Nothing But Daylight
GoHunt
1 Episode - 40:59

I love 40-45 minute films. It’s long enough to tell a good story, but doesn’t include a lot of extras. It’s tight and clean. This is a testament to good editing, not a result of poor attention span. The writing process often includes understanding the value of cutting. Writing 1000 words then cutting to 600 consolidates meaning and adds clarity. However, that doesn’t mean a film has to be 40 minutes.

If there was any indication I was going to enjoy the film it was because there wasn’t a shot of the moose in the Anchorage Airport, however it is a little sad that the Kotzebue hunt is no longer open to non-federally qualified hunters. The dark humor of being eaten by a bear comes off as a little more honest than showy. It openly confronts something that hunters in high population areas have to prepare for at least and likely ponder more than they let on.

This really does feel like some dudes on a hunt with a camera man, rather than an advertisement, set on a hunt with a couple of hosts. Confident guys on the tundra looking for “a good representation of the species” as Trail says. Unlike the Gritty film in which there are shooters right off the bat, this remote location offers the almost immediate conflict regarding an early move. Do you take the first decent bull, or be selective. That creates an interesting subplot going forward and you wonder who might regret passing.

I like the layered storytelling, so as the action is happening, there’s also narration when needed to fill in gaps. Sometimes clips in the field meant to fill in the view ends up being confusing or choppy. It also takes away from the experience when you’re being talked to as a viewer. When one hunter explains something to another hunter, that’s one thing. When a hunter breaks from reality to explain something for the show it becomes more of a show. This is personal preference, but I like it when it seems the hunter needs to be focused on the hunt rather than the show. This is probably because the second I attempt to complicate things, I screw up. It creates a feeling of priorities.

After the initial success the film drags on in a way that tells the story. This is where reality splits from fiction. Conflict has to drive plot and something has to happen to keep people interested. But anyone who has hunted knows there comes a lull. Maybe it’s waiting a few hours for the evening pop or a day for the rain to stop. This is a difficult thin for a hunting film because it has to provide enough to tell the story that is relatable without sucking the energy from the film. Too much tent talk or inside jokes and it drags. This film doesn’t drag.

The footage of Trail’s stalk and shot with his bow are sweet, same with Chris’s. It ends up being a perfect example of how a hunt can go – get caribou down with the rifle, then work hard to finish off the trip. They don’t always work out like this film doesn’t reinforce unreasonable expectations. Everything worked out because the hunters played things out as they should have. They stayed at it, didn’t cheat the experience, endured some misery but ultimately were there to make it happen and did.

*Note – I have written a few articles for GoHunt but this is not a paid piece and was done without consent, permission or compensation.