It just helps you. I I can't even
put into words of how, but, you know,
when I'm just complaining and I'm disconnected from
the resource, you know, it's all about getting
1. I have to fill a tag or
I'm not happy.
Oh, man. I'm I'm ready I'm ready to
go home.
Yeah.
What? Yeah. It's pretty easy to sit here
and say, oh, I'm so excited for hunting
season and then was gonna be the best
season. Yeah. But days 7 when you still
haven't found the buck you're looking for and
it's snowing sideways, that's that's kinda when
and that really kicks in that closet it.
That that endless positivity.
The cast is powered by On x Hunt
and for good reason.
On hunt is the number 1 hunting Gps
app in the industry.
Stay tuned for a rock broadcast promo code.
Hey, everybody. Welcome to the rock cast. It's
what, early July. I can hear the velvet
growing and stretching as I speak. I wanted
to introduce you to a good guy today.
Actually just met myself. I really don't know
him, but I know he's a good guy
because he loves mule there, and he and
he doesn't only put put his money or
his mouth is. He puts his time where
his mouth is. I wanted to introduce you
today to Taylor Gregory. He's the c chair
of the Wood River. Chapter of the Mule
deer foundation and listen in. This guy's gonna
make you better deer hunter. Taylor, are you
out there? I'm here, Robbie. Thanks for having
me. You bet, Buddy. Thanks for reaching out.
To me on rock slide. I didn't put
your rock light screen name down on
my outline, but I believe it's hunt high
1. Is that true?
I believe that's right. Yeah.
Alright. Everybody. So I met him on rocks
slide because he's out there doing good stuff.
And he's trying to be a better deer
hunter himself. And he's not just sitting around
bitch and moaning in about too many coyote,
too many wolves,
the the the the sun is too bright
today,
global cooling,
whatever. He's he he knows he knows the
the the complaints that are out there.
We... We're not trying to deny Mule deer
are having a hard time. But that's 1
reason when this guy started talking to me,
I thought this this dude is awesome because
he started a chapter of the Mule Foundation.
Rather than sitting around complaining. He says, I'm
gonna get out and do what I can
do to help me there. So Taylor, kinda
tell us about how you got this vision
to start the chapter. You mentioned something about
going to a banquet in twin falls. Is
that right? Yeah. Robbie. I just... Went to
the... I wanted to be more of part
of mule Foundation. So I, you know, became
a member started reading their magazines.
I've read your books, have just been passionate
about Hunting. I've loved joining them, and Idaho
for several years. I've I went to school
in Montana, so Was able to hunt my
first meal there in Montana,
Had some real botched opportunities growing up in
Eastern Washington when I was really young.
But yeah. We went to the local chapter.
My girlfriend and I, and
sitting there got to think why am I
driving all the way to twin falls from
Haley Ke them to go to this chapter
event. Why don't we start 1 here and
I reached out to
the regional director at the time, and he
he told me he said, hey. Hold that
thought. I've got another guy I'm talking to
that's already in the process and the that
guy was the who ended up becoming our
current chair as a Ross Baker.
So he and I teamed it up and
got it started.
Alright. And his Ross Baker there in the
Wood river Valley? Yes is. Yes. Alright. And
for those of you that don't know the
Wood river Valley, as he just mentioned at
Haley Ke, Fin sun Valley. Ski or kind
of the heart of central Idaho, maybe a
little bit on the southern tip of what
I call Central Idaho just north of the
of the of the big desert,
but great mule deer elk country all around
there.
Many units around there, a lot of back
country around there they're just just a good
place to live And did did I hear
you right. You grew up in Eastern Washington?
Yep. I grew up in Spokane. Wait a
minute. Wait a minute. Dude you're a non
resident
here out. Hear helping Idaho mule?
Well, you know, the classic argument around here
is the... I don't know how many years
it called... It'd be a resident to qualify
as a real resident these days, but I
think... I've been in Idaho for, over 10
years now.
We just moved it to 20.
That's what it is. It's gonna be 30
next year.
No, man. Tongue in cheek, totally. This is
why I'm not afraid of non resident hon,
man. You got... I don't care if you
grew up in Eastern Washington, Tennessee.
If you love hunting, we wanna find a
place for you and sure enough. A guy
like you. Grows up in Eastern Washington Go
to school Montana. Ends up out here, you're
not just taking from the resource you're adding
to the resource. K? So when you were
going to the Mule
foundation chapter Banquet in twin falls, and you...
You were talking to their director, and he
hooked you up with Ross Baker. He... Is
he also local to Wood river Valley Yeah.
Ross slips here. Yep. Awesome. Got. So so...
But you had never met him before? Never
had. No. Alright. So you guys got together,
say, hey, How can we help Mule dear?
What was that? 20 22?
That was late 20 22. Yeah.
23.
Excellent. Oh, so, wow, you got into mule
just ride everything took a nose dive on
that hard winter.
So you guys got yourself a chapter together?
Have you had your first banquet?
We've not had our first banquet. We hosted
in August of last summer. We hosted a
sort of a gear exchange event, because it
I thought was a pretty unique idea.
Essentially,
imagine a consignment situation where people bring any
gear they wanna sell. And
would the chapter takes a minimum of, I
think we did 10 percent that time or
20 percent.
And then if they wanted to do more
a higher percentage they could. And, man, we
sure had some awesome awesome gear there, tons
of first light of course because Hayley leaves
the Home first leg. Right. Sure. Sure.
Yeah. Big supporters of conservation. So, hey. Well,
that... That's really cool. But we'll tell me
this. Like...
Like, what what were you seeing was missing
in the Wood Ruler valley? What what what
did you think you could make a difference
on by starting this chapter?
I just habitat it. I mean, I I
keep listening to, like, the Kevin Monte podcast
that you've done have read some of his
papers,
I kind of... I guess I like to
follow some of the scientific
stuff as much as I can.
And
everything I read from biologists or hear from
biologists just points towards habitat is the number
1 way to
improve mule deer, and
I figured well there's certainly plenty of habitat
and points
plenty of opportunity for habitat work around here.
So I figured I might as well do
something.
Alright. And you'd had mentioned when we were
off that, you know, the average hunter you're
you're run into in the field, just, you
know, they... They hate fishing game, You know,
it it's the wolves. It's our It's whatever.
Know? I mean, Kinda poke fun at that
stuff, but I I know some of that
stuff you know, is is not going away
we want. I totally get that. But I
was admire a guy that's, like, you know,
I can just let my attitude go down
the toilet or I can get up and
do something about it. But but... And... And
you were the lap. You were like, hey,
I I don't wanna just live here complaining.
I wanna do something about it. And and
and and and and so the whole the
whole habitat thing. You're, you know, you're seeing
the improvements that we can make there.
Tell listeners a little bit more of how
you got that vision. There's gotta be more
than just go into 1 meeting.
Oh, I've... It's something I've been thinking about
for a long time, and honestly just
frankly being lazy. You know? I I'd had
I had told myself I was gonna join
a chapter start to start joining some volunteer
events for
probably 567
years, you know? And I just hadn't acted
on it and
I kinda got annoyed with myself and annoyed
with
knowing, you know, as I listen to more
and learn more about meal habitat and seeing
opportunities for work on the ground. I figured
Oh, now's the time, and it they just
made it easy on me here, and that's
a another guy was already thinking about it.
So I I got to talking with him
and we hit it off and
we wanna do some real work on the
ground. So...
Alright, man. I love it. Because really, the
way I look at it, just just to
boil the argument down as as simple as
possible.
If if we wanna make Meal hunting better,
we got... We got 2 choices.
Continue to cut back on tags and opportunity.
Which has pretty much been happening.
In every Western state for the last
10 years,
most will agree. It seems to be the
road to nowhere right now.
You know, it's... It we're we're we're not
growing a lot more mule there with these
changes that that we're making. Or we can
start taking better. Care of mule and everything
that affects me, like, you know, habitat migration
corridors, you know, all those type of things.
Now I realize there's little site are all
of that. But but to me, If we're
just gonna continue to just limit opportunity and
limit opportunity and limit opportunity,
that's the depressing thing to me.
But I have seen Mule get back on
their feet before from, you know, favorable weather,
habitat improvement
protection of migration corridors under highways and things
like that. And to me, man, that's the
long game. That's that's where we can make
the difference.
Sounds like you're you're on that train with
me. I definitely agree. And I've heard you
talk a little bit about the importance of
positivity when you are hunting for success and...
It's not not something I learned on the
hunting side I learned it on the fishing
side. And when I used to be obsessed
with steel head fishing.
I got... Once I got good, It got
to the point where every cast, I genuinely
thought I was gonna hook a steel head
on every cast. Mh. And it wasn't that
that was actually occurring, but when I fished
that way, I was
I was out fishing everybody. And I find
that if I approach... If I approach Hunting
in the same manner with that same positivity,
it's amazing what it does for my own
and I think
doing work like this is just gonna
help me have that's excessive positivity
regardless of
the current situation.
Like, if you're
taken taking action to to do some work
and improve it. You're you're doing something.
