Hunters nationwide are growing more video savvy.
The rise in the number and quality of outdoor television programs, technological advances in compact lightweight affordable videography gear, and online outlets for homemade videos all have spurred more hunters to get ready for their closeups.
A recent survey conducted by Southwick Associates, a market research and firm specializing in hunting, shooting, fishing and other outdoor recreation, found a 68 percent increase during the last five years in hunters who video some or all of their hunts.
The quality of smartphone cameras, popularity of small action cams like GoPro and accessibility of YouTube hunting channels have contributed to the increasing popularity of capturing the hunt on video.
“As technology has become easier to use and easier to access, an increasing number of hunters are bringing a whole new enjoyable aspect to this very traditional pastime,” said Cody Larrimore, a Southwick research analyst, in a statement. “Like photos, video is a great way to capture these important memories in our lives.”
Among hunters who video their hunts, 31 percent said they have been doing it for five or more years. Twenty-one percent have been taping hunts for three to four years, 26 percent have done so for just one to two years and 21 percent said they started videoing their hunts during the last year.
About one-third report videoing their hunts always or frequently, while 31 percent said they tape their hunts about half of the time. Thirty-nine percent do it occasionally.
The Southwick survey found 31 percent use a smartphone, 23 percent use a mounted video camera and 7 percent use a still-camera with video capability. Despite the smaller-is-better trend, 39 percent prefer to tape their hunts using a dedicated video camera.