Vortex Nation Podcast

“It’s the holiday’s – we’re all miserable!” OK, maybe not all of us, but the holidays certainly bring some of us a great deal of stress and time consumption doing things we, quite frankly, would rather not be doing. Jimmy, Mark and Erik discuss some of their best tips and tricks for hunters and shooters to make it through this time of year. From “Sneak hunts” to last minute squirrel sniping and showing up at the front door with a bucket of AR parts, these will make the time fly by!

If you can avoid holiday parties, schmoozing the in-laws, and consuming enough calories to comatose a sasquatch, the holiday season offers plentiful hunting opportunities. This episode is all about the seasons still in full-swing during the waning months of hunting season. Jimmy, Mark, Ryan, and Erik fill you in on big and small game species you can chase from the upper-Midwest to the southwestern desert. Even better - most of these hunts come with tags at affordable price points that are very attainable on a DIY hunter’s budget. Sit back, turn the volume up, and enjoy this articulated conversation about pursuing grey ghost, a northern rabbit the size of a housecat, and everything in between.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 Instagram @vortexnationpodcast

It happens more often than you’d think. Someone is right handed, for example, but not necessarily right-eyed. Everyone has an eye that their body naturally relies on as its dominant eye, and if it happens to be opposite of your dominant shooting hand, people are often left scratching their head as to how they should go about shooting. Switch to the other hand to take advantage of the better eye? Try to train the weak eye? There are different answers to this question depending on the reasoning behind your eye-dominance (Some people simply don’t have a properly functioning eye on their strong hand side) but Reuben joins Jimmy and Mark here to discuss his recommendations for the majority of people he sees with this issue.

In this episode, Ryan Muckenhirn says he feels sad for people who live and party in big cities, Mark says “Intimate” an uncomfortable amount of times, and Jimmy talks about cars more than hunting. It’s hard to sum up this interesting podcast where we go deep into the human DNA to try and figure out why it is that we hunt. Mark and Ryan are die hard hunters who want to do and think about nothing other than chasing game (Or picking berries for Ryan, too). Meanwhile, Jimmy enjoys hunting, but has his own hard-wired obsession outside the sport. Is it bad to not be a hunting fanatic? Do we live in a much more specialized society today that has weeded out all but the most fanatical hunters? Are some people, regardless of exposure, simply more predisposed to become cold blooded hunters than others? What are your thoughts after listening to this one? Plenty more left on the table that could be talked about when discussing the human mind!As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you

After many requests to discuss the .220 Swift, Ryan Muckenhirn joins Jimmy and Mark to do a 10(ish) minute dive into the cartridge, its history and application. As always – it is phenomenally interesting not only to learn about the cartridge but to get a peep into the cartridge encyclopedia that is Ryan’s brain.

We didn’t expect to need two parts for this topic, but there’s just so dang much to talk about when it comes to riflescopes! Lightweight Dave joins Mark and Jimmy once again, this time not to talk about sawing his toothbrush in half, but to discuss all things riflescopes. How they’re made, how their optical systems work, how our eyes interact with the light they funnel through their many lenses, what parallax is and what parallax adjustable scopes do when you spin their dials, and so much more! Minds were blown for this one as usual and we’d love to hear from you about what further riflescope topics we can discuss in Part 2. Let us know!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 Instagram @vortexnationpodcast

Bullpup firearms have long been the choice of sci-fi movie heroes (or villains) and middle schoolers playing their friends in Call of Duty. They look crazy cool with all the common features of a regular rifle or shotgun, seemingly thrown into an engineering blender, coming out on the other end with parts in weird places that look nothing like their more traditional gun cousins. Adam Maxwell joins Jimmy and Mark to discuss what all the fuss is about these unique looking firearms, why they exist and their various pro’s and con’s of operation and ownership. What do you think about Bullpups? All about ‘em? Or are they just cool to look at?

You’ve seen it at the range, your local gun store, long range matches, and now you’re even seeing it in the military - it’s hard to deny 6.5’s are here in a big way. But while we all look to prom-king cartridges like the 6.5 Creedmoor as a new and totally exciting, 6.5mm rounds have actually been a part of the cartridge landscape for quite some time - and there are seemingly countless variants of cartridges all pushing 6.5 mm bullets down  barrels. Ryan Muckenhirn, the cartridge version of a beautiful mind, joins Jimmy and Mark to discuss where all the fuss of the 6.5 revolution comes from, some interesting bullet history and also gets into some proper bullet selections for hunting that may surprise some people. If you’re a cartridge nerd, want some clarity on which 6.5 is right for you, or just enjoy learning things about the shooting sports we all love while getting a bit of history, this is most certainly one you don’t want to miss!As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topi

People often ask us if they can paint their riflescope without causing any kind of rip in the VIP-Warranty-Time-Continuum. The answer is yes – you’re still covered even if you paint it. Unless it’s ugly… Just kidding! But what are the different methods out there for painting or “Coating” your riflescope? Whether it’s just for looks or for a specific application like camouflage for a hunting rifle, coating your scope (and gun) can be a ton of fun and give you a very unique looking package. Just make sure if it’s a Vortex scope to send us some pics when it’s all done!

What better way to ring in 100 episodes than with a series of 10 minute talks back-to-back about all our favorite things – hunting, shooting, and good food. Reuben Aleckson, Ryan Muckenhirn, and Erik Barber join Jimmy and Mark to discuss why the world needs to “Make the 30-06 great again”, “will CWD turn humans into zombies?”, what’s the ideal 3 Gun setup if there was no budget, which type of grill is best, some of the craziest VIP warranty stories we can remember, and the ultimate showdown of “Whitetail vs. Mule deer – which is best?”. There’s also an unexpected surprise at the end of this one, too. Check it out and thanks to all our listeners who have been around since the beginning! Here’s to another 100! 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 Instagram @vortexnationpodcast

We see it all the time – New shooters come to the internet for advice on a riflescope for their first long range rifle and are instantly berated by all the gear junkies who look to the absolute top of the top competitive shooters for all their gear with super expensive and complicated options that they apparently “Have to get” to somehow avoid utter failure and frustration. Nick Laufenberg joins us for this 10 minutes (Plus a bonus at the end) to explain the differences between what a recreational target shooter might actually need at the bare minimum vs what a competitive tactical long range shooter would require for their matches. In the end, he also discusses a riflescope’s theoretical maximum capable range with any given rifle based on its available travel and subtensions in the reticle.

Taco’s may have won our debate of “Taco’s vs. Burrito’s”, but when it comes down to hosting a wild game, Mexican-inspired cookoff, burrito’s just felt like the right thing to make. Jimmy, Mark, Sawyer Briel (New guest!) and Colin Hornback each had their own idea of what the all-time best wild game burrito would be, and we had quite the variety for our returning food critic, Rebecca, but only one would be named the winner! Tune in to hear Mark’s struggles after winning the wild game burger cookoff, Jimmy’s strict burrito construction techniques, Sawyer’s unique Asian-inspired burrito and Colin’s never-ending pursuit of back-to-basics, total food freshness.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 Instagram @vortexnationpodcast

Why get a 25 when I can get a 30??” – Mark Boardman. What’s the deal with this “25-06” cartridge that so many of you have requested we do a 10 minute talk about and why is it so great? Could it even “Stomp the 6.5 Creedmoor” within 500 yards on deer? You’ll have to listen to find out!

Rut’s here! Make sure you’re ready to tag your buck by joining us for big rut questions and small talk with outdoor writer and all-around hunting encyclopedia Pat Durkin. We’ll touch on what makes the rut so special, all-day rut hunts, and general strategies for whitetail success.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 Instagram @vortexnationpodcast

You’ve heard it before –  “The best way to eat goose meat is to wrap it in bacon, cook it, throw the goose meat away and eat the bacon.” – Is the bad reputation for their meat well deserved? Could it just be that a lot of people cook it wrong? Mark and Jimmy, after our Boats and Bows adventure, where we shot down two Canada Geese, set out to decide for themselves once and for all if goose meat sucks. Armed with salt, pepper, their favorite garlic powder, a hot plate, a cast iron skillet and some oil, they cook it up live on this podcast as straight up rare/medium-rare steaks for a final verdict. What do you think about goose meat? Any other great recipes in your arsenal?

Seriously, folks, this is one you don’t want to miss. Mark and Jimmy had the unique opportunity to join Wisconsin Brewing Company Brew Master, Kirby Nelson, their director of operations, Mike McGuire and Wisconsin distributors’, Ryan Sprague, to talk about something we all hold near and dear (At least we definitely do here in Wisconsin) – Beer! WBC is located just down the highway from Vortex and has one heck of a cool culture, we just couldn’t help but get them on the podcast to learn more about our favorite adult beverage. We discuss how the beer industry works behind the scenes, why canned beer is better than bottled beer, how beer was used as water sanitation for the pilgrims on Plymouth Rock, How some monks in an Abbey in Germany are producing some of the world’s best beer, tracing beer’s roots back to the ancient world, and so much more this list could be endless! So crack a cold one, kick back and prepare to be the coolest person at the bar this coming weekend when you drop all these knowledge bombs on

First off – Should you decide to take the plunge into reducing, stippling, or modifying your pistol frame in any other way, use the tips given in this podcast to help, but know what we’re not liable for any accidents that may occur by attempting to customize your own pistol. Also always ensure that anything you do to your own firearms is legal and doesn’t create an issue with your own state and local laws. With that said, modifying your own polymer pistol frame is relatively inexpensive, fun, not that hard to do and can result in a better feeling pistol when it comes time to head to the range or competition. Jimmy has done a few of his own and goes through his process. If you’d like a custom pistol frame that looks like all the stunning ones on Instagram, perhaps you’d consider sending it to one of the pro’s with much more experience and better tools, but this way certainly gets the job done, too!

OK so we had to start with two super cool rifles on this one, but the rest are some really awesome handguns of the early 1900’s. Nick Rowden from our previous WW2-era rifles podcast and his friend Greg join us with an impressive collection of handguns from a 1911, to a Luger, some revolvers, even a PPS-43 and much more. All these guns have impressive stories and equally impressive history behind their creation and application in conflict times in our world’s history. If you’re a gun nut, this is one you don’t want to miss. As always, if you want to see these guns we talk about, check out the podcast on Youtube, too!Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-nation-podcastAs 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 Instagram @vortexnationpodcast

Wait… Why are Mark, Jimmy, Erik and the camera guy, Nate back at HQ? Wasn’t this podcast supposed to be from the banks of the river at a remote campsite? Well… Yes… And as the guys will quickly explain – you’ll find that the boat didn’t exactly make it as far as we hoped. BUT! Was it a complete failure? In this episode we dive into the massive debacle that was our 24 hours on a river in “Up North” Wisconsin. Though we experienced many failures, (and did finally determine that, indeed, we did get the wrong boat) we experienced a few triumphs and learned a whole heck of a lot along the way. Had we sat on our butts all day dreaming of adventure and agonizing over making everything perfect, we never would have had this much fun, nor would we have learned quite this much to make for an even better river hunting trip next time. Speaking of which… “Next time” might just have to be a thing in the future! Stay tuned as always for more podventures and if you have any ideas of your own for a podventure you’d like to hea

DJ Struntz of North American Rescue joins Mark, Jimmy and Erik for a reality check into the world of trauma response in the backcountry. He dives into the equipment, knowledge and mindset needed to avoid finding one’s self in a traumatic situation in the first place, but also how to keep each other alive should one occur. Cuts from broadheads, fractures from tree falls, blunt trauma from river rocks, fire burns and even eyeballs getting ripped out of their sockets from fishing hooks… Feeling queasy yet?  Hopefully this is all information that you, too, can arm yourself with for all your future adventures and, of course, that you never need to use! 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 Instagram @vortexnationpodcast