anyone use an Action Camera to video their hunts

[eagle rider]

Okay, y'all..... I'm getting tired of see the red neck mafia with GoPro's on youtube.com with hunt videos.  I used a bunch of Sportsman Guide reward points  and ordered  a Spypoint Excel HD2 Action Cam Hunt Pack.  From the reviews I've read it has better lens technologies than GoPro.  Anyone shoot video of their hunts....  I'm curious about the do and do not's of this.  Thanks! 

[The_Field_Ager]

I just got a Go pro. I am planning on using it this season.Will wear it as head gear so I don't have to make any extra movements with hands.

[BellR]

I use a GoPro for diving and other underwater activities.  I would bring it along on a hunt, just haven't had it long enough yet.  I will be mounting mine on a branch or something nearby, and then using the wireless remote to turn it on if I get a shot.

[NFA-ADK]

Go pro is ok for close shots, less than 20 yards or first person shots.  Otherwise I do not like them, please let me know how this cam is Eagle Rider!  Biggest issue is no ZOOM with the go pro.

[Five Seasons]

the gopro is not what you want for hunting. Great cam but when you start wearing it and realize how bad it messes with your hat, facemask etc, the extra movement, the weight... it just doesn't deliver

 

there are 2 clips in the video below. One is shooting out of my old barn. Targets are 15 and 20 yards. the second is in the woods with a deer at similar range.

 

[tuckersdaddy]

cool practice video! you had the same problem I had with my go pro on my hat.... when you look straight at the target all good.. (except could use some zoom) but when I look through the sight the camera looks somewhere else..... have you tried mounting it on the bow? just curious if any one has tried it with success...

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[Five Seasons]

cool practice video! you had the same problem I had with my go pro on my hat.... when you look straight at the target all good.. (except could use some zoom) but when I look through the sight the camera looks somewhere else..... have you tried mounting it on the bow? just curious if any one has tried it with success...

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I haven't. I know they make bow mounts. What I realized was, killing a deer is hard enough. It just added variables and I don't think the rewards outweighed the risk. Where I see them on hunting shows is usually to give a look back at the hunter. And I could really care less about that.

[fasteddie]

I had an EPIC camera that my wife bought be a few years ago . Was worthless on a hat . It had a foam piece that came with it and I mounted it behind  my stabilizer on an angle bracket . It sounded like a 22 going off when viewed . I had a hard time telling if the camera was on or not . Shot a doe and thought I was taping but the camera was off .

I have since bought a Wildgame Encounter camera . It came with a bracket to mount it behind the stabilizer so I will give it a try this coming season .

[fasteddie]

Here is a test shot from my stand in Pittsford . I just shot at a clump on the lane . Camera was set at 4X which is the highest setting for the Wildgame Encounter . Not too bad for a $35 purchase .

 

https://youtu.be/5Y4c56YwT3w

[tuckersdaddy]

not bad at all! thanks for posting the video!

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[eagle rider]

here is the camera mounted on my rifle.  I took some video at work today inside the station house.  The video was good and clear.  Things that I like so far are the ease of use, the zoom and the fact that the lens is NOT fisheye.  Things I don't love is it get hot when its recording, and the audio is not great.  

[kam]

I have an older Oregon Scientific ATC2K camera that I mounted on my stabilizer.  I used it for a few practice rounds last year but didn't figure I'd want to mess with it while actually hunting.  Thought I might miss a deer because I was messing with it or something.   Maybe I'll try this year, but it is only VGA quality and no zoom so it isn't the best.   Maybe I'll look into getting something better.   Here's a video from it.

 

https://youtu.be/XoRTtKlNz00

Edited July 16, 2015 by kam

[reeltime]

I bought the go pro this spring in hopes of recording some turkey hunts and after 3 recorded kills I have to say that its the worst 400.00 investment I ever made. 

 

all 3 birds are less than 35 yards and all 3 look like a speck of pepper on the video!  and the sound quality is terrible. the first bird in pa gobbled 20 times at 20 yards or less and its barely audible on the video. 

 

maybe it will be more useful on the charter boat this year.

 

[fasteddie]

I am hoping that my bow mount camera will at least shot a deer's reaction to a shot . The hard part is remembering to keep the bow up after the shot and following the deer with the bow .

[eagle rider]

I bought the go pro this spring in hopes of recording some turkey hunts and after 3 recorded kills I have to say that its the worst 400.00 investment I ever made. 

 

all 3 birds are less than 35 yards and all 3 look like a speck of pepper on the video!  and the sound quality is terrible. the first bird in pa gobbled 20 times at 20 yards or less and its barely audible on the video. 

 

maybe it will be more useful on the charter boat this year.

One of the features that the Spypoint Xcel HD2 has over the GoPro is a 4x zoom.  This camera is designed with hunters in mind.  

[Five Seasons]

I bought the go pro this spring in hopes of recording some turkey hunts and after 3 recorded kills I have to say that its the worst 400.00 investment I ever made. 

 

all 3 birds are less than 35 yards and all 3 look like a speck of pepper on the video!  and the sound quality is terrible. the first bird in pa gobbled 20 times at 20 yards or less and its barely audible on the video. 

 

maybe it will be more useful on the charter boat this year.

 

It really wasn't meant for hunters. Other activities? It does awesome with

[diplomat019]

good thread.  i was about to buy a go pro to mount on my head for hunting.  now ill stay clear.    so what do you recommend for head mounts for hunting then?

 

also I've seen youtube vids of go pro pheasant hunting and they look good to me.   clear action, etc.   some of you guys said it loses focus and sound after 20-30 yards.  

[NYBuckHunter27]

anyone try the tactacam?

[eagle rider]

I looked at them online. I can't recall specifically many of the details that I didn't like about Tactacam. But there is no zoom feature at all and I don't think the processor speeds were all that great. Also battery is like an iPhone I think. Permanently installed so no swapping batteries.

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[HuntOrBeHunted]

A camera is meant to take any video or picture you choose.

 

I use Go Pro and they are great. Easy to use. Small and light weight. I use a helment strap and put it right on my hat. It works perfect. And you don't have to worry about rain, cold, anything.

[eagle rider]

I did a side by side comparison with the Spypoint XCEL HD2 and my coworkers GoPro Hero. Basically the Spypoint beat the GoPro in wide angle and depth of field. The zoom on the Spypoint is a hands down GoPro killer. We set the cameras down a 60 foot hallway, the Spypoint on digital 4x zoom made everything look 15' away while providing a wider angle of image video. I think for hunting deer this combination is superior. A couple of other details. The audio quality on both got a lot better when we didn't use the housings.


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Edited July 19, 2015 by eagle rider