The rising popularity of hunters wanting to film their own hunts is undeniable at this point. With the juggernaut of a platform like YouTube, anyone and everyone willing to hit “record” can start making films and preserving precious memories for many years to come. All of that said, there is a lot more to it than just hitting “record,” especially when we’re talking archery hunting, and even more so when one is solo filming/hunting.

I have been very fortunate to spend an immense amount of time in the field with a camera all by my lonesome. Through the many years of running around the mountains with a camera by my side, I’ve learned a lot — not just about what not to do.

It’s the process that takes some time to learn. It is far from an easy feat, but incredibly rewarding if you’re willing to go through the motions and embrace the experience. I’d like to share some insight with any aspiring solo archery hunters looking to film their hunts.

Gear

Everybody loves a conversation around gear, and the topic of solo filming an archery hunt is no exception to that. We are blessed to have access to the high level of gear that we do, and it no doubt helps make life easier. With that said, I want to preface this with a bit of advice: Gear is no exception for skill and knowledge. Learn about your camera equipment, learn composure, and learn editing.

Now that’s out of the way, I’ll give you my rundown on what has worked best for me filming solo archery hunts.

Mirrorless Camera/Telephoto Lens: My No. 1 tool for capturing my hunts solo is a mirrorless camera and a telephoto lens. Mirrorless cameras deliver incredible image quality at a fraction of the size of DSLR cameras. They’re also fantastic workhorses on all fronts. A great deal of them excel at both photo and video.

My first mirrorless camera (Sony a6000) fit in the waist belt pouch of my backpack. My current camera (Sony a7iv) is a bit bigger, but still smaller than a DSLR. Being solo, I try to keep the weight to a minimum, and mirrorless cameras win every time.

As for the lens, I’m a huge fan of versatile telephoto lenses, which you can zoom in and out, changing the focal length of the image. With weight in mind, this allows me to carry one lens instead of several. My go-to lens is a Sony 24-70mm GM f2.8.

The brunt of my footage is captured with this setup.

Audio: Bad audio can ruin the best footage. The best setup I’ve found for this is a shotgun mic attached to the top of the mirrorless camera. Make sure you utilize a “dead cat” (synthetic fur) on the mic. This will help with wind noise. My go-to mic is the Rode VideoMic NTG. Lavalier mics (lav or lapel mics) are great for getting dedicated audio segments, like interviews. I like the DJI Mic 2 for that but rarely bring it into the field. When it comes to running and gunning, though, the shotgun mic is the way to go.

GoPro: A GoPro or another POV camera offers a great perspective for filming. You can get super-wide shots, timelapses and even place them in unique areas such as on a branch or even your trekking pole, for different angles. Heck, film with them under water, too, as you’re crossing a creek. They’re lightweight and as easy to use as hitting one button. I highly recommend having at least one POV camera.

Handycam: A handycam is another great, easy point-and-shoot option with the ability for a large amount of zoom. For someone just getting into filming, this is a solid option. It takes the equation of lenses out of the picture and lets you get right down to business. I don’t prefer these because image quality degrades with high zoom, and they aren’t great at capturing photos. I like photography, too, but that’s just me.

Digiscope: For capturing wildlife from afar, there is no better or easier option than a digiscoping system. This allows you to attach your smartphone to an optic in order to film through it. Without question, the most efficient system I’ve come across for this is from the company Ollin. The footage I get from this far exceeds the footage I’d get from a handycam at a distance.

Phone: If you don’t have the spare change for a dedicated camera setup, your phone is an extremely fair option. Smartphones these days are taking some incredible footage and can 100% be used to make hunting films. Pair this with a digiscoping system and you’re off to the races for not a huge investment.

Tripod: Most hunters, especially western hunters, already carry a tripod with them for the purpose of glassing. So, if that’s you, make sure you’ve got a tripod mount for your camera and utilize it. Taking the time to set up shots with your camera via a tripod will elevate your filmmaking tenfold, instead of going into selfie mode every shot. If you aren’t already carrying a tripod, get one. Your hunting films and viewers will thank you.

Have a Plan

Now that we’ve covered the rabbit hole that is gear, it’s time to start talking about how to start thinking about using all of that stuff. How do we build a story? Nobody can predict how a hunt is going to play out. That’s just hunting. Nonetheless, I think having a rough plan of what to film can be very helpful.

Going into a hunt, I like to have a loose plan of what the underlying story is going to be. You don’t have to do this, but I prefer my films to have a message to them of sorts beyond just showing a hunt. Because of that, I’ll have a series of questions I might answer on camera to keep the story moving along and help convey the message. These are created beforehand.

