ShotKam Guide for Turkey Hunting
Is your ShotKam ready for turkey season? In this blog, we cover settings and techniques to help you capture the action as an old tom struts into the decoys.
Pre-Game Prep
Many of the ShotKam settings and adjustments can be made the day before your hunt. That means one less thing to think about when you're focused on getting that turkey in the bag. ShotKam is designed to capture those moments in the field with minimal effort from the shooter. After following the setup tips below, all that’s left to do on the day of the hunt is turn the ShotKam ON and hope the turkeys cooperate.
You can also reference our Help Center article for turkey hunting for additional tips before heading into the field.
Charging and Mounting
First, fully charge your ShotKam using the provided USB cable and wall adapter. Once plugged in, a flashing red LED will appear. Allow it to charge for up to three hours or until the flashing red LED turns solid.
Mount the ShotKam to your firearm 3 to 7 inches from the muzzle. As mentioned in our “Top Tip” blog, the provided Allen driver can double as a 5-inch gauge when measuring from the handle to the tip, helping ensure consistent mounting every time.
Connect to the ShotKam App
With the ShotKam charged and mounted, start with the camera off and hold the power button for three seconds until two LEDs appear to activate WiFi. Then connect your smartphone or tablet and open the ShotKam app.
The following settings are configured in the ShotKam app before your hunt.
Configure Settings in the ShotKam App
Target Type
Navigate to Settings, then under Target Type select Ground Game. This adjusts the recording duration to 15 seconds before and 20 seconds after the shot. We recommend this setting for turkey hunting, as it provides plenty of pre- and post-shot footage in a single clip. Multiple shots taken within 10 seconds will save as one continuous video.
Gun Type
This may seem self-explanatory, but selecting the correct firearm type is essential for optimizing performance. Choosing the correct gun type ensures the ShotKam anticipates the expected recoil and reliably activates recording.
Wake-Up Sensitivity
Next, adjust the wake-up sensitivity. There are two options, depending on your shooting style.
If you plan to lightly bump the gun to wake it from sleep mode, select High sensitivity. This allows the ShotKam to wake with minimal movement.
If you prefer to remain completely still and not worry about waking the device, select Sleep Disabled. This keeps the ShotKam awake continuously and buffering video in memory so it can immediately save footage once a shot is fired. When a shot is detected, the camera will save 15 seconds before the shot and 20 seconds after to the internal memory.
Pros and Cons: Sleep Disabled maximizes your chance of capturing the shot. However, battery life will be reduced to approximately two hours since sleep mode is turned off.
Reticle Selection
Choose the reticle style you prefer for your videos. The subtle Red Dot is a great option for showing shooting data with minimal distraction. Others may prefer larger Crosshairs or removing the reticle entirely for clean, unobstructed footage. To remove the reticle completely, open the Reticle settings and select OFF.
This comes down to personal preference. However, if hunting with a bow we recommend turning the Reticle OFF, as the distance to the target affects arrow flight and the reticle may not accurately represent the point of impact.
Video Quality
In the Advanced Settings menu, you can adjust video quality and zoom. Your choice will depend on your shooting location and expected engagement distance, but the default 2.7K setting is recommended for turkey hunting.
You can select 4K video, but this reduces the frame rate to 60 fps, compared to 120 fps in 2.7K. Since most computer screens and mobile devices do not display true 4K resolution, we typically recommend prioritizing the higher frame rate for smoother playback.
Crosshair Calibration
Once your settings are finalized, the last step before your hunt is calibrating the reticle to your firearm. Select the Calibrate option in the app and follow the instructions provided.
For different calibration methods, check out our “Bench,” “Buddy System,” and “Lone Wolf” approaches in our Tips and Tricks blog.
Constant Record
There may be times when you want more control over when ShotKam starts and stops recording. For example, you might want to capture birds working the decoys without firing a shot, or eliminate the need to bump the gun to wake the camera.
In these situations, use ShotKam’s Constant Record mode. To begin continuous recording, start with the ShotKam fully OFF, then quickly double-click the control button within 1 second. A solid green LED and flashing blue LED will appear, indicating recording is in progress. Press the button once to stop recording, and press it again to power off.
Extended use of Constant Record Mode will reduce battery life to about 2 hours. Videos are automatically saved in 20-minute segments to manage file size and storage. Because these files are much larger than standard shot-triggered clips, they are best downloaded and viewed on a computer using the USB cable, rather than transferring them to a mobile device over WiFi, which can take significantly longer.
Pro Tips
Keep it charged – Fully charge your ShotKam before heading out to maximize battery life during the hunt.
Bring a USB power bank – A portable power bank can help top off the battery between setups or locations.
Power down when not in position – Turning off the ShotKam when not actively hunting will help conserve battery life during long days in the field.
Secure the back cap – Make sure the back cap is properly installed and tightened to protect the electronics from the elements.
Constant Record Mode – For videos captured using this mode, you may find it quicker to download the videos using a computer due to the larger file size.
With your settings dialed in and your ShotKam fully charged, you’re ready for your next turkey hunting adventure.
You are reading:
