iPhone Tricks, For Hunters

My dad liked to say, "You get what you pay for!" The iPhone and contract are relatively expensive. I don't use a phone a lot. I had to learn about the iPhone tricks before I could justify the expense.

The video below was shot with my iPhone mounted to my bow.
The camera's wide angle lens makes the distances appear much greater. The closest doe is about 8 yards from me, the one turning broadside which I missed about 18.

I use the Glif a simple little tripod mount for the iPhone. It works well and seems secure, but when I mount it to something which moves, I put a wide rubber band around the iPhone and it for a more secure mount.

I put the Glif on my cap's bill first! The extra weight of it and the iPhone drove me nuts, so that didn't work for me.

Next I found a way to attach the iPhone to my bow. That's the way this one was shot. It worked pretty well for taking video/pictures, but not so much for hunting.

Now I've started using a small tripod which folds up and has a velcro strap. The velcro strap allows me to wrap it around a nearby limb, branch... and attach the iPhone.

I hunt on the ground and sometimes a deer is close before I can turn on the video. I can't move! Another distraction to me as a hunter...

I'm experimenting with an app: "OSnap!" which allows me to start the camera and it will take still pictures every few seconds till memory or batteries run out. I can "almost" forget the photography, hunt, and I may get a picture. Nothing's perfect!

This one small iPhone is a game call, GPS, still camera, video camera, weather service... Having one small mobile device able to do multiple task is very attractive. Many smart phones, and some other devices can do multitasking, but the iPhone tricks are many.

Among the best iPhone tricks are it's cameras. The iPhone 4 arguably has the best video and still camera combination of any smart phone. I was a professional for many years and know photography. I seldom use my better "real" cameras because the iPhone cameras are always in my pocket.

A simple, but great, iPhone trick or camera feature is a touch to the viewing screen exposures and focuses on the area touched. Holding your finger there a few seconds also locks it to that area. This gives the photographer some simple but important control. There are some apps which can enhance those controls and add new ones.

Many think a camera with a big megapixel count is important.
The truth is other features are more important to picture quality. My first digital camera had a 'real' 10x zoom lens, but only a 2 megapixel sensor.

If you were to look through the 16,000+ images on my computer up to full screen resolution, you would seldom be able to pick which pictures were made with that great old camera.

For making large prints more megapixels can be important; but otherwise they only take up more space on your computer and have little advantage. Five megapixels is plenty for most of us. Used correctly the iPhone camera can make very good pictures.

I've always thought 'digital zoom' was useless because you can do the same thing by cropping on your computer. I've now found a use for it. I can zoom a little and read very small print with my iPhone.

Don't zoom too much it makes the image hard to hold steady and read. It also makes it harder to steady the image when taking a picture. One reason I prefer to use computer cropping instead of digital zoom.

Many of us depend on technology today. A few years ago we found information in dictionaries, encyclopedias, the library... now it's on the net. We once had to remember phone numbers, or used the phone book... I don't even know my wife's phone number today... I just touch her name or picture...

Even my old "un-smart" cell phone could: make calls from the built-in address/phone book, had a clock/calendar, wake-up/reminder alarms, saved notes, sent messages, had a calculator, a camera...

Today's best smart phones allow you to use the internet fairly well. You can use Google maps or others to get your GPS location, find restaurants, motels, camping supplies, plan your route, how far... they may save you some time and frustration.

I believe there are apps. which will give 'voice' turn by turn navigation. You can check the weather where you are, or where you're going.

Once your leave your vehicle your iPhone with apps such as Cabela's Recon Hunt / Blood Trail makes it a hand-held GPS with way-points. You can mark places, for the shot, the hit, where you find blood, and it will help you find your way back to them. I have not fully tested it yet.

Primos and some other apps. turn your iPhone into a deer call, turkey call, predator call, quail call... I've seen applications on ballistics, sunrise/set times, moon tables... I believe there are over 200,000 apps.

The iPhone tricks go on, and on... If you get bored in camp you could be entertained with your own music, a podcast, movie, book, or audio book. There are deer hunting games along with thousands of other games.

I don't want to get carried away and make it appear perfect.
There are many other ways, and better ways to do most of these things, the iPhone camera does not have a telephoto lens which is needed for wildlife photography. Some apps and features need a WIFI connection, cell phone service; even the GPS doesn't work everywhere.

The point is that the iPhone tricks are many. Surely the individual dedicated devices are better at what they do, but I don't want to carry all those devices. I can carry one small iPhone.

It provides multiple sources of entertainment, education, and fun anywhere. Maps and a GPS in my truck, and a hand-held GPS for walking around in remote areas. An electronic game call with many different calls.
A very good video/still camera, and picture viewer...

The smart phone is replacing the PC for some people.
The newest iPhone can be used with a wireless (blue-tooth) keyboard... When at home we could add a monitor, use "the cloud" (internet) for data, data storage... we're almost there. It can't do it all, but it can do a lot.

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