You bet. And it mentally?
Helps you. That's what I... What's what I
mean when I say this stuff makes you
a better dear hunter. When you're getting engaged,
and you're given back, and and you're learning
and you're keeping an open mind helps when
when you're out on the mountain, it just
helps you. III can't even put into words
of how, But, you know, when I'm just
complaining and I'm disconnected from the resource, you
know, it's all about getting 1. I have
to fill a tag or I'm not happy.
Oh, man. I'm I'm ready I'm ready to
go home.
Yeah.
You what? Yeah. It's pretty easy to sit
here and say, oh I'm so excited for
hunting season and it's gonna be the best
season. Yeah. But day 7 when you still
haven't found the buck you're looking for and
it's snowing sideways.
That's that's kinda when
and that really kicks in that positive. That
that endless positivity.
Still Taylor, I used to literally sit on
the mountain in my twenties and draft letters
in my head to the vicious game.
Of how
I was just gonna rip these guys down.
They couldn't do anything right. I was gonna
fix it all.
And and and what changed for me was
when I actually did what you're doing is
I decided, you know what? I need to
get involved And and I got involved actually
on the fishing game side just as a
volunteer then a volunteer program you could go
to and work on these, you know, projects
and work at the check station and something
like that. That changed everything for me. Now
number 1, I realized there's not a whole
lot fishing game can do about, you know,
me scale changes in, like, yeah, you know,
like, like, what 1 when...
The whole west is is is experiencing declines
in mule there. There's something big going on,
you know, and and and and to it
to narrowly think, hey. You know, just go
in and make this a draw on, it's
gonna fix everything. I didn't even realize what
what what I was thinking. You know, and
once I begin to understand weather. And then
all these are things we've talked about, you
know,
migration corridors and stuff that's becoming, you know,
a big deal map. You know, I'm seeing
this at at the federal level
that are like, hey, we gotta protect this
stuff. You know, that's the long game kind
of stuff right there we gotta do. So
anyways,
Tell us
what are some projects you've got going and
in and around the Wood River Valley where
people can get involved and and help you.
Well, that's the whole reason I initially reached
out to you, Robbie is we've got a
a project coming up, this coming sat not
this coming Saturday well. After the podcast. Yeah.
This podcast a launch on or about July
sixth or seventh, and then your
project is on... Saturday, July. Podcast July thirteenth
instead... Thirteenth. Gotcha. Know. Just people have about
6 days to get involved after this podcast
launches. Yep. So it's gonna be a fence
removal project,
we're partnering with Idaho efficient game and some
of their biologists there
to remove some... We're we're looking to get
to about 2 miles. We'll see how much
we can get done, but about 2 miles
of fence on Rock Creek Ranch,
which is
northwest of the Highway 20 and Highway 75
junction to Mh. So it's so it's West
of Haley North of Highway 20.
Mh. East of Fair field.
We're all we're gonna meet up at the
junction of highway 20 and Highway 75, there's
a rest stop in the south western quadrant
of that intersection. A lot of people around
here your call at the blinking light.
We're we're gonna meet there at 8AM,
and then we'll carp pool and
from there up to the ranch and do
it do the best way we can. It'll
probably be
well, more than a half day of work,
anybody that if you have gloves, bring them,
if you have fencing players bring them, if
you don't, that's okay. We've got some extra
1 loan loan pliers, loan gloves,
dress rugged, wear car hearts are,
you know, not your fancy dinner shirt.
And we look forward to anybody that's wanting
to come on to give us a hand.
Alright. For the for people that don't know
where the area that he's talking about. If
you look at a map of Idaho. You'll
see in the lower third of Idaho. There's
this big u shaped
open
valley. We we call it the great Desert.
The Big desert is what we call it.
And that's where a lot of the animals
that are in Central Idaho end up to
winter or very close to it. Okay. So
what he's talking is on the northern edge
of that at the blinking light is kinda
where units. So what 48
to 50 2AI
can't remember
44
kinda... They all come together right there. Mixture
of, you know, kinda general,
general units to the east, straw units
to the west,
and then to the north, like I said
a lot of Idaho back. So it's a
a very important area. And I and I
saw there was on other... And by way
everybody, there's a threat on rock slide. Just
go to the rock slide dot com forward
slash forms. Go to the conservation, sub form.
It's near the top. And get inside there.
You'll see volunteer opportunity, July thirteenth Fence removal
project, wood River chapter of the Mdf, and
he's got all the details in there. But,
I I want 1 of our long term
members,
g whiz,
jumped in there and asked a question. And
and I thought it was a good question
because sometimes people don't understand this. Like, well,
what's the big deal about removing fence? And
and I mean, he's got a point. I
see Mule jump in fences all the time
and, you know, all that. And for people
to haven't followed the rock. Cast. It's it's
a legitimate question. What's the big deal about
a fence and mule their country?
You're right, Robbie, it's an excellent question because
it it makes the lay person might might
be, like, there's 12000 fences in, you know,
hundred square miles. What's the point of removing
1.
The... We're not out there just removing the
fence in a random landowners owners yard.
We're we're using the fishing games as through
the help efficient game and their data, and
just known migration corridors we're focusing on just
that
commonly used migration corridors where hundreds of Prong
horn, hundreds of meal there, hundreds of elk,
cross every spring and every fall. So these
are some of the largest migrations,
all the deer that come, all the deer
elk can ante envelope that come out of
that those more high country units up in
the Sun valley area up in the Galen
Summit area.
Tons of them migrate down. They cross Highway
20 and work their way into that unit
45 to the south.
So we're trying to identify very specific locations
and put her...
You know, get the most bang for our
time in our in our dollar.
Yeah. And I think that's what people don't
realize how technology has changed this game. I
remember hunting over there. Some of those some
of those migrations you were talking about maybe
in the nineties. And you just kinda knew
talking to the old timers a little bit
efficient game that there was a migration that
occurred. If I got this right approximately East
of Moons stone.
Not a lot of deer move through Moons
stone because of the name is as it
implies. It looks like the the face of
the moon. But they kinda migrated through there.
Before they got out on the desert. These
were deer coming out of 48 49,
getting out into 52 52 08:44.
You know, you just kinda knew there was
a migration there. But I don't think people
realize once we put these Gps collars on
deere.
And we got these biologists and other helpers
looking at it. We were able to identify
high, high use areas. Maybe there's a migration
corridor that's 10 miles wide that people have
known about. Probably going back to the Indians.
People known about. But when we put these
collars on, we started realizing man, they use
these, 2 ridges right here. You know, 80
percent of the deer. Well, that go through
this area will be on these 2 ridges.
Now, on any given day, you may go
there. You may only see on 10 or
20 deer and think well Is never gonna
na deer. Yeah. But you times that by
10 or 20 deer,
every 6 hours, 24 hours a day for
a month and that's a lot of deer
coming through there. And so the way I
understand what you're talking about when you say
you're removing an fence, I know what you
mean. There's a targeted area where this fence
is having an impact on
migration. We're talking mule. But can also be
Elk and even Prong horn. That, the... Either...
If if comp... Complete fence removal makes sense
or modifying the fence, we can go to,
you know, take down fences where know, they
can be up a part of the year.
They're easy to lay down.
That... That's what you're talking about right there.
Right? Absolutely. Yep. Very specific migration corridor areas.
You
and that the... In addition to those Gps
colors, they also use road road kill data
because that's pretty. Yes. It's easy to gather
to come through back. The Gps callers when
there's not as many colors on the landscape.
Yeah. And then the the great things happen
with those
with that row data. And now we're figuring
out, you know, the where to... Where where
to put fence funnels where it would make
sense to build an under pass, and that
hasn't... Isn't and I don't wanna white scale
yet, but I hope it is already happening
Wyoming. We know it works. So so this
is what I mean people about it making
you a better deer owner. All these things
right here are gonna help you with a
deer honor. So Taylor hats off to you,
brother. I just... It was was so excited
when I got your Pm. So was Travis.
You know, he screenshot it and took it
to me. He didn't know you you got
a ahold of me too. Just great to
see guys like you out there, saying, you
know what? I'm not just gonna complain, I'm
gonna do something about this. And I honestly
think if if if if a bunch of
us got involved at this level. You know,
either starting chapters or supporting chapters, you know,
whatever it takes,
what
we can get mule or pointed back in
the right. Correction. I I truly believe that.
If I didn't believe that, I wouldn't be
on this microphone,
a couple hours a week trying to fire
people up and give them give them an
alternative
to just the doom and gloom that seems
to be everywhere.
I I appreciate that, Robbie, And there's no
doubt that to when you said it's gonna
make you a better hunter. I I really
do believe that because
it's been... It's giving me the confidence somewhere.
I went about this stuff and
morris spend time
thinking about the find details like this.
Awesome, man. Awesome. Well, hey, the microphones is
always open. Anything else we can do to
help you let us know now. You know
this, but I'm just gonna say the obvious.
If if if you want more mule deer
hunters to come out, get us in the
spring.
