Turkey Season Filming Gear Guide
When I hear that first gobble of the year I’m not sure who is more fired up, myself or that gobbling tom. After a long winter I always love it when spring comes and turkey season is here. Filming turkey hunts can be so much fun, but it also presents some unique challenges. Turkeys have good eyeballs and keeping movement minimal while filming is super important. We’ll take a look at gear that will help you be successful filming turkey hunts this spring. Another thing I love about turkey season is taking out young hunters or people that are new to hunting. Having multiple people in the blind also can present some challenges for filming.
#1 Run and Gun Filming Setups
My turkey hunting strategy will often change throughout the season. Sometimes I’ll have a really good idea of where the birds are roosting and what their patterns are. In that scenario, I like to set up in a popup blind and have my decoys out in front of me. Sometimes, however, I like to be more mobile. In that case, having a lightweight camera setup is really nice.
Monopod Stake Kit
I love using the Monopod stake kit for self filming run and gun turkey hunts. Its so simple to use and is very light. The monopod stake kit includes a stake that threads right into the bottom of the Fourth Arrow monopod. Out in the field, you can just stake the monopod into the ground, and you are good to go. The top of the stake includes a foot plate for easily staking it into the ground. If you want a lightweight and easy to carry filming option, definitely check out the Monopod Stake kit.
Tripod Lite
Sometimes a monopod and stake isn’t an option. Sometimes the area where you hunt the ground is too hard or rocky for a stake to be practical. In that case, the tripod lite is a great option. The tripod light only weighs 2.6 lbs. The tripod light is super adjustable for both filming sitting on the ground and all the way to standing.
#2 Popup Blind Setups
Rex Arm
Popup blinds are great for turkey hunting because turkeys don’t seem to care that they are there. They also help hide your movement while filming. One challenge in a blind, though, is you have blind spots on the corners of your blind. To get past those blind spots with a tripod setup you have to move the tripod around in the blind. That isn’t great if you have turkeys around you that could pick up that movement. That is where the Rex Arm comes in. The Rex Arm is a 10” arm that mounts directly to your tripod. That gives you 20” of movement without having to move your tripod. If you like using a tripod in the blind, a Rex Arm is the perfect compliment to make things a lot easier and helps reduce movement.
Rex Arm Pillar Kit
As I mentioned before, I love taking out others during turkey season. If you have a smaller blind having two people in the blind plus filming equipment can be difficult. That is where the Rex Arm Pillar Kit comes in. The Rex Arm Pillar Kit allows you to film in the blind without taking up any leg room. The Pillar kit mounts directly to a hub style popup blind. Then with the Rex Arm coming off the top of the monopod you have 20” of movement.
#3 Video Head
Having a video head with an adjustable handle is really nice for filming turkey hunts. As we all know, reducing movement is key for turkey hunting. The Fourth Arrow video head allows you to adjust the angle of the head arm down to where you don’t have to reach up so high to move your camera.
#4 Second Angle Equipment
Turkey season is a great time to take advantage of second angle/pov cameras both outside and inside the blind. We offer both a mini tripod and mini stake that works great for holding your GoPro or Tactacam cameras. You can get some super cool pov shots with a camera right next to your decoys.
Having the right equipment can make filming turkey hunts more fun and more successful. If you haven’t filmed your turkey hunts yet, you should definitely do it because its a blast! Go out there, press record, and smash some thunder chickens.