Longer, warmer days are bringing back that Summer time excitement. That feeling of new possibilities as everything around us blossoms and grows. Even the animals take advantage of this new season to rebuild themselves for the coming year. As hunters, we love this time of year to watch things changes, and we look forward to what the coming year has in store for us. We dream about all the things we didn’t get to complete or do the year before. And now the question is, what are our dreams and what are we going to do to make them a reality?

Image by Heavy Hitters Outdoors

Truth is, we all dream of things we would like to do, someday, but that day hardly ever comes unless we take steps towards making it happen. There are times, luck may come our way, but most things in life take some planning, work, and effort to make it happen. Maybe we need some directions to help get started, or some motivation or helpful tips and advice.

Many of us, have dreamed about filming our own hunts, making our first short video, commercial for a product, or gaining some editing experience. For some it feels like we don’t even know where to begin when it comes to equipment or how to start?

Here at Huntervids.com we have strived to bring quality and unique videos to watch, from filmmakers from all walks of life, hoping to have something for every style of hunter. Add to that a list of sponsors who all offer top quality products to help in our outdoor endeavors, all working together with one goal in mind, to help grow as outdoorsmen and women.

  Image by John Hafner Photography

Not only do we cater towards videos of all sorts of species of animals, but all the films have their own creative style. We can look through the vast array of videos and find one that personally speaks to us, motivates us, or inspires us for days to come. Some of us use that inspiration to make notes of what we think is needed to create our own style of filming. Sometimes even searching out the producer of a film to ask questions and learn about new things, whether hunting or filming. Even researching equipment and coming up with options of things that will fit in our budgets. Ask others for tips or advice on the choices we can afford.

However, maybe filming is not something we dream of, and we just enjoy watching all the up close action in the hunting videos. That’s alright too; we have created this hunting videos website for all to enjoy the great pieces of work that others have spent countless hours creating for our entertainment! Perhaps our dream is to hunt one of those species shown in the videos.

  Image by Photographer Garett Gabriel

Here is also our chance to watch and learn from others’ hunting experiences on some unique animals and even American big game like the Rocky Mountain Elk. Some videos may be a once in a lifetime hunt for an animal we are not familiar with. As we watch the videos, we make mental notes of the types of terrain they call home. Think of the commitment involved like an exercise program to prepare for the physical demands of the hunt. So many questions arise. Is there special gear or equipment that they used that would make the hunt easier or safer? Are there things about a hunt you hadn’t planned on, like special transportation needs, gear, or trophy?

We can see the times of the year different animals go into their breeding season, captured on camera and some of the creative tactics used to hunt them during that period or outside of it. Many seek to understand animal behavior, or biological questions like if it has to be close to water every day, what are the food sources, where are the bedding areas, or its migration habits. These hunting videos are a chance for all of us to learn, there is always something new to be found on Huntervids.com.

  Image by 46 Degrees North

We challenge everyone to use our vast video library as an incredible resource for outdoor entertainment, an avenue for everyday people to pursue their creative dreams, and share those with the world. Hopefully they are a source of information for us to utilize in pursuing our own dreams. Whether it’s filming, or hunting, or fishing, we hope to inspire, to push people to find something, to help point them in the right direction, and give the motivation to fulfill our outdoor dreams in 2015.

Written by: Dennis Donati

The post Fulfilling Dreams appeared first on HunterVids.

We all know that excitement and the sleepless, restless night before the opening day of hunting season! And, we also know that feeling’s polar opposite, the last day of hunting fading into darkness. It seems like an eternity, from that moment until the next season’s opening day. This break between hunting seasons is our chance to do a little self reflection and analyze our hunts. This is also the time to fine tune gears, skills, and information and knowledge of hunting areas.

CLOTHING

Now is a great time to look over your existing clothing and look for damaged items that need to be fixed or replaced. There is a number of quality products that not only protect you from the elements, but are comfortable as well, and designed to work in a layering system. This gives a hunter the ability to quickly add or take off layers depending on changing weather conditions, or physical activity. Being ultra light and compact, they are easy to fit in a backpack. During off season, go over your hunts. Did you have good insulation, or waterproof layers when you needed them? Did you have ultra breathable layers for those very first hunts when it was sunny and hot?

