Vortex Nation Podcast

As the glowing orb of sunlight pierces the horizon, sounds of sirens, kids at play, and bumper-to-bumper traffic overwhelm Taylor Chamberlin’s audible senses. These aren’t conventional sights and sounds associated with bowhunting whitetails, but Taylor’s swaying from the treetops of suburbia, Washington D.C., keeping the growing whitetail herd at bay and filling his freezer in the process. While the Midwest is traditionally looked at as the mecca of whitetail hunting, deer are living a fat and happy lifestyle in suburban areas around the country as they mow down pricey landscaping projects and over-browse trees and shrubs – especially in Washington D.C. The tricky part is gaining hunting access and landowner permission on sub-acre sized lots, but Taylor has broken that process down to a science by educating landowners about the destructive tendencies that an overpopulated whitetail herd can have on a property. His systematic approach of accessing new hunting ground has resulted in landowners calling him directly, requesting his service of backyard bowhunting. In some cases, he’s even converted non-hunters into the hunting lifestyle by showing them the benefits of harvesting free-ranged venison and feeding friends and family a healthy meal. By combining a seemingly endless amount of suburban hunting access and taking advantage of extended seasons, Taylor puts a lot of deer in his freezer and donates even more to Virginia’s Hunters for the Hungry program. Whether you want to learn about the nuances associated with suburban bowhunting, such as shot selection or crazy stories of recovering downed game in the backyards of major politicians, this one is a must listen! As always, if you have any suggestions for guests or topics that you’d like to hear on the Vortex Nation Podcast, hit us up on Instagram @vortexnationpodcast and we’ll try our best to make it happen.

Mark and Jimmy join Paul Neess and Rob Morell of our product development team to discuss laser rangefinders for this special episode. Not only do we dive in to the history of the laser rangefinder, how they work, tips and tricks to maximize the performance of your laser rangefinder in the field and the different types of features and their applications, but we also discuss a brand new, never-before-seen rangefinder from Vortex. You’ll have to tune in and listen to hear about this new product, but it is a very exciting one to add to the lineup. For our YouTube viewers out there, Jimmy greatly apologizes for forgetting to hit the “Record” button on the cameras, but at least we managed to snag the audio! 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.

Plug in your headphones and grab a bowl of garden fresh vegetables as we visit with Ryan Lampers and Doc. Hillary Lampers from Hunt Harvest Health. We talk fasting and Doc Hilary uses words like Autophagy (because she is smart) - which basically means taking the garbage out of your body’s cells. We also cover eating good on the mountain and making your own backcountry food/meals (way before your hunts), Leptin Resistance (shutting down your “I’m Hungry” signals), eating to reduce inflammation and SUGAR. Feeling as good on day 7 of a hunt as you did day 1 is not easy – but apparently, it is possible (Still working on it). Can Jim still eat his beloved Burritos and be healthy? You’ll find out. Looking to be healthier and hunt harder – this podcast is packed with great recommendations and inspiration. 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.

How political is hunting these days? With the stroke of his pen, Gov. Philip D. Murphy signed an executive order effectively ending the state’s planned 2018 bear hunt on all state-owned lands. For the public landowners out there – that happened on YOUR public land!!! No consulting of biologists, no scientific or ecological reasoning. Simply the fulfilling of a campaign promise to do everything possible to eliminate the hunt. If you’re like us, you’re saying to yourself “I didn’t even know you could do that. ” We sat down with Sean and Evan from the Sportsman’s Alliance to chat about how they work to defend our ability to engage in the activities that define who we are, how we live our lives, feed ourselves, and raise our families. We talk through who/what is threatening hunting and trapping, the strategies these groups use, their reasoning, the role politics play in determining outcomes, how to get involved and more during this insightful conversation. These threats/groups aren’t the proverbial boogieman. They exist, are highly funded, incredibly organized and actively fighting to chip away at hunting and trapping until it’s gone. Our “death by 1,000 cuts is happening.” Together we are strong! Together we can stop the bleeding.

If you find yourself guilty of not properly maintaining your firearm after listening to this podcast, don’t worry about it too much – you’re not the only one by a long shot! Unfortunately, so few people are aware of the actual proper methods of maintaining a firearm that our head of range operations at the Vortex shooting range, Adrian Alan, and head firearm instructor, Pete Schreier, suggested this as a great topic - it turned out to be a great one. These two explain the very important difference between simply cleaning your firearm and actually inspecting and maintaining its critical pieces and functions in order to maintain the utmost reliability. You may find having that spotless rifle in your safe isn’t nearly as important as having a dirty rifle that is meticulously maintained and cared for at a regular interval. Listen in to see just what we mean and then go give your guns some proper TLC when you’re done! Or… Just be like Jimmy and get an AK-47 😉 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.

