Vortex Nation Podcast

Shooting fish underwater in Louisiana, finding Mil-Surp rifles in garbage cans at Sears and ultimately, becoming one of the most respected and most famous competition and world-record breaking shooters around, Jerry Miculek has had quite the interesting life. That's why it was our pleasure to host him on this special podcast where we not only attempted to scratch the surface of his life story, but also asked him what it is about that super-computer-of-a-brain of his that allows him to shoot so darn fast and how he actually goes about getting himself in the right mindset to be one of the best shooters in history. Whether you shoot competitively or not, this is one you absolutely don't want to miss.Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-nation-podcast

Rob Morell from our Product Development team joins Jimmy and Mark once again to give us the 10 minute crash course in magnifiers for red dots. In the wake of our fresh Micro 3x Magnifier release, we ask Rob some of the technical questions behind magnifiers, what they are, how they work and what’s so special about this new Micro 3x? A few misconceptions even get debunked in this short amount of time. Want more magnifier conversation? Let us know! Maybe these deserve a full episode, too?

In typical “One, Two, Skip a few” fashion, Jimmy and Mark fast forward you back to HQ after the Vortex Extreme to give a run down on everything that happened from the moment those reloads left the press to the moment they crossed the finish line at the Vortex Extreme. How did it go? What tips/tricks would they give to the next group of newbie reloaders looking to take their new-found skills to a competition? Would they actually ever do this again? And as we answer those questions, it brings us to the conclusion of our very first podventure. What did you guys think of the series? Are you looking forward to more? Hopefully so, because, well… Whether you like it or not, we have more of these in the works! If you loved this, we’d love to hear your feedback, too, on ideas for future podventures – They could be competition-related, hunting-related, food-related, who knows! As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Semi-Live! Jimmy and Mark are joined by Ryan Muckenhirn to actually go ahead and reload their very first cartridges on the single stage press. We take you through every step of the process, from taking a once-fired piece of brass, spent primer still in the pocket, to dropping in a fresh, red-tipped Hornady 140 grain ELD Match bullet and adding it to the “Done” bin. No practice rounds were done before this one – this is literally Mark and Jimmy’s first ever reloaded rounds. Let’s hope they shoot! As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Jimmy and Mark are joined by Nick Laufenberg, Ryan Hey of Magnetospeed and Tony Palzkill of… Well, we can’t say what Tony does… To talk about the best way of going about reloading to find the absolute best ammo for their particular rifles. We got the stuff to physically reload a round of ammunition, but there’s a lot of strategy and testing that actually goes into making sure you’re loading the right round. Rarely does anyone toss together a perfect recipe for their exact rifle and application in reloading on the first try. Sure, you can always follow the factory recommended loads to get something that works, but that will almost surely leave room for further improvement. If you’re like us, you know you want to load the most precise, consistent and predictable rounds possible – These guys explain exactly how to get there and make that happen. As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Jimmy, Mark, Ryan Muckenhirn and listener as well as two-time guest, Trent Brenny, go into detail on the pencil dive, the cannon ball and the full-on head-first swan dive (Good, better and best) of reloading kits, detailing literally every single piece of gear necessary for you to get the job done. This has been one of Jimmy and Mark’s classic go-to excuses for not reloading – “It’s too complicated”, “There’s too many pieces of equipment to buy and I don’t know what to get”, “Everyone we talk to says we need something different”, etc. No more excuses – You can even get the job done with a $30 Lee Classic Kit and a hammer, which we even demonstrate in this episode! As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Jimmy and Mark express why they’re feeling cautiously optimistic going into one of their biggest challenges yet – Reloading their own ammo by hand in preparation for one of the toughest long range shooting events around in the Vortex Extreme. Both have had a loose interest in the hobby and have admired from afar for quite some time, but have yet to actually take the leap until now.

You’ve heard the full-length episodes, you’ve tuned in for #10MinuteTalks, now get yourself ready for an all-encompassing, fully-in-depth experience with Podventures. What’s a podventure? The story of a hunt, competition or anything else hunting/shooting/food-related told over the series of more than one podcast to dive deep into nearly every single detail, each adventure having its own unique twist, most likely putting Jimmy and/or Mark completely out of their comfort zone for your learning and entertainment. Each series will be released over the course of just a week, making for a truly binge-worthy listening experience.

