Best Gun-Mounted Camera for Hunting

Have you ever thought about how much fun it would be to make a movie about hunting? Would you love to do it from a first-person point of view, but that just hasn’t ever seemed possible?

It is now with the number of gun-mounted cameras for hunting that are available.

You can join all of the people out there who are making first-person perspective hunting movies, much like you see on outdoor adventure shows on TV.

Of course, if you’re a hunting purist, there are things you might not like about getting action cameras to film the hunt. You going to end up sacrificing some of the hunt to achieve your goals, but if you’ve always wanted a movie of you hunting so you can look back on the experience and share it with others, you’re able to do that easily and affordable now.

What should you know about buying an action camera like a Go-Pro Hero camera or a dedicated camera and the accessories necessary to make filing yourself hunting easier?

Camera Variety

Cameras come in a wide variety of price ranges. And the good news is you can get a camera that operates really well for an affordable price. Some of the best cameras out there are available in the $$ to $$$ price range. They feature quality lenses and low optical zoom and make it easier than ever to use a gun mounted camera for hunting. This enables you to replay a single hunt over and over and show the experience to others in exactly the way you experienced it.

One of the most important things you’ll want to consider is the lens quality. This is going to have a significant impact on your experience and on the final film. You’ll want to look at Lux rating, which is the amount of light gathering capability in the camera. The lower the Lux rating that longer you’re able to film during dusk.

Also, make sure you don’t fall prey to promises about digital zoom. It’s great to have a camera that can zoom in and get close to an animal that’s off in the distance, but you need to pay attention to the quality of the end product. It’s usually significantly degraded when you zoom far unless you choose a camera with the best optical zoom. It’s worth paying more for, but keep in mind you don’t need to bust your budget to achieve your goals.

If you want to keep your camera budget below $$$ , but you don’t want to deal with manual focus, consider buying a refurbished camera. There are plenty used options available that offer the same quality as a new camera and you’ll get much better features buying used.

Do You Need a DSLR Camera?

Modern DSLR cameras are great options for filming videos. You can take pictures or video using the same lens and switch it to manual focus if needed. It’s also possible to add an external mic. DSLR cameras shoot great hunting videos and are one of the preferred choices among people who like to create in-the-life type videos.

Of course, they aren’t perfect. The downside of DSLR cameras is that you need to spend a lot on a low F-stop lens or it’ll be tough to shoot in lower lighting. The upside is DSLR allows you to take still photos and video all in one machine. If you’re comparing cost, make sure you consider this all-in-one convenience you get with DSLR.

Gun-Mounted Cams

A Rush Cam is another good option. It offers HD video and is small enough to mount on a gun or a bow. These cameras used to be primarily wide-angle lenses, but now you can get ones that allow you to see what is essentially real-time. This means the target won’t appear to be miles away when it’s actually quite close.

Additionally, the Rush Cam is easy to shut on and off, and it takes decent video on an SD card. There are also a number of mounting accessories included with this camera, making it a great affordable option since you don’t need to buy everything to go with it separately.

GoPro Cameras

GoPro is one of the most popular names in cameras for action filming and it’s a big one among those who like to film their hunts.

GoPro was one of the first models to offer POV cameras and a lot of the modern options are modeled after the GoPro. Some are just as decent as what GoPro offers and others are cheap knockoffs and you aren’t going to get the same quality.

Many GoPros have wide angled lenses, if you’re shooting from a tree stand, you’re going to have that look of added distance. What they’re really great for though is second camera shots.

Do you have your heart set on making elaborately edited hunting videos? Having a second camera taking alternate shots is essential. Consider mounting one camera to your gun and wearing the other—possibly a GoPro—to get back up shots from alternate angles. You can also put your second camera in an alternate location. Some people like to have a camera with them in a tree stand and another camera down lower to capture the prey from another angle. Some people even call their GoPro cameras their “bait cam.”

Accessories for Recording Your Hunt

There are plenty of accessories out there that make recording your hunt easier and more fun. Some cameras even come with some basic accessories, but as you might guess, there are plenty of additional items you can get that add quality and pizazz to your videos.

