EP 605: The Argali Clothing Project with Brad Brooks of Argali Outdoors

Brad Brooks, the founder of ARGALI Outdoors, has been on the show a number of times over the past few years, and he always brings an honest, no holds barred approach to many topics that impact the mountain and backcountry hunting community.  Well-known for their shelter systems, sleeping bags, and a variety of hunting gear and accessories, Argali is on the verge of launching their own apparel line, purpose built for the western or mountain hunter. Brad pulls no punches covering the reasons he decided to undertake this very challenging project and why, in his opinion, now was the time do it.   Brad also shares some the lessons he's learned from one his other passions, alpine climbing, and how that pursuit has impacted the way he approaches backcountry hunting.  NOTABLE QUOTES:  "I think private equity is ruining a lot of really good brands in our hunting space."   @argali_official  ARGALI CLOTHING PROJECT ---------------------------  DEALS & PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  Don't miss out on Canada's best mountain hunting and conservation expo! The 2026 Wild Sheep Society of BC's Salute to Conservation Mountain Hunting Expo will sell out fast. Get your tickets now!  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  SUPPORT WILD SHEEP:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  SUPPORT MOUNTAIN GOATS:  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.   

If you're a serious elk hunter, odds are you've heard of Shawn Melland. If not, you'll have a hard time believing what this guy has achieved over the past 10 years.  Shawn has taken 8 bulls in 10 years, with an average score of 375". Each and every one DIY. As he puts it, he lives and breathes bowhunting giant bulls. He's also a former NFL linebacker and a guy that still trains like a professional athlete, even at 40 years old. Shawn's perspective on how his pro athlete mindset has impacted his ability to have the success he's had in the field is the kind of material that will change how you approach your hunting goals.  This episode focuses primarily on what it means to be a complete athlete, or better yet, a complete human, operating at his or her maximum potential, and how hunting and athletic performance are inextricably linked. If you care about performing at your best in the backcountry, and life in general, this is a can't miss episode.  NOTABLE QUOTES:  "I think if everybody could just take that humility and apply it to their own life and their own training and start doing some of those uncomfortable things...man, that's where the growth comes from."  @shawn.melland @work.built THIN AIR FILM  ---------------------------  DEALS & PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  Don't miss out on Canada's best mountain hunting and conservation expo! The 2026 Wild Sheep Society of BC's Salute to Conservation Mountain Hunting Expo will sell out fast. Get your tickets now!  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  SUPPORT WILD SHEEP:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  SUPPORT MOUNTAIN GOATS:  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.   

This episode features Craig Francis, the VP of Brand at Ultraview Archery, and a guy whose content, perspectives, and opinions are the furthest from mundane.  Craig's been in the hunting creative space for over 10 years and has worked with numerous brands over that timeframe, many that are household names in our community. He's a writer, photographer, and one of the more capable storytellers in the game.  Topics covered include the tension between building a brand that stands for something while also keeping an eye on the bottom line, what capital "H" hunting means, and of course, an inside look at the story behind Ultraview Archery and what's on the horizon for this upstart company that's trying to build a business that is focused very simply on helping you write and tell better stories.  NOTABLE QUOTES:  "That's literally the whole game plan. We got nothing else going on here. Great stuff. Take it to the field. Write your own story. Share it with your friends. You'll probably never talk about us, but we'll have been a small part. That's literally all it is."  @craigfranciscreative  @ultraviewarchery ---------------------------  DEALS & PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  Don't miss out on Canada's best mountain hunting and conservation expo! The 2026 Wild Sheep Society of BC's Salute to Conservation Mountain Hunting Expo will sell out fast. Get your tickets now!  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  SUPPORT WILD SHEEP:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  SUPPORT MOUNTAIN GOATS:  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.   