Coming to you from just beside stage 10 of the Vortex Extreme 2019 on the Wagonhound Ranch in Wyoming, Mark, Jimmy and Nick Laufenberg take a moment to discuss changing ballistics with changing locations. Us flatlanders in Wisconsin came from around just shy of 900 feet of elevation at sight-in prior to heading out for the Extreme long range shooting competition in Wyoming, which is at an elevation of about 6,000 feet. Despite using the same guns and the same ammo controlled by the same shooters, the new location and different atmospherics gave us a significantly different ballistic solution to shoot with. Without updating, we’d have been shooting over the top of nearly every target! This is important information for every shooter, whether a competitive shooter or a hunter traveling away from home.

OK, so bow hunting has loosely been a part of some of our podcasts in the past, but never the sole focus of an entire episode. In this one, Jimmy, Mark and Erik go right at the subject, explaining the advantages, disadvantages, gear and strategies behind bow hunting and why, if you haven’t tried this form of hunting yet, you’re missing out on a HUGE portion of your potential hunting season.As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-nation-podcast

A few weeks back, Jimmy discussed the basic differences between MOA and MRAD, and what these two units of measure actually represent. In this episode, Jimmy is reunited with Mark to talk to another Jimmy (Stick with us here on the names…) from Vortex all about using MOA and MRAD for more than just holdovers and wind calls, but actually estimating the range and sometimes size of a target through your reticle as well.

Episode 88 of the Vortex Nation Podcast goes against the grain – rather than explaining the challenges hunters face when heading west for the first time, we dive into the intricacies western hunters encounter when coming to the Midwest for the first time. Small properties with limited space to roam, lots of hunters, and vastly different tactics can make bagging Midwestern critters a daunting task. Mark and Erik join Jimmy to explain some of these tactics, the gear you need, and proven tactics that’ll stack the odds in your favor.As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-nation-podcast

Jimmy and Mark join Ryan Muckenhirn for 10 minutes to talk about his ultra-mini camp stove, the Optimus Crux. When hunting in the backcountry, one needs a way to boil water, cook food and even warm a blind or a tent at times. Ryan, always a fan of tiny little tools, carries this incredibly small kit including his stove, fuel, cup and lighter with him on all his adventures. Hear how he chose this one, how he uses it, how quickly it can boil water and some of the other options out there that may be of interest to you!

If the idea of stocking your freezer full of free-range wild game and trying hunting for yourself is something you’ve been debating, a Learn to Hunt event is a great place to start! Emily Ihel, R3 Coordinator for the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources joins us on episode 87 to explain what a Learn to Hunt event is and why they’re a great resource to try hunting for first time hunters, especially those without prior experience or gear. Since we’re losing hunters faster than we can recruit them, these unconventional educational opportunities are shaping the future of introducing newcomers to the hunting lifestyle. In a matter of weeks, these hybrid courses combine classroom and field work to take newbies throughout the entire process, concluding with a hunt accompanied by a mentor.As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-nation-podcast

You’ve seen it discussed in marketing material, forum conversations and asked about in comments sections all over social media but it’s still kinda confusing. What is “Parallax Free” when it comes to red dots and holographic sights, why is it important, how does it work and is it truly actually “Parallax Free”? Rob Morell, director of Vortex product development, joins Jimmy and Mark to discuss the engineering and physics behind that phrase and even some of the common misconceptions revolving around it.

You’ll never forget your first. BB guns to shotguns – we dive into a quintet of first guns and the stories behind them. From sentimental to downright silly – every gun has a tale worth telling. What’s yours? As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Wild game is a prized commodity for hunters, which creates anxiety for many over simply not screwing it up when it comes time to cooking for yourself and the family. Rest assured, we’ve all made mistakes in the kitchen when it comes to our quarry. Mark, Jimmy and Erik discuss some of their biggest fails in the kitchen in 10 minutes to hopefully relieve some of the pressure you’re putting on yourself to always be a perfect chef, and perhaps, to help you avoid the same mistakes they made in these stories as well. What’s your biggest wild game cooking fail if you care to share?

