Vortex Nation Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 94 | Fishing 101 Oct 07, 2019

Show notes

Rods, reels, line, bait, bobbers, jigs, hooks, sinkers, spinners, spoons, worms, braid, monofilament… Holy smokes! These fishin’ folks seem to be speaking in a completely different language! If you have next-to-no fishing experience like Jimmy in this podcast or have maybe done some in the past but lost touch with the hobby and want to get back into it, this is a great podcast to start with. The topic of “Fishing 101” isn’t easy because the equipment and tactics for each type of fish, water and location will vary. That said, for the beginner just looking to get some casts in and catch something, our guests Ben Schneider (30 years fishing experience) and Larry Wipperfurth (52 years of fishing experience) from the office as well as Mark (nearly 37 years fishing experience) break it down for a noob like Jimmy with a great do-most-things, reasonably priced, easy-to-understand rod, reel, line, bait and bobber setup. They also bring up some great tips for where to go, how to fish and what to expect. We plan to do plenty more fishing podcasts after this one that are more in-depth and advanced, but wanted to bring everyone up to speed before taking the plunge so stay tuned!

Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-nation-podcast

As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like covered on the Vortex Nation podcast by asking us on any one of our social media platforms and using #VortexNationPodcast.

#10MinuteTalk – How to Properly Maintain your BCG Oct 01, 2019

Show notes

After listening to our full length episode on proper maintenance of your firearm, many of you may be wondering “Shoot… My BCG is pretty old – Does it require maintenance?”, “How the *** do I actually take this thing apart?” or “Does this mean I’m gonna have to go to a gun smith to fix it??”. Rest easy – it’s not as complicated as it sounds. In fact, Adrian was able to do it in just a smidge over 10 minutes while podcasting with us to show how it’s done. It’s simple, inexpensive, can save you the money of buying a whole new bolt carrier group and can also be integral to the reliable functionality of your AR.

Ep. 93 | Forecasting Buck Movement – Jeff Sturgis Sep 30, 2019

Show notes

We brought Jeff Sturgis of Whitetail Habitat Solutions back to pick his brain on some next-level whitetail techniques: Namely, using the weather to improve your chances on filling that whitetail tag. Jeff will cover different weather-related factors including how you can utilize weather tech to scout at home, how to use what’s happening in the sky to improve your ground game, and how to avoid pressuring deer. Many hunters follow “quantity over quality,” which Jeff debunks, saying you can harvest bigger bucks by spending more time on your couch. Although it can be hard to exercise the patience to wait for the perfect weather day, your friends, family, and career might be thankful. And who knows? You may even be rewarded with a huge buck. Get ready for another deep dive as Jeff walks us through how to find the best whitetail weather, and how to combine it with deer behavior and your scouting intel to form a weather-smart plan for your next hunt.

Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-nation-podcast

#10MinuteTalk – The 22-250 is Small but Mighty Sep 24, 2019

Show notes

After we discussed the .243 in a previous 10 Minute Talk, many of you requested a similar episode on the venerable 22-250 round. A popular varmint, coyote and even potential deer/antelope cartridge with an incredibly cool backstory, the 22-250 is still a popular cartridge to this day, and we owe it all to some wacky wildcatters in their basements for devising this little beast. Ryan Muckenhirn joins Mark and Jimmy to discuss the who, what, where, when, why of this lean, mean, varmint-huntin’ machine!

Ep. 92 | Waterfowl 101 Sep 23, 2019

Show notes

With a seemingly endless variety of birds, questions on where to go, what to wear, what to bring, which gun to shoot, how to be in the right place at the right time, how to effectively use decoys, etc., Jimmy and Mark are joined by Ryan Muckenhirn, long time waterfowl enthusiast, Mike McDowell, resident bird expert, and Erik Barber… for relatability to discuss waterfowl hunting. We’ve wanted to do a number of different waterfowl-related podcasts, which we’ll surely get to in the future, but figured before we dive in the weeds on these topics, we should do a 101 episode for those who aren’t yet up to speed (Jimmy being a prime example). Even if you’ve been waterfowling for years, it’s a great conversation to have, and with the crew we got together here, you may still even learn something new! Tons of people get stoked out of their minds every year for this sport – now you can hear what all the fuss is about.

Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-nation-podcast

#10MinuteTalk - Burritos vs. Street Tacos Sep 19, 2019

Show notes

Following a heated Instagram debate as well as some internal division amongst our own team here, Jimmy, Mark, Colin and Brittani (New guest, long time behind-the-scenes coordinator) take a bit more than 10 minutes to duke it out in a 2 vs. 2 battle of Street Taco's vs Burrito's. We learn burrito's are pretty much the pinnacle of American culture according to Colin, Brittani eats bananas weird, Taco's are better because they have their own day, and Lance Armstrong claimed the moon... So what are your thoughts? Street Taco's or Burrito's? Which do you prefer?

#10MinuteTalk – Beers Sep 17, 2019

Show notes

Jimmy and Mark are joined by our very own Tom Cody for his first ever podcast to talk about, you guessed it – Beer. Tom is our in-house beer connoisseur, traveling the state of Wisconsin to try as many different beers as he possibly can and matching new brews to his favorite wild game recipes for years. To discuss the all-important topic of beer-pairings, Tom brought in a venison and a pheasant recipe from his mom’s recipe book to give us the rundown on which type of beer compliments each dish the best and why. Undoubtedly, we could go on about the topic of beer for a lot longer than 10 minutes (As you even saw in this episode) so if you like this one, let us know and tell us what else you’d like to hear about everyone’s favorite adult beverage and we may just need to do a full length episode!

Ep. 91 | 2011's vs Polymer Framed Pistols Sep 16, 2019

Show notes

2011's are sooo 2019" - Mark Boardman. In this episode, Jimmy and Mark sit down with Adam Maxwell and Reuben Aleckson to discuss the fuss about these fancy 2011 pistols and why so many competitive shooters and even other marksmen are becoming so entranced by their performance vs the classic polymer-framed options. What is the best type of pistol to start shooting with? Are 2011's unreliable compared to their polymer counterparts? At what point can someone say they're "Good enough" to get a nice custom 2011 pistol? What the heck even is a "2011"?? Just a few of the many questions we get to on this podcast!

Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-nation-podcast

#10MinuteTalk - Top 3 Truck Tools and Recovery Gear Sep 10, 2019

Show notes

With great trucks comes great responsibility. Mark, Erik and Jimmy are on the road in Jimmy's truck preparing for the next podventure and took a break to discuss important recovery gear and tools to keep on hand in the truck to be ready for any situation. Jimmy goes over his personal top 3 in each category with some real life situations that have occurred in the last few years to back each one up. What are the tools and gear you keep in your vehicle to be ready for anything? Bonus points to those carrying this kind of gear in cars that aren't trucks/SUV's, too - even a compact vehicle can come in handy in emergency situations!

Ep. 90 | Jerry Miculek - Fast and Fancy Sep 09, 2019

Show notes

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

Already listened, but want the show notes for reference afterwards? You can find them here: https://vortexoptics.com/vortex-nation-podcast

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