Buckle your hip belt and hold on tight as we join the Born and Raised Outdoors crew for an upbeat conversation on how they consistently call and kill bulls year after year. Bugle, rake, repeat. It sounds like a simple concept, but Trevor, Trent, and Kody and the rest of the crew at Born and Raised Outdoors have been filling their OTC elk tags with beautiful bulls on pressured public land by perfecting this tactic - now known as the “Cat Road Shuffle.” Their aggressive hunting style takes the fight to bulls that want to fight. They target bulls that will play their game – not the other way around. Throw in an immediate sidetrack on how millennials shouldn’t order pizza unsupervised and you’ve got a podcast for the ages. Not convinced? Check out the Land of the Free Project (1.0 and 2.0) on their YouTube channel where they travel to 5 states spanning 50 days, hauling lots of meat and in the process. Whether you’re a seasoned vet in the elk woods or a total newbie, you’ll learn a ton about calling elk, identifying terrain and habitat features on a map, and a unique calling sequence called the “bark-scream.” Kody even does some calling on air! Bottom line – if you’ve been putting off a DIY archery elk hunt - don’t. Add these tactics to your hunting toolbox, drive west with a full quiver, and go for it.

Why suppressed? Consider the fact that if you’re listening to this podcast, that’s courtesy of your functioning ears, which we should all be doing everything in our power to maintain. For some the answer to the question of “Why suppressed?” is obvious, but due to some unfortunate misinformation in popular and social media, suppressor ownership and use can be scary, seemingly unnecessary or just plain confusing to a great deal of hunters, shooters and budding enthusiasts. In this episode, Jimmy, Mark, Reuben Aleckson and Adam Maxwell discuss why shooting suppressed should be looked at as a great benefit to shooters, hunters, our neighbors and even the habitat which we hunt in. We discuss generally how most states go about their suppressor transfers, how a suppressor works and all the many benefits of owning and using a suppressor in a wide variety of shooting scenarios. Then when you’re done… Get one… or two… Or a bunch for all your firearms! 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.

We’re joined by Scott Walter, Large Carnivore Specialist at the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources to discuss bears, wolves, cougars, and other predators in the Upper Great Lakes on Ep. 59 of the Vortex Nation Podcast. Did you know cougars are known to travel from South Dakota’s Black Hill as far eastward as Connecticut? How about the fact that humans are increasingly living in close proximity to wolves? If this is news to you, tune in to get the full scoop on these nomadic, solitary creatures straight from a biologist who manages them at a statewide level. In addition to management practices, we’ll talk hunting and find out why we’re unable to hunt wolves in some states, and what needs to change in order for a season to take place. Scott even provides additional information for listeners to submit feedback to management plans that are taking place right now – so if you want to make your voice heard, now’s your chance! 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.

Dave Hartman of the 3 Gun Show joins Jimmy, Mark, Reuben Aleckson and Adam Maxwell to talk 3 Gun gear. Borrowing the theme from our “Classifieds Hunter” (Episode 43) podcast, we set out with the mission to acquire every single thing a person could need to compete in a 3 Gun match, assuming they’re literally starting with nothing, for less than $1700. Yes, this includes all three firearms and every single piece of equipment. Tune in to find out how Dave came up with our $1700 budget and hear each person’s detailed list with plenty of commentary about what is absolutely necessary and what might not be mandatory for your first few matches. We’ll also explain how getting all the gear for 3 Gun will also set you up for a ton of other competitive shooting leagues and sports. Make no mistake – you won’t be getting a list of the absolute best gear in 3 Gun here, but you’re absolutely certain to be surprised at what you can get for a (relatively) reasonable budget. As we mention in the beginning, take an inventory of gear you already have, too – You very well may have a lot of the tools we already mention here and can save even more money for nicer gear! After you listen, also check out Dave Hartman’s podcast, The 3 Gun Show (@3gunshow) for more great info on the sport. 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.

Our original intent was to have just a podcast about the sport of F-Class shooting, but when you get these brainiacs (Ian Klemm and Niles Richardson) talking about their obsession... er... "Hobby" you better believe it's going to turn into a full on long range shooting information assault to the brain. Fact of the matter is, in F-Class, the only thing that matters is long range accuracy - and when we say "Accuracy", we're talking about sub-MOA groups on paper at 1000 yards with .308's. Every single aspect of an F-Class competitor's game is completely dialed in for long range accuracy. We talk about the guns, their bipods, wind, mirage, barrel harmonics and the special scopes F-Class competitors need for their rifles. Ian even goes so far as to tell us how much his rifle has moved prior to the bullet leaving his 30 inch barrel. Just a simple equation involving acceleration, terminal velocity, moment of inertia of the rifle and coefficient of friction of the bipod and rifle on the ground. Kindergarten stuff. Prepare to learn more about ultra-precision long range shooting that you ever thought possible! 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.

Eric Chesser (@gethushin), Ben Dettamanti (@ShedCrazy), Shawn Luchtel and Michael Hunsucker (@heartlandbowhunter) joined us in this East vs. West episode all about shed hunting. We break down what shed hunting actually is, why people do it, how they do it, what they do with the antlers, how it plays into their hunting strategy and many other little nuances of this off-season pastime from the perspective of two Utah shed huntin' fools as well as two heartland whitetail hunters that have hunted sheds in their own area for many years as well. Hard to believe we could talk about bones falling off deer and elk's heads for almost an hour but this one is packed with information all about sheds and antlers with a super fun group to talk to. Here's hoping you can make it out in your area, whether on your own piece of private or on some public to find a few sheds of your own this year! 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.

