Transition Wild - Sportsmen's Empire

Today on the Transition Wild Podcast, I am joined by returning guest, Fred Bohm. It’s always a pleasure having Fred on the show to talk hunting and this episode was a lot of fun. During our discussion, Fred walks us through his season so far and all of the exciting animals he’s been chasing with a bow in hand throughout 2020. We start things off with his recent elk hunts in Wyoming and Colorado, where he was able to take a cow and bull on public land within about a week time frame, on back to back hunts. We then cover his big horn sheep hunt in Colorado and all of the ups and downs associated with that endeavor. Fred also walks us through his hunt in Hawaii earlier this year where he chased sheep, goats, and wild pigs. To round out the episode, we talk about what gear Fred has added to his setup, his photography, and what hunts he has coming down the pipe later this year. If you enjoy great photography and writing revolving around hunting, make sure to check out www.fredbohm.com.  Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

Today I’m covering my recent archery mule deer hunt from early September in Colorado where I cover the events that unfolded during the hunt, as well as the preparation that lead up to it. I begin by covering how I decided on a certain unit and the reasons why I chose to do this hunt in the first place. I then talk about the preparation such as totally revamping my bow and shooting form, along with physical fitness for an above tree-line excursion around 13,000 feet elevation. I then cover my digital scouting and my one and only scouting trip to the area in early August. I round out the episode by diving into the details of my 2020 hunt, starting with the initial hike into the area and ending with a heavy pack-out. I highlight how I spotted deer and how I was able to get in position for a close range stalk with a bow and release a well placed arrow to seal the deal. This was a fun hunt and cool story to share with you all. I hope you enjoy it!Look for an upcoming article on transitionwild.com that recaps the lessons learned during this hunt in the near future! Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

Today I’m joined by my friend Ben Guttormson for another badass elk hunting podcast. What’s cool about this episode is that it’s positioned as a question and answer format of various hunting situational and preparation scenarios, where Ben explains what he would do and the reasons why. During our discussion of preparation, I have him rank five categories of scouting, fitness, shooting, gear, and calling and how he prioritizes them in order of most important to least important. I also have him break down what a week long hunt would look like day by day if he were dropped into a unit blind without any prior knowledge of the area.We round out the episode with “in the field” type scenarios where he breaks down certain scenarios of calling and how he would set up to get within bow range of elk, given a number of circumstances. We also cover strategies for locating elk in various weather and early season conditions when the rut is not in full swing yet. If you are hunting elk tin the west this fall, this episode is loaded with all sorts of valuable knowledge and information that will help you become more successful on the mountain.  Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

Today we have Cody Rich on the show to hit us with all kinds of elk hunting knowledge, advice, and wisdom. For those of you who might not be familiar with Cody, he hosts The Rich Outdoors Podcast and talks with some truly remarkable guests on elk hunting tactics and strategy. In addition to that, Cody has many years of hunting experience and many bulls under his belt to boot so he is walking book of elk hunting knowledge, to say the least. We cover a number of topics during this episode but a big part of the discussion is focused around thinking outside the box when it comes to locating elk and avoiding pressure, along with common mistakes a lot of people make when hunting public land. I also get Cody’s perspective and strategy on calling, moon phases, planning hunts, scouting, gear, and more. To round out our discussion we talk about Backcountry Fuel Box, a company Cody started to help people find the right foods and nutrition for a backcountry adventure. For more information, please visit www.backcountryfuelbox.com.  Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

Today my guest is Tim Andrews, owner and operator of Gypsum Creek Outfitters, based in Gypsum Colorado. Tim grew up in New York hunting whitetails, moved to Colorado in 2013 and instantly fell in love with elk hunting in the mountains. Tim is an everyday, DIY guy that followed his passion and purchased this outfitting business in 2019 to make a lifelong dream come true. During this episode, we talk about his progression as an elk hunter and how it ultimately led him to owning and running a big game hunting operation in Central Colorado. We discuss some of the struggles early on, business obstacles, and all of the work that goes into a guide service. Tim walks us through the accommodations they offer, species they hunt, and what to expect when hunting them. For more information, please visit www.gypsumcreekoutfitters.com Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

Today we have a really cool episode where we are talking solo, DIY public land elk hunting with Brandon Mcdonald. Brandon embarked on his first archery elk hunt in 2019 and we cover everything from preparation, gear, the highlights, and the struggles. We also talk about what he learned from his experiences and what he changing up for 2020 in order to tip the odds in his favor. It takes grit and a whole lot of mental toughness to keep grinding even when every voice inside your head is telling you to back out, pack up camp and get the hell out of there. Solo archery elk hunting is no joke so we talk about the mental struggles he experienced and how he dealt with them during his week long hunt in Utah. If you are new to elk hunting and are planning a solo archery elk hunt this fall, you won’t want to miss this episode. Brandon has been self filming his hunts and produces some really cool, informational archery videos on his YouTube channel so make sure to check those out here: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UChLDlQLOQitmTtkdd4yLA1A Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

On this episode, we are joined by returning guest, Cliff Gray of Flat Tops Wilderness Guides to talk about what you should be doing right now to prepare for an elk or deer hunt in the west this fall. Cliff walks us through why gear is important, but also why it shouldn’t necessarily be at the top of your list based. We also touch on a 2020 Colorado hunting outlook where we highlight a number of potential outcomes based on various weather patterns and changes in hunting pressure due to the corona virus. We then talk about “True Hunts” which is his hunting outfit that specializes in planning and booking a dream hunt anywhere in the world. As part of this venture, Cliff also puts on mountain hunting seminars to help beginners and people who want to learn more hands-on, tactical knowledge when it comes to western hunting. In conjunction with these seminars, he has created an entire library of videos on his youtube page to help kickstart your western hunting experience with videos on gear, thermals, and feed, just to name a few. For more information, please visit www.ftguides.com or www.truehunts.com Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

Today we are joined by Justin Allen, founder of Woodroad Gear Co. to talk about his high quality, performance based socks that are built for western hunters and outdoorsman. If there is one thing for sure when it comes to mountain hunting, your feet are everything so its important to have a good pair of socks inside your boots. Prior to this episode, I thought socks were just “socks” and I never put much thought into the design and technology, but Justin explains what makes Woodroad Gear different and why they use Alpaca wool in their products. I have been wearing a pair of their socks for a few weeks now and I am really digging their quality, comfort, and moisture wicking ability while hiking for hours in rugged terrain. If you’ll be doing some western hunting of your own this fall, make sure to check them out. For more information or to pick up a pair for yourself, please visit www.woodroadgear.com  GIVEAWAY ALERT!!Three lucky listeners will win a gear package of two pairs of socks and a hat from Woodroad Gear Co! Tune into the entire episode to find out how to enter to win! Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

Today I talk with Dan ‘The Man’ Johnson about our upcoming mule deer archery hunts that we have planned for later this Fall. Dan will be chasing muleys again in South Dakota and I’ll be partaking in my first archery mule deer hunt in Colorado. Dan and I both describe our scouting process and our hunting styles based on the areas we will be hunting. We also cover a little bit of turkey hunting, shed hunting, and a much anticipated Michigan public land whitetail hunt for Dan later this year. This is a fun episode where we talk about the future and god willing, we will come out the other side successful.  Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

On today’s Transition Wild podcast, we are joined by PJ Delhomme, hunting editor of Bugle which is a nationally published magazine by the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. Ever since I moved to Colorado in 2015, I’ve been a member of RMEF and I sincerely enjoy reading every issue of Bugle so it was a true pleasure being able to sit down with PJ. To start off the episode we talk about PJ’s background of where he grew up, how he got into hunting, and his path that lead him to working and writing for the magazine. We cover his job responsibilities as hunting editor and he also shares a few of his favorite stories he has worked on throughout the years. If you are interested in finding out more information about Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation and Bugle Magazine, please visit www.rmef.org.    Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

Today I’m joined by Garrett Roe, owner of Heads Up Decoy to talk Spring Turkey hunting and tactics for chasing birds on the ground with a decoy. During the first half of the episode, Garrett gives us a number of tips and strategies to get aggressive on Spring turkeys. We also cover some of the product features of a Heads Up Turkey Decoy and how they are portable, durable, versatile and lightweight. During the second half of the episode, we transition to the story of Garrett’s whitetail he killed this past fall in Kansas. It is an epic story with years of history with this particular buck that he was able to get an arrow through during a spot and stalk decoy hunt. For more information on Heads Up Decoy, please visit www.headsupdecoy.com Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

On today’s episode, I talk with Brian Sommers, a Montana Game Warden who specializes in criminal investigation and grizzly bear attack training. Brian has been working with Montana Fish, Wildlife and Parks for over 35 years and has helped develop wildlife attack response guidelines for Montana FWP. We discuss various topics all revolving around grizzly bear and black bear attacks in Montana, how officers conduct investigations and why they are important. We also talk about high risk encounters, how to be prepared for an encounter and what gear you should have when entering grizzly country. We then cover proper procedures for packing out meat and how to mitigate the chance of a grizzly attack after you put a deer or elk on the ground. To round out the podcast, Brian talks about grizzly bear management, quotas, and the future of grizzly bears in Montana. For more information on Montana Fish, Wildlife, and Parks, please visit http://fwp.mt.gov/ Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

We are already half way through March and before we know it, elk season will be knocking at the door. In today’s episode, I cover 2020 elk hunting in Colorado and what you should expect for archery and rifle seasons later this Fall based on some changes to the season dates and hunting pressure. I also cover some highlights of the 2020 big game application period which is currently open and why you should be applying for preference points during this time. I then cover how to nail down a particular hunting area by using digital mapping software to figure out unit boundaries and public land areas in conjunction with over the counter tag options. I also talk about hunting styles and how to determine which one would work best for you as well as gear and physical conditioning. If you are new to Colorado elk hunting or elk hunting in general, this episode should put you on the right track.  Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

Today I’m joined by Kristin Cannon of Colorado Parks and Wildlife to talk about laws and regulations revolving around big game hunting in Colorado. Kristin has worked for the agency for many years and gives us a background of how she got started in the field of biology and wildlife enforcement. With the big game application period opening up in March, we talk about recent changes for the 2020 draw and new things you should be aware of. We also cover the five-year big game structure season dates and how those have differed from years past. To round out the last hour of the podcast, I ask Kristin a number of legality based questions revolving around public land access, firearm transportation and discharging, use of technology and tagging requirements in an effort to shed light on potentially grey areas of law interpretation. If you’re planning on hunting in Colorado this fall, you won’t want to miss this episode.  Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

Today we are joined by Mike Mershon, a resident of Montana who hunts elk each fall in grizzly country. Since moving to Montana in the 90’s, Mike has grown up hunting among grizzly bears and even though it is second nature to him, he has had some pretty crazy experiences over the years. We talk in depth about his gear preparation against grizzlies which includes bear spray and a side arm for protection. Mike covers how he carries his handgun, where his holster location is, and how he is able to draw a gun or spray very quickly if needed. We also cover how he sets up his camp, where he cooks, and how he stores his food to help avoid attracting bears to his sleeping area. We then dive into past grizzly encounters during hunts and summer trips to the mountains, along with a story about a hunting partner who was attacked and mauled by a grizzly during an elk hunt. To round out the podcast, Mike talks about his crazy experience from this past fall where he was charged by a grizzly at full speed and discharged his gun. We cover common mistakes and his advice to help prevent potentially harmful encounters for anyone who hunts or recreates among bears. If you’re planning on hunting elk in grizzly country or are looking for a damn good hunting story, this episode is for you. Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

