Vortex Nation Podcast

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

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 fo

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!

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 direc

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. Th

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

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, identifyi

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 o

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 Nat

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

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. Ki

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 m

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 w

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. I