Where It All Began: The Rich Outdoors

In late 2015, a buddy of mine at the gym and I found out we both enjoyed hunting and podcasts. I recommended he listen to this dude, Jay Scott that I had been listening to, and he recommended this new podcast by a guy named Cody Rich called the Rich Outdoors.

Since then, I have soaked up all of Cody’s episodes; from Episode 2 with Tim Burnett, to the latest episode 552 over 7 years later.

I learned to appreciate Cody’s interview style, his variety of guests, and his overall no-BS approach to western hunting. After sparking up conversation, I eventually worked full time for him on Backcountry Fuel Box and marketing of the Rich Outdoors. To this day, I still help with the Muley Monday Podcast on The Rich Outdoors Patreon Feed, and hop on the Thursday shows occasionally.

I may have been born into hunting out west, and my grandfathers and dad may have taught me the foundations, but Cody’s influence via his podcast, and later directly as a western hunting mentor have lead to many of the successes I have had today, and ultimately will be responsible for future successes as well.

Without further ado, here are many of the beginning mentorship conversations with me that were recorded. Enjoy.

EP 255: Hunting On A College Budget

(PUBLISHED July 19, 2018)

Today’s podcast is with Mr. Jaden Bales, who has been a huge help to me over the last year and I can’t thank him enough. Jaden has been helping me with social media and various other tasks as the podcast grows. Going back to last January we did a podcast with Mike and Angela Haralson about financial planning for hunting, which has had thousands of downloads and a ton of feedback. Jaden had the idea that we should also do a podcast about hunting on a college budget. After reminiscing about all of our hunting trips during those broke-ass college days we decided to just hit record and go over some tips to hunting on the cheap. This was a fun episode and if you enjoy this podcast be sure to go back and check out Ep 198 with Mike and Angela.

EP 348: How to Go From a 101 to 201 Level Elk Hunter

(Originally Published on The Rich Outdoors | May 9, 2019)

Jaden had been struggling to punch his first elk tag so naturally, he is always picking my brain as he is bound and determined that this is the year of the elk. We thought we should just hit record on one of our regular conversations about elk, elk hunting, and various thoughts on certain gear. Hopefully, this podcast is helpful to a lot of you and I know many of the listeners are in very similar shoes as Jaden. Let us know what you think!

EP 364: How to Go From a 101 to 201 Level Elk Hunter | Part 2

(Originally Published on The Rich Outdoors | July 4, 2019)

Back in early May, Jaden Bales jumped on the podcast to talk about taking his hunting skills from that 101 level up to a 201 level. This conversation actually sparked quite a topic for us as we really have expanded on this idea over the last couple of months. Since that podcast, we actually put out a 201 mini-course and are working on a 201 gun build. In this podcast, we expand further on what we talked about but also we continue in Jaden’s search to kill a bull elk with his bow. As scouting moves from e-scouting to boots on the ground we go over some of the things Jaden has found my advice on how to interpret and plan based on what he has been seeing.

EP 392: How to Kill your First Elk, a 201 Success Story

(Originally Published on The Rich Outdoors | Oct. 11, 2019)

Jaden has been struggling to punch his first elk tag so naturally, he is always picking my brain as he is bound and determined that this is the year of the elk. We thought we should just hit record on one of our regular conversations about elk, elk hunting, and various thoughts on certain gear. Hopefully, this podcast is helpful to a lot of you and I know many of the listeners are in very similar shoes as Jaden. Let us know what you think!

EP 408: So You Want to Work in the Hunting Industry?

(Originally Published on The Rich Outdoors | Dec. 5, 2019)

In today’s podcast, I sit down with a good buddy Lyle Hebel. Lyle is one of the best marketers I know so I invited him on the podcast to answer one of the questions I consistently get from podcast listeners. How do I get into the hunting industry? How do I make hunting my job?