FIREARM

Another crucial item to check on is your weapon. There is always some work that need to be done. Gun hunters obviously need to make sure that the gun is cleaned and oiled if it’s going to be stored for a while. Next, are you going to change anything about your setup for the coming year? Is it time to replace the scope and sight it in? Maybe it’s time for a new sling, a new butt recoil pad, add a muzzle break, or add other accessory instead. Were you happy with your ammo, and if you use handloads, are you going to experiment with some different loads? Do you have empty brass to start cleaning up and reloading? Do you need to do more long range practice? Now is the perfect time to really take your time and get it just right.

ARCHERY

Archery hunters have a lot of decisions to make at this time of year as well. If you’re getting a new bow, it will need to be setup, tuned, accessorized, and practiced with it. Besides the bow manufacturer itself, sights, quivers, arrow rests, arrows, vanes, broadheads, and releases are just some of the things you will have to decide on. Tuning your bow, whether it is new or older, is important so that you can be accurate while you practice shooting, or even join winter indoor leagues.

Older bows may be ready for some new strings for the coming year. Replacing your strings while they are still in decent shape is a great idea. Set aside the string you replaced as a backup in the field for an emergency. Make a record of all your bow’s measurements before changing your strings out, and put that with your spare strings for reference. Now is also a great time to try out whatever new arrow setups or combinations you wanted to. Any damaged arrows, or bare shafts, can be refletched. There are always different broadheads to try out and see how it compares to the ones normally used. Your confidence in your equipment will soar when you spend this time getting to know your gear and know that it is hitting exactly where you want it to.

GEAR

Give your camping gear a good and thorough inspection now. Tents need to be repaired of any holes or tears they have. Check zippers, poles, and shells for signs of damage. It is also a great time to upgrade your air pad or sleeping bag. There is nothing worse than tossing and turning all night because your air pad is too thin, and you can feel the cold coming up from the ground. Upgrading your air pad will help you get a better night’s sleep, when sleep is crucial to rest sore and tired muscles. Upgrading the sleeping bag may be higher on the priority list if backcountry hunts are in your future and you are trying to trim extra weight.

PACK

If you’re looking to replace your pack to carry your gear, it is a good idea to write down a list of some of the qualities you’re looking for in the new pack. Friends, family, web sites, and social media are all means to get input or opinions on specific packs and how they performed for others. Having a pack with an adjustable torso to fit you is important. If it doesn’t fit right, it will be uncomfortable and will wear you out quickly. Accessorize your pack with water bladders, rain fly, and bow or rifle holders, if needed. This may be the time to order a different sized bag for a particular hunt planned for the next season.

PRACTICE

This is also a great time to shoot more and work on your technique and form. For archery hunters, consider joining indoor leagues or 3D target tournaments for more shooting experience and some competition. Picturing vitals, where we want to place our shot, and getting to see how much angles affect our placement are all valuable information to have on hand. Start an exercise program. Joining a gym and working out will make the time fly by. You will also feel better, fitter and stronger. You may even meet new people at the gym who have a similar goal in mind and make new friends. Lifting weights, running, cardio, cross-fit, bike riding, cross country skiing, and swimming are all exercise options you may want to try.

RESEARCH

Through the use of the internet or with maps, study the areas hunted and make notes of the terrain where game was found. Look for more of those types of terrain to explore. Find bedding and feeding areas and mark their coordinates for future scouting trips. Learn areas for your out of state units from maps as well, and talk to game biologists from those areas as well as check the harvest reports. Keep track of the out of state application periods to submit your special hunt applications. Each state is different and some of the deadlines come up rapidly after the holidays.

There are many things we can do in between hunting seasons to better our gear, our knowledge, and ourselves that there really is no more off season. We can turn down time into productive time by planning and preparing for hunting as a year round activity. Good luck with all your preparations for a successful coming season!

Written by: Dennis Donati

OTHER ARTICLES

• A New Frontier
• The Independent Hunting Film Culture

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The post Off Season Doesn’t Mean Down Time appeared first on HunterVids.

On the surface, everything about Josh Carney’s story is a tragedy. 13 years old. Shot in a hunting accident. Paralyzed from the waist down. Every detail seems like a reason to drop your head and feel sorry. However, to Josh, his story is anything but tragic. From his perspective, it’s a victory.

