It wasn’t long ago when antlers, feathers or perhaps a single photograph was all hunters had to help them relive successful hunts. That all changed with advent of video equipment and, especially, smartphones. Today, the hunt is not only remembered, it is shared repeatedly among hunters, their friends and — with social media — pretty much the whole world.

Hence, it should come as no surprise that more hunters are capturing their hunts on video these days. And a new scientific study backs it up. According to the reporting firm Southwick Associates, there’s been a 69 percent increase in the number of hunters who video some or all of their hunts. The survey was conducted by SA via HunterSurvey.com. According to the study:

• 69 percent of hunters shoot video of their hunts at least some of the time.
• 31 percent said they video about one-half of their hunts.
• 31 percent of these hunters said they have been doing so for five or more years.
• 30 percent said they video at least something from every hunt they take.
• 26 percent have taken up videography within the past two years.
• 21 percent have videotaped their hunts for three to four years.
• 21 percent took up video within the past year.

Although a majority of the hunters said they rely on high-tech tools such as smartphones (31 percent) and GoPro cameras (23 percent) to shoot video of their hunts, nearly 40 percent of the respondents said they still rely on HD video cameras and camcorders.  

The ease of use that technology has afforded hunters is the No. 1 driver of increased video usage, according to Southwick.

Another portable video camera popular among hunters is the Moultrie ReAction HD in Realtree APG.  Moultrie offers its ReAction Game Spy, a 5.0 mexapixel camera that features image stabilizing. Rounding out the company’s offerings is the Moultrie Video Sunglasses.

Deer hunting is the obvious No. 1 activity among self-filmers, according to the SA study. Of the hunters who film their own hunts, 84 percent listed whitetails as their favorite game to hunt. Coming in second was small game, 24 percent; waterfowl was next at 17 percent; followed by upland game birds, 16 percent; predators, 14 percent; turkeys, 10 percent; and hogs (including javelinas), 10 percent.