Remi Warren - Part man, part beast and all balls. Mark, Jimmy, and Paul sit down with the one and only Remi Warren to chat about the life of guide. We cover sleep deprivation, hallucination, Remi’s first guiding job and how he got it, untimely heart attacks, making a-dollar-an-hour and loving it - and a heck of a lot more. If you’ve ever thought about becoming a guide, Remi breaks down the three ways you can go about it, what he loves about it - including completely transforming people’s lives where they become a better version of themselves - all with some great stories along the way! One of the true greats and a genuine inspiration. Turn your ears on for an audio experience you won’t soon forget.

What happens when you get the crew together on a Friday afternoon with buffalo fried squirrel and an off the wall question to kick off some conversation? A whole bunch of rabbit trails about hunting and fishing. Jimmy, Mark, Ryan and Erik talk about the difference between baiting deer and fishing with bait, sturgeon spearing, smoke pole (muzzleloader) fishing, different styles of fishing, GMO corn, GMO dogs and the Chronicles of Narnia even popped up once, too. As random as this podcast was, it brought about some enlightening conversations that one could only appreciate by listening in! 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.

Jimmy got the chance to sit down with DJ Struntz, former world traveler and surf photographer, and now Minister of Propaganda at North American Rescue - A business dedicated to developing and distributing life saving tools to our nation's warfighters as well as the every day citizen. While no one likes to live their lives in a constant state of fear for the worst, DJ explains some of the reasons hunters, shooters, concealed carriers and just plain Janes and Joes should consider at least carrying the bare essentials when it comes to emergency trauma care gear. What training is necessary to learn the necessary skills to potentially save yours or someone else's life? Can someone who gets queasy around blood do this? What are some of the wildest stories a man in charge of the social media for a company dedicated to emergency trauma care gear has seen or heard? We talk about all this and more in this episode. Stay safe out there, Vortex Nation, and if you have any questions about emergency gear, how to use it or what you need, hit up North American Rescue and keep your eyes peeled for learning opportunities in your area during Stop The Bleed Month in May. 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 started as a hobby to blow off some steam after his night shifts as a law enforcement officer turned into a full kydex holster business operation for Adam Weber in a fairly short period of time. Jimmy and Reuben sat down with Adam at SHOT show this year to talk about his story - From attempting to make his first holster using boat foam and an upside down bench grinder from a salvage store to his newest holsters employing science-backed design and manufacture for ultimate reliability and functionality in competitive shooting as well as duty use for our LEO’s. If you’ve been kicking around the idea of starting your own business venture or are just curious how much blood, sweat and tears it takes to get into making kydex holsters on a large scale, tune into this episode and you won’t be disappointed! 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 this episode we sit down with the cool dudes from 60th Parallel (@60thparallel - If you're not following them on IG right now, you're missing out!) to talk about hunting the last frontier for the first time. According to John and Casey there's two kinds of people out there considering their first hunt to Alaska - Those who are completely overwhelmed by which quarry to chase, where to go and how to get there and those who are entirely too confident and in for a world of hurt once arguably one of the nation's harshest states finds every way to kick their butt. Hopefully listening to this episode can help you be somewhere more in the middle. Alaska isn't for the faint of heart, but it's absolutely doable for any avid outdoorsman/woman with the appropriate amount of time and resources dedicated well in advance. Being that there's so much to talk about like quarry, locations, logistics, gear and much more that is specific to this state, we're hoping to get these guys on for a part 2 based on the same subject. If you have ideas of more questions we should ask these two Alaskan residents and hardcore hunters, please shout them out in the comments so we can address them on our follow up in the future. 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.

Ever wonder what things looked like at Vortex back in 2002 or maybe what some of the biggest hits and misses have been over the years when it comes to product? Mark and Jimmy join Paul Neess, frequent guest to the podcast and Vortex employee since darn near day one, and Joe Hamilton, new guest and one of the very first members of our sales team. We chat business and marketing from the perspective of an emerging small family business and what the relationship between product development and those pesky sales guys is really like. You'll hear some of our most notorious screw-ups as well as some of the biggest bright spots that ultimately led to the Vortex you know today. With only an "About You" section to read on our website and little information about our history elsewhere, many of you have asked for an episode just like this. In the end, the reason we're still around to this day and able to have this conversation is thanks to you, Vortex Nation, so the biggest shoutout and thanks goes to you! 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.

