Elmo

Haha!

ContourROAM http://contour.com/ In the world of sports/helmet cams, GoPro is the leader of the market. In all reviews that I’ve read, they are the top brand. I decided to go with the ContourROAM for several reasons. It isn’t that far behind. It’s not like GoPro is praised while the Contour is being crapped on. GoPro just happens to be slightly better but not by much. Size and shape. The GoPro looks like a typical point and shoot digital camera. I didn’t want a big solar panel looking think sticking in front of my forehead like a Martian. Plus it’s really hard to wear the GoPro without a helmet. I really don’t see myself wearing a helmet when I go out hunting. The Contour seems to be more versatile as far as attachments go. They even sell a Picatinny Rail attachment. Unfortunately for me, the only rails I have are where the scope is sitting. Price. The Contour happens to be a little cheaper. ($200 versus $300…I think) It’s tough. While it’s only waterproof until 3 feet and can absorb some shock, the fact that it can take any of this at all without a casing is a selling point. For the GoPro, you need a casing for any of this. Note: This review is not a Contour versus GoPro or a sports camcorder versus regular camcorder but rather a Contour versus what I need it to do which is film my hunts. Unboxing: The ContourROAM comes in a neat hard plastic package that basically serves as the perfect storage box as well. I thought that was pretty cool. Setup: Setting up was easy. You can almost film with it right out of the box. Heck, the camera even came charged! The only thing you have to do is format the microSD card which does not come with the camera. There’s a tiny hole you can stick a safety pin into and I guess it formats the card. I’m not sure if that works because I went with the other another method and that’s where I went wrong. You can plug the camera to your computer via USB and format it there as an external drive. I made the mistake of not reading the literature and ended formatting it as NTFS. Big mistake. Now the camera nor the computer will no longer recognize the card. On top of that, when there’s an issue with the card or if the camera is turned on without the card, the camera keeps giving off this loud annoying beep more minutes. Fortunately you can shut this off which is important when you go hunting. I was eventually able to fix the card by removing it, inserting it into a Blackberry, connecting the Blackberry to the computer and re-formatting it with FAT32. Operation: Operating the camera can’t be any easier. You just push the slide forward. That’s it. The slide turns the camera on and starts filming immediately. Slide it back and it stops filming and shuts that camera down. That’s it. It’s so simply that often I forget so when I turn the camera on and forgot it’s already filming. Another problem. When the camera is on and filming, a red LED light is on in the front of the camera. That may spook a few animals I’m sure. This can readily be fixed by some well-placed black electrical tape. Filming: Problem #1. Audio is horrible. It’s so low that even when I turn on the audio sensitivity to its max, you can hardly hear my indoor voice. Granted you can hear it, it’s low, but that’s at max sensitivity. I tried this indoors and under max sensitivity, what you can hear loud and clear is my hair brushing up against the camera when I move it. Outdoor, the wind might be a problem under max sensitivity. I guess I have to realize that it is a sports camera and not a full-fledge camcorder. Problem #2. No view finder, no digital screen. You can’t see what you’re filming. There’s a laser light that can be used to align your camera which fixes that but won’t help when you read on. I bought the head-band attachment so I can wear it on my head. The camera is so light that it isn’t an issue comfort wise. The issue is that when you attach it to your head, you want it to point forward so you’re filming the subjects you’re looking it. The problem is that we don’t always look straight. We sometimes roll our eyes. This problem becomes very apparent when shooting because whether you shoot a bow or a rifle, your head is actually tilted and you’re eyes are looking rolled to one side. For example. If you’re a right handed shooter like I am, when you rest your cheek on the cheek rest, my face is actually facing maybe 20 degrees to the right. It’s even more when I’m using a bow. Okay, well then just adjust your headband accordingly. If you slide your headband back 30 degrees, now when you’re not shooting, the camera is always facing 30 degree to the left of where you’re looking at. You can slide it back. Now you’re constantly sliding back and forth and each time you do, you’re not sure if your camera is facing the right angle/direction. You can using the alignment laser in fear of scaring off the animal. The other solution is to attach it to your rifle or bow. I want to avoid this because then whenever you want to film anything else you have to point the rifle at the subject and that’s just unsafe. All this makes you remember the fact that it is a sports camcorder and not a full fledge camcorder. Oh, and no zoom. Again, its sports camcorder. Film quality: It shoots at 1080P. I haven’t used it outdoors yet and will post a sample when I do. I played with it indoors where the lighting isn’t spectacular so the film came out a little grainy. I’m not going to write a review on this but rather I’ll hopefully post a video up there for you to judge for yourself. Conclusion: You can’t have your cake and eat it too. To get everything you want, you’re going to have to have one attached to your head and a second one attached to your rifle/bow. A full fledge camcorder can do all this but doesn’t offer the complete hands free, move with you, and size and ruggedness of a sports camcorder. It’s not a perfect world out there so I don’t think you’re going to find one device that can do it all. As far as sports camcorders go, I think the Contour is a very good purchase. I’m happy with it so far.

