Outdoor Ruhls

Outdoor Ruhls

By Outdoor RuhlsKids & Family
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Outdoor Ruhls episodes

  • Episode 73: Camping with Kate

    Episode 73: Camping with Kate

    Mike and Caitlin kick off the episode by looking back at last week’s conversation with Mountain Hollow Game Calls and celebrating the new “official turkey call” status for the Outdoor Ruhls podcast. From there, they welcome one of their longtime Yellowstone friends, Kate Olsen, for a conversation that feels equal parts reunion, storytelling session, and tribute to the wild, formative years they all spent working in the backcountry.

    Kate shares how she grew up in central Pennsylvania, rowed in college at St. Lawrence, and drove west to Yellowstone almost immediately after graduation. What followed was a crash course in the realities of fieldwork in the American West: learning how to wear waders, carrying impossibly heavy packs, working with horses and mules, and diving headfirst into remote backcountry fisheries projects with almost no prior camping experience. The conversation revisits those early Yellowstone summers, especially the grueling work on Specimen Creek and Grayling Creek, where long hitches, huge loads, fire-scarred landscapes, and unpredictable conditions turned into some of the most unforgettable experiences of their lives.

    The episode then shifts into a fun “best, worst, and weirdest” camping conversation. Kate, Mike, and Caitlin swap stories about freezing nights, forgotten sleeping bags, violent storms, collapsing tents, sketchy backcountry moments, and the strange but unforgettable realities of life lived outside for weeks at a time. Along the way, they talk about the little pieces of gear they now consider essential, how their camping styles have changed over the years, and why those hard, messy, hilarious trips remain some of the most meaningful memories they share.

    At its heart, this episode is about friendship, resilience, and the kind of outdoor experiences that shape who you become. Mike, Caitlin, and Kate reflect on just how deeply those Yellowstone years still connect them—and why even after all the miles, jobs, and years that have passed, it still feels easy to pick up right where they left off.

    Website: www.outdoorruhls.com
    Email: [email protected]
    Instagram: @outdoorruhls

    1 hr 7 min
  • Episode 72: The Legend of Mountain Hollow

    Episode 72: The Legend of Mountain Hollow

    Spring is creeping in, gobbles are echoing across ridges, and turkey season is officially on our minds. In this episode, Mike sits down with Jeremy Cressley and Adam Brewer of Mountain Hollow Game Calls, a small, family-run company with a 44-year legacy rooted in the hardwood ridges of Pennsylvania and New York. From booth days at the Harrisburg Great American Outdoor Show to the recent transition of ownership from longtime steward Ken Hamill to Jeremy, this is a conversation about tradition, craftsmanship, and keeping a hunting heritage alive.

    Jeremy and Adam share how Mountain Hollow grew from a regional Northeast following into a nationally recognized brand, fueled by loyal customers, NWTF partnerships, pro staff and field staff teams, and a whole lot of time spent talking turkeys at outdoor shows. Adam’s story comes full circle—from being a 13-year-old kid idolizing the guys behind the booth to becoming one of the faces of the company himself. It’s a reminder that sometimes the hunting community is built one conversation at a time.

    The guys break down the nuts and bolts of turkey calling—mouth calls (latex vs. prophylactic), box calls, double-sided friction calls, push buttons, locator calls—and how confidence and practice matter just as much as the call itself. They dive into public-land pressure, East vs. West turkey behavior, morning roost gobbles versus late-morning “lonely tom” action, and why sticking it out past 9:00 a.m. can change your season.

    Beyond the gear, this episode is about passion: the obsession that gets you up at 4:00 a.m., the heartbreak of slow seasons, the magic of a 10:30 a.m. shock gobble, and the bonds formed over shared hunts. We also touch on Mountain Hollow’s growing YouTube presence with their Hollow Ground series and their involvement with the One Wish Foundation, helping create unforgettable hunts for kids facing serious illness.

    If you love spring mornings, public land puzzles, and the sound of a gobble breaking the silence, this one’s for you.

