Drawn West

Think rugby is rough? Try playing it on horseback while fighting for possession of a 70-pound goat. Nick Willert says he came out of professional MMA fights less injured than he has from Kok Boru and horseback wrestling—and after hearing his stories, I believe him.Nick joins me to explain two sports I barely knew existed: one where you wrestle another rider out of the saddle, and another where four riders work together to move a goat carcass into the opposing team’s goal. We get into competing at the World Nomad Games, drawing an unfamiliar horse, the match that left him with three broken ribs, and why he keeps going back.Then we shift into Forge Line fieldwear and the gear that has to survive all of it. I share my first impressions of the Oaks Camp pants and jacket after wearing them for projects around my property, and Nick explains the military clothing experience behind their fit, reinforced construction, and washable waxed cotton. We also talk through hunting applications, layering, and the difference between weather resistance and waterproof protection.What we cover:·         How horseback wrestling works—and why grappling skills are only part of the equation.·         What Kok Boru is, how teams score, and what makes it so physically demanding.·         Nick’s World Nomad Games experience and the injury that ended his latest tournament.·         The challenges of bringing horseback wrestling and Kok Boru to the United States.·         How Forge Line carried its military clothing experience into civilian fieldwear.·         My first impressions of the Oaks Camp pants for food plots, fence work, and everyday use.·         Waxed cotton, reinforced panels, and building a layering system around your activity and conditions. Check out the ForgeLine Oaks Camp Pant:https://alnk.to/btszPlK Subscribe to the podcast, leave a rating and review, and follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram. Share this one with the buddy who thinks his favorite sport is the toughest. Stay Ahead of Hunting Season with the Drawn West Newsletter.Get practical emails on deadlines, draw strategy, new episodes, and giveaway updates.Join Here: https://www.getdrawnwest.com/newsletterLooking for more content from Drawn West? Check out our latest article!Check out Drawn West Apparel:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/shop FREE Gear Checklist:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gearConnect with Brian Krebshttps://linktr.ee/getdrawnwestHave Questions or Comments? Send an email to [email protected]!Sponsors and Discounts:GOHUNT Insider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWESThttps://alnk.to/g3aa8L4GOHUNT Gear Shop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4uSave 10% on Maverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwestSave 20% On Reveal Cell Cams & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST20https://www.tactacam.com/Best Prices on Trauma Kits & First Aid at Jase.comhttps://rstr.co/jasemedical/getdrawnwest 00:00:00 Cold open and Drawn West apparel update00:02:12 Meet Nick Willert: from MMA to horseback wrestling00:10:02 Horseback wrestling rules, scoring, and strategy00:18:02 Kok Boru explained: horseback rugby and its traditions00:24:58 Injuries, weight classes, and competing overseas00:30:10 Sponsor break: Maverick Hunting Blinds and Mathews00:33:27 Forge Line fieldwear: military roots and waxed cotton00:38:02 Oaks Camp pants: fit, comfort, and reinforced construction00:44:58 Hunting layers, weather resistance, and moisture management00:56:21 Building a clothing system: jackets, base layers, and rain shells01:07:31 Nick’s background: Marines, skiing, MMA, and fatherhood01:11:57 Bringing horseback sports to America and where to follow

How do you choose hunting optics without spending money on magnification and features you don’t need?I break down how to choose a spotting scope, binoculars, and a laser rangefinder for western hunting and whitetail scouting. From angled vs. straight spotting scopes to 10x vs. 12x binoculars, I explain the tradeoffs behind my glassing setup and what I’d look for before upgrading.I use my Maven S3 spotting scope, B6 12x50 binoculars, and RF1 rangefinder to demonstrate, but the buying considerations apply across optics brands.·         Angled vs. straight spotting scopes—and why I switched to angled·         Choosing spotting scope magnification to complement your binoculars·         Why I prefer 12x50 binoculars for western hunting and whitetails·         When higher-power binoculars might replace a spotting scope·         Tripod mounting, binocular diopter adjustment, and digiscoping adapters·         What rangefinder distance ratings mean for different targets·         Angle compensation, brightness controls, and field/forest modesSubscribe to Drawn West and leave a rating and review. Sign up for the newsletter through the link below, and follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram.For the hands-on demonstrations, watch on YouTube or Spotify. Stay drawn. Check out the optics I run from Maven:https://mavenbuilt.com/?utm_source=&utm_medium=drawnwest&utm_content=archery&utm_campaign=bb_maven_2026 Stay Ahead of Hunting Season with the Drawn West Newsletter.Get practical emails on deadlines, draw strategy, new episodes, and giveaway updates.Join Here: https://www.getdrawnwest.com/newsletterLooking for more content from Drawn West? Check out our latest article!Check out Drawn West Apparel:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/shop FREE Gear Checklist:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gearConnect with Brian Krebshttps://linktr.ee/getdrawnwestHave Questions or Comments? Send an email to [email protected]!Sponsors and Discounts:GOHUNT Insider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWESThttps://alnk.to/g3aa8L4GOHUNT Gear Shop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4uSave 10% on Maverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwestSave 20% On Reveal Cell Cams & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST20https://www.tactacam.com/Best Prices on Trauma Kits & First Aid at Jase.comhttps://rstr.co/jasemedical/getdrawnwest00:00:00 Intro & Drawn West Updates00:03:40 Angled vs. Straight SpottingScopes00:12:45 Scouting Whitetails From YourTruck00:19:40 Spotting Scope Magnification& Digiscoping00:22:55 Pairing Spotters With Binoculars00:25:15 Tripod Mounts &Interchangeable Eyepieces00:30:50 Choosing Hunting BinocularMagnification00:36:05 How to Focus Your Binoculars00:40:00 Rangefinders & AngleCompensation00:43:20 What Rangefinder DistanceRatings Mean00:48:50 Rangefinder Brightness &Field/Forest Modes00:52:15 Tripod Ranging & Maven RFZZoom

