Rokcast

We're talking Colorado Bucks on today's Rokcast.  Robby hosts Brandon Diamond, the Area Wildlife Manager for Colorado’s Gunnison Basin. Like previous episodes he’s been on, Brandon brings a depth of knowledge and experience to managing Colorado’s mule deer. They talk about buck survival after the 5-year plan, and its effect on buck:doe ratios, age class, and more. They also talk the challenges of...

Robby hosts RokStaffer Josh Boyd for a Western States Winter Update.  Josh is a professional Hydrologist and keeps a close eye on snowpack across the West. He's a frequent guest on the Rokcast because he is a great resource when determining how the weather affects our big game animals, especially mule deer. Today, Josh will be giving a West-wide Snowpack update and talk about other water issues li...

Tipsy Tuesday#50 HOWL for Wildlife on the Offensive features strategist Mike Costello. Mike walks us though the current state of affairs and outlines where hunting can be in 5 years. Learn how to help HOWL for Wildlife go on the offensive to give wildlife management back to the professionals in Colorado. The team from Zero Fox Given joins in to tell what they are all about. Luke Schultz takes us t...

With good fawn to doe ratios being reported in multiple western states, Robby talks about how he uses this information to decide where to hunt now and in the future. He also jumps into other topics: The National Deer Association report on shifting hunter harvest to more mature bucks You can read that report here Mature Buck Harvest Rises to Another New U.S. Record https://deerassociation.com/matur...

Tipsy Tuesday #49 Gear Straight from the Expo in Salt Lake City Utah. After roaming every nook and cranny at the Expo here's some gear you might have missed. The newest and best water filtration systems, delicious freeze-dried food, innovative digiscoping setup, micro panning ball head, minimal effort European mounts, supporting veterans in need. All that and more in this Gear Straight from the Ex...

Bonus episode! Due to Western Hunt Expo, we're a bit late getting this to the Rokcast listeners. Idaho released their Idaho Mule Deer proposals to grow more big mule deer, recently. Problem is, now you only have 4 days to comment on these proposals to grow more big bucks. Robby hosts David Vedder of the Southeast Idaho Mule Deer Advisory Group. David explains the proposals they want to send to the...

If you've ever wondered what mule deer eat and what it looks like, today's episode is your huckleberry (possible pun intended). Luke Schultz is a Habitat Biologist for the Wyoming Game and Fish and a wealth of knowledge for mule deer hunters (listen to his last visit on the Rokcast here Mule Deer on the Edge). Luke and Robby dive into identifying the major (and some minor) plant types that mule de...

Tipsy Tuesday#48 Everything Argali with Brad Brooks, takes though the origin, and thought process behind Argali Outdoors products. Everything Argali gives Brad's take on best uses of each shelter, gives up the details the new sleeping bag, and even dives into knife design. Brad closes with Argali's vision of the future and ways customers can impact those designs features. Rokslide member Kyle Sand...

Robby hosts Marc "muleyslayer" Smith on today's Rokcast.  They talk about their upcoming QnA session at the 2025 Western Hunting and Conservation Expo in Salt Lake City February 13-16th Western Hunting & Conservation Expo – This is Conservation! They also get into Marc's evolution as a buck hunter.  With the sharp and noticeable decline in mule deer buck numbers in the Colorado units Marc has trad...

Image Courtesy of Blacktail Deer Foundation Another ADD episode from Robby today. He's all over the place from old mule deer books, to listener feedback on the 2024 mule deer rut, to a brighter future for the Blacktail Deer with the creation of the Blacktail Deer Foundation. Robby also mentions a great mule deer film from a great mule deer hunter that you're gonna wanna watch.  Jared Bloomgren jus...

Tipsy Tuesday#47 Draw Strategies with Robert Hanneman of Hunting Fool. Find out how to use On X Elite tools to build 5-year, 10-year, and longer-term draw strategies. Robert explains the difference between Hunting fool memberships and OnX Hunt Elite tools and the benefits of each. Robert and Sam dive headfirst into the Wyoming elk application and what you need to know before you apply. Rokslide me...

A guy meets a lot of people on a hunting forum.  While you need a good BS detector on forums, you can meet some very knowledgeable people on the interwebs.  Robby hosts Rokslide forum member Aaron Tammi on today's episode.  Aaron has years of experience in maximizing bowhunting accuracy, competition shooting, and running arrows through the vitals. Robby's always on a quest to improve his archery s...

