I didn't think of Predator Masters.....

Nick_T

New member
while I've been looking for some serious squirrel hunters to converse with. I've been a member here for quite a while but since I switched my main hunting from crows over to squirrels I just haven't checked in much. Hunting here has been great, the pecan crop is above average in most orchards, plenty of targets to be had. If ya'll get bored, here's my youtube page, I've been doing alot of videoing this year, which is almost as much fun as the hunt itself.

http://www.youtube.com/user/crowcommander

And here's a picture of this mornings hunt....

102109squirrels.jpg


Looking forward to chatting squirrels with ya'll, if ya don't mind.

Nick T
 
The rifle in the picture, which has become my go-to rifle, is a Marlin Mod. 60 with a Bushnell Sportsview 4x12x40AO scope, picked the rifle up at a pawn shop for $75 and the scope at WalMart for $55, deadly critter out to about 50 yards. Very satisfied with it for a >$150 rig. When the squirrels go to the ground and longer shots are the rule rather than the exception I'll swap over to my CZ 452 Special in .22 with a 4x12x40AO Bushnell Banner. I've made shots in excess of 80 yards with that rifle.

The way I have the camera rigged to the rifle is I took a Weaver style scope ring and mounted it upside down on the scope just forward of the scope block. Then I took a thin peice of steel and bent it into a "C", ground down the edges so that it can slide into the part of the scope ring that usually goes into the scope base. On the top side of the "C" I drilled a hole and found a bolt that would screw into the bottom of the camera, I locked the bolt into the "C" with a nut and adjusted it so that when the camera is tightened down that it is in line with the camera and gun. I usually leavet he mount attached to the camera, so all I have to do it slide the bottom of the mount into the scope ring, finger tighten it, and adjust the zoom on the camera. Works pretty good on rimfires with the low recoil but not sure how it will do on a deer rifle or centerfire varmit guns. Here's a picture, kinda hard to describe but this shows it pretty good.

Nick T

mount1.jpg
 
I like that cam mount also. I'll be making one of those today! Thanks for the idea.

How about the cam you are using. Sony, yes? From the pic it looks to be the same as mine. I recently got the Sony model DCR-DVD610. It's what they call a *Hybrid*. It will record onto a mini DVD or a memory stick. Is that the same as yours?

Keep in mind, recording with one of these new fangled, digital, mini, itty bitty camcorders is all new to me, but here's my thinking and if you have thoughts or advice I would like to hear them.

In my case, with this camcorder, I'm thinking that recording onto the MEMORY STICK would be best choice? Mainly due to possible cold temps and with the rifle recoil. (When recording onto the memory stick there is no moving parts? I think? Is that correct? lol)

Looking forward to your thoughts. Thanks.
 
Mine is a DCR-DVD108, it has a memory card but will only take still pictures onto it. If yours will record video to memory stick, by all means do that, but ya might want to do a test run with it to see what kind of quality it videos at. If you have to use the mini-DVDs for the quality, they work great, only problem is to get them into an editing program, you have to finalize the disc, so it doesn't matter if ya have 45seconds or 45 minutes on the disc, once it's finalized it's done. Discs run about $3.50 each, which isn't too pricey but over the course of a hunting season would add up. The best of all worlds would be a hard drive camera, which I could get one of those for what I paid for my DVD camera 3 years ago. Probably going to be one of my next buys.

As for the camera mount, if ya do it like I have, the closer you bend the "C" to the scope and still keep the camera level and true, the better. It adds some off balance to the gun that you'll have to get use to. Isn't that bad when sitting and shooting, propping on your knees, but offhand shooting with the extra top weight can feel a bit funny.

If ya have any further questions or help, don't hesitate to ask.

Nick T
 
Good info Nick. Thanks.

I just got this cam so I'm not positive, but I think I read where this one will record video onto the stick. You might be right with the quality not being very good though on the stick. I also agree that a hard drive would probably be the way to go. I've heard that they are much easier to do the editing on also. The main reason I got this Sony is because it does have a view finder that you can look through to take a video. I always have a terrible time seeing any kind of LCD screen outdoors. I could not find any of the HDD cams that have a viewfinder.

Have you used it on anything besides a .22 rimfire? I'm wondering about something with a little more recoil, like a .22 cal. centerfire or worse yet a 12ga shotgun messing with the recording on the spinning disc. Or even possibly screwing up the cam. May not be a concern. I don't know.

Guess I better get busy and read the manual and try the thing out.

