Alright guys, this week we're kicking it off with Tate Bradfield, founder of Process Based Hunter. Tate's got one of the more interesting backstories I've heard on this show — went from working in a mine, to door-to-door sales, to guiding elk for other outfitters, to eventually running his own semi-guided elk hunting courses where he takes 150-180 people a year and actually teaches them how to hunt instead of just pointing at a bull and telling them to shoot.

We riff on a ton of stuff in this one — his "at-bats" philosophy for picking a guided hunt (spoiler: stop asking how big the bulls are and start asking how many encounters per day you'll get), why he thinks cow calling during rifle season is one of the most underused tactics out there, how he snuck within 60 yards of a 200-inch mule deer with a cow elk decoy and no rifle in hand, and why most guys pack way too much gear and focus on the wrong stuff before a hunt.

If you've ever thought about leveling up your elk hunting instead of just white-knuckling your way through another season, this episode's for you. Tate's semi-guided archery course still has a few spots open for 2026, and rifle spots are open for 2027 — head to processbasedhunter.com or check him out on Instagram @processbasedhunter.

If you're in the market for a new rifle scope, go check out Maven Optics. These scopes are built around world-class Japanese glass and built for hunting — not just for sitting on a shelf. Because Maven sells direct to consumer, you're getting an unmatched value for what you're paying, whether you're just getting into the game or you're dialed in for long-range shooting. Cody's used a lot of them, killed a lot of things with them, and stands behind every one.

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onX just rolled out a new Share feature that's basically the modern, better version of the old Garmin Rino days. Head into the app, go to the new Go Track section, and hit Share Your Location With Your Friend — now you and your hunting buddy can see each other on the map in real time. (Heads up: it only works with cell service, so it won't help you deep in the backcountry — but for the hunts where you've got signal, it's a game changer.)

👉 Check it out at onxmaps.com

(Timestamps are approximate chapter markers based on episode content — adjust to your exact audio if needed.)