And and don't hold anything in August. We're
all out there scouting.
It just it just makes more of us
available. Man, if this would have been 3
weeks ago, I probably would been able to
make it. But I don't think I'm gonna
be able make it on July thirteenth, but
some some people are very close to that
Jump out there. It's only a half a
day. Make you feel better. It's gonna work
for Meal there. But Taylor, we root... We
can't thank you enough, and I also want
you to pass on a big thank you
to Ross Baker as well for getting his
hands dirty from mule.
We'll do, Robbie. Thanks for having us on,
and give a little bit advertising. You bet.
If anybody wants to get in touch with
Taylor, the guy that handles his media his
name is Marshall. And you can email him
at marshall
at mule deer
dot org, and that's just the standard spelling
of Marshall, MARSHALL
at mule
dot org get a ahold of him. If
even if you can't get out on this
project,
you you can find other ways to support
the chapter
And, on the last thing, you guys will
have a a winter or spring banquet. Correct?
We're not certain on a timing of our
banquet if we're gonna have it this year.
We're very focused on on the ground projects
right now. Just a few weeks ago, prior
to this, we did do our first fence
removal project.
And we're looking to potentially be doing some
seed collection in the fall. I know it's
correct during hunting season, but we're trying to...
I wanna stockpile up
some seed for future planning efforts. So that's
what we're looking at in the short term.
We're still working on the banquet fundraising stuff
later on.
Excellent, man. Excellent. Well, hey, we'll help you
any way we can. We sure appreciate you.
Thanks, Robin. K. Talk soon, Taylor. It's time
to stop dread application season.
Streamline your process and find better opportunities with
the help of On x hunt research tools.
On x is application season tools set is
filled with the data and analysis you need
to build a better application plan in 20
24.
This tool will help you navigate
applications and give you detailed draws,
tag trends, and harvest statistics.
On has teamed up with Hunt and full
and hunt reminder provide you the complete service
for your Western application needs.
Hot full provides boots on the ground research
and insight. Hunt reminder provides a worry free
text and email reminder service.
These are just a few of the many
updates On x has for this hunting season.
Try on x hunt free for 7 days
or go to on x maps dot com
forward slash hunt, and use code rock cast
for 20 percent off your new con leather.
Hey everybody. Well, there was taylor Gregory from
the Wood river valley chapter of the Mule
Foundation.
Good on him. It was great to hear
from him that inspired travis, Travis and I.
Good good to connect with somebody like that,
but
fun fact, there's over a hundred and 20
chapters of Mule deer Foundation,
according to what I could find on the
Internet,
That... That's a lot of chapters out there.
And and remember a chapter is working locally
on the ground. So, like, what Taylor talked
about a fence removal project.
Directly benefiting
animals in that area. So if there's a
chapter around your area or where you hunt,
you can get involved and directly affect the
animals that you hunt. So anyways, good on
him.
Okay. Because let's move into the the the
gear segment of this podcast. We're gonna talk
about Mule or gear on this episode.
This is just a 10000 foot view of
the gear. I'm gonna be using for this
year.
And, you know, take it for what it's
worth. You know, I get a lot of
questions through Instagram and on Rock slide on,
you know, what about this? What about that?
So I just put together a list of,
you know, the major stuff, You know, weapons,
optics,
optic support system, boots,
satellite, satellite mapping, tents,
sleeping bags, pad, packs,
clothing,
just the major categories. And... This is just
gonna be kind of a run gun, through
each 1 of these. It's not a review
on each piece of gear. It's it's nothing
like that. But but if if if something
strikes a court with you, you have a
question on something You can reach out to
me either through Robbie Den on Instagram, Rock
slide on Instagram or
rock slide Pm.
It's getting into the time of year when
I'm not around the computer as much. I'm
probably slow to respond, but I'll certainly try
to answer. Any questions that might come up
from today's episode. So let's jump into the
weapons. For my bow, I'm gonna be shooting
the same I was shooting last year. That's
the matthews use phase 4. It was released
in 20 23. You have a big review
on Rock slide. If anybody's interested in at
less welch is our... Matthew's guy on rock
side.
He did the phase 4. I think he
did a 33.
I'm shooting a 29.
Either way, he gives you all the nuts
and bolts of why that was such a
great bow last year. I think he's on
to the Matthews lift right now. He's always
shooting the new bows. But lot of value
in the Matthews phase 4,
really smooth
firing bow. The first time I shot it.
I thought something was wrong.
It reminded me of the same feeling as
when you shoot a muzzle loader and only
the cap goes off,
and the charge doesn't go off. That's what
it felt like when I fired my first
arrow off my Matthews phase 4. They're so
smooth, so quiet. I really thought something was
wrong.
Low shock, just a not a lot going
along when that bog goes off.
I can't say it made me a total
better shot, but if there was AAA reason
to have
Target panic, you know, the like,
the the guy what's his name Joel. I
don't wanna his last name Scam remember right
now. He... He's he's the the the the
shot coach out there right now on Instagram
everywhere. And
he always coaching about how the brain is
kinda wired to freak out when a gun
gonna go off or a bow is gonna
go off. I can tell you Matthew's phase
4. Helps with that because there's just not
a lot of shot going on. The matthews,
you can... It's got the bridge lock system.
That means everything bolts into the center of
the rise
So your quiver isn't poking out so far.
Your site isn't poking out so far. Makes
for a better balance better handling, bow.
It certainly does do that. It it was
a lot easier to balance that bow with
my,
level in my site.
I could tell right off the bat, just
the way everything lines up in the center.
But the the Excel fixed 5 pin is
what comes with the bow, when you were
from the factory. Now, you know, I can
take anything with the Bridge lock system. So
I just went with that. I I ran
a dial pin on my previous system. And
and I liked it There was no problem
with it. But I'm just... The more I
shot in our cold bow challenge
and just the last, you know, 5, 6
years of archer realized. I'll just... Not a
very good archer. I've just realized simpler better,
so I got away from the dial for
a while, just shooting
a straight 5 pin. 30,
40,
50,
60 yards is is are my money pins.
The bottom pin, I let it float between
65 and 70.
And but I don't don't plan on using
that in field unless I really need. You
know, I'm
Cold bow has taught me 1 thing. I'm
a 55 yard and in guy.
You know, 55 is really the farthest III
really should be shooting. And that's where I
can keep most of my arrows in the
vinyl. So, the the they excel. It's a
really nice sight. It comes with... I think,
red green yellow
pins, you know, the fiber optic, depends because
I'm color blind it had a really hard
time with the red and the yellow. So
I bought a second site for it and
had them customize it where everything was green.
I I could see that green pretty good.
So I just have to count fans. And
well, just feel over the years, you know,
I've been shooting Archer for 30 some years.
I I probably just being color wine. I
never paid much attention to the pin color
anyways. I just... Would Always count my pins,
you know, 30, 40 50.
It some people ask why I only shoot
a why I shoot a 30 and out
of 20. These newer bows are so flat
shooting. I'm shooting a 70 pounds.
I've cornered it. I'm right about that. 2
90, I think right around in there. They're...
That... They shoot flat enough that I really
don't need a 20 yard pin. And going
back over the years, I have not been
that close to to the closest diver got
to a about is Jalapeno at 18 yards.
But even at 18 yards, I can still
shoot my 30 yard pin on heart.
And it keeps it simple. I I don't
wanna go with the seventh pin site. So,
anyway, as far as arrows, I'm running the
iron wheel arrows, if you followed last year's
podcast when only had Bill on I ordered
the the easton axis match grade 5 millimeter
and a 03:40 spine last year. I got
away from the gold tip. Mike, Pros that
I was shooting, they were a good arrow.
They really the the the micro diameter arrows
really do buck the wind. If you wanna
see an pros a really good 1 test.
Yeah. I'm kinda pat myself on the back
here, But I I put a lot of
work into it If you go to the
rock side Youtube channel, and you look at
that win test that I did, That's probably
around 2017,
16 somewhere in there, shooting those gold tips,
in 30 mile in hour winds, I shot
them with both
veins and feathers,
and I shot them against us standard diameter
arrow at that time, which were... You, I
Don't remember what it was. It was, you
know, what most people are shooting before the
micro came on the scene. They're probably 6
millimeter
6 and a half, something like that. And,
I I shot them at 80 yards and
the wind drift was was very significant.
You can jump jump on rocks I looked
that up, and and and you can see
that the microbes do make a difference. Well,
5 millimeter. I I don't consider it a
micro, it's kind of in between the microbes
and the old standard diameter arrows.
That's what I went with. You know, so
I'm getting a little more lin drift, but
the tough.
They're such a tougher arrow. I really like
those gold tips, gold tip. I'm not trying
to throw into the bus, but, you know,
those microbes that I had. I I was
going through a lot of them. You know,
I just... If, you know, if you use
the wrong pin, you hit the back the
backstop stop, you, hit the ground or something.
I I was just, you breaking more of
them. And and I still shot them for,
like, 5 years. I mean, I really like
the arrows. But now that I've gone to
these 5 millimeters are a tough enough arrow
for a guy that's hits the backstop sometime
that I... That I'm not just replacing so
many arrows. I did go with the, the
the hit insert 25 grains.
