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Vortex Nation Podcast

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Welcome to the Vortex Nation Podcast. Brought to you by lovers of hunting, shooting, public lands, the Second Amendment and dang good food.

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  • 942 episodes
  • Updated Today

Episodes942

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  • Dec 11, 2023 · 54 min

    Ep. 317 | End of the World Truck — Clay Hayes Edition

    Clay Hayes is prepared for just about anything – and so is his truck. Jim never misses a chance to chat about cool, outside the box, yet highly practical vehicles. Clay’s truck is all those things and more. It runs on an alternate fuel source — and we’re not talking wind or solar. Tune in to hear all about it. You might just build one yourself, save money on fuel, and be ready for…well, you’ll be ready. As always, we want to hear your feedback! Let us know if there are any topics you'd like cov

  • Dec 5, 2023 · 28 min

    #10MinuteTalk - What a Bore Scope Will Tell You

    Ian Klemm stops by to chat scopes – bore scopes that is. This handy device will unlock the secrets of your rifle’s bore. And they retail for around $60. Not bad for a device that not long ago was likely top-tier spy-ops material. Tune in to hear what it can tell you and why you just might want to pick one up.

  • Dec 4, 2023 · 1 hr 38 min

    Ep. 316 | The Three Tiers of Muzzleloading

    Muzzleloaders fall into approximately three different buckets (Traditional, Inline, Extreme Performance). As simple as they can be, they can be equally complex. Mark Boardman, Jim Hamilton, Ryan Muckenhirn, and Paul Neess dive deep into each style and their distinct nuances. They even find a sweet spot of price and performance that’s tough to beat. Tune in for a detailed rundown on muzzleloaders.

  • Dec 1, 2023 · 23 min

    You Have One Handwarmer. Where Do You Stick It? | Spaghetti Shootout Ep. 14

    The “Spaghetti Gang” is at it again – answering high energy questions of zero relevance. Will Mark find his slump buster, or once again fall victim to the all-mighty Muckenhirn. From the best outdoor infomercial, to bribery, cheese, and more, tune in for a characteristically ridiculous ride you can only get from Spaghetti Shootout.

  • Nov 28, 2023 · 20 min

    #10MinuteTalk - Does Cryogenically Freezing Your Barrel Improve Performance?

    Cryogenically freezing barrels is a declared important step in some barrel manufacturers’ process. Entire services are available to cryo barrels for customers interested in accuracy, consistency and longer barrel life. Some say the process works wonders. Some say it’s a fallacy. Mark Boardman, Jimmy Hamilton, and Ryan Muckenhirn debate its relevance. One thing is certain, -300° F is Cold!

  • Nov 27, 2023 · 1 hr 19 min

    Ep. 315 | "We Hunted the Entire Deer Season - Here's what we learned" ft. The Element

    Content creators and dedicated deer hunters, Tyler Jones, and K.C. Smith from The Element podcast detail their origin story, how they got linked up with the MeatEater crew, their multi-state Buck Truck deer hunting tour, and deer hunting lessons learned along the way. These guys are fun to talk to! Tune in for a great conversation with some super solid deer hunting advice.

  • Nov 21, 2023 · 28 min

    #10MinuteTalk - Peep This - Aperture Sights on Firearms and Muzzleloaders

    Aperture sights, commonly referred to as peep sights, are a fun and extremely accurate way to shoot an open-sighted rifle or muzzleloader. But why? What rifles do they marry well with? Mark Boardman, Jim Hamilton, and Ryan Muckenhirn pull a couple of Ryan’s rifles out of the safe to chat through them and the different styles of peep sights they are adorned with.

  • Nov 20, 2023 · 50 min

    Ep. 314 | Hot Tent Camping – What You Need to Know

    That hot tent camping is SOOO hot right now (mild Zoolander movie reference). And for good reason. The ability to stay warm and get dry is critical for late-season hunts – or any hunt where inclement weather is a possibility. It can be the difference between staying or going home. More critically, the difference between life and death. At the minimum, it’s a morale booster. If you’ve been thinking about going this route, there’s a fair amount to consider. Mark Boardman joins good friend and foun

  • Nov 14, 2023 · 25 min

    #10MinuteTalk - Red Dots on Hunting Rifles?

    Close quarters, fast shots, moving targets, dynamic situations, shooting with both eyes open and a high-level need for rapid target acquisition. Sound like a “tactical environment”? Could be, but it’s not. You’re on a driven hog hunt in Spain or Germany, calling red stags in France, or on stand during a good old fashioned Midwest deer drive. All the positive attributes a red dot offers translate perfectly to specific hunts — making them the best option in some cases. Be “ready” for fast action w

  • Nov 13, 2023 · 57 min

    Ep. 313 | 7mm Rem Mag vs 7mm PRC — Is the King Dead?