    Links & Resources

    Mountain Hollow Game Calls
    Website: https://mountainhollowgamecalls.com
    YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@MountainHollowGameCalls

    Outdoor Ruhls Podcast
    Website: https://outdoorruhls.com
    Email: [email protected]
    Instagram: https://instagram.com/outdoorruhls

    1 hr 19 min
  • Episode 71: A River Runs Through Us

    Episode 71: A River Runs Through Us

    Mike, Caitlin, Poppy, and Robert recap a family weekend trout trip to the world-famous San Juan River in New Mexico—one of the best trout fisheries anywhere, and only a few hours from home. Robert proudly reports on the highlights: cold mornings, frozen rod guides, lots of action early, and “pretty big” trout, while the adults compare notes on what they caught (mostly beautiful wild brown trout), how they fished (worms under bobbers, plus a jerkbait-style minnow lure), and why Robert is now lobbying hard for a pair of waders.

    The conversation dives into what makes the San Juan special: a cold, consistent tailwater below Navajo Dam that creates year-round trout habitat, an upper section with special regulations (single barbless hook), and the mix of stocked rainbows and wild browns—including the very real possibility of hooking a monster fish. Poppy shares some of his favorite moments from the trip: fishing by headlamp in 14-degree air, ducks and geese overhead, turkeys gobbling nearby, and that unbeatable feeling of being outside while the day wakes up.

    From there, Mike and Poppy take a nostalgic detour back to Pennsylvania trout culture—opening day traditions, 5:00 a.m. starts, claiming “your hole,” Dinty Moore beef stew on a camp stove, the Yellow Breeches pilgrimage near the hatchery, and the old deer camp weekends where a whole crew of dads and kids turned trout season into a family reunion. Along the way, they talk about the underestimated skill of bait fishing, reading the seam, dialing in weight and drift, and why trout fishing—no matter the method—has a way of anchoring you in the moment while still connecting you to family, memory, and time.

    The episode closes with a reflection on why trout fishing shows up so often in literature, capped by Mike reading the iconic A River Runs Through It passage about “the Arctic half-light” and how, eventually, “all things merge into one.” It’s equal parts trip report, family story, and love letter to rivers.

    Website: outdoorruhls.com
    Instagram: @outdoorruhls

    56 min
  • Episode 70: Love Ruhls

    Episode 70: Love Ruhls

    Throwback Episode: “Romancing the Spam” (Originally Episode 5)

    It’s been a busy week around Outdoor Ruhls. We’ve upgraded the Outdoor Ruhls West Podcast Studio, and Mark and Rachel have been hard at work on a special cooking project we can’t wait to share more details about soon. We’ve also scheduled a family reunion for the end of March, and Mike and Emmit are heading back to Pennsylvania to spend time with family—including Uncle Sim and Uncle Dick—with plans (hopefully) to record more stories about family history, the Hershey chocolate story, and the Cornwall Iron Mine / Cornwall Iron Furnace chapters. And with Valentine’s Day just behind us, Mike is excited to replay this throwback episode featuring his favorite person: Caitlin.

    In this special re-release, Mike and Caitlin revisit the early days of their story—how Caitlin grew up in Whitefish Bay, Wisconsin, spending summers outside, playing sports, and building an early connection to fishing and the outdoors through family trips and time on the water. Caitlin reflects on her student-athlete path, including her late start in track that turned into becoming a Wisconsin state champion in the 400 meters, and how her love for wildlife, with a big assist from Steve Irwin, helped steer her toward conservation.

    That conservation road leads straight to Yellowstone National Park, where Caitlin lands a Student Conservation Association internship and meets Mike. They talk about those intense early backcountry field days, learning the rhythms of wilderness work, and the now-legendary moment that inspired the original title: Caitlin’s first backcountry meal plan… featuring an unforgettable week of Spam.

    From there, the episode follows the path from coworkers to partners: Caitlin’s return to Yellowstone for the wolf program winter study, her work in wildlife health, the early days of building a life together in Montana, and Caitlin’s first big-game success—a Fort Peck mule deer stalk that ended with one of Mike’s all-time coaching moments: reload. The conversation eventually brings things home to New Mexico, where they’ve continued hunting, fishing, working in conservation, and raising two boys—Robert and Emmit—who are quickly becoming part of the Outdoor Ruhls story themselves.

    Website: outdoorrhuls.com
    Instagram: @outdoorrhuls

    1 hr 6 min
  • Episode 69: A Homestead Castle

    Episode 69 Show Notes: A Homestead Castle…

    In this episode, Mike sits down with his neighbor John Brown—one of the most industrious (and endlessly interesting) people in New Mexico—to unpack the wild, winding story behind their little corner of Santa Fe. What starts as a conversation about neighbors and an RV park quickly turns into a deep dive into homesteading, New Mexico history, family legacy, and the kind of DIY grit that built a life on a windy ridge south of town.

    Mike and John reminisce about the first time Mike and Caitlin drove out to look at a house—through an RV park, down a rough road, past a “junkyard,” and right into a welding-helmet introduction that somehow felt like home immediately. From there, John shares what life looks like today: helping run the 100-unit Santa Fe Skies RV Park, working as Safety Director for Bradbury Stamm Construction, supporting the family’s vacuum excavation business, and constantly building metal art sculptures out of salvaged scrap—from giant hearts to bottle trees and moving “pampas grass” sculptures that dance in the wind.

    Then the story goes way back. John explains how the property became Brown Castle Ranch, including his family’s connection to the Homestead Act, a deed signed in the era of FDR, and a “landlocked” parcel that most people didn’t want—until it became one of the most scenic spots in the region. Along the way, John tells stories about the ranch’s history, including his late brother Willie’s collection of antique machinery (hit-and-miss engines and WWII-era equipment), and the remarkable legacy of John’s grandmother—whose behind-the-scenes work in Forest Service public relations helped shape the early Smokey Bear era.

    The conversation also drifts into the bigger picture: Santa Fe’s growth, changing development pressures, and the never-ending puzzle of New Mexico water law—paper water vs. wet water—and how politics can shape everything from RV parks to suburban sprawl. And just when you think you’ve heard it all, John casually drops stories about being sent to Egypt at age 24 to rescue a million dollars’ worth of farm machinery from a port, and later traveling the world for motorcycle trials—from New Zealand to Namibia to scooters in Sardinia.

    It’s a classic Outdoor Ruhls-style conversation: local, personal, hilarious at times, and packed with the kind of stories you only get by sitting down with a neighbor who’s lived ten lifetimes—and still has time to weld art outside the window while you’re recording.

    Links & Mentions

    Outdoor Ruhls website: www.outdoorruhls.com

    Instagram: @outdoorruhls

    Santa Fe Skies RV Park: SantaFeSkiesRVPark.com

    Email: [email protected]

    As always, thanks for listening—leave a review, share the episode with a friend, and send us your ideas for future guests and stories.

    56 min
  • Episode 68: Expectation, Meet Reality…

    Show Notes — Episode 68: Expectation, Meet Reality…

    After a full year of anticipation, Mike and Caitlin finally get the crew up at 3:30 a.m. and hit the ice—only to get completely skunked. Not a bite, not a fish in sight… just one lone pike visible down the hole, like it was there purely to taunt them. Which sparks the episode’s theme: all those times the outdoors (and life) humbles your plans and hands you a totally different version than what you pictured.

    The Setup: Big Hype, Zero Fish

    Ice fishing season in New Mexico can be short and unpredictable, so when the lake opens you go. Mike, Caitlin, the boys, and Necie make the early push and fish hard for six hours—moving, changing tactics, running tip-ups, checking electronics… and still come up empty. The day becomes the perfect launch point for a classic Outdoor Ruhls tradition: turning disappointment into stories.

    Matt’s Classic: Getting “Marty’d”

    Matt joins the call and brings up the infamous Canada guided fishing trip—supposed to be muskie glory, but instead became the birth of a family phrase: getting Marty’d. Their guide Marty catches fish while the guys struggle, then drops the all-time unhelpful explanation: fish like the way some people smell better than others. The trip ends with Poppy requesting “no more Marty,” and Marty gets reassigned to wheelbarrow duty.

    Lake Erie Dreams… and Glass Water Reality

    Matt and Mike relive the trip where they chased Lake Erie smallmouth fame only to get pinned down by wind for days. When it finally lays down? The lake goes dead calm and crystal clear—so clear they can see their tubes on the bottom… and, conveniently, the total absence of fish. All the hype, none of the payoff.

    Mark’s Hunting Curveball: The E-Bike Letdown

    Mark shares the story of buying e-bikes for deer camp—money spent, gear hauled, plans made—only to learn the trail they wanted to ride is off-limits. Instead of cruising in like futuristic backwoods commandos, it’s back to walking. It’s a perfect “expectation vs. reality” moment… with a side of Pennsylvania public land side-eye.

    Poppy & Meemaw: Snow, Stubbornness, and 52 Years of Evidence

    Mike calls Poppy and Meemaw, and the weekend’s “quick ice check” turns into a full-on snowbound adventure. Unplowed roads, blocked turnarounds, and a near-miss that has Meemaw flashing back to Cape Hatteras 1974—when a confident newlywed assured her the truck would be fine in the sand. The theme of the day becomes clear: no guts, no glory… but also, sometimes no guts, just stuck.

    Mike & Caitlin: Barbary Sheep and Corner-Crossing Confusion

    Caitlin’s Barbary sheep hunt gets the full reality treatment: flat tire, brutal road, sheep spotted… and then two hunters magically appear ahead of them by crossing a questionable public/private corner. The sheep bed right on the boundary, forcing a tough decision and showing how unclear rules can change the entire outcome.

    Honeymoon Horseback Ride: The Worst Brochure Ever Printed

    Mike and Caitlin swap one of their best “we thought this would be romantic” stories: a Nicaragua horseback ride that looks dreamy in the pamphlet—but turns into a two-hour trotting marathon on skinny horses, on roads, through town, in heat and humidity, with maximum chafing and minimal joy. Three beach pictures later, it’s back to trotting like their lives depend on it.

    GT’s Houseboat Fiasco: Rainy Lake vs. Reality

    GT tells the legendary Rainy Lake houseboat trip: the brochure promised a Northwoods yacht experience, but the reality was a floating 1960s camper, mechanical issues, storms, brotherly shouting in rocky channels, and a DEET sprayer that blasted mosquito repellent over dinner like seasoning. The cherry on top: months later a “gift” arrives postmarked from Canada—a DEET sprayer—thanks to a perfectly executed prank.

    The Takeaway

    Sometimes the outdoors doesn’t deliver the trophy—or even a bite—but it delivers stories you’ll tell for decades. Episode 68 is a reminder that “bad” trips often become the best memories… once you’re warm, dry, and far enough away from the moment to laugh about it.

    As always, you can find all of the Outdoor Ruhls content on the website www.outdoorruhls.com, and on Instagram @outdoorruhlspodcast. The podcast is available on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube—and you can always reach out via email at [email protected].

    1 hr 5 min
  • Episode 67: A Ruhl’s Best Friend

    Episode 67 Show Notes

    A Ruhl’s Best Friend…

    In this episode, Mike and Caitlin check in with Mark and Rachel from the Outdoor Ruhls East studio for a heartfelt (and funny) conversation about dogs—the ones we’ve lost, the ones who shaped our lives, and the ridiculous trouble they sometimes get into. The episode centers on saying goodbye to Hatch, Mark and Rachel’s beloved Chesapeake Bay Retriever, and spirals into classic dog stories: skunks, stolen treats, fishhooks, and the kind of loyalty you only get from a four-legged best friend.