I think my
balance point of my arrows, my Fo is
right at. 15 percent. I might be 14
right around in there.
I, you know, I I didn't go too
far off the chart on that because I
By I don't know. I listened that argument
for years and guys getting above 15. It
it just didn't seem to make a a
big difference with me. I tried it with
different...
Heavier points, 01:20 five's of stuff like that.
It just wasn't making a big difference. So
I'm right around 15 percent Fo,
I did the iron wheel hybrid hunter veins.
I like them. The only thing I didn't
like is they only come in white, so,
my cock feather, I had to use a
sharpie. To find my cock feather.
I think Iron wheel was working on getting
a different colored than thing. So you could
you could,
mark your cock feather, but Anyways, I'm gonna
run the 7 1.5 tie expendable again this
year. I've gone back and forth between the
iron wheel.
100 standards,
Adam for years.
I'd like them. That they shoot just fine.
They really do. But,
I'm looking for any edge, III
can have. And when Idaho legalize the expendable,
I went that direction. I I know you're
given up may may maybe a little bit
impact on the expendable,
but
they just give me a little bit more
margin of error. If I'm not doing everything,
I'm I'm perfectly
at the shot and if, you know, I
practice all summer. I I shoot 3DI do
that kind of stuff. And you know, you're
flat foot. Sometimes you get down on 2
knees and you shoot, but hunting, it just
seems like you're you're never in an ideal
position, So I'm looking for any edge I
can. So Iron will. As soon as you
come out with an expandable. I'm game.
I missed the cold challenge this year, cup
couple of things that happened. I lost my
sweet daddy. In May, and that was during
the cold challenge.
He'd been sick for a long time, and
I haven't I haven't talked about it much
on the rock cast because I don't wanna
get choked up But I'll tell you this.
He was a good good father. And I
lost you in early May right as the
challenge was getting up and going.
And I also got bur side really bad
in my in my shoulder.
This is funny. My wife's is gonna be
mad, then I'm a tell you guys this,
but she got really sick in April.
And, you know, we were going through heck
back in April Taking care of my dad,
and she got sick. I mean, our lives
were just turned upside down.
And, I was sleeping on the couch because
she was sick she was coughing all. And
I couldn't get any sleep. Well, our couch
is kinda narrow. So I sleeping on my
side for 3 or 4 nights in a
row, and man that just set me off.
It just did something to my shoulder. It
I went to the doctor. It turned out
to Bieber scientist. You know? I mean, she's
what... I mean this is old man stuff.
You know, you sleep on the couch and
you get.
Jimmy, I used to sleep on the couch
for months at a time when I was
a kid, and, you know, you... It couldn't
hurt me. Now I get Versailles. I could...
I could, I... It was in my it
was in my bow arm. And so it
hurts so bad. I could draw my bow.
I just couldn't hold my bow. So I
I had to step out of the Cold
challenge. And I I missed the whole thing.
Thank you, Howard me for stepping up. I'm
taking the lead post and the cold challenge.
Whenever you're the lead shooter in the cold
challenge us to first post everybody sees. There's
so much pressure there. And it's embarrassing and
you miss. Most years I miss. I just
embarrassed myself. So, Howard, I I thank you
very much for for taking the lead, and
you embarrassing yourself this year. And on a
side note for everybody, the Cold challenges is
over right now, but the thread is still
on our Archer tree sub form, jump in
there,
Howard and I are gonna have a shoot
off here in the next week or 2.
My shoulders feeling good. I'm I'm I'm shooting
again. I started back with my Athens bow.
I I could turn it down just, as,
60 pounds, and, started for about a week
shooting for that. Switched over to my matthews
about a week and a half ago, I'm
shooting 5 to 10 arrows with no problem
in the shoulder. So Howard and I are
gonna have a shoot off. He he didn't
hit a hundred percent on the cold bow
this year. I think he dropped a couple
arrows, at least 1 arrow out of the
3. I didn't even get a shoot. So
we're gonna we're gonna have shoot off. And
I told Howard. Pack a lunch brother. I'm
gonna out shoot you. He's gonna pick his
Me r. I'm gonna pick mine, 1 They
may not be the same. If, you know,
it's it's totally in the spirit of the
challenge. Whatever you think your maximum distances, you
get 1 arrow a day.
No practice. No warm up, just like hunting.
You shoot that arrow, and then you gotta
take 24 hours off. Give me a calendar
day off. And then you can shoot again.
So how hour and I are gonna do
it, and I'm coming after your buddy. I'm
coming after you. So be ready.
Okay. For my rifle for this year,
I I wanna let everybody know. I've I've
joined a Cult. Alright. I've I've joined the
cult. Some of you already know what I'm
talking about.
The
whole 223
for elk, deer and bear thread on rock
side. I got sucked into it, And I
watched it... I think it's over a million
views now on Rock site. It's 1 of
the biggest threads ever were on Rock side.
Our friend, Chris from North Idaho started that
thread. He had been thoroughly testing 223
caliber on on Deer elk,
bear and just... The way everything works out,
just what a small world this is.
I sold a a moose hunt. On 1
of our ranches here. Oh, I think it
was in 2000,
a lady had drawn moose tag. And they
just wanted access to Ranch. Didn't wanna be
guided.
Just just a place to hunt moose and
hung on their own. And so
she come out in the summer. I showed
her around the ranch. You know, just to
click a half a day took her up
there. You know, the the moose would be
in different spots by by the time their
hunt came around, I shoulder a hunt here,
hunt there. Just showed them where they'd be
staying in kinda stayed in touch with with
them throughout the summer. And it just so
happened the week that they were hunting. I
wasn't even in town. I was in, I
think it was in Colorado Deer running. But
I stayed in touch with them on the
end reach. Just make sure they didn't have
any questions about the ranch. You know, I've
done done self guided ranch hunts for years
for guys, and Usually if you're just available
for questions each day, you know, self guided
hunters. They they don't want you to hold
their hand. You know, but they may have
a question on, hey, what about this fence
or know, what about access here or and
stuff like that. So I was staying in
touch with her throughout the week. And and,
you know, moose was not easy. They were
there, like, 6 or 7 days. She brought
a, you
a couple of friends
and
and follow me here. This is what a
small world it is. They they kill a
moose on, like, the fifth or sixth day,
a nice moose and ended up having a
busted off ant, but it was still a
great moshe she worked her butt off. I
was proud of her. And so as worked
text them back and forth. I'm like, by
the way, I never did ask you, What
do you hunt with? It's just, 0A223I
just about dropped the un reach. I'm like,
you shot a moose of the 223,
You know, I I just... I just couldn't
believe. I couldn't argue it. They got it.
You know, I I
quick recovery, all that stuff. No problems there.
That was my first...
Exposure to somebody hunting big big game with
a small caliber rifle.
Well, as time goes on, I kinda put
the pieces of the puzzle together.
Her husband was Chris, the guy that started
that thread on rock slide.
And, you know, so I'm reading through this
thread on Rocks. If you haven't run it,
it's in our firearms forms, 223 for Elk
Moose, Deer, I think is what it's called
Go look at it. Any and and he
made the case on why shooting a small
caliber for a big game is not a,
a disadvantage. It's an advantage.
And then Rocks slide personality form, that's his
screen name. It I think his whole screen
names is, like,
but none of us can pronounce it. So
we just calling form.
He is a real person. He really is
even though we go by his screen name.
He's a real person.
And he... Because he was involved in...
Coal operations with different government agencies over the
years. He shot thousands of animals. K. Now
a lot of people don't believe that, but
he has
and he also has this whole angle on
why shooting a small caliber is
better for big game. And so, you know,
I kinda that was just kinda noise on
the site for a couple of years, but
when they got my attention was when last
year. My business partner, c owner wide,
Ryan Avery,
put away the magnum. I mean, this guy
was shooting big magnum 03:38,
Edge hp, you know, that kind of stuff,
he put it away and he started hunting
with A6U.
That's...
I think Stands unknown munitions. That's just a
proprietary caliber. They they invented, you know, unknown
munitions, Northern Idaho, Rock light advertiser,
for Ryan's on their podcast all the time,
and,
the, he switched over to the 6 U,
think of like a 02:40 weather b mag.
Alright? And
I mean, you guys, this is, like,
mind bending
for Ryan Avery,
the the longest confirmed kill on a big
game animal with anyone I personally know,
going from big rifles to little rifles. And
that's what he switched to last year, killed
a heck of a 6 point bull last
year with it. And
I was on the, unknown munitions podcast,
jump on there. I think it's back in,
I don't know, February. Be ready. It's rated
at r for language, but it's a good
podcast.
And Jake, who's Jake Shannon, the owner of
unknown munitions and then Ryan avery. They got
me in the studio, and we just kinda
banter back and forth on the big caliber
versus small caliber stuff. And
they won the argument, and I decided to
join the coat and go with small caliber.