Last Day to Win a Custom Bow! Enter at:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/giveawaysAnd get 10x entries when you shop Drawn West Apparel!https://www.getdrawnwest.com/shopYour broadhead might work great when everything goes right. But what happens when an elk turns, your arrow catches a shoulder, or the blood trail disappears?I sit down with Dr. Ed Ashby to talk arrow penetration, single-bevel broadheads, and building a hunting arrow for more than a perfect broadside shot. I’ve followed his research since I started changing my arrow setup for elk hunting, and I brought out a box of broadheads to ask the questions I’ve always wondered about.We get into the Natal study, why structural integrity and arrow flight come before chasing high FOC, and what the roughly 650-grain heavy-bone threshold actually means. I also push on the other side of the equation: if my arrow already passes through, could a wider cut help me recover a deer in thick Minnesota cover? Ashby shares his perspective on blood trails, bleeder blades, and why breaking through bone doesn’t guarantee lethal penetration.What we cover:·         How four unrecovered whitetails sparked Ashby’s arrow-performance research.·         Lessons from testing 32 broadhead designs during the Natal study.·         Why you shouldn’t sacrifice arrow flight for higher FOC.·         How tip shape, ferrule design, and single bevels affect penetration.·         What the 650-grain threshold does—and doesn’t—tell you.·         Cutting width, blood trails, and recovering animals when the hit isn’t perfect.If this gives you something to think about before your next hunt, follow the podcast and share it with someone working on their arrow setup. Follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram to keep up with what we’re doing.   Stay Ahead of Hunting Season with the Drawn West Newsletter.Get practical emails on deadlines, draw strategy, new episodes, and giveaway updates.Join Here: https://www.getdrawnwest.com/newsletterLooking for more content from Drawn West? Check out our latest article!Check out Drawn West Apparel:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/shop FREE Gear Checklist:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gearConnect with Brian Krebshttps://linktr.ee/getdrawnwestHave Questions or Comments? Send an email to [email protected]!Sponsors and Discounts:GOHUNT Insider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWESThttps://alnk.to/g3aa8L4GOHUNT Gear Shop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4uSave 10% on Maverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwestSave 20% On Reveal Cell Cams & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST20https://www.tactacam.com/Best Prices on Trauma Kits & First Aid at Jase.comhttps://rstr.co/jasemedical/getdrawnwest 00:00:00 ARC giveaway final announcement00:04:09 Dr. Ed Ashby and the origins of his research00:14:18 Natal study: testing broadheads on real animals00:22:52 Broadhead failures and bone penetration00:29:39 Bone deflection, tip design, and single bevels00:40:57 Recovery records and modern arrow setups00:45:29 High FOC versus proper arrow flight00:50:28 The 650-grain threshold and shot selection00:54:56 Blood trails, cutting width, and bleeder blades01:14:59 Modern bow testing and African dangerous game01:31:07 Conservation and close calls in Africa01:40:04 Heavy-bone thresholds, shot placement, and final takeaways