This episode features repeat guest Kevin Toye, an avid BC-based bowhunter, and Landen Fidek, a close friend of Kevin's and another very dedicated bowhunter from Saskatchewan.  If you've ever looked at hunting bears over bait and considered it cheating, or easy, prepare to have your mind opened. Kevin and Landen recount the time and effort they put in chasing giant bears in Manitoba, and what it takes to put it all together and have a chance at arrowing bears in the 400 – 500 plus pound range.  NOTABLE QUOTES:  "I was really taken away with just how much harder it was and how arrogant I was to think I was just going to go out there and just have a super easy hunt."  @hunt.source @kevinltoye @landenfidek   ---------------------------  DEALS & PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  Don't miss out on Canada's best mountain hunting and conservation expo! The 2026 Wild Sheep Society of BC's Salute to Conservation Mountain Hunting Expo will sell out fast. Get your tickets now!  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  SUPPORT WILD SHEEP:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  SUPPORT MOUNTAIN GOATS:  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.   

This episode features Jared Miller, a highly experienced and successful hunter from Montana that loves to chase a variety of species with both the bow and the rifle.  The show kicks off with a lesson-filled elk hunting story from this past season and then shifts into the benefits of competing in precision rifle matches, optics, rifles and ballistics, and ultimately mindset and motivations for why we hunt. Jared is a guy worth following (if you don't already) and does an incredible job of sharing his experiences in a way that's sincere and meant to help anyone level up in their hunting and shooting pursuits.     NOTABLE QUOTES:  "Figure out what it is that gets you excited and is going to give you a good story that you wanna tell and do that. Don't worry about what I do or anybody else does."  @jaredmillermt  ---------------------------  DEALS & PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  Don't miss out on Canada's best mountain hunting and conservation expo! The 2026 Wild Sheep Society of BC's Salute to Conservation Mountain Hunting Expo will sell out fast. Get your tickets now!  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  SUPPORT WILD SHEEP:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  SUPPORT MOUNTAIN GOATS:  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat. 

This episode features Hamilton Boykin, the Product and Training Manager for Leica, with seventeen years of experience at the company.  With his wealth of experience in the optics industry, not just with Leica, Hamilton lays out the key points of differentiation between Leica and the vast number of options on the market today. Hamilton brings a measured, honest approach to the show and takes us inside the optics industry so you can make the best decision possible when it comes time to invest in whatever optics you need for whatever species you hunt.     NOTABLE QUOTES:  "Don't trust the specs, trust your eyes."  @leicahuntingusa  ---------------------------  DEALS & PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  Don't miss out on Canada's best mountain hunting and conservation expo! The 2026 Wild Sheep Society of BC's Salute to Conservation Mountain Hunting Expo will sell out fast. Get your tickets now!  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  SUPPORT WILD SHEEP:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  SUPPORT MOUNTAIN GOATS:  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.   

For the first show of 2026, the focus is on current conversation trends and the ongoing fight to preserve the North American Model of Wildlife Conservation.  John has been on the podcast before, and as a key leader at HOWL, he brings a ton of experience to the show, both in the field and in fighting conservation battles across North America.   A crucial and timely topic he covers is the current opportunity to have wolves de-listed federally (in the U.S.) so that states and regional wildlife managers can do what's right for their jurisdictions and the wildlife and people in those jurisdictions.  NOTABLE QUOTES:  "You can spend $2,000 on a bow each year, you can buy a $7,000 long range rifle, but you can't spend $30 a year to protect what it is that you spent all this money to do in the first place?"  @howl_org  @johnstallone  SUPPORT DE-LISTING WOLVES   JOIN HOWL FOR WILDLIFE   ---------------------------  DEALS & PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  Don't miss out on Canada's best mountain hunting and conservation expo! The 2026 Wild Sheep Society of BC's Salute to Conservation Mountain Hunting Expo will sell out fast. Get your tickets now!  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  SUPPORT WILD SHEEP:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  SUPPORT MOUNTAIN GOATS:  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.   