And so I'm gonna be switching from my
2 70 Winchester Short Magnum, down to the
6 U un. I think Ryan's gonna have
me shooting a hundred and 7 grain bullet.
It might be a little bit bigger than
that. I can't quite remember than a while
it did like guess. I don't have the
gun yet.
But it's gonna have the new rock stock.
It's gonna be in 6AM. I'm personally probably
just gonna still stay with a hash mark
scope. And probably go with the Sw z
5, the same scope I'm shooting on
my 2 70 Winchester Short, Magnum, And, but
the advantages of the small caliber less recoil,
spot your shots,
and, you know, recoil just I talked about
it in the bowl in in in Archer
tree segment. That recoil is is is an
accuracy killer. A lot of people don't believe
it is. But just in the last couple
of weeks, I've got a muzzle break for
my 2 70. I I hate muscle brakes.
For hunting, because I don't wanna wear your
ear protection. But I went to the range,
put my muzzle brake on my 2 70
and, just played with it for a little
while, And and, yeah, it it's sure nice
Not dealing with a lot of recoil and
having the opportunity to spot your shots. It
makes a big big difference.
And so anyways, that's my my plan on
the rifle now. Remember, going from a big
caliber to a small caliber is not totally
foreign to me. I did this back in
2015
for those of you that have got out
my second book honey Big Mule. And there's
a chapter in there. This says goodbye.
7 M Remington Magnum, Hello 2 70 Winchester
Shore Magnum. That was my first time dipping
my toe in the water, of moving from
AAA
big
heavy caliber to a smaller caliber. And the
reason I did that
I love a 7 my. You're never gonna
hear me dish on the 7 Mag. I
killed almost all my big deer. Well, like,
the last 6 I killed the 2 70
But prior to that the previous... 20 25,
it killed with a 7 mag,
and,
very happy with it, but it was punishing.
It was okay when I was shooting 10
pound guns,
But over the years as I as started
as shooting wider guns and, you know, getting
down into the, you know, 7 pound gross
range, including a scope with a gun.
7 mag were punishing. And then plus over
the years, we've all gone to heavy for
caliber bullets because they they typically do shoot
better. And so, you know, back in the
old days, I was shooting 01:40 fives, spares,
while, you know, 1 01:50...
Oh, I can't remember the bullets I shooting
in the 01:50 range.
But, then then pretty soon I'm shooting 01:60
spares. And then before I got rid of
my myself and Mag shooting 1 68 barns.
You know? I mean, tac drivers. These these
heavy bullets are, but you put a 168
grain bullet in a 7 pound rifle,
you pay on the other end. And I
always thought,
I'm not that recoil sensitive, but once you
start shooting lighter guns, you realize you are
recoil sensitive.
And if you were to shave my... My
right eyebrow off. I think I've been to
the hospital twice for stitches at least once.
I can't remember, but at least once. But
2 or 3
really bad scope bites over the years. And
even when you try to be careful and
get, you know, get a scope with good
eye relief, I've always done that, you get
into weird hunting positions. You're gonna get scoped
that with a big rival. I already told
you, I don't like muzzle brakes. I don't
like. A lot of times I'm shooting on
the ground. I don't like all that blast
into the dirt blowing back in my face.
I don't wanna have to mess with ear
protection in the heat of the moment. I
realize it's not that big of a deal,
but You know, when you when when you
grow up shooting without them, it's it's hard
to jump over and start using muzzle brakes.
Plus as an outfit, you learn to hate
muzzle brakes because you get your ears blown
out. So often. You... Because you... You know,
you just don't remember to plug your ears
every single time. Boy, it does not take
much when somebody shooting a muzzle brake, to
get hurt. So,
By go into the 2 70 which winchester
Short Magnum, that got me back down into
the hundred and 30 to hundred and 40
grain bullet range. And they impact, excuse me,
the recoil was notable. I think it was
about 24
to 26 foot pounds of recoil with 7
mag. The
2 70 Winchester short got me down in
the low twenties. You know, it dropped me
15 20 percent. It was noticeable. It really
was. It was... And made the gun a
little bit easier to shoot.
Although I still got scope at once. I've...
I've was shooting at a coyote and, got
my got my head too far forward and
still bit me.
Makes you so mad when you do that.
But anyway, so,
a long time ago, I started realizing the
man a big heavy magnum, especially for me.
That was your thing too. That time in
my life, I decided I'm only hunting mule.
You know, back when I first got a
7 meg, and I was hunting everything, and,
you know, I just thought, I gotta have
a bigger gun for Elk. Although be ready.
Form and Chris or making
excellent cases that you don't need those big
punishing caliber for those big animals either. So,
anyways, I know I know some of you
are, like, This is a bunch of bull
crap. I'm un unsubscribe from this podcast. I'm
never gonna come back. Robby joined a nicole.
You're right. I have. But I'm gonna give
it a shot this year with with the
sixth. Qm.
The only thing that's something the air is,
there's a big rush on rock stocks, and
my gun may not be done in time
for Hunting season Ryan, and Jake are trying
to get all the members guns out the
bought before me and all that stuff. So,
you know, mine's mine may not make it
in time for hunting season if it doesn't.
I'll just run the 2 70 Winchester short
Mag. That's in a Christian sun arm,
summit tie. That's a 7 pulling 7 pound,
10 ounce gun, I think, 12 ounce, shooting
the sw z 5. I'm totally comfortable going
back to that I killed 6 big bucks
with it I killed every single big buck
I pointed at, no wounding loss with that
gun. Feel too with it. I'm very happy
with it. But if I get the the
the 6 With the rock stock, you know,
before it gets too late in summer because
I wanna spend, you know a lot of
range time with it. That's what I'll be
on with. Okay. Optics.
For my scouting, Chest,
I will be running again, the Z 10
by 40 2SF.
It's tripod
adaptable. For it's it's it's a small framed.
I wouldn't quite call it a contact although
we throw that that that around, you know,
contact to me as the old ones you...
Sticking your shirt pocket. It's nothing like that.
But in it's it's smaller than a lot
of these would become accustomed to, you know,
the standard sized chest
and I really like Having that tripod adaptability.
And I don't mind tens for scouting because
a lot of times I have time to
sit down. You know, I'm not still hunting
like I am
in in the fall. So I'm comfortable running
the tens. But once I move into fall,
I'm gonna be running my... Swirl 8 by
42 El range. That's the ta a's tracking
assistant that came out about 3 years ago.
And and by the way,
on all these products that I'm mentioning,
unless I say so, they are advertising on
rock slide in somewhere way or the other.
That that means I could have got a
discount on the gear,
comp or, you know, some of some of
this gear I bought just full price. I
don't keep track of it all. But I'm
just letting you know the full disclosure, some
of these companies
advertise on Rock lite. If they don't, I'll
let you know. Because I do use lots
of non
non advertiser gear on there. But z is
a sponsor, but I paid
for the 10 by 40 twos with my
own money. I got a writer's discount probably,
like, 30 percent off or something like that.
The swirl 8 by 42 range Ta. I
traded them
for them back in, oh, I think they
came out in 20 21, 20 22,
and
I love them. I'm still shooting them 3
or around them 3 years later.
There is a,
review on those on our rock slide,
Youtube channel. If you wanna go look and
see how that Ta technology works. It's basically,
you could shoot a Pin across Canyon. If
you're shot a deer over there and you
could walk right to that pin. As long
as you keep your back, Bin calibrated,
that does work. I realize that technology has
been duplicated in some of the satellite mapping
apps and everything. But it sure is nice
to have it on your chest
if needed. Even though you don't use it
a whole lot. It's not a gimmick. It
does work. You just don't use it a
whole lot. As far as spotting scope this
year. I'm gonna be running the sw 17
to 40 by 56. But last year, I
ran in the Atc, which is the angled
this year, I've switched everything over to the
straight. If you haven't followed the podcast very
long, this is why. When I hunt with
Travis Hobbs, he's goes straight on everything
because it's faster. And I knew that before,
I just like the angled, you know, neck
comfort stuff like that. I got used to
finding
animals
at the angle didn't think it took that
much longer. But once I hunted with Travis,
he sees double the game that I see.
We can go out on a hunt, and
he'll see twice the deer that I see.
And he usually is picking the ones up
that are more obscure that than I am.
2 things I think that are going on.
My eyes are 20 years older than him.
Not a lot I can do about that.
But part of it is he is so
fast on the glass. And having a straight
spotter makes you fast. This is why. Angled
means you're changing your tripod height. When you're
going from your bin
to your spotter. And I always have the
option to put my bin on a tripod,
even my 8 by 42 El ranges, I
have the outdoors 1 stud
installed in so I can run them on
a tripod.
So you're always switching between the 2 when
you're doing that. Well, that takes a few
extra seconds to raise and lower your tripod.
And in the game of big mule deer,
and in the twilight. They don't spend a
lot of time in the open. And
I knew this before I started home with
Travis, but I think I just...
It wasn't so apparent to me that those
critical seconds that I'm losing
adjusting the tripod
are costing me a buck every couple years.