It’s grilling season and that means time to break out those packs of frozen grind, thaw them up and pound out some patties for family and friends. Mark, Erik and new guest Colin, armed with ground moose, whitetail and elk, respectively, entered into a burger battle to see who had the best recipe, grilling skills and overall execution with yet another new guest, Rebecca, judging their creations to some pretty high standards. Jimmy begs the question – is it sacrilege to make venison in any way other than salt, pepper and fire? The three competitors breakdown their full recipes and cooking methods, and Rebecca takes us through the evaluation of foods through culinary and sensory methods she learned over her professional food packaging career. Tune in to find out who won this epic cook-off and why! Have your own amazing burger recipes with wild game? We’d love to hear them. Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-nation-podcast As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Jimmy and Mark mull over Jimmy’s first AR. They laugh to themselves about how a gun that had every state of the art part from 6 years ago can now seem outdated or generally less exciting in many regards at this point in time, and ponder the question – what will the next “AR-15” be? The AR platform as we know it, or at least the bones by which is has evolved around has remained largely unchanged for decades and “New” firearms continually base their structure and functionality on the AR’s modularity and compatibility with its many parts. Will an 18 year old kid in 30 years still be idolizing the idea of building an AR-15 like Jimmy did, or will they be looking at a totally different platform we’ve never even dreamed of by that point? Mark suspects ray guns – how about you?

Mike McDowell, our in-house binocular expert and collector, sits down with Jimmy and Mark to discuss the topic of binoculars. What are they, how do they work, what are the tradeoffs as you move between configurations, which one is the right one for any given user and how can you even tell the difference between different models at different price points? We also get the chance to pick his brain about the new Razor UHD’s and their comparison to the current Razor HD’s, as well as the newly upgraded Crossfire HD’s and Diamondback HD binoculars. If you ever have any questions about binoculars, give us a call and ask for Mike! He’s one of our fantastic technical support staff who has been with the company for the last 30 years and is a wealth of optical knowledge. As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Up North we love the card game of Euchre and no challenge is greater than “Going alone” without your partner across the table. In this episode, Jimmy takes a chance and “Goes alone” with Mark out of the office to discuss MOA vs. MRAD for beginners in 10 minutes. If you’ve been looking for your first optic or even have been shooting for quite some time but are caught up by modern scopes and all the extra choices to make between MOA and MRAD, give this podcast a listen to get your bearings. Bottom line – don’t make it more complicated than it is. In the end, regardless of what you choose, they’re both going to be doing the same thing and it really just comes down to your own personal preference of which form of angular measurement you want to live with. Got more thoughts on MOA vs. MRAD you’d like us to devote more time to? Let us know!

Hunting bears over bait is pretty much a sure thing, right? Wrong. Dan Staton joins us in Episode 83 to discuss baiting bears, how it works, the effort it requires, and whether or not it’s an effective tactic for duping them. With food seemingly everywhere, convincing a wild omnivore to stray from secluded, natural food sources and visit an artificial bait site isn’t easy. Add swirling, mountain winds and thermals that are constantly changing into the mix, and you’ll quickly understand how bears pinpoint your ambush before stepping out of cover. If extending your big game hunting season into the usually dormant spring and summer months is on your bucket list, consider planning a trip to Idaho next spring. Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-nation-podcast As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Three buffoons (Mark, Jimmy, and Erik) discuss whether or not they’d shoot squatch if they saw it in the wild. What are your thoughts? Would you pull the trigger? Maybe it depends? If so, what would it take for you to make the shot if at all? When you’re done with this episode, make sure to check out the “Podcast after the podcast” on Youtube where we discuss what it would take for Mark to put a squatch down!

