissagree with most of you about cameras.... I use mainly small cheap digetal video cameras for hunting... I beat the hell out of them and go thru about 2 cameras a year. The footage is plenty good enough for my hunts to be featured on major TV shows with the small cameras and I don't have to be afgraid to run the camera in rain, snow, or whatever the waste deep swamp muck has to offer. Every time we send the GL's in it costs us a min. of $400. I can just toss the small cameras in the trash and buy a new one... And it don't take a rocket scientist to learn how to work everything...