You’ve got a lot going on when you’re hunting and also trying to get a first-person POV video of it. These accessories make it easier.

Start with a quality arm mount, especially if you’re intended to shoot from a tree stand. This allows you to mount the device and position and zoom the camera where you want to shoot. The arm is going to make it easier to create steady videos without any shaking, too.

Camera arms are available in a wide range of options, and you can get a low-end one for about $ . Unfortunately, these aren’t going to work as well as the more expensive ones. You get what you pay for and you should plan to spend about $$ to $$ to get a sufficient camera arm.

Of course, if you really want a first-person experience when hunting, you’ll want to mount your primary camera to your gun. This gives you the best first-person perspective available and is the best way to make movies of yourself hunting.

We like the following options for gun-mounted cameras for hunting:

OHO 16GB 1080 HD IP66 Waterproof Hunting and Gun Shooting Camera in Camouflage Color with Photo and Torch Feature

Retails for about $

Tachyon Gun Camera for Hunting

Retails for about $$

Shotgun Rifle Gun Camera Phone Mount for iPhone, Samsung, GoPro, Motorola and more from Midwest Orion

Retails for about $

Knowing How to Film Your Hunt

There are plenty of people out there who are trying to film their hunts but, unfortunately, they’re producing movies that are less than stellar. They aren’t achieving their goal of getting a movie they enjoy watching, let alone sharing it with other hunting enthusiasts.

Getting a great camera is an essential part of filming your hunt is essential, but the greatest camera in the world isn’t going to help you much if you don’t know what you’re doing. These tips for filming your hunt can help:

Make sure you read your camera manual. This seems obvious, but it’s common for a hunter to research a camera, buy a camera, and take the camera out for a hunt skipping the vital step of studying their manual. Doing so is really going to help you get the best possible video during the hunt.

Know how your camera works and make sure you understand all of its functions. It’s really going to make a big difference in your recording of the hunt and in the final product.

Some experienced hunters who have filmed themselves hunting recommend not doing so. That’s right—they say it’s better to get someone to help you film. They can film over your shoulder to give you that first-person perspective you want.

Of course, it loses some of the thrills. It’s exciting to watch first-person hunting videos—consider how popular first-person POV video gaming is online—and if you really want to recreate your hunt from your point of view, you’ll simply need to accept that something is going to suffer. You’re either not going to get as quality a hunt as you’re used to or you’re going to get less than perfect video. This is especially true when you’re a beginner. It can still be fun but don’t set your expectations too high.

If you do choose to film on your own, try not to zoom too tightly. You’re going to miss some of the important details of the hunt. The idea of having a zoomed shot is a good one, but rarely does it turn out as expected. You want the prey in the shot during the crucial moment and the wider the angle the better chance you have of this happening. The good news is this can save you money because if you’re OK with shooting wide angle you’ll not need to spend as much on a camera.

Speaking of focus, it’s important to practice your focus before the actual hunt. One of the sure signs of a novice movie maker is someone who jumps from focal point to focal point without ever making any of the focal. You’ll want to spend about 10 seconds per item as you pan the area. Don’t zoom in and out and don’t move the camera too quickly—things that might be tough to remember when you’re in the thick of a hunt, but essential if you want a quality hunting movie.

One of the best pieces of advice for those who want to film their hunt? Make sure you remember you are telling a story. It’s the best way to make the movie interesting to others and to yourself later when you want to re-watch it. Too many hunters film too little of their hunt. They’ll post a video that’s just a few minutes long that begins the moment the prey comes into view and ends the moment the shot is fired.

You want to tell the entire story. Don’t assume what you have to share isn’t interesting because it’s just the opposite—people want to get to know the storyteller and the story behind the hunt. If you’re on an annual hunting trip or family hunting trip, tell some of the background. Start by showing the time at the cabin or camp, then the hunt and then the aftermath. Think about the things you love about hunting and include those in the video. These are probably the same things that draw other people to hunting and make them want to share their love of the sport with you.