Though some hunters lament what they see as the “intrusion” of technology into hunting, the truth is that the very best advances in technology are things that make us better, more efficient hunters while keeping the sporting aspect alive and well. Few companies are advancing this sort of technology better than ATN.

You might be familiar with ATN’s smart digital optics and how thermal or night-vision can make you a safer and more efficient hunter. But while we talk about the excellent imaging and how it can improve your experience, these devices are also packed with some other high-tech features that might have gone unnoticed.

First, many ATN scopes feature recoil-activated video, allowing you to film your hunts from the first-person perspective, right through the scope. Many even allow live streaming to your smartphone or tablet so you can easily upload your hunt footage to social media. If you haven’t played with this kind of technology, you might be surprised at the quality of video you can capture.

The ATN BinoX 4K day- and night-vision binoculars film in full HD (1080P) with rich colors, sharp detail and a blazing-fast 120 frames per second. If a scope is more your style, the X-Sight LTV records in 720P at 30 fps for the bargain price of $599, or step up to the X-Sight 4K Pro for 1080P and 120 fps recording and 720P live-streaming. In thermal options, the ThOR 4 line records and streams in 720P at 60 fps.

With the ever-growing popularity of self-filming and short-form video content, the ability to stream and record is a huge benefit — and with recoil activation on some devices, you won’t even have to worry about hitting the “record” button before you take the shot.

If you want to get even more social, check out ATN’s Radar app, which is operated on your smartphone and connected to your ATN device like the BinoX 4K night-vision binoculars, BinoX 4T thermal binoculars, ThOR 4 thermal scope or X-Sight 4K day- and night-vision scope.

You can use Radar to create a team of hunters in your group, and the app uses radar-activated technology to let everyone to see where everyone else is at all times — an excellent safety measure, particularly on deer drives. Imagine how convenient this would be for hunting guides or parents of not-quite-grown youth hunters who are old enough to hunt on their own but still need some supervision from not too far away.

When you spot game, you can use your ATN laser-capable device to range and tag the animal, and the target’s location will be automatically displayed on a map overlay in your phone and your device. If you’re using an ATN smart device, you’ll see a mini radar in your field of view that provides the relative direction and range to the tagged target.

What’s really cool is that everyone in your group can see this information, while being aware of where everyone else is. If you need the group to all meet up and drive the animal toward a specific hunter, or if you successfully down the animal and need help tracking or field-dressing, your teammates can simply follow the radar to the exact location where you tagged the animal. Hunting in a group has never been this safe, this simple and this much fun.

Although ATN’s thermal and night-vision devices stand on their own based solely on the quality of the imaging, the high-tech features like video recording, live streaming and radar-activated technology make these smart digital optics a true bargain for hunters looking to get social.