There is a lot in this podcast but we tried to help cover as much about getting into the hunting industry and overall working in a hobby industry as we could. Whether you are looking to get out of a carrier or just starting your first carrier there is some very valuable info throughout. Lyle has been in and around the industry for many years and I know I always value his input. This is definitely not your normal podcast covering hunting tactics, but if you get value from this conversation be sure to let us know. Also, if you have questions about things we talk about we would love to hear your feedback.

EP 410: Taking Winter Hunting to the Next Level with Dustin Diefenderfer

(Originally Published on The Rich Outdoors | Dec. 19, 2019)

In this episode, Dustin shares his epic adventure on a late-season mountain goat here in Montana and we break down all sorts of gear and tips to help you take your winter backcountry adventures to the next level. From skis to ice axes we break down what you need to have, what you should have, and some things you may just want to have to battle the elements in the late season. This podcast may just take your late-season rifle elk and deer tags to a whole new level!

EP 460: Planning A Backcountry Hunt

(Originally Published on The Rich Outdoors | June 25, 2020)

This week I wanted to answer one of the questions I have been getting a lot. This question also popped up at The Western Hunting Summit and I knew we should tackle it in a podcast. It is easy to get into the weeds with every guest and focus so much effort on a specific topic. This week I asked Jaden Bales to co-host a show with me and get back to a 30,000-foot view on planning both a backcountry mule deer hunt, as well as a backcountry elk hunt. I would definitely say my take on this has developed a bit in the last couple of years as I constantly learn more and pick up so many things from the guests I get to interview.

In this podcast, we tackle everything from when to scout and when not to scout, to picking camp locations and trailheads. There are so many details that go into a hunt and realistically the small things can be as much of a deal breaker as the big things. This podcast is a great resource for newbies and experienced hunters alike.

EP 477: Managing Expectations and Making Game Time Audibles

(Originally Published on The Rich Outdoors | Oct. 23, 2020)

In today’s podcast, young Jaden and I catch up on some recent hunts including my “deer” hunt that yielded one of the better rifle elk trips we have been on in years. We also chat about Jaden letting “The year of the deer” get to his head, and how to manage exceptions better while also keeping the “how it’s done” at the forefront of his mind.

2020 definitely seems to have more hunters in the woods than other years, at least in places Jaden and I have hunted. With this we talk about how to use this to your advantage or at a minimum not let it get your head. Our recent rifle hunt was a great example of using pressure to your advantage. As Jaden preps for Colorado 3rd Deer coming up, this should be a great reminder to stick with your game plan and not get flustered by other hunters.

EP 482: How to Validate a Business Idea with Jaden Bales

(Originally Published on The Rich Outdoors | Dec. 3, 2020)

Since starting these entrepreneur podcasts I have had a pretty good amount of questions stream in. Most of you probably didn’t know this but long before I had a podcast about hunting, these were the conversations I was having. I love talking about entrepreneurship. Like hunting, I don’t consider myself an expert of any kind merely one guy who has screwed a few things up over the years. Jaden and I sat down to discuss one of the common questions I get about business - how to know if it is a good idea. If you have thought at all about being your own boss, then you have probably also thought about what company you would start. Maybe while glassing for a big buck with your hunting partner you talk about some great idea. In this podcast, we discuss a few things to consider as well as some ways to actually test your idea in the market without spending a fortune. I hope this at least gets the wheels turning and gets you thinking about ways to prove or disprove your next business venture.

EP 532: Montana Heritage Season, Conservation and Season Recaps

(Originally Published on The Rich Outdoors | Dec. 6, 2021)

This week Jaden and I catch up on his recent elk hunt and my run at Montana mule Deer. You could probably sum up both hunts with sunset photos. All jokes aside, we talk about the highs and lows of November and the struggles of late-season hunting. We also talk about the upcoming heritage season that Montana started and we touch on some ideas for tips and tactics. Personally, I was excited to go look for a late-season bull elk but now that my tag is notched I only have a Mule deer tag for the late season.