A New Hogg...

A New Hogg is in town!

I was pleased to see a package on my doorstep on Friday night...I was even more pleased once I opened it! The new Tommy Hogg.


I quickly tore into the packaging and started getting it figured out. Once again, I was blown away by the rugged design that still felt as smooth as butter.



Saturday morning I found myself at the local archery shop. There I removed the ol' Spot-Hogg and readied the bow for the new one.

After searching the entire store, we finally found a plum surface to set the level on the 2nd & 3rd axis.

Now with the new Tommy Hogg installed, the bow sat ready for a launch sequence.






With the hip quiver loaded, I proceeded to start the sight-in process.





With a couple groups under my belt, it was time to step back a few yards.




I am now ready and waiting for Spring Bear season...

Born And Raised Outdoors hits Bowcast.com

It seems that more and more guys and gals are either starting to film their own hunts, or starting to get serious about it. As I know I have interest in this subject as well as many others, I asked my buddy Kody Kellom, Co-founder of Born and Raised Outdoors, http://bornandraisedoutdoors.com/, to do a Q&A about some common filming inquiries, as well as some behind-the-scenes type questions about what it’s like to be part of an outdoor video team.

Joe: Kody, first off, thanks for doing this man!

Kody: It is my pleasure, thanks for bringing me on!

Joe: So to start this off let’s get a little background on yourself, and how the desire to have your own outdoor film company came about?

Kody: Well, I have had a bow in my hand since the age of 4 and bowhunting big game since the ripe young age of 12. My Dad has had a huge influence on my life and why I call myself a die-hard bowhunter. I have been involved in the industry for 12 years now as I worked in an archery shop during high school and college, helping expand my knowledge and love for the sport.

I have been fortunate to be successful in the field over the years, but since I picked up a camera 4 years ago, the game has changed. Our goal at Born And Raised Outdoors is to capture the adventure, the raw emotion, and highs and lows of the hunt. These alone have pushed us to the next level of hunting and filming.

Joe: How did the B.R.O. crew come together?

Kody: When I met Andrea, who now is my wife, she introduced to her twin sister’s husband, Trent Fisher. We started to hunt together every bow season, having some great experiences and success. I had also been a long-time hunting partner with Ty Stubblefield, which I introduced to Trent and his older brother Treavor Fisher. We all clicked together and when we hit the woods together, it was game on. With an idea spurred from Trent and Treavor, we jumped in head over heels days before the 2007 bow season and ordered a camera.

Since that first season filming, we have added an additional hardcore bowhunter, Steve Howard. The rest is history!

Joe: What was your guys’ first camera? And since then what type equipment are you running now?

Kody: Our first camera was a Canon GL2, which we drug through the dust, rain, and snow with no troubles. It was tough as nails, great starter camera. Our progression in filming has led us to shooting in all HD. We have since sold the GL2 and now roll with a Canon XHA1 and a couple of HV 40’s. The small compact size of the HV40, compliment the XHA1 with quality footage.

We have learned through trial and errors that audio is a huge element in producing quality films. The camera microphone just doesn’t cut it. We have since upgraded our audio system to Sennheiser wireless and shotgun microphones.

Another key to quality footage is a fluid head tripod and monopod. Steady shots will make the footage that much better. We run Manfrotto tripods and monopods. They are light weight and stout as hell.

Joe: Obviously, just like a bowhunters first kill, the first kill you are able to capture on camera is something special…describe that hunt:

Kody: We packed the camera that first season with some close calls but no success. Some missed shots and thick brush; we just couldn’t close the deal. Finally with the end of elk season fast approaching, it all came together. I was the shooter, Trent was running the camera, and Treavor was on the calls. After locating the herd a mile away and darkness quickly approaching, we went for the run and gun technique. Pushing it as hard as we could, it all came together. The 7 x 5 bull stepped in the open; I ranged it, drew and shot. This was all captured over the shoulder! It turned out amazing!

We were pumped. All of the sweat, blood, and tears actually came through on tape. We couldn’t have been proud of that accomplishment, a nice Roosevelt bull killed on camera. It set the stage for the rest of the week, killing 3 more bulls on camera the last three days of season.

Joe: For guys looking to buy a camera, with budget in mind…what type of camera setup would you suggest investing in?

Kody: Like I mentioned before, Canon’s HV 40 is a great camera. With a budget of $1000, you can get a killer set-up. Do yourself a favor and buy a Sennheiser MKE 400 small compact shotgun mic. It will compliment the set-up perfectly.