Today we are joined by Morgan Lommele of People For Bikes to talk about laws, policies, and information pertaining to the use of electric bicycles on public lands. A big reason for recording this episode is not only because I work for QuietKat, an electric bike manufacturer based in Eagle, Colorado but also because I’m an avid e-bike rider on public lands. During the podcast, we cover what People For Bikes does to help with bike and e-bike access on public lands, trails, and roadways and what resources they offer. Morgan then dives into different classifications of electric bicycles, what they are, and where they can be ridden. We also cover the recent 2019 ruling of e-bike access on National Parks and BLM lands and how those areas are governed. To round out the discussion, we talk about the future of electric bikes, how they are enforced, and what we can do to help open more places to ride. For more information, please visit www.peopleforbikes.org.  Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

My guest today is Matt Dunfee, Director of the CWD Alliance, where we cover the current state of Chronic Wasting Disease in Colorado. We begin by covering what CWD is, what a prion is, how it spreads, and why we should be concerned as hunters and outdoorsman. We then talk about what the history of the disease in Colorado and the prevalence percentage of deer and elk in the state. We then discuss what Colorado Parks and Wildlife is doing to actively manage CWD and the action plan revolving around their strategy such as increasing tag quotas, mandatory testing, and altering hunting season dates. Matt also walks us through what we should do after harvesting a deer or elk and how to preserve what is needed for testing. To round out the episode Matt divulges what happens, based on scientific research, if CWD is left unmanaged and how the snowball effect could get out of control. For more information, please visit www.cwd-info.org.  Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

Today we are joined by Curt Headington, Vice President of Xpedition Archery, a leading compound bow manufacturer based in Decorah Iowa. During this episode we cover the 2020 lineup of bows which include their flag ship models MX15 and M16 as well as the Denali LX, Xscape, Mountaineer X, Thresher X, and the Perfextion XL. Curt walks us through the entire multi-year process from concept to production on what it takes to manufacture a premium bow in today’s world. We also cover many significant changes for their 2020 lineup which includes a forged, caged riser design and their all new HDS cam system which allows one to choose between limb or cable stops, or a combination of both. We then dive into many other notable upgrades from the 2019 Mako X which include limbs, limb pockets, and dampeners. For more information on Xpedition Archery, please visit www.xpeditionarchery.com Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast

Today I’m joined by returning guest and all-around hunting badass, Fred Bohm. We start off the podcast with a recap of his 2019 hunting season which included antelope, high-country mule deer, and multiple states for whitetails where we cover some the successes, failures, and lessons learned along way. We also talk about introducing his kids to hunting and the outdoors by involving them in every process at a young age. Fred then walks us through his photography series on his website, which is an archive of written blog articles dedicated to help you take better pictures, coming from the perspective of an everyday hunter. To round out the episode, we talk about his writing style, how he generates his thoughts for a blog post, and some of his more recent articles. Follow Fred’s work by visiting www.FredBohm.com.  Transition Wild Is Powered by Simplecast

Today we are joined by returning guest, Cliff Gray who is the owner of Flat Tops Wilderness Guides where we discuss all things related to elk and deer hunting in Colorado. During this podcast, we dive into a recap of the 2019 hunting conditions, success rates and setting realistic expectations for public land elk hunting. We also talk about weather related trends and how precipitation can affect elk and elk hunting conditions. We talk about the current and future state of elk/deer hunting in Colorado in regards to the quality of hunting, animal numbers, policy decisions, and hunting pressure. We talk about 2020 season date changes and the positives and negatives associated with them. Lastly, we speculate on decline of elk numbers in Colorado in recent years, what is causing it, and what could be done to help improve hunting and wildlife. For more information on Cliff’s outfitting service, please visit www.ftguides.com Transition Wild is Powered by Simplecast