    In This Episode

    Two studios, two households, one theme: dogs as family

    Mark and Rachel’s goodbye to Hatch (and what made him so special)

    Why Chesapeake Bay Retrievers are built different: water-loving, tough, and emotionally tuned-in

    Mike’s legendary dog Gus/Atticus stories—including the smoked trout “crime scene”

    Caitlin’s childhood cocker spaniel Murphy: Thanksgiving chaos, counter-surfing, and stolen treats

    The skunk incident that turned a pheasant hunt into a hazmat situation

    The accidental lesson everyone learns eventually: you can’t go “just look” at puppies

    The truth about dog sunscreen (yes… including that part)

    Bonus: a St. Bernard + black lab “mystery litter,” groundhog wars, and a terrifying possum chase

    Featured Dogs (and Legends)

    Hatch (Chessie) – Loyal, gentle, empathetic, and the ultimate companion

    Gus / Atticus – The obedient gentleman… except for that one smoked trout

    Newt (Lab x Chessie) – Sweet, sensitive, semi-feral, and occasionally on the wrong side of the law

    Murphy (Cocker Spaniel) – Food-obsessed escape artist and treat thief

    Barkley (Cavalier King Charles Spaniel) – Learned to swim… then fought a muskrat and ate a hook

    Trigger (St. Bernard x Black Lab) – Gentle giant, groundhog terminator, possum-fearing sprinter

    Memorable Moments

    Hatch “ruing” one last time on his final day

    Murphy eating an entire apple pie… and smelling like apples afterward

    The skunk mix-up: “That’s a cat… wait… that’s NOT a cat.”

    Barkley’s pond era: from “learning to swim” to “defending the koi pond”

    The dog sunscreen debate—settled once and for all

    Quotes Worth Remembering

    “We don’t deserve dogs… especially not the really good ones.”

    “You don’t go and look at puppies.”

    “If not friend, why friend-shaped?”

    Where to Find Us

    Website: www.outdoorrhuls.com

    Instagram: @outdoorrhuls

    Listen: Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

    1 hr 6 min
  • Episode 66: O’hare? Oh no!

    Episode 66 — O’Hare? Oh No!

    Mike opens this episode with a rare confession: he doesn’t usually listen back to the podcast once it’s edited—but last week’s episode with Uncle Sim was different. After going back and listening as a fan, Mike reflects on just how special it is to hear firsthand stories from someone born in 1932, whose lifetime spans from horse-powered farming with barely any electricity to smartphones and space travel. He shares why that episode mattered so much, wishing Uncle Sim a happy 94th birthday and talking about the importance of preserving voices, stories, and a sense of community that feels increasingly rare.

    That reflection sets the tone for a thoughtful episode about community, perspective, and knowing when to keep going—or when to bail. Mike talks about how the family farm wasn’t just family-centered, but a hub for a broader community made up of different cultures, languages, and traditions, all coming together through work, food, hockey, and shared effort. It’s a reminder that what many people miss about “the past” isn’t the hardship—it’s the connection.

    The episode then shifts to the present, where plans don’t always work out as hoped. Mike and Caitlin recount their aborted attempt to fly to Pennsylvania for flintlock muzzleloader season—a trip derailed by mechanical delays, missed connections at O’Hare, sick kids back east, and a tough call at the ticket counter in Albuquerque. Disappointed kids, cancelled hunts, and a quick pivot back home lead into a broader conversation about outdoor judgment calls: when to push forward and when the signs are clearly telling you to walk away.

    Caitlin shares a vivid story from a turkey hunt near Abiquiú that perfectly captures the theme. Ignoring her gut feeling led to a dangerous cliff descent, a falling slab of rock, and Mike crawling out of the woods with a badly sprained ankle. It’s a funny story in hindsight—but also a powerful lesson in listening to instincts, especially in wild places.

