I love old hunting logs and journals. Like hunting photos, there is an interesting authentic quality to them. They put you in that place; that day, that outdoor space. I can’t help but wonder what Theodore Roosevelt, Fred Bear, or my grandfathers would think about today’s digital versions of hunting and the outdoor experience. In a world of crystal-clear digital channels and social media, great imagery and hunting stories are readily available.
Call me old-fashioned, but they don’t hold a candle to the memories shared through old verbal, hand-written, and photo accounts of time in the field. I often ponder how awesome it would be to have written versions of my father’s and grandfather’s hunting adventures. I know the verbal versions sure were great. Don’t misunderstand me, I love the digital world and the role it plays in hunting and the outdoors. As such, I’m a chronic consumer of hunting videos, articles, and podcasts. I also keep journals.
I’m a contradictory sort for sure.
Nevertheless, in my mind, there are several reasons to employ journals as part of your outdoor arsenal – based on both utility and nostalgia.
Journals pair well with photos. Therefore, they’re a great companion for digiscoping. It’s academic. Digiscoping affords you the ability to visually capture outdoor creatures, objects, and features. It does so through the magnification from connecting your smartphone to your optics. Journals and logs can spice things up by further documenting the hunt or other adventures.
Write it Down
When journaling and notetaking outdoors, there are no rules regarding format. From cheap spiral notebooks to leather portfolios, they all work. Team them with your outdoor images and they enhance memories, helping you to remember those precious days in the backcountry, hunting lease, or vacation.
Compliment your digiscoped outdoor images with written descriptions and thoughts.
If you are like me, you remember parts of many hunts – the operative word being parts. Recounting all the details and nuances of past hunts (even from last season) is impossible.
Document them with a pencil or pen. It’s not about grammar or penmanship, rather capturing memories or gleaning useful information; before it’s too late.
Commemorating Outdoor Moments
Bring your Phone Skope kit along with you outdoors and snap off images that represent that special day or moment; then, write them down. Give your images a boost by describing things such as the skies, temperatures, occasion, and location. Describe your thoughts. Why not?
Add a descriptive boost to your images by using a journal or log to describe the moment.
The point is to supercharge the imagery you’ve captured via smartphone and optics. It doesn’t take much time or effort. You can do so in the moment or following the outing. Both digiscoping and journaling are great outdoor endeavors. Leverage them together by including hard-copy images inside the journal.
An Old-School Hunting Tool
I do all kinds of journaling. I also do a lot of hunting. With hunting comes the need for information. That’s why many hunters own gobs of trail cameras. However, all too often, they depend on their memory abilities.
Both digiscoping and journaling help to gather valuable information that can make or break hunting success. Whether chasing deer, elk, or another game animal, digiscoping is a boots-on-the-ground method of viewing your quarry and other variables. So is journaling. Jotting down hunting variables such as weather conditions, hunting locations, date, and time. Being armed with such information results in a great resource for hunts to come.
Along with your digiscoping setup, use a journal or log to record hunting data.
Digiscoping allows you to see the action live. Hence, it gives you helpful information such as the direction the animal approached from. Understanding travel patterns is golden information. Use your journal or log to complete the picture.
While this is the more utility-based reason to journal and digiscope, add a touch of nostalgia. Remember that cool damp November morning when you captured “Moses”, the old 8-pointer that hadn’t been seen in weeks. Describe it.
Much like the sophisticated hunting apps we see today, use your journal and images as a scouting tool. Call it a more authentic way to form a plan of action.
Passing on an Heirloom
Put simply, journaling gives our successors the opportunity to find remnants of our life passion. When my daughters were little, they loved going through my hunting bag and tackle box. The curious looks on their faces were priceless. Hopefully, one day they will do this again. Further, I hope they come across and read my old journals; and share them. Whether it contains hunting stories, general thoughts for the given day, or simple hunting data, it’s meaningful to loved ones.
If such things as hunting, conservation, and nature are a large part of your identity, pass them on. It will pay dividends toward our hunting and outdoor heritage. However, remember, this team of pen and camera effectively captures vacations, hikes, and trips to the beach; any form of outdoor adventure or leisure.
Remember to pack both your journal and digiscoping gear on your next outdoor exploit. Talk about inspiration and respect for the outdoor lifestyle.
Capture, record, and share; and don’t forget your journal.