Or if you're lazy: http://www.cabelas.com/product/Hunting/Archery/Archery-Cases-Holders/Bow-Arrow-Cases%7C/pc/104791680/c/104693580/sc/104256180/i/103852980/Plano174-1311-Broadhead-Box/727432.uts?destination=%2Fcatalog%2Fbrowse%2Fhunting-archery-archery-cases-holders-bow-arrow-cases%2F_%2FN-1100049%2FNs-CATEGORY_SEQ_103852980%3FWTz_l%3DSBC%253BMMcat104791680%253Bcat104693580%253Bcat104256180

They're "wild" because they get drunk in Cancun and shows their teats to Joe Francis.

Welcome home.

I saw one last week down the block from my place while I was out walking my dog. I live in the Bronx. For me to see coyotes in my neighborhood it usually means it's over crowded up north, pushing the weaker coyotes down into the city.

I don't think I have the heart to do it. The possibility of the fawns dying without the mother would be a shame. Oddly, I rather just take one of the fawns then wipe out the entire family by taking the doe.

Can't seem to attach video.

Frustrating evening simply for the fact that the morning showed so much promise. Note: 1. Deer tracks lead north to south. Wind was blowing west to east 80% of the time. 20% of the time it swirled. 2. I sprayed myself down heavily with Scent Killer. What I did not do was wash clothes with unscent detergent or bath with unscented soap. I went to Taco Bell for lunch. 3. There was some annoying rodent giving a distress call towards the south in the direction I'm guessing the deers are beded. It'll cry two or three cries of agony and then nothing. 15 minutes later, it'll cry again. This went on for the entire 2 and 1/2 hours I was in the stand.

I never did like the use of "harvest". I feel it degrades the animal as if it didn't really have a life. Let's accept the truth. We kill the animal. We took their lives. For people who don't like to hear that word "kill", I use "got" or "get". As in I didn't get anything today. Or, I got a couple of squirrels. As far as questions, the main questions I get have already been posted. "How can you kill an animal?" and "How hard can it be? They're every where." so I'll post one that I don't get to often. "How does shooting a defenseless animal with a gun/bow make you feel more of a man? It's cheating." to which I repond: 1. I don't hunt to feel macho, I hunt to be closer to nature. 2. Nature gave them a keen sense of hearing and smell. Nature gave me opposable thumbs so I can make and use tools.

Your candidacy and the amount of correction that can be done depends on the thickness of your cornea. Since they are "shaving" the cornea to get it back to the right contour. I was blessed to be born with a really thick cornea. In the case with my staff member, his was not as thick and since his vision was so bad, they had to shave a lot and they simply couldn't shave enough without the risk of breaking his cornea.