And when I say cost you about, maybe
it's not so much that you didn't get
the book. But if you listen to Travis
Dion podcast that came out lost last week
excellent podcast by the way, guys.
They they took Travis talks about sitting on
a buck for 3 days that he thought
was big. I only got to look at
it for a few seconds when went in
the timber. And
and so he sat on it for 3
days, trying to get in another look at
it. And then when he ended finding it,
it didn't turn out to be a shooter.
That cost him 3 days right there. And
that's happened to me before. It's also happened
to me when a deer just gets in
the timber. I can tell by the body
size it's big, and I don't get to
look at his handlers, and you just never
know what you missed. And and sometimes Even
if you stick around for 3 days, you
don't get a look at them. So So
it cost you it cost you animals in
that way. So you really gotta pay attention
to it. K?
Qr r, got quick release plates
are
for real. You gotta have them. We'll talk
a little bit more about that when get
into tripod pods here.
So about back to the spotter,
for for this year, I'm gonna run the
17 to 40 sw by 56.
Their their their their compact spotter.
But I got it in straight.
C's for sale, watch it in the rock
slide class it's in there, are gonna be
in there and then I switched my sw.
Ats my 80 millimeter,
I switched it also to a straight. So
I'll have the big spotter for big work.
And then the little spotter, it's always with
me is the great thing about the little
spotter, The big spotter. I have to kinda
have to plan to take that. Like, hey.
This certain area I'm going to. I can
see 2 miles or more I want the
big spotter.
But the little spotter, it's almost always with
me. That's what I like about in a
for those of you that have followed my
optics for a while. I was for a
compact spot running the Nike,
the Nikon Ed d 50. I've had a
few people asked me hey what happened to
that? Thanks. And And III forgot about it
because I was so excited about the swirl
when it came out last year. And I
just quit using the Nikon icon. Sorry an
icon. That was a great You know scope
for the weight. It's actually still lighter than
the swirl.
Noticeably lighter, even a little bit more compact,
but
the sw optical performance was so much better,
especially in the digit scoping department. I I
finally left my an icon. That'll be on
the rock slide.
Classified as well. Watch for it. Good little
scope, a lot of value,
but
the this world will beat it enough that
that's what I went with it.
You pursue them. You cherish them, and now
it's time to protect them this. Is the
Mule
Foundation. Our mission is the conservation of Mule
deer Black tailed deer and their habitats
the heart and soul of the west.
Join the herd today and help us preserve
the legacy of these majestic creatures for generations
to come.
Your membership supports essential
conservation projects,
research initiatives and educational programs it's a your
a future from Mule deer and Black tailed
deer,
our dear,
our heritage,
our
responsibility.
Don't just witness their journey.
Be a part of it.
Join the herd
together, we can make a difference. Visit mule
dot org today.
Let's see. On the tripod pods, I'm still
using my faithful slick 06:24. I know if
travis is this this podcast. He's like,
man. He hates that tripod potty. He saw
me using in a couple years. He bought
it. They're a slick little tripod,
but he's just I mean, he's got the
hands. He can't run the twist locks. You
know, he just couldn't get used to it.
He just he just didn't like it. But
here I am.
5, 6 years later. I could use any
tripod on the market in a compact tripod.
I still think the Slick 06:24,
Wednesday the day.
I like twist locks because I can pull
it out of my pack easily compared to
the lever locks. They're, like little hooks on
your tripod. So when you pull your tripod
out of your pack, everything comes with it,
your coat and, your glass pad, you know,
all that stuff comes out.
Travis so that wasn't that big of the
deal. So he's still running lever locks. It's
okay, man. I still love you. But I'm
still gonna run that slick,
for this year. However,
yeah. The mountain hunter,
from altitude outdoors. These are the guys that
are in Aft Wyoming,
Brad Carter.
They've released their own proprietary
tripod.
I think it came out this spring. It
may not be on this site just let
me pull up here. Yes. He did answer
me. This this tripod is available. I'll give
you how to find it just a minute.
Let me back up on the slick. By
the way, the Slick is only available through
Sn sr tree or rock site advertiser.
They they have they have exclusive rights on
that tripod. A lot of other place a
cell slick. They just don't sell that little
1.
But the mountain hunter back to the mountain
hunter, it's designed to compete with the slick,
other compact tripod pods.
And I got mine, I believe in March,
and I've had it out probably about 3
or 4 times.
Glass side by side with the slick,
and I
this... I can tell you this about it.
K? It's it's a lightweight
tripod.
And
it's a very simple tripod. Both these are
carbon fiber tripod,
and
It comes with its own head, so backing
up to the slick. On the slick, I'm
running the outdoors pam head. Okay. That's a
good match for that. I've had a bt
t... Even a Bt x on on on
the slick. It's not ideal, but it can
handle it with that outdoors and pan head.
The mountain hunter from from, from altitude outdoors
comes with their nano pro fluid head.
And
they... Their their tripod is called the Mountain
Hunter Shore stack. Mountain Hunter Ss.
And so...
I'm not gonna give you the the the
the breakdown of every piece, but when you
put them all together,
the
Slick he twist locks, the mountain Hunter has
twist locks. K?
They both stand,
to roughly 45
inches. So they're not they're not standing tripod
pods. They're not for standing glass unless you
can put a hump in front of you
K? But they're they're great for sitting, you
know, sitting on a log. They're they're right
in that kind of what you expect on
a compact tripod.
The slick.
Is 8 ounces heavier legs only,
than the mountain hunter.
K? So the slick is actually heavier
in the legs, the mountain hunter is lighter,
k?
If you
compare their height
when they're broke down, the legs are slid
together.
This matters to me, maybe it doesn't matter
of very many people, but I run a
small day pack. Or I don't like big
stuff. I'm in the back country. So I
wrote a small day pack, we'll talk about
it here in a minute.
And the
slick,
when it's collapsed is 4 inches shorter
than the mountain hunter. K? Think comes out,
like, 24 inches something like that.
So it's 4 inches shorter, so it'll fit
in a smaller pack. Alright? If that doesn't
matter you run a full size backpack,
then the the slick wouldn't be an advantage.
Because the mountain hunter only has... 2 sections,
the slick has 3.
So the trade off on that is on
the mountain hunter. You only have to take
the time to adjust 2 sections.
With the slick,
you have to take the time to adjust
3,
but it gives you a more compact type
that that doesn't really matter once it's out
of your pack. Okay?
So the slick is 8 ounces heavier in
the legs,
the mountain hunter comes with that nano pro
fluid head. It is a nice head. Okay?
And
I I weighed everything out. Let's see if
I can read my notes here.
The mountain Hunter head is 10.7
ounces.
The outdoors head is 17.6
ounces. So, man, that's A67
ounce... 7 ounce difference in there. Almost 7
ounce difference. It's noticeable.
The Nano Pro, I haven't totally bitten off
on it only because this is what I've
only had it out for times. Keep in
mind. My... Outdoors pan head. I mean it's
got... I think I got the thing in
2018.
Hundreds of days it's got on. So, you
know, I can comment on durability. It's function
and everything
all I can call in on the mountain
hunter on the nano head is it's is
its function and and it's great. It's an
our Arc swiss plate
where the mountain excuse me the...
Outdoors is their proprietary quick release.
So, you know, you... Whatever you go with,
you just want your whole system to match
that.
You know, if you don't want,
to to mix Qr plates. Trust. Don't ask
me how I know. You just don't wanna
do. It's very inefficient. K?
So I'll be running
the slick and the mountain hunter this year.
Depend on what I'm doing. I I envision
I'll be running the mountain hunter during scouting
season.
But when I go to the hunting season,
and I'm using my day back all the
time. I'm sure it'll be the slick.
Talking about Qr,
a quick release game. It is real. And
I talked about like Travis is better a
spotting game than me and that's 1 of
the things he has as he been faster.
And the Qr
plates. If you're not running a Qr, manual
or so 19 nineties,
you gotta... Whatever system you run, you gotta
have a Qr plate. And it just allows
you, to switch between bin marketers
and
spotting scope quickly or just get your spotting
scope out and get it on the tripod
that much quicker. K? Most people are using
them, but where I see guys get lazy
is they have 1 type of Qr played
on 1 optic, 1 type of Qr receiver
on a on a tripod.
Know, every time they go somewhere, they're getting
out the Allen wrench. Don't ask me how
I know.
And taken all this time, you to make
all these switches or worse yet. They just
get out on the mountain and go, my
my bin
Qr doesn't fit my my,
spotter Qr. So the Qr game will save
you critical
seconds, whatever you decide to do, make sure
everything's the same across all optics and all
tripod pods. K? But on the Mountain Hunter,
I've gotta go with with the Arc, and
that's why I... I'll probably run it a
little bit more this summer, but unless I
really fall in love with. I'll be switching
back to the outdoors in default. Now, I
guess there's probably a way to stick the
outdoors when Qr plate on the our Arc
swiss.
I don't know. I don't have it in
front of me. But you know, IIII
definitely can say a lot of guys are
gonna like that Mountain Hunter even if I
don't switch.