Buckle those brains up, folks. Jeff Sturgis is about to drop more knowledge on whitetail habitat in an hour and a half than you ever thought possible. In addition to understanding the premiere habitat that whitetails prefer, we’ll dive into daytime locations vs nocturnal areas, what these areas are comprised of and how you can create them on the property you hunt if they don’t already exist. Most hunters who manage land for deer hunting tactfully plant food plots to attract deer to strategic ambush locations, but you’ll learn why sometimes doing so can actually have a negative impact on your property. Instead, there’s plenty of other tactics that can be used to create your own deer mecca – including waterholes, hinge-cutting, and more. Jeff has dedicated his entire career to understanding whitetails while hunting them on small properties and public land all across the country, so settle in and sink your teeth into this ultra-dense dish of deer hunting know-how. 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 and Jimmy join Ryan Muckenhirn, Ian Klemm and Adam Maxwell for some good old fashioned American show and tell. This time to the tune of WW2(ish) era rifles. This era in firearms has to be one of the most exciting, as powers from across the world called on their most intelligent minds to create better weaponry in order to outgun their opponents. Firearms we discuss in this podcast include Ian's "Cigarette rifle" - a sporterized Mauser 98 chambered in a cartridge you wouldn't expect, Adam's Springfield 1903 bolt action rifle, Mark's single shot US Army .45-70 1873, Jimmy's Lee Enfield No. 4 Mk 1*, Ryan's M1 Garand and the backup gun, a .22 LR replica of an STG 44. As we've said many times, if you like hunting, shooting, competing in shooting sports, or anything else involving guns, we'd have a hard time believing you don't think these things and their history are cool. Check this out and by all means - if you hear anything we missed or have any interesting pieces to add about any of these firearms or firearms of your own, shout them out! 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 join Brian Austin, a local fitness instructor and big partner of Train to Hunt, to talk functional fitness for backcountry western hunting along with some of the awesome and intense archery challenges they put on throughout the year to get hunters in shape to enjoy their time more in the wilderness during hunting season. Jimmy draws on some of his experience as a former track & field athlete to point out the differences he's seen transitioning to the fitness necessary for hunting and Brian breaks out his pack, sandbags, wooden box and his bow to do some semi-live exercises and instructions for those of you looking to get off the couch this winter in preparation for next fall. We talk where to start, avoiding injury, exercises you can do at home with relatively minimal equipment and how you can even put your work into a competitive outlet with Train to Hunt's archery challenges all over the country. We do our best to explain the exercises Brian is doing verbally, but if you get the chance to watch this one on Youtube, you'll see exactly what he's doing while we record. 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.

"As deer hunters, are we doing more harm than good in the way we talk about our sport?" If you've ever said this yourself or heard others say it and got to wondering - "What really made that a nice buck?" This is the podcast for you. Mark, Jimmy and Erik dive in on the tricky topics of trophy hunting, naming deer, scoring bucks, the context (or lack thereof) that we put on social media as hunters, an interesting letter we received from an anti-hunting 3rd grader, killing a buck that someone else had history with and a ton more. The point of this episode is not to say that our opinion is 100% correct or that we hold all the answers by any means, but rather to shed light on a great deal of the behind-the-scenes work and respect for wildlife that goes into each and every hunt for those who are not as familiar with our sport. As hunters, we can always work to improve our messaging to the public, especially in this day and age of social media, to properly give our highly complex and incredibly vital pastime and role in conservation its full justice. What are your thoughts on the matter? We'd love to hear from you after listening to this episode! 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.

There could be infinitely many more podcasts dedicated to reloading and its seemingly countless talking points, but we did our best to cram some more advanced reloading knowledge into this 201 level reloading podcast with Mark, Jimmy, Paul Ness and in-house reloading guru Scott Parks. Ever wonder how ambient temperature can effect your load and its accuracy? Can having the highest possible BC bullet actually cause problems with your accuracy and consistency? Should reloaders choose a rifle first, then develop a cartridge around it, or is the opposite order of operations the best course of action? One of the most asked for episodes is finally here. If you haven't listened to our first episode as part of this "Mini series" yet, check out Reloading 101 for a basic introduction to the topic before Scott Parks infiltrates your brain with some serious knowledge in 201. 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.

Our favorite hobbies tend to have two things in common - They're tremendously addictive and often times expensive. To many, a great way to ease this burden would be becoming sponsored by one or more companies in the industry or joining them as a brand ambassador to aid in some of the gear and financial aspects of our addiction - er - "Hobby". Mark, Jimmy, Adam Maxwell and Reuben Aleckson sit down with Josh Tarrant, competitive shooter and Vortex brand ambassador, to talk about what it's really like being in his position as an extension of the brand. It may come as a surprise to a great deal of people to learn that the life of a brand ambassador isn't all free products and casual Instagram posts. Josh explains it as an additional part time job to his regular full time employment and Adam Maxwell says "The cheapest piece of equipment you'll ever buy is the one you went to the store and paid full retail for." eluding to the large amount of sweat equity and work one would need to do in order to receive that product for "Free" as part of a brand ambassador program. If this line of work is something that's peaked your interest, we also talk about dealing with controversies on social media, choosing the company you wish to represent and some of the ways you can catch their attention in your field. 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.