Based on whatever message I’m looking to convey, I like to make sure to get shots that help tell that story. So, for the purpose of this article, and solo archery hunting, I’d likely focus on showing the solitude that comes with solo hunting — me alone in a widespread landscape. Also, the difficulty involved in pulling off such an endeavor. This would include showing things such as frustration, big wins and big effort. Show and tell the whole story. That is always compelling and relatable.

Wide/Medium/Tight and Angles

Throughout the process of filming, it’s important to keep things fresh. This involves introducing different angles and focal lengths with your shots. A good rule of thumb is to get wide, medium and tight shots of the same thing, if possible, while considering different filming angles.

Take a glassing shot, for example. I’d first get a wide shot of me glassing, showing the landscape. Then, I’d change the angle and get a slightly tighter shot. From there, I’d snag a shot of my eye up close to the ocular lens of the binocular with a different angle. Having these options in your post editing will make life much easier and make your solo archery film more interesting.

What to Film

One of the most common complaints from new aspiring filmmakers is they don’t know what to film. Aside from what I’ve already covered with having a loose plan, let’s explore this. First, consider the environment. If you’re somewhere like the desert, I’d for sure want to show cactus and the overall aridness of the landscape. So, think about what is unique to the place you’re hunting and show that.

Another thing is general camp life, things such as setting up a tent, getting in and out of a tent, cooking, etc. Even something like you writing in a journal during the heat of the day, waiting for the evening hunt. These shots help show the total experience.

The passing of time is something else to show. Timelapse shots are a great way to do this. These are sped up shots that show the stars moving, clouds blanketing surrounding mountains, and the sun going down. You get the picture. Show general hiking shots in the dark, as the sun is rising, and coming back to camp in the dark. These all help show the passing of time.

As far as the actual hunting part goes, show key elements that help show your process. So, if you’re archery elk hunting in September, you’re likely going to want to capture you bugling from a bugle tube, cow calling, hiking, checking wallows, still hunting, and even glassing in more open terrain. And don’t forget to fill in the camera on what’s going on as the hunt progresses. It’s easy to get caught in your own head and forget to do this. Think of your camera like your hunting partner who is new to hunting. Talk to it. Always film wildlife, too, whether it’s a tweetie bird or a bull elk.

Capturing the Kill Shot

There is nothing harder throughout this process than capturing the kill shot on film, especially solo. In those intense moments, it’s incredibly easy to forget the camera is even there and go into kill mode. I’ve been there quite a few times. After all, I’m a hunter first and a cameraman second.

As intense as the moment of truth can be, you do have a choice, and taking a second to hit “record” makes your end product come together so much better.

Without question the absolute best way I’ve found to do this solo with a bow is by wearing a POV camera, like a GoPro, on my head. I’ve also captured kill shots with cameras on my bow, but those never turn out as good. Once the bow goes off, so does your framing for the video. With a camera on your head, this doesn’t happen.

For the highest quality, though, have your mirrorless camera on a tripod with a telephoto lens. This is a bit more involved on the process front, but nothing worth having comes easy, right? You’re a bowhunter — you understand.

If an animal is bedded, feel free to zoom that lens in for a tighter shot. If they’re on their feet, though, I suggest keeping the lens wide. This will give more room in the frame for the animal to move, and you won't lose them in the scene.

Final Thoughts

The camera has just become part of the hunt for me, and I love every minute of it. Sure, in the beginning, it felt awkward sometimes, but nowadays the camera kind of acts as a hunting partner. There are even times when it makes me feel less alone.

Telling stories is a huge passion of mine, and how I started to write for this magazine in the first place. Through the many years of filming, I’ve screwed up a whole lot, tried a whole lot, and made some films I’m incredibly proud of. These are memories I can look back on and show my kid and friends.

With what I’ve outlined in this article, you can do the same. Preserve the memory. Preserve the hunt.

Sidebar: Post-Production Thoughts

After you’ve compiled all of your footage, it’s time to actually do something with it. That happens in the editing room. There are all sorts of editing software out there, from free to those that offer a monthly subscription fee. I highly suggest just biting the bullet and using one of the bigger names such as Adobe Premiere Pro or Davinci Resolve. These are monsters of capability, but you’ve also just got so much more freedom to create your film how you’d like.

They will do more with video footage than you’ll ever need them to. From basic cutting and pasting footage together to color grading, color correcting, motion graphics, and more. This is where you can really put the time in and tell the story of your hunt, no matter the depth. Take your time and learn the software. I promise it’s worth it.

Photos by Josh Kirchner