Josh didn’t always see it that way. In the wake of the accident, when his father accidentally shot him on his first turkey hunt, he saw his circumstances as entirely bleak. He was depressed and he felt hopeless. He was angry at the God that he thought he believed in.

“I can remember many nights of me fighting against [God] and asking Him why me? Why didn’t You just take my life when You had the chance instead of leaving me miserable? If You love me so much, why would You hurt me?” said Josh.

But hope emerged when Josh eventually hit rock bottom, unsure at that point what to do and where to go. Desperate to escape the nightmare that was his life, Josh cried out to God. “I got to the point where I gave up and said, ‘God, I quit. I’m done being who I want to be so show me who You want me to be and what You want me to do’”.

Since that moment, things haven’t been easy. The seeming limits of being paralyzed have been difficult. But, despite his struggles, Josh has started to see things differently. He now sees his challenges as opportunities to make a difference in people’s lives. He now realizes that he has a voice of inspiration.

Josh also learned that he has a new gift. After recovering from his accident and getting back into hunting, Josh discovered that he no longer needs a piece of plastic to call animals. He discovered that he could do everything naturally, with only his voice. Whether it is a gobbling tom or a hooting owl, he can now imitate 10 different species with 30 diverse calls.

With his unique story and extraordinary gift, Josh, who is now 22, finds himself traveling across the country as an esteemed hunter, a motivational speaker and a world-renowned caller. He has dedicated his life to helping others, with involvement in organizations such as the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Trinity Outdoors Disabled Adventures and more. His next plan is to start his own TV show, where he can further inspire people around the world.

“Once again, [God] came through with 10-folds of blessings, more than I could have ever imagined,” said Josh. “God told me: I gave you a voice to speak but not only to people, I gave you a voice to communicate with many of my creations, so use it.”

From the new things he has brought to the hunting world, to all those who have been and will continue to be touched by his story, to all those he is reaching out to through his charity work, Josh is showing that what seems like a curse can actually be a blessing. He is inspiring us that what we think might be a tragedy can actually be a victory.

It’s a story that should lead us all into seeing our lives differently. It’s a story that forces us to see our struggles not as challenges but as opportunities.

AFTERWORD: HunterVids.com is pleased to announce the start of a partnership with Son of the South as Josh is taking a new step with his level of production. We look forward to sharing Josh’s adventures and inspiring messages through a series of videos released with the combined teamwork of HuntervVids.com. Check out the new branding theme for Josh by W Design Company at: SonoftheSouthTV.com.

Written by: David Roark

The post Son of the South: The Original Natural Caller appeared first on HunterVids.

Hunting cinematography is amid a major shift from the tired, classic filming format to the cerebral, innovative pieces of art that are slowly gaining recognition in our industry. In such an entertainment driven field, there is no doubt that it creates a need for competition. This presents us with the obvious solution of film festivals; a creative arena once unknown to hunting filmmakers. HunterVids.com has sought to make these festivals accessible to filmmakers and fans alike in the form of a tour, a circuit that will feature some of the best and upcoming outdoor production companies and their promotional film excerpts. The three major players among these tours are the Full Draw Film Tour, Hunting Film Tour, and the Outdoor Film Festival.

The first and foremost of these is the archery based Full Draw Film Tour, which makes its tour across the country in historic theaters from Spring into Winter . Sponsored by Realtree and Hoyt, the proceeds from the ticket and raffle sales go into supporting Hunt of a Lifetime charity which helps challenged children to pursue a hunting adventure.

Without a doubt the Full Draw Film Tour, organized by Jon Walusiak, Kody Kellom and Walt Ramage, is taking North America by storm by creating one of the most competitive markets for creative hunting films.

• Full Draw Film Tour

One cannot go on without mention of the Sitka Gear-sponsored Hunting Film Tour which features both bowhunting and rifle hunting experiences. With some of the most reputable film companies participating, it is a guarantee that the featured pieces are not only visually stunning in taking you on a wild adventure but also capture the human aspect of a fair chase hunt. This enthralling film tour, organized by owner, Gary Gillett, boasts over 25 location stops, following business associate, Chris Kieg’s successful Fly Fishing Film Tour of previous years.