Ball on a budget – The cost/perceived cost of gear, can be a barrier for those new to hunting. It doesn’t’ have to be! Jim, Mark, Erik and Ryan scour the web for 20 minutes and give 4 comprehensive, incredibly inexpensive, gear breakdowns to get you fully outfitted for a field foray you’ll never forget. We also cover gear buying tactics geared toward minimal impact on your budget and maximum impact on your freezer, offsetting gear costs with meat procurement, a $15 treestand, and more. If you’re new to hunting or just love a hell-of-a-bargain, listen up. This one's for you!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.Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-nation-podcast

How do you make a riflescope? The idea, optical design, mechanical design, machining, finishing, tolerancing, metrology, assembly, testing and ultimately producing an optic in a commercial setting - Have you ever wondered just what it takes to make this a reality? Sam Hamilton, chief engineer of a special military-focused division within Vortex joins Mark and Jimmy to recollect the entire process of developing the AMG 6-24x50 riflescope from beginning to end. Many of you have asked how this process works, so we went to the source of what is now, to our knowledge, the most American made riflescope on the market today. Not only do we get an in-depth idea of what goes into the development of any riflescope, but also the daunting task of actually manufacturing that product from scratch to be a top-tier, ultra-precision optic. We discuss how your eye is actually a critical part to the optical system, misconceptions about "Glass" in optics, machining processes and incredibly tight tolerances, tough lessons learned by engineers that can only be learned through experience, how riflescopes work and so much more. If you've ever wanted to dive deeper into how your riflescope works and what it took to ultimately put that piece of equipment atop your riflescope, you won't want to miss this episode! 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 battling some stomach issues, Jimmy, Mark and Ryan hammer out another HYR episode on late season Nebraska muzzleloader season. Commonly thought of as an “Old school” means of hunting big game, these guys brought out the technical gear from apparel to even the firearms themselves, rocking some very special, high precision, long range capable muzzleloaders. We also discuss buffalo, hunting in groups, learning experiences behind an unfortunate but clean miss and why you should never leave your ribs in the field! Check it out and maybe next December you, too, can add a special late season muzzleloader hunt to your schedule. 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.

Jimmy, Mark and Nick Laufenberg join Chris Andrews of Best Targets and Kristina Pugh from Grunt Style to discuss one of the most grueling and challenging shooting matches ever spawned – The Mammoth Sniper Challenge. This 3-day event takes place in early January and tests shooters’ endurance, skill and willpower as they ruck nearly 10 miles every day with precision long range shooting stations dispersed amongst their route. In the evening, those who opt for the tough-guy challenge are also required to camp out overnight, carrying all their gear on their backs throughout the entire challenge. Chris and Kristina have played an integral role in developing this year’s match which will be the first sniper match that is both open to civilians and takes place on an active duty military installation. Check it out and if you’re thinking this sounds like the match for you, start preparing for next year’s event right now! 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.

Land Tawney, President/CEO of Back Country Hunters & Anglers (BHA), and Jason Meekhof, BHA Great Lakes Chapter Coordinator, sit down with Mark and Jimmy to talk BHA’s history and mission, as well as breaking down the huge variety of state, local and federal public lands at your disposal and their different attributes. We discuss BHA’s current main objectives, the differences between state and federal public lands, the politics and behind-the-scenes action behind each type of public land and what you can do to protect and serve the public lands in your area and around the country. BHA is an organization committed to ensuring there’s ample access to public land and waters in the U.S. and healthy fish and wildlife habitat when you get there. Land and Jason were kind enough to join us for a morning of rabbit and squirrel hunting, followed by a podcast and one heck of a pint night locally in the Madison, WI area. If you’re not part of BHA, listen in to this podcast to hear what they’re all about and decide if joining is right for you. If your state has a local chapter, keep an eye out for their own pint nights to get together with fellow outdoors men and women for good times and great conversation. Your state doesn’t have a local chapter? Grab some like-minded buddies and contact BHA to see what it takes to get one started!

Ever listened to a podcast where the hosts are also shooting while talking? Continuing with our semi-live series on setting up your rifle, we’ve gone from mounting the optic to getting things zeroed in and ready to go at your first trip to the range. Proper equipment, bore sighting, 3-round groups, making adjustments and troubleshooting potential road bumps are just a few of the things we discuss in this podcast at the range. Sighting in a riflescope can be intimidating to newer shooters venturing out on their own, and can even bring unnecessary stress or frustration to seasoned shooters who dread this crucial step in assuring your rifle’s longevity and reliability. It may come as no surprise that we’ve sighted in a riflescope or two in our time here at Vortex, and with all those scopes have come a host of tips and tricks that can make your zero-in process a snap and set you up for ultimately accuracy and a long time of success with your rifle and optic combination. Listen on your commute, or tune in on YouTube to see the video recording of this very 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.Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-nation-podcast

Judson Jennings and Kendall Card from Camofire, Blackovis, Crispi Boots USA and a host of other outdoors and hunting related entities sit down with Mark, Jimmy and Paul to discuss their history in the outdoor hunting gear and apparel business and the ever-evolving world of hunting from tactics to the gear we wear in the field. Not only do these guys get out and use the very products they sell to the max, but so do their employees, who are always ready to answer calls and e-mails to help fellow hunters and outdoorsmen conquer the backcountry. It can be difficult to get to know the behind-the-scenes workings of any business so customer-focused, so we took this opportunity to get to know two of the very important people behind their operation and their history with the company from the very beginning. On top of that we learn a little about goats and pack llamas, elk hunting from a tree stand and mentoring new western hunters. As always, let us know what you think of the podcast and if you have any ideas for future topics or guests to join us, let us know!