It’s fun, it’s healthy, it’s a great way to get outside during the off season and if it’s not a phenomenal way to do some serious public land scouting for critters before fall comes around then we’re at a loss for good scouting tips. Ryan Muckenhirn is a foraging fiend who avidly hunts for wild berries, grapes, mushrooms, ramps, onion, garlic, maple syrup and so much more to scratch that off-season hunting itch and make delicious meals and treats. He answers mostly Jimmy and Mark’s questions about foraging, while Erik stuffs his face with freshly made jams and ramp butter, regarding where he goes, how he finds patches of goodies, how to identify what can and can’t be eaten, how to prepare foraged goods and pretty much anything else you’d ever want to know about finding and eating plants and fungi. Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-nation-podcast As always - let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

What once was old became new - then back to old. Thank goodness for that. Jimmy and mark take 10 minutes and talk through the metamorphosis of Mark’s Ruger 10/22 and its return to glory.

It finally happened, Vortex Nation. Jimmy lured Mark into a gripping conversation of large mouth vs. small mouth bass to get his mind settled, and then Ryan Muckenhirn, Erik Barber, Reuben Aleckson, and Jamison Schleicher came in with the surprise of the century – Mark’s very own AR. You’ll have to listen to hear just what was so special about this particular AR, but we can tell you, there really was no other option out there for our dear friend Mark. On an also-serious note – what are your thoughts on the whole “Small Mouth Vs. Large Mouth Bass” thing? Genuinely curious As always - let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Per request of Ryan Muckenhirn, we sat down for 10 minutes to show a little love to the .243 Winchester – The 6mm before the 6mm was cool. This nifty little cartridge is very versatile and it would seem that in recent years it’s become somewhat forgotten, perhaps incorrectly so. What are your thoughts on the SAE 6mm? What other calibers do you think deserve a little 10 minutes of love? We’d love to get your thoughts.

Words can’t describe the beauty and how flipping awesome a coastal - Alaska black bear hunt actually is - unless of course you have Jessy Knock (@ak_mtnbound) Rob Endsley (@robendsley), and Mark B. taking 1 hour and 22 minutes talking in excited tones about this absolute gem of a place/hunt - doing it pretty good justice. If you’re into adventure, pristine wilderness and giant black bears, this is the podcast for you. Follow along as they recount four different stalks on bears, the unique terrain and how these bears are using it (think beach), what these bears are doing/eating, opportunities in the region outside bear hunting, the different ways you can do this hunt and more. As always - let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Ryan Muckenhirn joins Jimmy to chat about the real differences between straight and angled spotting scopes in 10 minutes. We get this question all the time from hunters, shooters, and recreational observers and figured it was high time we addressed all the most common points of confusion or mystery on the topic. Have more questions that we didn’t get to? Hit us up on Instagram or via any other social media/e-mail/phone method and we’re happy to help you out.

What started out as a laughable conversation topic between Mark, Erik and the guys from The Hunting Public, Hushin, Born and Raised Outdoors and Sam Soholt off air suddenly became a legit topic to discuss for the podcast. Can hunting turkeys actually be compared closely to hunting elk? Of course there are inherent differences, but listen to these guys, all of which have extensive experience hunting both species, and you’ll likely be as surprised as we were to realize how many similarities actually exist. What are your thoughts? Have you done both or just one? If just one – has this podcast gotten you excited to try the other? Special thanks to this superstar group of guests who came up to Wisconsin to join us in the driftless region for a big-time collab turkey hunt, which was both an awesome adventure (Go check out their pages for some behind the scenes as well!) and a great learning experience as well, as you’ll hear in this episode! @thehuntingpublic @gethushin @bornandraisedoutdoors @samsoholt As always - let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Competition, duty use and certain hunting scenarios can all benefit from the utilization of a 45 degree offset red dot. Why? Reuben and Adam join Jimmy for 10 minutes to give you the quick and dirty behind offset red dots, their history, their applications in numerous shooting scenarios and why you might even want to use an offset red dot even when your primary optic is also a red dot! This episode comes to you via a listener request. We love getting listener requests for these talks, so keep them coming, Vortex Nation!