• Hunting Film Tour

Lastly, the Sportsman Warehouse Outdoor Film Festival presented by Boone and Crockett Club, encourages submissions from professional to amateur film producers for all species. Festivals are held with Conservation partners at their national conventions with awards being given at the highest level related to species. The award winners will travel to 120 locations across the country as well as being featured on a major cable network. The Outdoor Film Festival by Gary Wilson provides film producers of all levels the opportunity for recognition through their Festival, Tour and a TV promotion.

• Outdoor Film Festival

The exposure gained from film tours of this nature will undoubtedly continue to create a greater market for cultivated filmmakers. The tours themselves offer the hunting community the chance to come together in camaraderieship to support the organizers, sponsors, film producers and help with conservation and other charitable causes. As the hunting industry expands, HunterVids continues to be the premier online venue for these films and an integral stepping stone for us to share our art. We hope to see you, as a face in the audience, or on the big screen at one of these tours. This is only the beginning.

Article by: A. J. DeRosa & Amy Hern

The post The Independent Hunting Film Culture appeared first on HunterVids.

There are countless ways to introduce a blog of this nature; something so expansive is difficult to sum up in few words. It is an unprecedented milestone for the rapidly changing face of our hunting culture. The immeasurable hours of work of a few people (in the grand scheme of the industry), has suddenly culminated into a movement, one that could change the very foundation of our industry. HunterVids.com has amassed a powerhouse company of unrivaled visionaries, setting the cornerstones for this new media frontier. HunterVids.com has set the stage for the hunting industry’s golden age.

As far back as I can recall, the hunting industry has been dominated by kill sequence videos, hero shots, and exalted hunter photos- all employing the same recycled formula of hunting media. HunterVids.com embodies a crucial transition from the mundane and classic methods of hunting media, to a new era of starkly refined cinematic pieces that happen to be about hunting.

This transition is steadily revealing itself in mainstream American television, with shows like ‘The Hunt’ and ‘Kodiak’, on networks as massive as Discovery and the History Channel. More significantly to us hunters, this progression is illuminating our passion in a wholly different light than before. Our passion, once considered barbaric, is being shown as a story; a stunning progression of the chase, the tireless work it requires, and the inarguable respect we give to the animal we harvest.

Some of the biggest names in hunting, such as Jim Shockey, with the creative vision of his son Branlin Shockey, have bridged the gap from classic icons to pioneers of this new age of modern adventure filming. Their concentration on filming rare and isolated cultures in the most remote places on earth has begun to inspire a different angle. Previously lost in hunting culture, this concept of filming the experience through the eyes of an explorer diverges from the clichéd ‘trophy buck’ chases of major hunting networks.

There is no better representation of this major shift in hunting culture than the success of those like Sicmanta’s Donnie Vincent, filmmaker Steven Drake, Obsessed Outdoors, and the production – personal work of Rockhouse Motion. Their ability to deliver a “Planet Earth” experience that merges with hunting not only entertains, but inspires a new generation of adventurers. This is the fundamental core of where hunting is going.

With the amount of contributions to wildlife conservation made by hunters, it is obligatory that we bring more light to the sustainability of hunting. Recent introductions of documentary style filming that delve into the green movement, such as the show ‘Meat Eater’ and ‘Huntergreen.org’, have illustrated the growing necessity for our sport to conserve our ecosystems. In hopes of educating non-hunters, they deliver the powerful reality of the ecological advantages of hunting to an organic lifestyle.

We stand at the brink of a very important era in hunting. Because of this culture shift, we can say that hunting is again growing for the first time in 30 years. With an increasing female demographic, the organic boom, and the strikingly refined films that HunterVids.com has sought to mainstream, this evolution cannot be stopped. With affiliates like Kuiu; a brand that strives to further the adventure instead of furthering the standard motivations of corporate funding, we are surrounded by industry heavyweights that stand in line with our uncompromising vision. At the end of the day, we see that the soul of our hunting is coming alive again, and we see that we are the change.

By Todd Roark – CEO HunterVids.com And Kira Mastrangelo – Writer for HunterVids.com

Photography – 46 Degrees North

The post A New Frontier appeared first on HunterVids.