Ultralight hunters make up a strange mix of total nerds and freak athletes – almost all bound to conquer some of the roughest terrain on the planet in search of rare and unique game. If you’ve ever been forced to listen to their endless stressing over ounces or studied their kit and all its strange gadgets and wondered to yourself – “Why don’t you just do more pushups and carry normal stuff?” – Perhaps this podcast will change your tune. International man of mystery and ultralight hunter extraordinaire Dave Hamilton joins Jimmy, Mark, Erik Barber (Not known for his ultralight-ness), Ryan Muckenhirn and long-time western guide Paul Neess to discuss this highly technical, nerdy and awesome topic. From tips to keep your pack contents to a minimum and extreme ultralight gear that gets the job done – all the way to dehydrated water - we cover some serious ground here. 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. Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexnation.wordpress.com/vortex-nation-podcast/

"Sit day one, drive day two." What more could there be to gun season deer tactics? Amidst all the chaos in some states, how can you still manage to set yourself up for a successful hunt? Is it even worth it to go out after opening day/weekend? What exactly is a deer drive anyway and is there really a "right" way to do it? These are just a few of the topics discussed in this episode dedicated to gun deer season primarily in the midwest with our special guest, Jake Huebschman, from the Hunting Public. A lot of what we focus on here is Wisconsin's iconic gun deer season, being ours and Jake's home state, but we'd love to hear about gun season in your neck of the woods, too! Drop us a comment on IG @vortexnationpodcast after you listen!Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-nation-podcast

Full disclosure – this can be a touchy subject for a lot of hunters. The topic of public disclosure of hunting “spots” came up after a past episode and Jimmy, Mark, Ryan and Erik all have some varying thoughts on the matter. Do hunters of public land gain too much of a sense of ownership over certain hunting areas? Hunter recruitment is lower than ever, but are some hunters actually happy about it? Is this more an issue of opposing sides simply not wanting their counterparts to have “Too easy of a hunt”? Are we helping state and local wildlife agencies and management if we’re keeping our stories and locations “Hush hush” from the outside world? These are just a few of the topics discussed in this podcast. We completely understand that there are a variety of opinions on the topic and fully respect everyone’s thoughts on the matter. In fact – we’d love to hear what you think about this very topic, too. As always, let’s work to keep the discussion positive for everyone and respectful because in the end, we’re all on the same team. *Edit: Hey, we wanted to try and clarify a point/information we interpreted incorrectly or was originally communicated to us incorrectly. Either way, here we go. Big game tag number allotment in Wyoming isn’t dictated by state or federal funding opportunities….First and foremost, the status and health of game populations and the predicted harvest they can support while maintaining the management objectives of each population are. Determining the number of licenses to issue for a given species and area is a very complex process that involves analysis of a lot of biological information and social factors. Since most of the Wyoming agency funding comes from the sale of hunting and fishing licenses, they are often accused of being all about money. However, the biologists and game wardens aren't looking at revenue projections when they make season recommendations. There is enough demand for hunting licenses in Wyoming that they could actually sell a lot more of them, but would they be providing quality hunting opportunities and doing what is best for wildlife? The answer is most assuredly no. As a service to hunters, access or a lack of access can be taken into consideration when determining the number of available tags. In areas where access is limited, in an effort to not mislead hunters there may be more opportunity than what is realistic, tag allotment may fall at a number under what a game population in a specific region could sustain while maintaining optimal health. 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.

For nearly all of us (With the exception of Mark) firearms are more than just tools - They’re engineering marvels with interesting origins and stories associated with their creation and applications throughout history. Jimmy and Mark sit down with firearms enthusiasts Ryan Muckenhirn, Jimmy Jordan, Adam Maxwell and new guest Ian Klemm to talk about a whole host of obscure, interesting, historical and downright awesome firearms from their collections and the numerous rabbit trails that inevitably follow when you get a bunch of gun nerds in one room with visual aids. Everything from unique cartridges, oddball designs, requirements of end users in different times than our own and much more are discussed in this special “Show-and-tell” episode. Let us know what you think and if you’d like to hear more in the future. Also, if you have any suggestions of interesting firearms to discuss, we’d love to hear them so we can maybe add more to our next special!

Adam and Reub get back from UML (United Multigun League) Traditional Nationals Match and sit down with Jimmy and Mark to discuss all manner of things 3 Gun. First off – we’ve never really talked about where the sport of 3 Gun even came from! What’s the deal with these different divisions of 3 Gun and what is this relatively new and quickly growing division called UML? What was it about this UML Traditional Nationals match that made Reuben say it was his “Favorite match of the season”? And why the hell hasn’t Mark finished his AR yet?? So many questions, so many answers and it’s all packed in less than an hour. 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.

