5 Ways To Make Your Turkey Hunt Footage More Entertaining
Turkey hunting can be a ton of fun. Communicating with fired up birds and watching turkeys interact with each other and with decoys can make for a really fun hunt. Filming a turkey hunt can be a ton of fun as well. Some guys say turkey hunts are all the same, but there are some things you can do to make your turkey hunts more entertaining and to better communicate the excitement of the hunt.
Use a POV Camera in the Blind
A POV camera (point of view or action camera) in the blind helps tell the whole story of the hunt. With only a camera on the game animal being pursued, you don’t see everything that goes on in the blind to pull the hunt off. With a good POV camera in your blind you can capture exactly what calls you used to draw the turkey in. You can also show what you go through to film the hunt. The best part about a POV camera in the blind is you get to capture the raw emotion of the hunter after the shot.
One important thing to note about using POV cameras in a blind is placement is crucial to getting good video. Don’t put the POV camera behind you and have it look out the same window that you are looking out of. What usually happens with that type of view is inside the blind gets under exposed and outside the blind gets over exposed. The best place to put your POV camera in your blind is in front of you looking back at you. You will be well lit from the window in front of you, and you’ll be able to capture the reaction of the hunter after the shot.
Image courtesy of Ben K. with Michigan Whitetail Pursuit
Use a POV Camera Near the Decoys
One of my personal favorite places for a POV camera on a turkey hunt is right near the decoys. A really fun and unique view is having both the decoy and your blind in the frame. When that angry tom approaches that decoy, you’ll be able to capture everything up close and personal. If you are hunting with a bow, you might even be able to capture the arrow in flight. If you are using a shotgun, just make sure to keep an eye on your camera and make sure to avoid shooting it (unless you want an excuse to buy a new GoPro).
Image courtesy of Victor G. with Crimson Trail
A great tool that helps you capture this type of angle is the Fourth Arrow POV stake. With the stake you can easily raise or lower the POV camera to get the perfect angle.
Image courtesy of Victor G. with Crimson Trail
Let the Turkey Interact with Your Decoy
If you aren’t desperate for a bird, let the tom that comes in interact with your decoy a little. It can be really fun to watch a tom tare into a jake or tom decoy.
Image courtesy of Ben K. with Michigan Whitetail Pursuit
Film a Youth Hunter or First Time Hunter
Turkey season is a perfect time to get a new hunter into the woods. Its usually not that cold during turkey season, turkeys are fun to watch, and the chances of success are much higher for a turkey hunt than a whitetail hunt. Turkey hunting might just be the thing that gets other people hooked on hunting. Filming a new hunter can be a lot of fun. Capturing the action in the blind before the shot and the reaction after the shot can be priceless. The first time anyone does something can be the most exciting and capturing that emotion can add to the entertainment value of the video.
Shoot In 4k
The problem with turkeys is they constantly are moving around. If you zoom in too tight, you will have to constantly be moving your camera. Moving your camera too much can distract from the hunt and be annoying. A helpful tip is to shoot your footage in 4k and export your hunt in 1080p (HD). This gives you the flexibility of zooming in in post production. Having good, smooth footage will really help people enjoy the hunt.
Capturing entertaining turkey hunting footage boils down to creativity. Be creative with your camera angles and take a new hunter on a turkey hunt.