Trucker hats are live! Shop the most comfortable blaze orange hats and build some extra entries for the ARC!https://www.getdrawnwest.com/shopFirst focal plane vs. second focal plane scopes does not need to be complicated. The right choice comes down to how you hunt, how far you shoot, and whether you want a simple point-and-shoot setup or more options for dialing and precision. I break down how FFP and SFP reticles work, what changes as you adjust magnification, and how that affects holdovers, wind holds, and elevation adjustments. I also cover the scope features that actually matter when you are buying one: magnification, objective size, turrets, parallax, throw levers, and more. Whether you are setting up a rifle for Minnesota whitetails, Western mule deer and elk, deer drives, an AR, or a farm rifle, this will help you choose an optic that fits the way you actually hunt.What we cover in this episode:·         FFP vs. SFP reticles and what changes when you zoom·         When a simple SFP scope makes the most sense for whitetails and known-distance hunting·         Why I prefer FFP for dialing, wind holds, long-range practice, and Western hunting·         200-yard zeros, MOA, holdovers, and when dialing is the better move·         Choosing the right magnification range, from 3–12x hunting scopes to 1–10x LPVOs·         Objective lens size, low-light performance, and the scope features worth paying for·         When an LPVO makes sense for deer drives, ARs, close-range hunting, and varmint riflesI use Maven scopes as examples because they are what I have in the studio, but these same FFP vs. SFP principles apply across almost every optics brand.If this helps you choose your next rifle scope, subscribe to the Drawn West Podcast, leave a rating and review, and follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram. Don’t forget to claim your 50 bonus entries for the ARC and if you’re looking for even more entries, check out the Drawn West Apparel for even more entries! https://www.getdrawnwest.com/shop    Stay Ahead of Hunting Season with the Drawn West Newsletter.Get practical emails on deadlines, draw strategy, new episodes, and giveaway updates.Join Here: https://www.getdrawnwest.com/newsletterLooking for more content from Drawn West? Check out our latest article!Check out Drawn West Apparel:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/shop FREE Gear Checklist:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gearConnect with Brian Krebshttps://linktr.ee/getdrawnwestHave Questions or Comments? Send an email to [email protected]!Sponsors and Discounts:GOHUNT Insider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWESThttps://alnk.to/g3aa8L4GOHUNT Gear Shop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4uSave 10% on Maverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwestSave 20% On Reveal Cell Cams & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST20https://www.tactacam.com/Best Prices on Trauma Kits & First Aid at Jase.comhttps://rstr.co/jasemedical/getdrawnwest 

Most hunting merch is a logo slapped on a shirt nobody actually wants to wear. I didn't want to do that. After months of sketching, the first Drawn West apparel line is live: eight shirts and hoodies built around real hunting stories, inside jokes, and a few statement pieces meant to start a conversation at the airport, at deer camp, or at the trailhead.I go piece by piece through the launch lineup. That includes the OG Hoodie and OG Tee, the Classic Hoodie, the One Country topo shirt with a bugling bull set into the map where I shot my first elk, the Speed Goat pronghorn on a Drawn West chopper, the Spoon & Crockpot Buck, and the 98% Non-Res Plate. I also get into why resident vs non-resident tension out West matters to me, why hunting is more than a score, and how we chose blanks, fit, and halftone DTF printing so the shirts feel good to wear. Then I explain exactly how apparel entries work in the Mathews ARC giveaway, and why it's statistically impossible to buy your way to the bow.No purchase is necessary to enter or win the Mathews ARC giveaway. If you like what we're building, subscribe to the podcast, leave a rating and review, and follow @getdrawnwest on Instagram. You can check out the apparel at getdrawnwest.com/shop, and you can enter the giveaway at getdrawnwest.com/giveaway and enter this episode’s code word for 50 bonus entries!  Stay Ahead of Hunting Season with the Drawn West Newsletter.Get practical emails on deadlines, draw strategy, new episodes, and giveaway updates.Join Here: https://www.getdrawnwest.com/newsletterLooking for more content from Drawn West? Check out our latest article!Check out Drawn West Apparel:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/shop FREE Gear Checklist:https://www.getdrawnwest.com/gearConnect with Brian Krebshttps://linktr.ee/getdrawnwestHave Questions or Comments? Send an email to [email protected]!Sponsors and Discounts:GOHUNT Insider - $50 Gear Shop Credit with code DRAWNWESThttps://alnk.to/g3aa8L4GOHUNT Gear Shop – 10% off most items with code DRAWNWEST https://alnk.to/e75Pm4uSave 10% on Maverick Hunting Blinds & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST https://maverickhunting.com/?ref=getdrawnwestSave 20% On Reveal Cell Cams & Accessories with code DRAWNWEST20https://www.tactacam.com/Best Prices on Trauma Kits & First Aid at Jase.comhttps://rstr.co/jasemedical/getdrawnwest 00:00:00 Drawn West apparel is here + Mathews ARC giveaway update00:02:20 Why we didn't make logo-slapped creator merch00:03:10 OG Hoodie and OG Tee: colors, fit, and sizing00:08:14 Classic Hoodie: lighter athletic fit vs heavyweight00:10:35 One Country: USA topo design and where I shot my first elk00:13:40 Speed Goat and halftone DTF printing00:16:05 Spoon & Crockpot Buck: deer hunting is more than a score00:19:00 98% Non-Res Plate: resident vs non-resident tension00:24:04 Pricing, 10 entries per dollar, and why you can't buy the giveaway00:27:52 Why launch apparel now + send in your shirt ideas00:31:02 Where to shop, new giveaway dashboard, and October 7 live drawing