If you don’t have a tripod, get one. Shaky footage can make a big buck or bull irrelevant if it is shaky. There are also many do-it-yourself camera rigs that can improve your shots and give you the big budget film effect with little out of pocket expense.

Joe: Obviously, laying down the footage is one thing, but once you sit down to edit, a bunch of work sits in front of you…do you guys do your own editing?

Kody: We do almost all of our own editing…the learning curve has been huge and by no means do I have it mastered. The biggest thing for us is having the creative control to make the film our own. We do sub out some of the graphics, as this supersedes my creative talents and available time to learn.

I absolutely love editing video and making the viewer feel the sore muscles, blisters, as we push ourselves to accomplish success. It is that sole reason that we do our own editing.

With having a full-time job outside of BRO, it causes me to have some late nights pouring over the clips and making the next scene just right.

Joe: How many hours of footage did you guys run to come up with your first video, Tagged Out, a 55 minute production?

Kody: Well, we ended up with 36 hours of hunting footage for our first video. After the season we sat down and rolled the camera recalling every detail of the hunt to help the viewer feel a part of our journey. At the end, we felt that we had a solid video that keeps the viewers’ attention from start to finish. All in all I think we ended up with about 45 hours of tape to sort through, which seemed like a daunting task until this year. I am currently sorting through 112 hours of hunting footage for our next project. I can’t wait to get it complete!

Joe: Gear wise, what suggestions would you make as far as small differences in products that pay big dividends?

Kody: Audio quality is huge. Without sound, the viewer is lost in a mix of clips and music. Spend the extra money and get good quality mics. The other thing to consider is a clean lens. A good friend once suggested carrying a small pack of Kleenex, since that day we all pack one easily accessible in the heat of the moment, so we don’t have a dirty lens.

Another item that we all carry is at least 3 spare tapes and extended life batteries. In cold weather, the battery life diminishes faster than normal. Without a battery and tape, then you don’t have a functional camera.

Another must is a pen. Every time that tape comes out of the camera, label it in detail; Date, location, subject and any other vital information. This will pay off when you start chopping footage.

Joe: All in all, what is the most satisfying part of the whole videography, and production process??

Kody: When a hunt finally comes together perfectly, and it is all captured on film, makes it all worth it. Success is one thing but being able to share that experience with the viewer is the most rewarding thing. When the finished product is able to make the viewer feel the tense moments before the shot, and disappointment of blown opportunities, it puts a smile on our face.

Joe: What is the little pearl of wisdom you would give bowhunters who are wanting to video their hunts?

Kody: Press record! Press record! Press record! We have had some amazing opportunities to film some great encounters and even kills, but the cameraman gets wrapped up in the hunt rather than filming. It is a tough one to balance, but if it is your turn to run the camera, leave the bow, binos, and calls back at camp. Focus solely on the adventure and how you can capture it on film. Go prepared, if you know some shots that you will encounter during the hunt write them down and compile a shot list.

We do not recreate anything after the shot, as we get tired of seeing a bow drawn with the wrong number of arrows or different setting. Viewers are keen hunters who observe their surroundings; you can’t fake them out with some cheesy acting or reenactments.

Joe: We have talked, and you told me that you will be releasing another DVD this summer, can you fill the BowCasters in on this…when, name, a little piece of secret info?

Kody: We are very excited about our next project to say the least. It has been two years in the making as we chased Roosevelt Elk in every possible terrain the Oregon Coast can throw at us. The film is called, “The Reason” which encompasses every reason bowhunter s do we do what we do for success! We face adversity of fire danger, closing the public access to vehicles. It is an adventure into the backcountry on our mountain bikes. We adapt and prevail in the end. We hope to release it this June…

Joe: What hunts does the B.R.O. crew have going this fall?

Kody: We just received draw results from Wyoming and we struck out. Plan B is a Nevada Backcountry Mule deer hunt. We have a high probability of drawing and it will be a blast. 10,000 ft, 10 days and a crew of five pushing it as hard as we can.

We will also be doing our thing chasing Roosevelt Elk and Blacktail deer here in Southern Oregon. It is always fun and very rewarding! With that said, I can’t wait for opening day!

Joe: Cool, thanks a bunch Kody for coming in and sharing some great info on filming hunts! I’m sure a lot of guys will dig this stuff and find it very beneficial in being able to video their hunts, whether it be for personal viewing, or a small production company! Best of luck to yourself and the BRO crew in the future!

Kody: Thanks a bunch for this opportunity to bring the BRO crew’s lifestyle to Bowcast!