Robby hosts Woodrow "Woody" Myers on today's episode. Woody was a wildlife biologist for the state of Washington for 40 years before retiring and joining the Washington Fish and Wildlife Commission Commission members | Washington Department of Fish & Wildlife He's been instrumental in conserving mule deer in Washington and has a deep historical perspective on challenges for mule deer in the Evergr...

The Best Gear of 2024. Today's Rokcast features all the Rokslide Staff and their Best Gear of 2024 recommendations. Take a listen and see if your favorites made the list. You might just hear about something new that will make your 2025 season that much better. Read the Best of 2024 Review here- Best Gear of 2024 Rokslide Edition - Rokslide Visit Rokslide's Rokcast Forum to submit questions, reques...

Tipsy Tuesday#46 NRL Hunter with President Travis Ishida along with top contenders Justin Crossley and Travis Bertrand. Find out what exactly NRL Hunter is, why it benefits hunters, how to get started, the basic required equipment, finally the tips and tricks to make you successful. Kyle Sandusky is back with a Seek Outside Twilight tent review. Matt Cashell pulls all the stops with his Kifaru KU4...

Robby hosts Kerry Gold & Max Ludington from the Jackson Hole Land Trust on today's episode.  Find out how private land that is protected by conservation easements is actually more protected than public land in many cases.  They dive deep into everything that conservation easements protect, from big-game migration corridors to prime fawning areas, to stopover areas where big game should spend 95% o...

Tipsy Tuesday#45 Maven Optic's Cade Maestas gives us their origin story and insight into their business model. Cade then moves to some of his favorite Maven Optics and what sets them apart. Mike Moore is back with a Peax vs Stika sleeping bag shootout https://www.rokslide.com/peax-solace-vs-sitka-hyperdown-sleeping-bags/ Brock Akers gives us the low down on Nemo Hornet elite tent https://www.roksl...

  Robby hosts today's special "Merry Christmas" episode of the Rokcast.  Besides finishing up the "Complete Mule Deer Hunter" chapter of his book, he also shares the final chapter of the book "Stuff for Christians and Those So Inclined."  It's the perfect episode for the season. God bless us all! Here is last year's CHRISTmas message: Merry CHRISTmas! - Rokslide

Late archery mule deer hunting is a unique but very challenging opportunity, yet Brian Barney tags big mule deer frequently on these hunts. Robby hosts Brian on today's Rokcast to talk about this specific season and how he's been consistently successful.  Here's just a few things they talked about on this episode: Definition of “late archery mule deer” How are tactics adapted to expected buck beha...

Robby hosts a great buck hunter on today's Rokcast: James Yates.  James has taken nine big bucks in the last several seasons on mostly easy-to-obtain tags, but it was the 2024 season that pushed him over the top. James took three big bucks in just a few weeks' time across three western states. Two of those bucks are knocking on 200" gross, too. James and Robby jump into how this incredible season...

Tipsy Tuesday#44 Steve Evans and his journey to build the perfect custom rifle. While Steve has only been into big game hunting for a handful of years, he has built multiple high end custom rifles. He shares experiences along the journey of what to look for in a smith, parts and calibers. Matt Cashell then reviews the Vortex Razor UHD 32mm https://www.rokslide.com/vortex-razor-uhd-32mm-binoculars-...

Robby hosts whitetail hunter Beau Martonik of the East Meets West podcast.  In this episode, they dive deep into the intersection of hunting big mule deer and big whitetails.  Although two different species living in different habitats, these guys have discovered there is an overlap in behavior of the big bucks of both species.  Overlaps like an affinity for heavy cover, similar home ranges (at ce...

Mule Deer Hunting on Antlelope Island in the Great Salt Lake is probably one of the more unique hunting opportunities in the world. At auction, this tag broke multiple records for dollars raised. What most people forget, is the other tag available through the Utah draw process to a lucky recipient. Chuck Carpenter was the guy that drew the 2024 public tag on the Island and his story has to be one...

Tipsy Thursday #43 is Travis Hobbs Alaskan Brown Bear hunt. Travis walks us though the entire process from outfitter selection to the gear he used that made this adventure successful. If an Alaskan Brown Bear hunt is on your bucket list give Travis's tips and tricks a listen. then Matt Cashell reviews the Kowa 55 TSN. Sam then shifts the talk toward the other Rokslide.com gear reviews [https://www...

Corey's Big Buck Taken at 70 yards It's all about rifles for hunting big mule deer on today's episode.  Robby hosts fellow buck hunter Corey Dixon to talk about how they both arrived at similar rifle systems independent from one another.  They talk about average shot distance on their last 10 big mule deer and why this distance requires a certain class of rifles and optics (they're not saying othe...