With so much focus on the hunting strategies and tactics that lead up to the shot, it’s easy to overlook the most important events that follow – picking up the blood trail. The sound of the hit, animal’s body language, and sign left behind like hair and color/texture of blood all dictate your next move to recover the animal. Jimmy, Mark, Paul, Ryan, and Erik all sit down to discuss some of the craziest blood trails and the wild-goose chases they were led on and what they learned from the experience on this episode. Spoiler alert: stick around to the very end to hear Paul explain a tracking job that ended in the most unpredictable way imaginable. You’ve probably had some interesting takeaways from blood trails of your own, and we want to hear all about it! If this is a topic you want us to dive further into – let us know! We could certainly dive into a second part of this one. As always, if there’s anything else you want to hear about, just hit us up on one of our many social media platforms using #VortexNationPodcast.

Days are getting shorter, snow is starting to fall, old man winter is making it harder to get to the range to hone our skills and practice our favorite pastime of shooting... If you're in the North that is... Jimmy and Mark chat with Reuben Aleckson and Adam Maxwell, two top-level shooters who manage to shoot and practice year round despite living in the frozen tundra of Wisconsin, about methods for honing one's shooting skills during the winter months indoors. Dry firing, practicing motor skills, joining indoor pistol leagues, performing maintenance on critical pieces of equipment and mental/physical preparation for competition if applicable are all things that could even take your game to the next level despite limited access to shooting ranges and minimal rounds down range. So get that fire roaring, pour up a cup of hot chocolate and take some notes. Even if you live in the southern states and have more range time during the winter, these tips and tricks are things you can do in your basement and will almost surely make you a better shooter. 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 hitting a local piece of public land in search of squirrels (Much to no avail) Mark, Jimmy and Pat Durkin, a man of many talents, loads of hunting knowledge and a slew of cool life experiences sit down for a good, classic huntin' talk. From the rise of big game hunting and the related fall in small game hunting licenses sold to first time hunters, cross-cultural differences in food norms and changes in common hunting practices from the 70's to current times, if you make hunting a part of your lifestyle, chances are there's a lot in this podcast you're going to relate to. Pat is an outdoor columnist, former magazine editor for several publications and currently does some writing for the MeatEater crew as well, so if you like what you hear, give him a quick Google search and you're sure to find plenty more interesting and thought-provoking pieces to distract yourself from work with. 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.

Let’s face it – without reticles, riflescopes would just be gun-mounted spotting scopes. Reticles are supremely important to shooters and hunters by delivering critical data from 100 yard zeroes to bullet drop, range estimation to improved speed and accuracy up close. They’re also one of the biggest question marks when it comes to purchasing a new riflescope or learning how to use one you already have. Jimmy, Mark, Jimmy (Not a typo) and Nick do a deep dive on reticles from traditional and simple duplex-style reticles to the most complex “Christmas Tree” First Focal Plane precision reticles and everything in between. We also touch on caliber-specific BDC’s, MOA vs MRAD and clever tricks for using some of the Vortex reticle offerings in different scopes. If you’ve ever wanted to get the maximum potential from your scope’s reticle, check out this episode, read up on the reticle manual for your scope if you haven’t already and get to the range to get shooting! 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 the Backcountry Hunting 101 podcast we eluded to Erik going on his first western hunts this year. This episode recaps his opening weekend South Dakota mule deer hunt from September. If you think you need to block off a ton of time from your work calendar or honey-do list, think again - this entire out of state hunt took only 3 days! In addition to Erik’s biggest takeaways from the hunt, we’ll also dive into some tips that you might find helpful while planning your own hunt outside of your home state. We’ll discuss several mapping software that are incredibly useful for e-scouting your next honeyhole, even though it might be several states away. Hopefully you’re making some hunting stories of your own, and if you are - we want to hear them! Let us know what you’ve been chasing and any interesting tips you’ve got, and we just might share them on an upcoming episode of the Vortex Nation Podcast!

Jim, Erik and Mark sit down with cool-ass-dude and Wisconsin DNR big game ecologist Kevin Wallenfang, to chat about an elk hunt 23 years in the making, bull on bull crime, submarine communication, and 17000 (give or take) amazingly interesting facts about Wisconsin’s elk herd. Kevin’s been at the heart of this wildlife success story from the start. And when we say heart – we mean it. Kevin loves these elk and all the folks who’s hard work has paid off in such a big way – giving Wisconsin a sustainable elk herd. Hang on tight. This is a good one. 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.

Snow Goose often gets a bad rap for its gamey and greasy flavor. We beg to differ, and with a little forethought in your in-the-field game prep and a handy dandy recipe like this one, maybe you’ll find yourself saying otherwise, too. This recipe takes a suggestion we received from a customer for a venison roast brine and applies it to 30+ birds-worth of snow goose breasts from South Dakota. After 24 hours of sitting in the delicious solution, we seasoned them up and tossed them on the Traeger smoker-grill to get a good medium finish. Ordinarily, our very own Ken Calhoun turns these into Jalapeño poppers, but when you need to feed an army at work, it’s easiest to just turn it all into a self-serve line of taco’s. 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.

