Why do more people not film their hunts?

[tarponnut]

I enjoy filming my hunts and feel like something is missing if I don't have a camera with me on stand or even still hunting.
I feel it adds to the challenge. Have I had the camera cost me a pig or two? Yes.Do I care? No.
However, I come from an art background and documenting events, feelings, and scenes is natural to me. I film spider webs moving in a light breeze, my shadow on the ground with bow in hand, songbirds and other things that I find visually interesting. I also carry a sketchbook and draw while on stand.
When I get a shot at an animal, I can review the footage of the hit or miss and decide on my next move. I encourage people that hunt with me to video their hunts. It's helped many times recovering pigs.
My son is almost twelve now and I have video of him slinging arrows at age two. He has filmed me a few times, too. Once after I made a rare perfect hit on a bedded pig at 8 yards. I turned around and saw him wide eyed behind the tripod because he accidentally zoomed in during the stalk and got my back instead of the pig! We laugh about it now.
It is difficult filming your own hunts but is so rewarding when it comes together. Plus, we as traditional bowhunters are used to doing things the hard way.

[Gun]

Tom, BINGO!

[Crittergetter]

I agree with James. I film for my own satisfaction. Be it my surroundings or the game im after.   But that is the beauty of this nation. Having the free will to chose your own path.
I also respect others opinions and points of view and hope to never infringe apon or offend them!

[danbow]

My hunting time is for my own personal experience not everyone else's. I have enough to worry about without having to think of a camera!

[DanielB89]

I guess I will differ from most of the posts on here.  I have 2 hunts on film(so far), and of all the animals I have taken with various weapons, I get the most out of the one whitetail MISS I have on film.  

It was by far the greatest adrenaline rush I have had hunting.  Yes, there was a lost going on and I could have botched the shot because of fooling with camera, etc, but, like I stated, I catch myself watching that video and thinking about how much emotion and fun happened that day even with me missing.  

And I agree the most with Jim Dussias's post.  I know the one time I don't carry my camera will be the time that everything works out "perfectly" and I was too lazy to carry it.  

I can see others views expressed though.

[non-typical]

Simplicity of pursuit. Why carry more crap into the woods? Stick, string, arrow. Don't need no stinking camera.

[Sam McMichael]

My hunts are very personal. Only God, the animal, and myself should be involved. I don't mean to criticize those that do, however.

In short, I agree with bear bowman.

[Leland]

Hunting is an experience,just you and nature.If there's a story,it should be told not shown.Myself, I don't need to see the same animal die over and over again.
Leland

[acollins]

I use to film hunts but I feel the TV shows have totally ruined it. It's no longer about the hunt. It's all product placement and killing a big giant buck. Then they act stupid and ridiculous in front of the camera. Then I look up where they are hunting and sometimes it's fair chase and others are high fenced areas. They have to get kills to have a show so they do whatever they have to. I now let my brain be my camera. I can remember every detail of most of my hunts and it can never be deleted.

[Mint]

I film my hog hunts but usually don't on my deer hunts. With Long Island deer they will pick you up very easily so I don't want to have to move until the shot. Also with deer I'm hunting public land and carry my stand in and out and adding my camera and heavy bracket is no fun.

[Crittergetter]

We take pictures to look at and show our friends, we post pics here to brag of our accomplishment, we mount their heads to our walls to look at daily, we invite friends over to eat what we've harvested. Why is taking video any different as long it's done in a tasteful manner. NOT LIKE WE SEE ON TV!

[DanielB89]

Originally posted by crittergetter:
We take pictures to look at and show our friends, we post pics here to brag of our accomplishment, we mount their heads to our walls to look at daily, we invite friends over to eat what we've harvested. Why is taking video any different as long it's done in a tasteful manner. NOT LIKE WE SEE ON TV!

GREAT POST!

[Fritz]

I don't because when I hunt it's about my time away from any other distraction. Just me and the critters. I always take pictures to share, if successful.

[M60gunner]

Just not into myself that much. Now that we have I phones do not even need a camera anymore.

[DanielB89]

what does filming your hunt have anything to do with being "into yourself"?

[LKH]

I'm not sure it would be possible for most of my hunting.  I don't sit in trees or blinds much and trying to crawl up on a bedded muley and then set up the camera seems a great way to eat a tag.

[Guru]

I fought the urge for years...
One because I didn't want to carry extra gear.
Two because I didn't want the distraction.
Three because I thought it might take away from the experience.

The game changer....hunting with Cade!

After watching him kill 2 deer his first year out when he was 12yrs. old and realizing I'd missed out on the opportunity of a lifetime to capture something that would mean even more to me as the years went on....I got a camera!

Started out the cheap route because I wanted light and easy. After one year and enjoying every second of it, I upgraded!  I'm hooked!!!!!

Is it a pain sometimes? Does it make my pack #15 heavier? Does it complicate things at times? Has it taken away(at times)from my total focus on making the shot?

Yes to all!!!

But after capturing what I have the last two years, do I have any regrets.....

NO!!!!

I have and will continue to capture memories that I will cherish and be able the re-live until the good lord calls.

And after that, hopefully my kids with continue to enjoy them.

I don't film for other, I film for myself.  Do I share, yes, only because I know some will appreciate the time and effort it takes to get good footage of traditional bowhunting.

As a matter of fact I'm about to start a thread with a video link attached.....I hope some will enjoy...

[Jerry Russell]

I love to film.  It does take some time to get where it is second nature though.  I have been filming hunts for 35 years and will tell you that it is amazing how much you forget about hunts after 20-25 years. I watch those old videos and it is nearly exciting as when it occurred.

I have captured many of my children's hunts.  I have amazing footage of a charging grizzly.  I captured a nearly two hour sequence of a turkey attacking my decoy and a giraffe eye to eye with me in a tree stand.  I have no regrets of carrying a camera all those years.   I do share a few videos but honestly see it as something to leave my children more than anything else.

[kill shot]

Filming at the moment of kill is something in my opinion is something no one has a right to see except for me and whoever is with me.

[LC]

Have been tempted for years to film but I'm at a time in my life now that I try to take the least amount of "stuff" with me as possible. I enjoy the simple life of tranquility and am really happy to just hunt.

With all that said IF I had kids or grandkids that hunted with me like mentioned above I'd rethink it. And yes I do enjoy watching good videos of others hunts.