Violent first person shooting/hunting video games and guns in real life – Good combo or bad combo? Jimmy, Jamison and Erik, three millennials who have spent a great deal behind the controller of some of the biggest names in first person shooters like Halo, Medal of Honor, Big Game Hunter, Call of Duty and Battlefield to name a few, discuss their personal experiences having played many of the most controversial video games as kids and then getting into firearms, recreational shooting and hunting as adults. This particular topic should hit close to home, even if you don’t play video games yourself, because many of the arguments against video games like these have angles back towards the firearms that so many law abiding citizens own and use responsibly today. The fact is, there are a lot of people engaged in hobbies and lifestyles now that they wouldn’t have gained interest in had they not played it in a video game as kids. In our industry, we should be excited about the idea of more people getting involved in, but we should also take ownership for helping all these budding enthusiasts get started responsibly whenever we can. Give this one a listen and let us know what you think about video games and guns on Instagram or wherever you listen. As always - let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Regina Milkovich and Jim See join Nick Laufenberg and Jimmy in this episode to discuss the important mental aspect of PRS shooting. In a competitive sport that combines skill, precision, using gear to its maximum capability and endurance with many competitions lasting two days, staying in the right frame of mind to execute shots properly and ultimately end up on the podium is paramount. Drawing on years of experience in shooting PRS and other forms of competition, Jim and Regina talk about breaking down the sport into its simplest form, staying confident, preparing yourself as a shooter before a match, trusting your gear and even important aspects of safety at matches as well. If you’ve been shooting PRS for years, just started or are even contemplating getting into the sport, it’s time to quit stressing over single-digit SD’s (Standard deviations) in your loads and start preparing your mind for success. As always - let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

In today’s day and age, it can already be hard to imagine a time where 30mm tubes were borderline unheard of. Ryan Muckenhirn and Jimmy buzz in for a 10 minute chat to talk about the evolution of scope tube sizes since Mr. Muckenhirn started in this industry not that long ago in relativity. It begs the question, will scope tubes continue growing? Will scopes of the future even be tubular at all? When will we go back to SAE in terms of measurement and quit using all this “Millimeter” crap? (Just kidding on that last one). We’d love to hear your thoughts!

Wood and bones – two things you very well may need to cut when you’re out in the field, and doing so without a proper saw can be a real pain in the tush. Thankfully, small saws like the one we talk about in this podcast are inexpensive, can be delivered to your door free via Amazon Prime in one day and will help you enjoy one of the best cuts of meat very few other people enjoy – The ribs.

Reuben and Justin Lipska, new guest to the show and also new employee here at Vortex in our shooting range, join Mark and Jimmy to take a deeper dive specifically into the technical reticles (You know - The cool looking ones) we commonly see in long range riflescopes. More specifically, three of the reticles we focus on in this episode are the EBR-7C reticle and the Horus H59 and Tremor3 reticles. How can you use these reticles to their maximum capability, Is one better than the other for certain situations, what situations would one find themselves even using these seemingly “Busy” reticles, and much more. What’s your favorite reticle for long range shooting? We’d love to hear it! As always - let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

The long-standing perception amongst shooters is that bolt guns hands-down out shoot gas guns in terms of accuracy and long range capability. In the past this was certainly true, and gas guns were simply held to a lower standard in accuracy than bolt guns were. But now, have gas guns made enough strides to match their bolt gun counterparts? Are they a more viable solution for long range precision shooting? We grabbed Dillen Easly, competitive shooter of many disciplines, and Garrett Grover of Rise Armament, manufacturer of gas guns, to chat about this very topic. You’ll also learn the difference between mechanical and “practical” accuracy (A term admittedly just made up by Garrett on the spot) and how they affect your groups and performance at long range, as well as how it may even affect the barrel life for your gun for you individually. As always - let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

After drooling over the famed Ruger M77 in a Petersen’s Magazine as a 12 year old boy, Rick just couldn’t help himself and begged his dad to get one as his first deer rifle. After 16 years, he still breaks it out every season to fill the freezer. We got 10 minutes with him to chat about this rifle’s story, why Rick chose one chambered in God’s cartridge of .270 Win (The answer involves an old computer game), and how he’s modified its sight mounting system with a Weigatinny rail and precision matched rings to squeeze a little more reliability and accuracy out of it. What was your first hunting rifle? Is it still in your rotation or still your primary go-to rifle today? We’d love to hear about it!