Getting tired of the same old range day – setting up at the bench and lobbing a few rounds down range at targets really, really far away? It’s great therapy, but why not add a little adrenaline and even further skill to your repertoire by entering into PRS competition? It’s not as tough as you think. Scott Parks, Reuben Aleckson and a new guest for the podcast – Nick Laufenberg join the crew to talk what PRS is, how one can join, what equipment you need to compete and the mental hurdles to clear to be successful. Scott also goes in-depth on proper shooting form, “Driving the gun”, follow-through, loading the bipod and much more. All key elements to make you a better precision rifle shooter, a better carbine shooter and even a better pistol shooter, too. We had a ton of fun with this episode and hope to have maybe inspired some of you to try out a PRS, NRL or other “PRS-Style” match one of these days! 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.

Some do it for therapy, some for precision and others for mass quantity. Reloading or just regular loading ammunition is nothing new to the industry, but looking from the outside in, it can seem like an intimidating task to take on. Our two newest guests, Jimmy Jordan and Tom Leatherberry, as well as Ryan Muckenhirn have all been reloading for years and all for different reasons. We chat with them about what it is, why someone would want to do it, how you can get started and why "Saving money" is probably the worst reason you could ever get into the hobby. 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.

From HQ, Mark and Jimmy are joined live via Skype by Ryan Muckenhirn at the tail end of his September archery hunt and "Scout Hunt" in pursuit of mule deer. The Slim Butte region of South Dakota is a difficult tag to draw for rifle and Ryan has been accumulating points for the last 7 years. Thinking he's surely due to draw any year now, he decided to get the far easier to draw September archery tag for the unit to scout things out and possibly arrow a deer while he's at it. We talk terrain, deer behavior this time of year and the sheer difficulty of trying to sneak up on one of these suckers pre-rut. 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.

Gathering upon… “Lots” of experience (Math is hard) combined between Mark, Ryan Muckenhirn and Paul Neess, Erik asks his last-minute questions before heading out to South Dakota and Montana in search of mule deer. Hitting the backcountry can be a daunting task. In a mess of seemingly endless gear optiions, preparation and in-the-field tactics, how can one be sure they know what they’re doing? Well, first thing’s first, it’s not like assembling an Ikea table – You probably shouldn’t just grab a bunch of random pieces and “figure it out along the way”. From clothing to temperature regulation, or communication with the outside world and game care/storage in the field, the crew discusses proven practices that can help ensure success, survival, minimal frustration and maximum enjoyment of the overall adventure. Have any other questions you didn’t hear asked in this podcast? We’d love to hear them and maybe we’ll answer those in our next podcast about backcountry hunting. Stay safe out there, Vortex Nation. 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 do you do after raiding a crockpot full of delicious braised turkey leg meat for turkey leg street taco’s? Podcast about it so the whole world can know how good it is. Turkey legs don’t get a lot of love thanks to the myriad of ultra-tough tendons running throughout their meat, often making cooking and eating a complete nightmare. Erik and Mark braised up a few legs from their spring turkeys while Jimmy whipped up some fresh-made salsa to top it all off and gosh darnit if it didn’t turn out amazing. We’ve got the recipe for those looking to recreate this masterpiece, and discuss the process here in this food special of the Vortex Nation Podcast. 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.

The crew sits down with Josh Froelich, Open Division competitive shooter and 2018 IPSC Shotgun World Champion, to talk open division shooting, why he runs so many red dots on his guns (Yes – more than one on each gun!) and the overall experience competing in the IPSC Shotgun World Championships in France. We learned even more about his reasoning for switching from fighting MMA for years to transitioning into the 3 Gun arena and also how his new eating habits have helped take his shooting game to the next level. Josh also explained the awkward high-school-prom-like tradition of World IPSC Shotgun shooters trading jerseys at the big match! 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.

Some hunters spend summer months yearning for the crisp crunch of fall leaves and a brisk northerly breeze. Rather than counting down the days to hunting season, why not get started in August? In this month’s rendition of Hunt Year 'Round, we’re joined by Jesse Knock to get the scoop on hunting Sitka blacktail deer in Alaska’s Alpine. Chasing blacktails in arguably the most unforgiving terrain on the planet will test you mentally and physically, and will certainly reward you with an incredible experience regardless if you fill your tag. Better yet – it’s an over-the-counter tag available to anyone! Tune in to get the full scoop, and as always, let us know what you think! If you have an awesome hunting opportunity near you or idea for Hunt Year 'Round, let us know - 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.

After listening to Long Range 1001 and 1002, Erik decided it was time to really give long range a try at the Vortex Extreme 2018 in Wyoming. He sat down with Mark and Jimmy to discuss the practical application of his “Lessons” in going from a regular Wisconsin whitetail hunter to a full-blown long range precision competitor in just one weekend. If you’ve listened to our long range podcasts, but are still nervous to actually put it into action, perhaps Erik’s story will help get you ready for what to expect when you actually get behind the trigger. 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.