    From there, the conversation opens up into what’s ahead for Outdoor Ruhls. Mike and Caitlin brainstorm future episodes inspired by recent conversations and family history, including deeper dives into Pennsylvania farm life by season, local mining and ironworks history in Lebanon County, and the story of Hershey and its connection to regional dairy farming. They also talk about honoring dogs as true family members following the loss of Mark and Rachel’s dog, Hatch, and tease a future episode dedicated entirely to dogs and the roles they play in outdoor lives.

    The episode wraps with practical updates and anticipation for the months ahead: New Mexico’s big game draw season is open, Mike and Caitlin explain the basics of how the draw works, and they hint at a future episode featuring an official Boone and Crockett/Pope & Young scorer measuring Caitlin’s elk live on the podcast. Despite cancelled flights and derailed plans, the takeaway is clear—sometimes bad luck leads to better paths, new stories, and deeper gratitude.

    In this episode:

    Why last week’s episode with Uncle Sim hit differently

    One lifetime of change—from manure forks to smartphones

    Community, culture, and what really gets lost over time

    Cancelled travel, O’Hare delays, and choosing to bail

    A turkey hunt cliff fall that still hurts when the weather changes

    New Mexico big game draw basics and strategy

    Upcoming episode ideas: family history, mining, Hershey, dogs, food, and more

    Good luck, bad luck… who knows?

    Follow along:
    Instagram: @OutdoorRuhls
    Website: www.outdoorruhls.com
    Email: [email protected]
    Listen on Apple Podcasts, Spotify, and YouTube

    1 hr 1 min
  • Episode 65: Winter Ruhls

    Episode 65 — Winter Ruhls

    In this mid-January “slow season” check-in, Mike, Mark, and Poppy look ahead to a quick Pennsylvania trip for the last week of flintlock/muzzleloader season—and hope for ice fishing that’s been spotty in PA and nearly nonexistent in New Mexico. To lean into the winter vibe, they call up Uncle Sim (born 1932, turning 94) to hear what winter meant on the Rexmont farm before TVs, freezers, and modern conveniences.

    Sim walks the crew through old-school farm life month-by-month: holiday traditions, New Year’s butchering, and the realities of preserving food without modern refrigeration—smoked meats, canned meat (including his legendary canned tenderloin), dried produce on the woodstove, and hauling water by hand. The conversation is packed with details about how much work went into keeping a farm running through winter: manure piling and spring spreading, milking routines, and making do with limited electricity and heat from a single stove.

    The stories really come alive when Sim describes the community that revolved around the farm—neighbors coming down for butchering weekends (and lively debates over pig weights), kids playing “boom sock” in the barn lofts, and entire mining towns forming hockey teams to play on the farm pond. He also dives into winter fun like sled riding from Rexmont down to the farm, and the grit-and-humor of growing up with a party-line telephone, Saturday-night baths, and a no-nonsense “wood chest” behind the stove for discipline.

    Sim’s memories spill into food and market life too—potatoes and apples stored in the barn and basement, cider and apple butter days, and his mom’s Saturday market routine in Lebanon selling cakes, cookies, eggs, and chickens (plus a classic hot-dog theft-and-getting-caught story). Before signing off, Sim touches on small-game hunting traditions—how the boys couldn’t hunt until the corn was husked—and how different the hunting felt back then compared to today.

    In this episode:

    Mid-winter hunting plans: flintlock/muzzleloader wrap-up + hoping for ice

    New Mexico vs. Pennsylvania winter realities

    Rexmont farm winters: butchering, preserving, and staying busy

    Canned tenderloin, smoked meats, dried produce, and life without freezers

    Community weekends: butchering gatherings, homemade wine, and farm “events”

    Barn games like “boom sock” and town-vs-town pond hockey

    Sled riding routes, party-line phones, and Saturday night bath routines

    Lebanon market trips: baking, selling farm goods, and Sim’s hot dog story

    Small game hunting and corn husking as the gatekeeper for fall hunting

    Follow along:
    Instagram: @OutdoorRuhls • Website: www.outdoorrules.com • Listen on Apple Podcasts / Spotify / YouTube

    1 hr 9 min
  • Episode 64: To Be Precise

    Episode 64 Show Notes

    Title: To Be Precise…

    Hosts/Guests: Mark Ruhl with guest Dan (Rachel’s brother)

    Main Topics: Precision/custom rifles, modern cartridges, optics, reloading, ethical range, and why Western hunts shouldn’t be put off.