If you want the Mountain Hunter,
Let's see.
I... I've got the link here.
I'm not gonna reach it some Https, blah
blah blah. But just just go to the
out altitude outdoors. Store.
Heck, just jump on chat, Gp or Google,
and and you'll find it. And by the
way, the Mountain hunter. They're not a sponsor
altitude does not advertise with us. I'm just
always willing to try really good gear, especially
if guys are are brave enough to it
to me and let me compare it to
a known like the slick. So anyways, that's
what I know about it. I can't comment
under durability Have I've only had it out
a few times, but it seems pretty good?
Okay. Moving into boots.
I'm still running the Ken card scramble. Ken
trick is not an advertiser with rock side,
but I like their boots.
And I have a really wide foot,
really, a 4. I've had I've had it
for years. I have a shrek foot.
And the Ken hard sc. They just like
my feet. This is my second pair I
got my first pair in 2017
when they were advertising with us, and I
I got those comp. But I like them
so much that when I wore those out,
I think I got about 4 seasons out
of them.
I went ahead and and and and bought
another pair. And so I'm on my second
pair. Really happy with them. They're they're a
very durable boot. They're they're they're a mid
height he.
Full leather, you know, they got around and
everything. They're a tough tough boot. But they're
also a hard boot,
not a lot of flex in them. I
tend to stumble around a lot in them
just because I don't think I feel the
ground as well.
So... But but I still continue to go
back to him because just great ankle support,
you know, my ankles are getting older now.
I get a little bit arthritis in my
right ankle. They're just good on my feet.
So I so I continue to wear them.
But and and they're and they're they're very
durable. They're very happy with them. I've never
lost any waterproof in them. Even my first
pair I think it went 4 seasons. I
could still wear them out in wet snow
as long as I had a gate on,
they were fine.
But this year, I went ahead and bought
with my own money, the Crispy Summit to
the Gtx x's. Kris wasn't advertisers with with
us for years are not currently right. Now
Hey, Kendall, We know you're out there, man.
We appreciate all the support over those years.
They're trying some different. Right now That's all
good. But I love Crispy, and I went
ahead with my own money, and I bought
the summit. I've only worn them just casually.
So far. I've actually had them since April
easy break in, man. Easy break in. There
there's more flex in that boot. That's 1
reason I went with them. I'll probably be
definitely wearing them for both season,
you know, and they're they're really good for
not back and weight and everything. I I
just... Just haven't had them in the hills.
They still look really good. And I've been
wearing them on carpet but wearing them to
show stuff like like that, but I I
can say it would give you a pretty
easy break in. For my pack boot, I'm
gonna be running the S sc hunter 2
pack boot. I've had those since 2008.
They're a rebuild pack boot. For those of
you that don't know what a pack boot
is a pack boot. Still means you can
take the liner out, which is key to
warm feet, because you can actually get your
liner dry at night. You can wear them
to bed and you wake up in the
morning, and they're dry,
even if the boots not totally dry. And
you slip it back into there. So I'll
be running those again this year. I've had
them rebuilt. I think 3 times, and, totally
working. They're probably on their last rebuild. As
far as satellite,
gear mapping, I'm running On x, On x.
As you know, they're
a sponsor, an advertiser on the podcast love
those guys. I really feel like they're the
best that are out there. If you go
back on rock site you'll see over the
years. I tried competitors, gave them an honest
a shot. I some good stuff out there.
There really is, but ultimately, I came back
to on x. Probably 1 of the biggest
reasons all my friends had On x it
was really hard to share information across apps,
And, I I just I just really have
stuck with my on x... I'm a slow
learner when it comes to technology. The only
regret I had with on x was not
learning all these features earlier.
So if you've been kinda lazy with your
On x and you're only just marking way
points and everything on there, really make a
commitment to to use all those features this
year. Jump into the satellite mapping sub forum
on Rock lite. On x is actually on
there daily or at least weekly,
answering questions, you'll see the threads that are
on there about On x. That's a great
way to get right to the top and
and talk somebody about it and plus get
member input, you know, when you you can
open a chat with them on their on
their app, But, you know, you're just talking
to the to that guy. But if you
do it on rock side, you get all
the members helping you too. So I'll be
running on x again for that. For my
satellite
communication, I'm gonna be running the in reach
many, and reaches, Garmin is not an advertiser
I've been running that. I think since 2019.
The minis everything I need it connects to
your phone. Your phone becomes the screen so
you can save. All that room off of
off of the bigger
and reaches were we're out there. It's it's
done everything I need to do. It's probably
not quite as user friendly because you gotta
look it up your phone and everything, But
once you get over that hump. It's it's
the most compact to way,
communication. I know of, I love love the
cost. It's pretty reasonable and the ability to
just switch plans. I think I'm just on
the 15 dollar month plan right now. That's
what I keep through the winner when I'm
not out in the field very much. You
can send a few tech stuff like that.
But as I move into fall, and I'm
in the Hills more. I I switch over
it's about 60 bucks a I'm month unlimited
text stuff like that. Because I'm typically running
my businesses.
At that point. So I'm answering multiple text
per day. I still have the old spot.
I run that in my airplane. Just, you
know, that does not a 2 way communication,
but, know, if there was a true emergency
and I need somebody to be able to
find me. That's a great way to do
it. And then I can just leave it
in the. And don't have to take it
in and out. Tenth. You I'm gonna run
again the stone, skyscraper 2 man.
I've been running that since 2018,
a few holes in the floor where I've
set up on Sharp rocks. But mh zipper
all still work good. Tent is fully functional.
We've done multiple reviews on that. Look for
Josh.
Boys reviews on Rock slide he's East and
done that for us. It's just a good
solid lightweight tent. For my fall tense, when
I need a stove, I'm still back to
the seek outside 8, man,
happy with that.
Gosh, that thing is going on hundreds of
days in the hills you guys. It's holding
up well. I'm been very happy with it.
Sleeping bags. I'm spoiled rotten with sleeping bags.
I've got to test so many over the
years. And at the top of the heap,
I've kept the ones I really like, which
has been the stone glacier and the K,
the stone glacier Chill. And then the C
you. I don't think K u has a
model on that. It's just their c super
down.
Great bags. I think the choice between the
2 kinda gets down to
the C use a little tighter bag for
my size. The stone glacier seems to have
a little bit more room
neck and net on warmth. I I... If
you look at some of of our...
If you look at our rock side Youtube
channel, I I put them through
water tests,
these new bags
don't be afraid of a down bag. You
know, unless you're hunting maybe the most
damp wet part of the Pacific Northwest during
rainy season, I would not be afraid of
a down bag and exposing the drier climates
to the West. I've just... I've never sold
1. And it's not so much that the
down is that much better. It probably is,
but they've just built the bag, so water
doesn't get them them in the first place.
For a sleeping pad, on 55 so, you
know, my sleeping pads gotta be good. No
more thin, little sleeping pads for me. And
I I went with the x bed mega
mat back in 2019,
Ex bet is not a rock site advertiser
paid for that amount of money. Still running
that same pad. Every time someone comes to
camp, and they see my pad. 2 things
have. First of all, they laugh? Like, what
kind of old guy packs in a full
size mattress?
This this old guy.
And and and by the way, it it
rolls down to about the size of a
liter of pop. So it's it's not that
big. And comes with a really cool pump
sack. Where it's easy to pump up,
but I'm still using the same 1 from
2019.
I don't know, a hundred days on it
never have popped a hole in. Now, of
course I'm careful. I run a I run
a a ground cloth and everything, and and,
you know, careful where I set it up,
but I've never poked a hole in it.
Then very happy with it. Might take a
little bit longer to set up than some
of the other mats. But man you get
a good nice sleep in those things. I
wouldn't trade it for the world. And 55
years old, still sleeping on the ground, 30
to 60 days a year. Part of that
is that bad. Okay?
Packs. I've mentioned my day pack. That's my
N
Apex day pack. It's 12 years old now.
13 seasons 12 years old. I've been so
happy with that N rod. They were an
advertiser way back in the day. They're not
anymore.
I looked on their website today. They still
build that same. Pack. I've been very happy
with it. It's a modular pack. You can
make it bigger if you want, add things
to it. I just go with the standard
day pack. I've been very happy with it.
You can get a slick. Tripod in it
with an outdoors pan head and,
a Sw off
compact spotter, although I've I got my 80
millimeter in there before too.
Get your lunch. You can get your survival
gear in there, you know, basic stuff.
It's just a good solid. Back. It's fleece.
It's quiet.
I mean, it's probably time for a new
1, but it's just hard to get rid
stuff that works
clothing. My early season stuff. I've been running
the sick Apex system. So since 2018.
You know, I'm not a big time. I
probably 08:12 days a euro bowl hunting. Very
happy with it Never had to replace a
single piece in it. I got everything head
to toe,
outer layer,
to base layer.
Although I don't have their puppy or anything
like that, but, I can't remember the name
of their sure but just their Apex hoodie.
That's what I wear on the outside.
