116 PETERSENÕSBOWHUNTING 09 • 20 19
FIELD
TESTED
the impact of small errors in range estimation and helping you avoid
potential obstructions along the arrow’s flight path.
Airstrike shafts also feature Ballistic Collars that slide over the
inserts to protect the front of the shaft, Nock Collars to protect the
rear of the shaft and a friction-reducing Dyna-Tek Slick Shield Coat-
ing that makes them extremely easy to remove from targets during
range sessions. Airstrike shafts are available in four spine sizes —
250 (9.6 gpi), 300 (8.5 gpi), 340 (7.8 gpi) and 400 (7.2 gpi) — and
can be purchased as bare shafts or factory fletched with your choice
of a 3- or 4-vane configuration.
I’ve been shooting Airstrike 340 arrows with a 4-vane factory
fletch since spring and have been extremely impressed. These shafts
fly like darts out of my bow, group extremely well at long range, have
a noticeable penetration advantage compared to most of the other
arrows my friends shoot and are extremely easy to pull from targets
thanks to the Dyna-Tek Slick Shield Coating. Back in June, I used the
Airstrikes on a spot-and-stalk hunt for free-range axis deer in Texas
and was extremely impressed with the way they performed. At 35
yards, I was able to make a great shot on a dandy buck, and the shaft
drove my broadhead right through the vitals and into the opposite
shoulder, resulting in a quick kill on an animal that made it only about
60 yards. — Editor Christian Berg
MSRP: $199.99 per 12 (bare shafts); various other options
available
Contact: Gold Tip, 800-551-0541; goldtip.com
TheProofis in the Pixels
Being a bit of an old-timer, my usage of trail cameras
has only recently made it onto the scale of normalcy.
Always relying on woods savvy over gadgets, it has
been hard for me to embrace certain technologies in
my pursuit of bowhunting gratification. Nowadays, how-
ever, trail cameras provide me with a “brand new” form
of excitement in my well-worn outdoor life. As a matter
of fact, I now find myself as excited about “pulling cards”
as I am about taking my bow to the woods. Can you
believe that?
Recently, I tried the Proof cameras from Primos; you
know, that bunch of good ol’ Southern boys who’ve been in the hunt-
ing industry seemingly forever. I found all three cameras in the Proof
Gen 2 line — the Proof 01, Proof 02 and Proof 03 BLACKOUT — to
be more than sufficient in meeting my demands for performance and
dependability.
Of all the Proof cameras’ selling points, their simple controls are at
the top of my list. With these cameras, there is no need to spend time
browsing through a bunch of menu options, most of which you will
never use anyway. With the Proof Gen 2 cameras, just flip the power
switch on, slide three illuminated switches to set primary functions
and you are good to go. I jokingly call these units “old man” cameras
because they are so simple to use, and as such, they are usually the
first ones I reach for from among the many units in my stockpile. They
do what I want easily and efficiently and don’t hammer my wallet in
the process.
All Proof cameras are equipped with an auto-exposure function
and shoot clear images, with resolutions of 12-16MP depending on
the model. The Proof 01 and 02 feature 36 low-glow LEDs with a
nighttime illumination range of 80 and 100 feet, respectively, while
the Proof 03 BLACKOUT features 60 no-glow LEDs
with a nighttime illumination range of 100 feet. Color
and contrast are excellent on all models, and with fast
recovery times and trigger speeds ranging from .3- to
.7-second, you won’t have to worry about missing any
of the fast-paced action often associated with rutting
whitetails. I’ve encountered few “blank shots” with my
Proof cams.
For example, on my annual Arizona Coues deer out-
ing last January, I threw my Proof cams in my backpack
and covered many miles of rugged terrain, bouncing
the cameras merrily along every step of my way. The
cameras took the abuse without complaint and provided me with
many awesome 720p HD videos of Coues bucks running to and
fro after skittish females. The cameras also captured video footage
of a host of other wildlife, from bull elk sparring to a mountain lion
stalking squirrels to turkeys fighting. All of this footage was provided
in rich color and detail, and none of the animals showed a disdain
for the nighttime illumination. By the time the cameras left the field
— after six unbroken weeks spent enduring a variety of conditions
including a prolonged winter storm that dumped two feet of snow
— they had all performed flawlessly. Topping off such stellar perfor-
mance, the units retained 90 percent of their battery life. What more
could I hope for?
If you’re like me and don’t enjoy wasting time messing around with
technology — especially complicated features you don’t need — then
the Primos Proof Gen 2 cameras may well be what you’re looking
for. — Field Editor Eddie Claypool
MSRP: $99 (Proof 01); $129 (Proof 02);
$149 (Proof 03 BLACKOUT)
Contact: Primos, 601-879-9323; primos.com