    Overview

    Mark sits down with his brother-in-law Dan—an unapologetic precision-rifle nerd—to talk about how “custom rifles” have evolved from the old days of blueprinted Remington 700s to today’s world of high-end clone actions, carbon barrels, and purpose-built setups. They bounce between hunting and competition shooting, covering what matters most (and what doesn’t) if you’re trying to build a rifle that performs in the real world.

    Key Conversations & Takeaways

    Custom rifles: then vs. now

    Dan explains how “custom” used to mean tweaking a factory action, but now includes a massive aftermarket of 700-footprint actions (Defiance, Terminus, Lone Peak, Impact, etc.) with features like DLC coating and shorter bolt throws. The takeaway: modern custom actions are generally excellent—it often comes down to preference.

    Hunting reality check: don’t wait to hunt out West

    Dan emphasizes that Western tags are getting more expensive and harder to draw, pressure is increasing, and conditions can change fast (winter kill, disease, predators). His advice is simple: if you want to hunt the West, do it sooner rather than later.

    Tree stand grind vs. mountain grind

    A fun comparison: Dan admits he’s wired for movement, so long, cold tree-stand sits are mentally harder than pounding miles in the mountains—even if the mountain is physically tougher. Still, they agree there’s value in the quiet headspace you get in a stand.

    Factory ammo is better than ever (for most hunters)

    Reloading used to be about saving money; now it’s often about precision. Dan says factory ammo can be “one-hole good” at 100 yards, but handloads shine when you care about SD/ES consistency for long-range steel. For hunting at normal distances, many shooters don’t need to reload if they find a factory load their rifle loves.

    Cartridges: don’t get paralyzed by the debate

    They dig into why modern cartridges like 7 PRC are popular: they’re designed around long, high-BC bullets, good external ballistics, and manageable recoil. But they also stress that within ethical hunting ranges, many cartridges are plenty lethal—what matters most is practice, good bullets, and knowing your limits.

    Optics matter more than people think

    Dan and Mark agree: if you’re spending big money, don’t blow it all on the rifle and cheap out on the glass. Quality scope + proper mounting (rings, torque, leveling) prevents a lot of “scope problems” that are really mounting problems.

    Suppressors and kids

    A strong point: kids often fear the noise more than recoil. Suppressors reduce blast, make coaching easier, and can improve shooting comfort—even if brakes reduce recoil more.

    Competition shooting as hunter training

    Dan says matches (especially NRL Hunter) expose what you don’t know—positional shooting, recoil management, building fast shooting platforms, and understanding wind/ballistics. His warning is blunt: a rifle marketed as “1000 yards out of the box” doesn’t mean the shooter is capable of ethical long shots on game.

    Memorable Quotes / Moments

    “Don’t wait” (about hunting out West)

    “The rifle may be capable… chances are you are not.” (about long-range marketing)

    Precision is fun, but the goal stays the same: shoot within your limitations—and actually know what they are.

    Links & Mentions

    Dan on Instagram: Transient Outdoorsman

    Discussion of training resources and instruction (including Dan’s shoutout to precision-rifle coaching content)

    Outro / Where to Follow

    Find more Outdoor Ruhls content at outdoorruhls.com and on Instagram/Facebook at Outdoor Ruhls.

    1 hr 22 min

About Outdoor Ruhls

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Join the Ruhl Family as we share our love for all things outdoors. We’ll explore hunting, fishing, cooking, camping, conservation, gardening, photography and more through stories about our families…