Tanner Dannish, a regular on BTK and the owner and founder of Frontiersmen Gear, returns for a breakdown of the Ram Awards that will be part of the Wild Sheep Society of BC's convention schedule for 2026.  With an eye towards hunting heritage and a clear conservation ethos behind the awards being presented, Tanner unpacks why he felt it was important to bring these awards back to the BC mountain hunting community and how they're different from many of the awards given out at other conventions.  Later in the show, the topic of failure and what makes a hunt a truly successful hunt is debated.  NOTABLE QUOTES:  "When you look at the quality of animals that we have and the amount of hunting you can do here in BC, it's a very special place, so we're trying to honour that."  @wildsheepsocietybc  @frontiersmengear  LINK TO AWARDS SUBMISSIONS AND NOMINATIONS  REGISTER FOR THE 2026 MOUNTAIN HUNTING EXPO  REGISTER FOR THE 2026 NORTHERN FUNDRAISER   ---------------------------  DEALS & PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  Don't miss out on Canada's best mountain hunting and conservation expo! The 2026 Wild Sheep Society of BC's Salute to Conservation Mountain Hunting Expo will sell out fast. Get your tickets now!  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  SUPPORT WILD SHEEP:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  SUPPORT MOUNTAIN GOATS:  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.   

In the early months of 2026, the Wild Sheep Society of BC will yet again be hosting two of the best events in the mountain and backcountry hunting and conservation space: their Northern Fundraiser and Mountain Hunting Expo & Salute to Conservation.  Kyle Stelter, CEO of the WSSBC, hopped on the mics to chat about these incredible events and all the reasons to attend. Whether you're new to the mountain hunting space or a seasoned backpack hunter, there is simply no question that these shows are more than worth the price of admission. If you live in an adjacent province or state and love mountain and backcountry hunting, these events are not to be missed.  NOTABLE QUOTES:  "There are ton of great shows out there, but we really wanted to focus on that mountain hunting community, and we've been true to that."  @wildsheepsocietybc  REGISTER FOR THE 2026 MOUNTAIN HUNTING EXPO  REGISTER FOR THE 2026 NORTHERN FUNDRAISER   ---------------------------  DEALS & PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  Don't miss out on Canada's best mountain hunting and conservation expo! The 2026 Wild Sheep Society of BC's Salute to Conservation Mountain Hunting Expo will sell out fast. Get your tickets now!  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  SUPPORT WILD SHEEP:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  SUPPORT MOUNTAIN GOATS:  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.   

After ruffling more than a few feathers a couple episodes back, Nolan Osborne returns to expand on the pointed opinions voiced as it relates to rifles, shooting, ethics, tech, and gear.   NOTABLE QUOTES:  "At what point do we actually just advance so far with technology that regulations are going to be altered to decrease our opportunities?"  @nmo   Terminus Mountain Outfitters  Alpine Riflecraft  ---------------------------  DEALS & PARTNERS:  For over 100 years Leica has set the standard for premium optics. From spotting scopes to binoculars, rifle scopes and the new CRF MAX rangefinders, Leica is the choice for those who accept no compromises.  Don't miss out on Canada's best mountain hunting and conservation expo! The 2026 Wild Sheep Society of BC's Salute to Conservation Mountain Hunting Expo will sell out fast. Get your tickets now!  onX Hunt is the most powerful 3D mapping solution for hunters. Get your FREE trial today. If you're already a member, check out the exclusive offers and perks available when you upgrade to an Elite Member.   Tired of gut rotting instant coffee? Check out This Is Coffee and get yourself some great instant coffee for when you're in the backcountry or on the road.  ---------------------------  SUPPORT WILD SHEEP:  Go to Wild Sheep Foundation to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to wild sheep.  Go to Wild Sheep Society of BC to become a member, enter raffles, buy merch and support BC's wild sheep populations.  SUPPORT MOUNTAIN GOATS:  Go to Rocky Mountain Goat Alliance to find a membership option that suits your budget and commitment to conserving mountain goats and their habitat.