    The king of the 7mm’s for decades, the 7mm Rem Mag has a reputation for performance and long-range authority. But with the rise of the 7mm PRC, is the king dead? Mark Boardman and Ryan Muckenhirn dive deep into their gel-shooting results to break down these cartridges and answer this very question. Was the original outcome the right one? Mark says no. Tune in to decide for yourself.

  • Nov 7, 2023 · 22 min

    #10MinuteTalk - Plant Brush — Save Mule Deer

    Mule deer are amazing critters. Sage brush and bitter brush are critical components of their habitat. Some areas need more to keep herds and ecosystems in optimal condition. Mark Boardman sits down with Brian McElrea from HUSH to chat about their super cool Brush for Bucks program ­— a growing program YOU can get involved with. Tune in to hear how you can get your hands dirty, have fun, and help mule deer and other critters along the way.

  • Nov 6, 2023 · 28 min

    Ep. 312 | Giving Back to Those Who Give so Much – Special Ops Xcursions

    Special Ops Xcursions (SOX) provides high quality/much needed outdoor experiences to active special ops personnel and their families. This work is critically important, life changing, and even life saving. Tune in as Scott Graves gives us the rundown on this fantastic organization and the amazing impact they have. You’ll also get the scoop on Vortex/SOX collaboration film, along with a limited run shirt – all proceeds benefiting SOX and their mission.

  • Nov 1, 2023 · 20 min

    #10MinuteTalk - Honoring Our Nation’s War Dogs and their Handlers — The US War Dogs Association

    America’s 4-legged heroes and their hero handlers need support after they retire. Enter the US War Dogs Association! This organization takes on the significant financial burden of caring for war dogs who served our country. Dogs who saved the lives of countless soldiers who depended on their incredible capabilities. Chris Willingham Joins Mark Boardman to discuss his professional career, his natural path to the US War Dogs Association, and the critically important work they do

  • Oct 31, 2023 · 42 min

    #10MinuteTalk - Night Vision — Is it Worth it?

    Night Vision: It’s a crazy superpower instrumental in the success of our modern warfighters, looks cool in movies, and elevates the night hunting and shooting experience. Mounted to your face or rifle, there’s no question it is insanely awesome. Is it expensive? Yes. Do you want it? Yes. But is it worth it? Vortex Edge® instructor Mike Griffin joins Mark Boardman and Jimmy Hamilton to answer this very question.

  • Oct 30, 2023 · 1 hr 10 min

    Ep. 311 | The Impact® 4000 Ballistic Rail-Mounted Laser Rangefinder — Change Your Shooting Life

    The Impact® 4000 Ballistic Rail-Mounted Laser Rangefinder. The name says a lot but doesn’t say it all. Vortex’s Tucker Schmidt and Nick Blough (credentialed shooters to say the least) join the podcast to expound on the game-changing capabilities of this unit. Simply put, you can transform your rifle into a cohesive system that ranges targets with pinpoint accuracy using the enhanced optics of the riflescope it’s mounted on, get a customized ballistic solution with Vortex’s Geo Ballistics softwar

  • Oct 27, 2023 · 26 min

    Best Lie to Go Hunting? | Spaghetti Shootout Ep. 13

    Do nice guys finish last? Find out as Mark Boardman and Ryan Muckenhirn assign each other a gas station identity, determine if HEYDUDE’s or Crocs are the best camp shoe, test friendships with hunting spot betrayal, and fabricate lies to get off work. And of course, there’s a spicy meatball to get things going. Tune in to see if Mark starts a two-game winning streak or if Ryan reclaims his throne.

  • Oct 24, 2023 · 22 min

    #10MinuteTalk - Seek One's Gear and Deer Tactics Revealed

    Lee Ellis and Drew Carroll from Seek One dump gear and deer knowledge in this tip-rich podcast “geared” toward getting you your next big buck. These guys are insanely dialed and meticulously detail oriented. Their track record for killing giants speaks for itself. Swivel your ears forward and pay attention. These guys know what they are talking about. 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

  • Oct 23, 2023 · 1 hr 7 min

    Ep. 310 | 31 Species of Deer? “You sure about that?” “You sure about that?”

    According to some, we have 31 species of deer to chase in North America. Is that true? Mark Boardman joins Arizona Game and Fish Wildlife Biologist Jim Heffelfinger to find out. Jim is a passionate deer expert, has written books on deer, coauthored books on deer, runs the website deernut.com, can be found on Instagram as @cervidnut, and is a full research scientist at the University of Arizona’s School of Natural Resources and the Environment. Not surprising of anyone who loves deer this much, h

  • Oct 17, 2023 · 29 min

    #10MinuteTalk - Ryan Muckenhirn’s Howa Carbon Stalker – 6mm ARC

    Is it an impulse buy when you’ve been looking for a specific style of rifle for a while, then buy it the second you think you found it? Ask Ryan Muckenhirn as he walks us through his brand spanking new Howa Carbon Stalker in 6mm ARC – an increasingly popular cartridge. We get the why behind his need for this rifle, the scoop on the rifle itself, some immediate modifications he made, and more. Tune in and find out if you need one too.