Recording a Hunt? Don’t Use a POV Camera.

I recently saw an interesting article about point of view (POV) cameras. The gist of it is that POV cameras are not very good for recording video of a hunt, and they’re right.

I know this is correct because I have used a couple of POV cameras (one of which was built into a pair of glasses) to record some of my hunts. The results were not good; you really couldn’t see much of what was going on. POV cameras are so wide-view that they don’t show enough detail, even at bowhunting distances.

Without details, it’s tough to see how the animal reacts to the shot, along with other vital information such as where the critter was hit. With a good “real” camera, you can record and review that kind of thing, which can help you decide whether to follow up on your shot quickly or wait a while before recovering the game.

If you want any kind of audio recorded, such as a whispered observation or some commentary between you and a hunting partner, POV cameras really aren’t going to get it. I mean, they were designed for action sports. Now if I had had these cameras back in 2003 when I had the opportunity to high-tail and hot-foot it through steamy Florida swamps hunting hogs with knives and spears, then a POV camera would have been great; those kills are up close and personal. But for most hunting, they won’t cut it.

Now I haven’t priced cameras lately, but one point made by the aforementioned article is that POV cameras and “real cameras” cost about the same money, so why not invest in one that can record details and things that you and your friends will enjoy watching later on?

Hunters should consider these points before they drop their dough on a cam that might not give them what they’re looking for.

Ever been disappointed by video results? I know I have.

Russ Chastain

Editor & Contributing Writer Russ Chastain is a lifelong hunter and shooter who has spent his life learning about hunting, shooting, guns, ammunition, gunsmithing, reloading, and bullet casting. He started toting his own gun in the woods at age nine and he's pursued deer with rifles since 1982, so his hunting knowledge has been growing for more than three and a half decades. His desire and ability to share this knowledge with others has also grown, and Russ has been professionally writing and editing original hunting & shooting content since 1998. Russ Chastain has a passion for sharing accurate, honest, interesting hunting & shooting knowledge and stories with people of all skill levels.