But the pants, the knee pads, they're just
designed well. When you knee down, the knee
pads are where they're supposed to be.
The the the... There's 2 hoodies in that
line. I just mentioned the the outer wanna
camera remember with the anyone's called. But,
I love the sun protection. You know, when
when when you get in your fifties, you
realize just how bad you beat your skin
up over the years. Not protecting yourself from
the sun. And, you know, you get in
the high country, there's less atmosphere to filter
out the Uv. You just get hair... Man
getting all these spots on my nose and
my face and everything.
I I wish I to take better care
of myself when I was young. But the
sun protection is offered by, by this system
is great. The hoods, you know, wear your
hood,
it it just makes a difference. And, you
know, plus it just helps in the whole
camouflage thing. I do have to drop my
hood to hit my anchor points and everything,
But, you know, 99
percent of your hunt. Really 99.9
percent of your hunt. You you need to
wear your hood, you know,
and and it's gonna make make a difference.
And so I've also had good luck with
the cryptic
Son
sun shirt for sun protection. Wear that for
scouting and everything.
But, anyway, sun protection where it's at. So
Apex,
also has their belt and run the sick
belt a very simple belt. No buckle just
a clip. It's just fine. Though. Never failed
me.
I also run their synthetic base layers.
Can't remember what the name of that,
what they call that material, but it does
work. It's not quite as comfortable as merino,
but it does work. And I can tell
you this on the base layers.
Size up. The base layers are always a
little tight on me.
Even if I order them in the right
size. Same size as the pants they run
a little tight.
So for the later seasons, I'm a first
light guy just because they were 1 of
the original advertising on the site still are.
I know their system's really well.
I've run the the the puffy on Comp.
Right.
I'll tell you right now. Not the toughest
puffy that's out there. I go through 1
for about every 3 or 4 years, but
they're a alive. Probably 3 years to be
fair. They're a lightweight, puffy.
They're warm.
You could you can have a good push
in them and get rid of a lot
of moisture. It, you know,
I'm sure there's other great puppies out there,
but I've just really become comfortable with him.
I I think I've been running puppies. There
since 2013.
I'm probably on my sixth 1. You know,
III go through a lot of them, but
they're they're really good. Their their ob upstate
pant is the main pant that I run.
In the later season This replaced their old
junky can pack. I love the Can. Temperature
regulation was great. Was a mint merino wool
pat. They were just as tender as a
Dan land. Though, You could you could ruin
a, ruin a para ads in 1 hunt.
I'll, I'll be honest if I wasn't get
them for free. I probably would never run
them in the first place. But But then
once I switch to their ob city, they
definitely tough them up, you can still rip
them, but I'm I went through 2 full
seasons on my ob city. Last year, I
ran a piece of brush through 1 leg
on them, riding a horse. That's always tough
on pants.
Still didn't tear the pan. But can I
used to get a little hole in them,
and you know, in an hour, it was
the size of a softball?
The the Ob
can contain a tear, and I was able
to get back to Camp, get it sewn
up, and I'm still gonna run that. Same
pair this year. But I love the temperature
regulation of of the ob city and that
kind collapsed style pants with the mix and
merino and everything in there. It's just just
the good comfortable pants. No swamp ness.
I run all first slate
base layers been very happy with those. Gator.
Let's talk about Gate a little bit,
first light runs as 2 different. They probably
have more than 2, but I've used to.
The traverse. That's a small hiking boot gator
about as big of a boot. You can
get it over is think of, like, a
Sc bridge,
Ken trek,
hard gravel,
the... Some of the smaller,
Kris.
It'll it'll run on those. They're great. I
did... III did a review on those. Traverse
2 point 0III
asked Chad Gp to find that review, and
it founder me a later today. By the
way, guys, if you're not using Chad Gp,
it's better than Google. Go test that out.
But chad Found that review. It's still out
there. Very happy with those. I'm still running
that same set that I reviewed in there.
Very happy. Love how it keeps your. Your
pant legs protected, and you're not tearing your
pants so much, Little extra water protection, keep
water from going down in in your boots.
You can step in the creek. Can you
get stand in the You know, they're not
waiters, but you can step in the creek,
not get it over your booth if you're
just running through, I've been very happy with
them. For the later season, I've ran their
Bra, Streak my big complaint of of of
these and all of the bigger
gate is noise. They're just noisy. They're not
good for deer hunting. But I've never found
an all police skater. That's really what you
need that had a good zipper system, a
good
system to secure to the boot. I've just
never found 1, so I I kinda put
up with them. Backing up to the traverse.
They're very quiet.
Last piece of gear I got on here,
been running up for a year. I wanna
mention it. It's con... The Ka
Wind river
wind shirt or wind jacket. They came out
last year. There's a full review on Rock
slide. I think Mike Moore did it.
Again, hit just just hit chat chat Gp
If it comes up. If not, just jump
on the rock side page. But very happy
with this For a couple of ounces. You
got a wind proof jacket. It's... Fairly breathable
too. That's what I like about it. It's
not like putting on a plastic bag. It's
a good looking jacket. It's fully hood,
that's a fully functional hood. You can zip
it up your chin and, you know, walk
straight into the wind It doesn't blow your
hood off. For a couple of ounces. It's
so versatile.
It'll shed a little bit of a rain.
You know, you can't go out in, you
know, much, you get soap, you know, little
rain blows or. You're okay, It.
But it'll add just another level of comfort
to any
under garment that you're wearing. That's what I
love about it. I ride my bike to
work a lot in the in the summer.
And, now, now, me ride my bike to
work. You know, don't don't picture.
You know, some guy on a 3000 dollar
bike with a little pointy helmet
and, you know, little rearview mirror,
you know, definitely no Span x. Man. You
guys would... Someone, I would get arrested if
I put Span x on.
Don't think of that guy, Ryan to work.
No, man. Think of car hearts, work boots,
you know, dirty old, hat, you know, that's
me. In fact, you know, I I joke
around a lot when People see me ride
to bike. They're like, oh, that dude got
a Dui. You know, that... That's what I
look like on a bike. But the Wind
River, this is this is why I can
endorse it. I got mine last year. I
read my bike to work basically from the
last few days into the March until about
the middle of October. And
Depending on where I park might pick up,
you know, I'm riding anywhere between 7 and
and, and,
miles 1 direction or 3 miles 1 direction
depending on where I park.
Depending on where I park just depends on
the weather that day and how late I
am for work. But, anyways, I... I'll park
my pickup wrap right into work,
I'll bet you, I have a hundred days
on on on the Wind River. And
the what I like about it is you
can... You can push yourself in it, like
biking or hiking,
and and it... It's just breathable enough. You
don't feel like you're wearing a raincoat. Now
it's not totally breathable. You know, I don't
I don't wanna... I wanna make people think,
you know, You can just you can just
sweat through it easily, but if it's just
enough to keep your warm, break the wind.
And it's so durable. Now, full disclosure when
I first got it, I broke the zipper.
Just I think I had unzip, like, part
or almost all the way down, and I
I got it caught on something I was
walking in it just yank the zipper open,
and it was really hard to do for,
like, a week or 2. You know, I
just would have to start it and kinda
get it going. So I was talking to
Honors at Caf.
He had he had sent me the the
winter to give the try when they first
released it. Before Mike did his reviews. Just
wanted to see who we we we... If
we want to review it. And you know,
so I talked to him 1 day, and
I told him hey, the Zipper failed. This,
oh, hey, man. Just send me an email.
You know, I'll get you another 1 out
and I just didn't get around to it.
I was kind busy, And I I just
kept using it.
It healed itself.
I light gear that can heal itself seriously.
I hardly ever have a problem with the
zipper. I think I just must have messed
up a tooth or 2, and I either
used it enough that they got smooth again.
I... And I don't I don't have the
glasses Can't look at it see the. A
tooth actually thought, but it's fine right now.
I light gear that you can break and
you can continue to use. So I wouldn't
say it's at the level of bomb proof.
I have 1 little hole in on the
side or where I think caught it on
a barb wire fence. But other than that,
solid
little shirt. Highly recommend the Ka Wind River
Wind shirt. I It's not for sun, Just
imagine being an tent in the sun. Soon
as the hunt sun hits that thing, you
warm up inside. It's not for that. But
man, to break the wind just a little
bit and to be able to hike in
something and get get rid of a little
bit of sweat, I'm really happy with it.
By the way. Our cold board challenge, not
our cold board challenge but. Our cold bull
challenge, but our cold board challenge, for rifle.
We're given 1 away in there, I think
when I looked yesterday, there was 60 65
people that were in the challenge. So you
got good odds of win on that for
of if anybody that gets it. We'd love
to hear about it on the rock slide
clothing sub forum. So there you go, everybody.
That's my gear wrap up. For this year.
And if you got any questions, like I
said, hit me up on rock slide or
hit me up on Instagram. We will catch
you internally.
With the help of sports men and women
and concerned citizens we can defeat the hunting
bands here in Colorado. Go to save the
hunt colorado dot com. Thanks for listening.