Vortex Nation Podcast

Latest Episodes:

#10MinuteTalk – O’Connor’s Special – The .270 Winchester Dec 26, 2020

Show notes

By overwhelming demand, we bring you a 10 Minute Talk on the ol’ standby – the .270 Winchester… How have we not done this one yet?? Jimmy and Mark chat with Mr. Ryan Muckenhirn all about what is certainly one of America’s most classic deer cartridges. We address not only where it came from and what made it so special to begin with, but also what it’s future might be as the round seems to be gaining in popularity with the long range community with the development of some new, high-stepping projectiles and loadings!

#10MinuteTalk - The “why” behind extreme distance rangefinders Dec 22, 2020

Show notes

Why the hell would a person need to range 5000 yards or beyond anyway?...We’ll tell ya. Jimmy and Mark sit down with Paul Neess (AKA “The Neess”) and Ryan Muckenhirn to dissect this interesting question. In some ways the extreme ranging horsepower of an optic like our Fury HD 5000 is akin to when we practice shooting at long range – the fact the unit can hit 5000 well, makes closer work like 2500 yards a chip shot in regard to speed, pinpoint-precision and distance reading accuracy. A person can also route plan, estimate time of travel to get to a specific point and surprise themselves with how close or far a target/object really is. Things can get deceiving out there in regard to distance perception and a good rangefinder can give you the answers you need. Lest we forget, responsibly shooting targets at extreme long rage is damn fun and knowing the range is pivotal. All this, and as per usual, Paul says some other smart stuff…So Neess!

Ep. 161 | Cold Weather Clothing and Shelter Dec 21, 2020

Show notes

Jimmy and Mark are joined by Ryan Muckenhirn to discuss staying warm in the dead of the late season winter hunts. We discuss everything from clothing to shelter, understanding of course that everyone has their own personal preference for how they like to stay warm, but it never hurts to get a few new ideas now and then. Mark obviously brings up the incredible merits of the puffy jacket (Which we all agree on here), Ryan discusses his extremely well-thought-out cold weather shelter setup, and we toss out a few other tips and tricks based on personal experience for not freezing your you-know-what’s off out there!

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

Introducing the 6.5 BC – a Wildcat Special: The 6.5 BC takes its first wild game! Dec 16, 2020

Show notes

Incredibly, the crew has developed a load that not only functions but does so well enough to be worthy of taking on an antelope hunt in Wyoming. In true dirtbag fashion, Mark, Jimmy and our video man Cooper loaded up the Subaru for a turn and burn trip to a unit with limited public land in hopes to shoot at least one doe antelope each. As the title implies, the cartridge worked as intended, but to hear just how it all went down you’ll have to tune in! What do you guys want to see in the future with the 6.5 BC? How about other calibers? We’re hoping to continue to tune it for accuracy and really get it coming out like the rocket we think it can be in the future!

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

Introducing the 6.5 BC – a Wildcat Special: Loading, Testing and not Blowing Up Dec 15, 2020

Show notes

In our last episode, Ryan Muckenhirn walked us through the process of getting into wildcatting your own cartridge and also unveiled our concept for the 6.5 BC. This is all fine and dandy on paper, but when the powder starts pouring, how are we going to go about making sure we loading something that works, is remotely effective, and, perhaps most importantly, safe!? In typical Vortex Nation Podcast form, we’re going into this with a good idea, but not a ton of experience, to give you a relatable look at how some regular enthusiasts might go about the process. Ryan tells us how he arrived at the baseline powder charge and seating depth we’ll be starting with, What our testing regimen for developing an initial load will look like, and of course, how we’ll avoid blowing ourselves up… In theory…

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

Introducing the 6.5 BC – a Wildcat Special: How to Start Wildcatting Dec 14, 2020

Show notes

Remember that time after our first podventure when Jimmy and Mark said they’d never reload again? Well, technically we’re not reloading just yet… We’re wildcatting! Wildcatting is essentially the process of throwing caution to the wind, along with all other familiar territory and off-the-shelf parts for loading your own ammunition and attempting to develop your own cartridge. Of course, Mark and Jimmy aren’t going to do this by themselves, so they’ve enlisted our local cartridge expert, Ryan Muckenhirn, to basically do all the work of making a kick butt cartridge. In this episode, we go through what wildcatting is, why you might want to do it, and how one would even go about beginning such a process. We also unveil our concept for the “6.5 BC” (And you know what “B.C.” stands for!)

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

#10MinuteTalk - Do Monoculars Need More Love? Dec 08, 2020

Show notes

You don’t need to be a cyclops to enjoy all the benefits a Monocular offers. We grab resident optics expert and coinsure Michael McDowell to break down these handy optics and all the great performance they offer. Light, fast, and mechanically simple, monoculars are easy to carry and always at the ready when you need them!

Ep. 160 | Think Wilder with Your Wild Game Cooking Dec 07, 2020

Show notes

Jeremiah Doughty from @fromfieldtoplate joins Jimmy and Sawyer (Mark was out on a Blacktail hunt) to talk all things wild game cooking. Jeremiah himself is a self-proclaimed wild game chef and spends his time traveling the world hunting and preparing amazing meals with the meat he harvests. While we can all agree that pretty much anything wild game is going to taste great, you may be feeling stuck in a rut with steaks and jerky time after time following the hunting season and want to venture out into some more culinary masterpieces. Jeremiah not only has the ideas and recipes to get you going, but also the motivation you need to get a little wilder in the kitchen. We also talk great stories from Jeremiah’s experience of hunter recruitment and winning over minds through people’s taste buds and some fun cooking – even a Panda-Express-orange-chicken-inspired pheasant recipe!

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

Ep. 159 | Safari Club International – More than meets the SC I Dec 03, 2020

Show notes

What’s in a name? We’ll, lots of things – and possibly even some misconceptions. Safari Club International (SCI) has been fighting for hunters, rights, traditions, culture, and essentially our way of life for years. They are all about domestic and international hunting, but make no mistake, it isn’t all lions and zebras. Tune in to this super interesting conversation with Ben Cassidy from SCI as we chat about, what SCI is doing for you, how they are doing it and some serious battles they are fighting right now. Bear hunting, Tahr hunting in New Zealand, and simply hunting on Sunday in some states - which if you do the math is 50% of your weekend - are just a few things they are taking head-on. Even if a threat isn’t in your back yard, it’s important we support our fellow hunters and organizations like SCI. Together we are strong – and eventually it might be you and your traditions that need a helping hand.

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

#10MinuteTalk – When to Swap Your Spotting Scope Eyepiece Dec 01, 2020

Show notes

Reuben Aleckson joins Jimmy and Mark to talk about spotting scope eyepieces and when it might make sense to swap your included variable zoom eyepiece for a long eye relief, wide angle, and/or reticle eyepiece. The ability with certain spotting scopes to change the eyepiece allows for the opportunity to specialize your optic to specific applications, making it much more effective for searching, spotting, calling shots or seeing more clearly at different times of day or different distances. We hope to do a more in-depth episode in the future more specifically on spotting scopes as a whole and how they work – if you have any ideas before we record that episode for what you’d like to hear – hit us up in the comments!

Our TOPPODCAST Picks

Follow Us

Stay Connected

Related Podcasts

Links

Stay Connected