Vortex Nation Podcast

Latest Episodes:

Ep. 83 | Baiting Bears Jul 08, 2019

Show notes

Hunting bears over bait is pretty much a sure thing, right? Wrong. Dan Staton joins us in Episode 83 to discuss baiting bears, how it works, the effort it requires, and whether or not it’s an effective tactic for duping them. With food seemingly everywhere, convincing a wild omnivore to stray from secluded, natural food sources and visit an artificial bait site isn’t easy. Add swirling, mountain winds and thermals that are constantly changing into the mix, and you’ll quickly understand how bears pinpoint your ambush before stepping out of cover. If extending your big game hunting season into the usually dormant spring and summer months is on your bucket list, consider planning a trip to Idaho next spring.

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 - Would You Shoot Sasquatch? Jul 02, 2019

Show notes

Three buffoons (Mark, Jimmy, and Erik) discuss whether or not they’d shoot squatch if they saw it in the wild. What are your thoughts? Would you pull the trigger? Maybe it depends? If so, what would it take for you to make the shot if at all? When you’re done with this episode, make sure to check out the “Podcast after the podcast” on Youtube where we discuss what it would take for Mark to put a squatch down!

Ep. 82 | Hunting For Plants - Foraging With Ryan Muckenhirn Jul 01, 2019

Show notes

It’s fun, it’s healthy, it’s a great way to get outside during the off season and if it’s not a phenomenal way to do some serious public land scouting for critters before fall comes around then we’re at a loss for good scouting tips. Ryan Muckenhirn is a foraging fiend who avidly hunts for wild berries, grapes, mushrooms, ramps, onion, garlic, maple syrup and so much more to scratch that off-season hunting itch and make delicious meals and treats. He answers mostly Jimmy and Mark’s questions about foraging, while Erik stuffs his face with freshly made jams and ramp butter, regarding where he goes, how he finds patches of goodies, how to identify what can and can’t be eaten, how to prepare foraged goods and pretty much anything else you’d ever want to know about finding and eating plants and fungi.

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.

#10MinuteTalk - Mark’s 10/22 - The Revival Jun 25, 2019

Show notes

What once was old became new - then back to old. Thank goodness for that. Jimmy and mark take 10 minutes and talk through the metamorphosis of Mark’s Ruger 10/22 and its return to glory.

Ep. 81 | Mark’s IntARvention Jun 24, 2019

Show notes

It finally happened, Vortex Nation. Jimmy lured Mark into a gripping conversation of large mouth vs. small mouth bass to get his mind settled, and then Ryan Muckenhirn, Erik Barber, Reuben Aleckson, and Jamison Schleicher came in with the surprise of the century – Mark’s very own AR. You’ll have to listen to hear just what was so special about this particular AR, but we can tell you, there really was no other option out there for our dear friend Mark. On an also-serious note – what are your thoughts on the whole “Small Mouth Vs. Large Mouth Bass” thing? Genuinely curious

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.

#10MinuteTalk - Don’t Forget the .243 Jun 18, 2019

Show notes

Per request of Ryan Muckenhirn, we sat down for 10 minutes to show a little love to the .243 Winchester – The 6mm before the 6mm was cool. This nifty little cartridge is very versatile and it would seem that in recent years it’s become somewhat forgotten, perhaps incorrectly so. What are your thoughts on the SAE 6mm? What other calibers do you think deserve a little 10 minutes of love? We’d love to get your thoughts.

Ep. 80 | Prince of Wales Alaska Bear Hunt Jun 17, 2019

Show notes

Words can’t describe the beauty and how flipping awesome a coastal - Alaska black bear hunt actually is - unless of course you have Jessy Knock (@ak_mtnbound) Rob Endsley (@robendsley), and Mark B. taking 1 hour and 22 minutes talking in excited tones about this absolute gem of a place/hunt - doing it pretty good justice. If you’re into adventure, pristine wilderness and giant black bears, this is the podcast for you. Follow along as they recount four different stalks on bears, the unique terrain and how these bears are using it (think beach), what these bears are doing/eating, opportunities in the region outside bear hunting, the different ways you can do this hunt and more.

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.

#10MinuteTalk – Angled vs. Straight Spotting Scopes Jun 11, 2019

Show notes

Ryan Muckenhirn joins Jimmy to chat about the real differences between straight and angled spotting scopes in 10 minutes. We get this question all the time from hunters, shooters, and recreational observers and figured it was high time we addressed all the most common points of confusion or mystery on the topic. Have more questions that we didn’t get to? Hit us up on Instagram or via any other social media/e-mail/phone method and we’re happy to help you out.

Ep. 79 | Is Turkey Hunting Like Elk Hunting? Jun 10, 2019

Show notes

What started out as a laughable conversation topic between Mark, Erik and the guys from The Hunting Public, Hushin, Born and Raised Outdoors and Sam Soholt off air suddenly became a legit topic to discuss for the podcast. Can hunting turkeys actually be compared closely to hunting elk? Of course there are inherent differences, but listen to these guys, all of which have extensive experience hunting both species, and you’ll likely be as surprised as we were to realize how many similarities actually exist. What are your thoughts? Have you done both or just one? If just one – has this podcast gotten you excited to try the other? Special thanks to this superstar group of guests who came up to Wisconsin to join us in the driftless region for a big-time collab turkey hunt, which was both an awesome adventure (Go check out their pages for some behind the scenes as well!) and a great learning experience as well, as you’ll hear in this episode! @thehuntingpublic @gethushin @bornandraisedoutdoors @samsoholt

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.

#10MinuteTalk – 45 Degree Offset Red Dots Jun 04, 2019

Show notes

Competition, duty use and certain hunting scenarios can all benefit from the utilization of a 45 degree offset red dot. Why? Reuben and Adam join Jimmy for 10 minutes to give you the quick and dirty behind offset red dots, their history, their applications in numerous shooting scenarios and why you might even want to use an offset red dot even when your primary optic is also a red dot! This episode comes to you via a listener request. We love getting listener requests for these talks, so keep them coming, Vortex Nation!

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