By the way, the wife and I were in wallyword this afternoon and I saw an little tiny Sony video camera that ONLY recorded onto some kind of memory card (memory stick duo?). Man that thing was little. Get this. Not that you would ever want or need it for filming a hunt, but it's capable of 60 (SIXTY) power optical zoom. I saw several manufactures new cameras with 60 power optical capability. I suppose that will be the new selling point for this Christmas season. I was most impressed by the size and the fact there would be no moving parts(I presume). Price of $269 seemed reasonable too. I'm sure it will be cheaper for the Christmas sales too.

Thanks again.
 
Quote:If you have to use the mini-DVDs for the quality, they work great, only problem is to get them into an editing program, you have to finalize the disc,

Won't it record to CD R/W discs? I have no idea, but I own a Sony Mavica still camera, and it will use them. Once the pictures are downloaded, I format the disc and use it again.
It's been formatted and re-used about 20 times so far.
If I take 5 shots, I can finalize the disc, download, re-format and it doesn't cost me a penny for a new disc.

I looked up the specs and found this:

The Sony DCR-DVD108 uses DVD-R/+R/-RW/+RW and + DL 8cm discs to capture video.

But of course, that could be incorrect.

But I bet it ain't.
wink.gif
 
Originally Posted By: doggin coyotesGood info Nick. Thanks.

I just got this cam so I'm not positive, but I think I read where this one will record video onto the stick. You might be right with the quality not being very good though on the stick. I also agree that a hard drive would probably be the way to go. I've heard that they are much easier to do the editing on also. The main reason I got this Sony is because it does have a view finder that you can look through to take a video. I always have a terrible time seeing any kind of LCD screen outdoors. I could not find any of the HDD cams that have a viewfinder.

Have you used it on anything besides a .22 rimfire? I'm wondering about something with a little more recoil, like a .22 cal. centerfire or worse yet a 12ga shotgun messing with the recording on the spinning disc. Or even possibly screwing up the cam. May not be a concern. I don't know.

Guess I better get busy and read the manual and try the thing out.

By the way, the wife and I were in wallyword this afternoon and I saw an little tiny Sony video camera that ONLY recorded onto some kind of memory card (memory stick duo?). Man that thing was little. Get this. Not that you would ever want or need it for filming a hunt, but it's capable of 60 (SIXTY) power optical zoom. I saw several manufactures new cameras with 60 power optical capability. I suppose that will be the new selling point for this Christmas season. I was most impressed by the size and the fact there would be no moving parts(I presume). Price of $269 seemed reasonable too. I'm sure it will be cheaper for the Christmas sales too.

Thanks again.

I understand where ya are coming from on the LCD, they're not really made for viewing outside. What I usually so is before I start my hunt, I'll check the camera by looking at a stump or something at the range I'm expecting to get most my shots with the LCD and make sure that the scope and camera are working together, then I adjust the zoom to what I want it to be, close the LCD and shut the camera off. When I get a target in range, I just put the scope on it, turn the camera on, and hit record, everything stays at the preset as long as ya don't bump the camera. The 60X zoom would be nice, expecially if someone was doing long range predator hunting or ground squirrel hunting out west, and I wouldn't mind a little extra power myself from time to time. Not sure on how these cams would handle higher end recoil as I have only used mine on .22s. Ya might only have fun once, and then have a very mad wife up until ya exchanged for a new camera at Walmart. Shoot me a picture when ya get your camera mount built. If you haven't bought any editing software, Sony Vegas Movie Studio is a good one, plenty of buttons and whistles if ya want them, but still not too hard to learn for simple editing nad splicing.

Originally Posted By: Evil_Lurker Quote:If you have to use the mini-DVDs for the quality, they work great, only problem is to get them into an editing program, you have to finalize the disc,

Won't it record to CD R/W discs? I have no idea, but I own a Sony Mavica still camera, and it will use them. Once the pictures are downloaded, I format the disc and use it again.
It's been formatted and re-used about 20 times so far.
If I take 5 shots, I can finalize the disc, download, re-format and it doesn't cost me a penny for a new disc.

I looked up the specs and found this:

The Sony DCR-DVD108 uses DVD-R/+R/-RW/+RW and + DL 8cm discs to capture video.

But of course, that could be incorrect.

But I bet it ain't.
wink.gif


Evil, I haven't ever seen a DVD-RW but if I find one I will definately scarf it up, that would save a load of time and $$ if I can unfinalize it. This dig recorder I have will only record to DVD, not CDs.

Nick T
 
If your looking for more squirrel hunters to talk to, Rimfirecentral.com has several guys over there too. It's a great website.
 
Originally Posted By: LeviSSIf your looking for more squirrel hunters to talk to, Rimfirecentral.com has several guys over there too. It's a great website.

I frequent there also, just looking for more folks that share the love for the sport.

Nick T
 
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