I had Lasiks done a maybe 4-5 years ago. Best decision in my life. Went from 20/40 astigmatism in one eye and 20/60 in another to 20/15 in both eyes. I have bionic vision and never had a problem since. Went into surgery at 4PM. Came out in a few minutes. Went home and slept till 10PM. Woke up and saw everything perfectly clear. Was out and about the next morning. Saw halo's around lights for the first two weeks but they eventually went away as the doctor said would happen. Never had a problem since. Here's the two things I would say. One. Lasik doesn't stop time. It only resets you back to 20/20 or as close to it as they can get. (One of my staff had his done. He was near legally blind. They were only able to get him back to about 20/40.) If your vision is still progressively getting worst, your vision will still get worst after the surgery. It's like a car rolling down the hill. Lasiks only pushes the car back up to the top of the hill but father time will continue to make the car roll down the hill again. Two. If you are going to get it done, go with the best. You only have one set of eyes your whole life. Sure you might have been suckered out a couple of grand but what's better? That or being blind the rest of your life and constantly telling yourself you should have just paid the extra grand or two? Find the best and most reputable doctor out there. The one that is completely loaded and your money is chump change to them. I have heard that some shaddy docs will tell you that you're a good candidate for the surgery even when you're not just because they want your cash. The good doc's reputation is too important to them that a few grand is not worth it to them and will be more honest about it. I ended up paying $6K for mine. $5K for the surgery and the extra $1K is for 2 years worth of free check up, corrections, etc.

I order both the Blood Bros and Eberharts from Cabelas. Will check them out once I get them.

It seems like most books and videos are all geared towards getting the biggest buck possible. I'm not a trophy hunter. I'm only interested in filling the freezer.

Just saw a coyote run across the street while I was out walking my dog in the Bronx. Looks like their populations up again this year.

Dropped the girlfriend at her mothers house this afternoon. Yes! Head straight up to Stewart. A little late but an hours worth of sitting in the trees is better than nothing. Hot as hell and I left my water bottle in the car. Still, a gorgeous afternoon/early evening.

Totally. I mean every other night I'll have a glass of whiskey or a bottle of beer but geez. Heck it's not even a day, they can't even wait a couple of hours to get back to the cabin? Which is sad because I often find empty beer cans and liqour bottles out there. You're going to drink and then make it worst by littering?

My girlfriend, when she has two healthy ankles, would normally prepare and packs my lunch/snack and makes sure I have everything in check so I can't complain.

Gjs4. No offense taken. I appreciate the recommendation. Most hunting videos I've seen are just footage of people shooting deer. I'll buy the DVD and check it out. I also have "Hunting October Whitetail" but haven't gone through all of it yet. Arrow nocker. I saw tracks and dropping but I don't have an eye for chewed saplings yet. In any event, I lost privileges to the spot I had scouted so I have to start from scratch all over again.

No rain down here, just wind. Was initially planning a late afternoon hunt but my girlfriend twisted her ankle pretty bad yesterday. Feel bad say "here's the remote, left you food on the coffee table, see you tonight" especially on some holiday (commercial or not) so I'm stuck at home. Aiming for tomorrow instead.

Welcome aboard, atek3. =)

Hey Phils514, I'm also new to this sport and hunt 3P and 3M. Live in the Bronx. You're not alone here. Welcome aboard!

Thanks for the responses. I was doing some scouting an area with a friend of mine and he said we should get off of this hilltop we were walking on because animals wouldn't come up to the hilltops as much. Granted I know he isn't an expert on the matter but it did make me curious on the matter.

Best pistol for bears: http://www.gandermountain.com/modperl/product/details.cgi?i=421917&pdesc=Frontiersman_Bear_Attack_Deterrent_Spray_9_2_oz&str=bear+spray&merchID=4005

After going through what I went through, even if I read the regulations, I've been spending all weeks calling up different parks and asking them personally if they have a brochure and if they have any special rules and regulations other than what is covered by DEC.