Dust off that old 10/22, go buy a bucket o’ bullets and prepare to have a ton of fun. Thought rimfire was just for kids and squirrel hunters? Think again, Cheyenne Dalton joins Mark, Jimmy and another special guest and frequent listener, Trent Brenny, to talk about the world of competitive rimfire shooting. Cheyenne started out her competitive shooting career in rimfire with a purple 10/22 she got at a WalMart and wound up going all the way to win the rimfire world championship in her division. From cowboy action rimfire shooting with lever actions to NRL precision .22 with bolt guns that mimic full-size precision rifles, there’s a cheap and super fun way to stay frosty and better your overall skills as a shooter with rimfire. As always - let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Chad Mendes is a very recently retired professional MMA fighter (Still toweling of the sweat from his last fight and not retired at time of this recording), former collegiate wrestler, public figure in sports and at the risk of damaging his outwardly tough-as-nails appearance, a really nice guy. To us, perhaps the coolest thing about Chad is that he has been an avid hunter his entire life. From making time in his busy wrestling career as a kid to head to the mountains with his dad and family to now running an organization called “Finz and Featherz”, giving regular folks like you and us the opportunity to hunt with some of their favorite high level celebrities and professional athletes that also share a love for the outdoors and hunting. It was great to get Chad away from his intensive training regimen of preparing to knock other professional fighters unconscious to talk to us and all of you about his biggest passions. If you haven’t checked him out on social yet, hit him up and support him amidst some of the backlash he receives when he posts pictures and videos from his hunts. We can show him and the rest of the world that the hunting community has his back! As always - let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

The topic of astigmatisms comes up more times than you can shake a stick at when people are discussing red dots. It seems everywhere you look there are people being affected by “Starbursts” or “Clusters of grapes” in their red dots, but why? In 10 minutes, Jimmy, Reuben and Mark discuss just what an astigmatism actually is, the issues most commonly experienced by users with an astigmatism, ways you’ve possibly misdiagnosed yourself with one, and what you can do to avoid negative effects from an actual astigmatism when shooting.

If you only remember one thing from this podcast, it’s probably how good Mike Love, new guest to the podcast and range instructor here at Vortex, sounds with his perfect radio voice. Anyway, in addition to Mike, Adam Maxwell joins Jimmy and Mark to discuss the “Wild West” world of red dots on pistols. With no convenient standard to adhere to like our beloved AR-15’s with their “Mil-Spec” parts, there seems to be about a million and one ways to mount a red dot to your handgun, thoughts on proper technique for their application and opinions on reliability or viability of red dots in competition or duty use. These guys also touch on the history of red dots’ application on pistols and some of the common mistakes people make when transitioning from using the traditional irons to a red dot sight, being such a relatively new technology to most. As always - let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Chris Denham, Arizona resident and recognized expert of “Grey Ghosts” from Western Hunter Magazine, joins Jimmy, Mark and Paul Neess to talk Couse deer hunting in the Southwest. If you’ve never heard of these deer before, imagine a scaled down whitetail living in the desert mountains that has mastered the art of blending in with its surroundings and remaining hidden. Why would anyone ever want to go after a small whitetail? Well, if you ask Chris (And us), there’s just something special about these critters that makes them arguably one of the coolest deer to hunt, completely regardless of size. In fact, their petite stature almost adds to the allure. In this episode, we chat best practices for getting into Coues deer (Spoiler alert – it ain’t huntin’ ‘em from the road!), the optics-intensive nature of hunting these tough-to-find creatures (Cue eyeroll because Vortex is stressing the importance of optics), run-ins with border patrol down south, navigating rough terrain and the fact that going on this incredible hunt doesn’t have to be a 9 year waiting proposition at all. As always - let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Reuben joins Mark and Jimmy for ten minutes to discuss the basic differences between 1x prism scopes like our Spitfire AR and red dots. More than just what the technical differences are between the two and how they work, but what might make you want to choose one over the other and what scenarios you may find one to be more advantageous over the other.

