Collin Cottrell

A big Osceola gobbler was getting closer and closer. I looked over at Robert to make sure he had the camera ready to go. He did. Another loud gobble rang and my heart was beginning to thump. I put my facemask over my nose to make sure I was totally covered and slowly looked out the Double Bull Blind window. Another thunder gobble went off and there he was coming around the corner, with his buddy jake. I looked back over at the camera and looked straight into the lens and said, “here he comes!” I hooked my release and prepared my hand to pull my Alpine bow off the ground and pull back simultaneously.

The big gobbler took a few more quick steps and got to the decoy and turned his back to me. That was my chance to make a move. I put my first pin on his vitals and let my Victory arrow/Grim Reaper broadhead combo rip right through him! He went 15 yards and did a “head-over-heals” into the tall grass. Game over!

Last spring was one of my best turkey seasons ever. I owe the lasting memories to a great cameraman/partner-in-crime named Robert Hoague and 2 great products from Vanguard.

Top Notch Hunting Tripod
This spring on the Bowhunting.Net Grand Slam turkey hunt, I was able to test out a great new tripod from Vanguard. The Alta+ 233AO was a perfect partner for my Canon camera to capture our hunts on HD video. The first thing you notice is how lightweight and compact the Alta+ 233AO is. It was especially easy to pack around in my Badlands pack along with the rest of our hunting gear. Another important feature to have in a hunting tripod is camera vibration/shock control. You will not have to worry about the Alta+ 233AO making any unwanted noises in “crunch time.” The foam grim legs help with quiet and easy handling. Lastly, I really liked the quality of the tripod head. It has a larger camera plate and the professional fluid head feature will optimize adjustments and provide great pre and post-shoot precision. Affordable price for such a quality product makes the Alta+ 233AO a top notch hunting tripod and I would recommend it to anyone.

Your Camera Bag Is Important Too
Traveling around from state-to-state in the spring trying to kill all 4 subspecies of turkeys for the Grand Slam can also make for many unwanted opportunities to damage your high quality camera equipment. I tested out the Vanguard Up-Rise 18 Camera Bag while we were on the road and I was more than impressed in it’s performance. The Up-Rise 18 is originally for a DLSR type camera, lens, and accessories. I used it for my Canon Vixia HFS10 and it fit perfectly and worked great. I was able to fit my camera, charger, extra batteries, SD cards, and other accessories with no problems. The UP-Rise 18 is a combination of uncompromising quality and protection plus a new sleek and sporty design that appeals to enthusiasts and professionals alike! Not to mention, it has a limited lifetime warranty.

If you are looking for 2 great products for videoing your hunts this fall, take a look at the Vanguard Alta+ 233AO tripod and the Up-Rise 18 camera bag.

Good luck this season!

Collin Cottrell
Bowhunting.Net

Check out more about Vanguard hunting products at www.vanguardworld.com