“Take care of all your memories for you can never relive them,” Bob Dylan.

I think a lot of bowhunters focus on the bow, arrows, rest and other cool equipment, but don’t necessarily put a lot of thought into taking pictures after the trophy is on the ground.  Here it is important to note that when I say “trophy” I mean ANY animal harvested with archery equipment regardless of sex or head gear.  From a personal stand point I am very sorry I didn’t pay more attention to recording my memories.  The older I get the more important this becomes.  The three photos below represent a progression in how much attention I have paid to this.  The results are self-explanatory. 

Not so good memories...

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Better...

  

 

 

 

 

 

Best of the 3.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Here are a few tips for taking that trophy photo: 

  • Point and shoot cameras are easier for your friends and family to use than complex digital SLR’s.
  • Put both the camera and the memory card on your equipment list. It’s easy to leave the memory card in your computer.
  • Take your pictures before field dressing.
  • Set up a natural background. Avoid “Back of the truck” pictures.
  • If possible prop the animal up and fold the legs underneath it.
  • Carry an extra rag into the field and use it to clean up any blood around the mouth and entry/exit wounds. Use it later to wipe your hands during field dressing.
  • If you mainly hunt by yourself consider carrying a tripod like the Grypton Portable.  The North American Hunting Club  magazine recently profiled a do-it-yourself fixture made from a binder clip and a few screws that will attach to an arrow to form a mono-pod. I’ll feature that in a future blog.
  • Verify your camera’s compression (picture size) is still on your desired setting. Bigger is better. Digital photo sizes can be reduced on the computer later. 
  • The trophy and hunter should face the sun with the photographer’s back to it.
  • Fill the frame with you and your trophy.  
  • Take pictures with and without flash. Even on a sunny day the flash can fill in shadows from a ball cap or tree limb.

By keeping these tips in mind you hopefully won’t look back and wish you had better memories of that great hunting trip. 

Feedback, Questions & Comments

Have tips of your own?  Please leave your feedback, comments and questions below.

Coming up on Mostly Archery

  • Outfitter Reports – Why we should be doing them.
  • Overhauling My Bow
  • Outfitter Report – Javelina and Hogs in Texas.

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