How much farther can we take the long range 100_ series? There are plenty more long range topics to cover out here, but this one might be the grand finale for the series, discussing simply shooting out to 1000 yards to now sitting down with Ian Klemm and Jeff Heeg, Extreme Long Range (ELR) competitor, to discuss taking rifles out to some truly mind-boggling distances. Whether it’s a .22 beyond 500 yards or a souped up CheyTac cartridge at 2 miles and beyond, this particular shooting sport requires a great deal of science, excellent team communication and some pretty neat guns. Give Long Range 1004 a listen and let us know what you think! As always - let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

When the word Bow makes up half your last name, it’s pretty much destiny much of your life is going revolve around chasing elk with stick and string. That’s good news for the rest of us. We sit down with Zach Bowhay from Hunt DIY to tap into his vast elk knowledge - focusing on a first time elk hunters perspective. Don’t kid yourself, elk hunting is hard. Zach will tell you that first hand. Armed with the right knowledge and a lot of sweat equity, it is possible. Turn your ears on and brace yourself for some dang good elk advice. As always - let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Whether you need to condition your bowstring to prevent it from drying out, avoid potential blisters, enjoy the ambient glow of a candle, or start a fire, there’s one tool for that’ll do it all – Chapstick. Heck, you can even moisturize your lips, if that’s your thing. Regardless, we jammed the many uses of Chapstick all into one 10-minute talk, solidifying its minuscule place in your pack. Got an ultra-affordable piece of gear that wears many hats for your adventures? Let us know and we just might feature it in an upcoming episode of the Vortex Nation Podcast.

Nick, a frequent listener of the Vortex Nation podcast, reached out to us after our first WW2(ish) podcast revolving around a few historic firearms and not only explained how the M1 Garand’s grenade launcher system actually worked, but also explained that he and his dad are avid (Understatement) WW2 era firearms collectors and reenactors. Jimmy, Mark and Ryan Muckenhirn were lucky enough to sit down with these two as they went through 14 different firearms (And a WW2 era grenade launcher) from the allied, axis and neutral countries during the war. These incredible pieces of history literally shaped the landscape of the war and history as we know it, so to have pieces like this in our presence and be able to talk about them with some knowledgeable folks was a gift we won’t soon forget. Nick and Ray own, regularly shoot, reload for and maintain these rifles, so it was also great to see some historical tools still being used to this day many decades later. We also discussed some of the ways these firearms plowed the way for more modern (Or sometimes just direct rip off!) rifle designs we know and use today. Check it out and like Nick, if you have something super interesting you’d like to talk about with us, feel free to bring it up in the comments on one of our social media platforms and maybe we’ll have you on the podcast some day as well! As always - let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Navigating Western Tag applications, Draws, Preference Points, Bonus Points, Odds, Over The Counter Options – #AlreadyOverwhelmed. It’s not your fault. This stuff is more confusing than trying to understand the opposite sex. Not anymore. We sat down with Brady Miller and Trail Kreitzer from Go Hunt to break down this topic using the advanced tools they offer. GO Hunt has compiled all the info you need into an easy-to-use, filterable, digital platform. Unit descriptions, photos of terrain, historic weather patterns, harvest trends, number of tags, number of applicants, draw odds for antlered and antlerless game and more are all ripe for the researching. If you have them, you can even plug in your points to see where you fall. These guys are professional data miners and they are sharp. You’ll learn about hunts and units you didn’t even know about – but will be glad you did. If you have a phone, this info can be at your fingertips 24 hours a day. Been in the big app game for years, the info GO Hunt offers is for you. Been dreaming about your first western hunt, but haven’t gone - Go on that Hunt using Go Hunt. As always - let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

Mark, Jimmy and Erik argue the pros and cons of wearing a turkey vest vs simply taking a backpack afield for hunting turkeys this spring in 10 minutes. Maybe this will help you decide which you choose or maybe it will leave you in exactly the same undecided state by the end, but hey, it’s only 10 minutes! As long as you’re out chasing gobblers, is there really any wrong answer? What’s your preferred gear for turkey hunting? We’d love to hear about it in the comments on Instagram!