Western States Winter Update

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 like Snow Water Equivalent, Soil Moisture vs. the Drought Monitor, a dying La Nina and more. Please welcome Josh back to the Rokcast for your Western States Winter Update See snowpack map here: Snowpack and Precipitation Index Maps | Natural Resources Conservation Service Snowpack Maps (usda.gov) Rokcast is powered by onX Hunt. For 20% off, use Promo Code “Rokcast” at onX Hunt here https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app You can find Robby’s books, Hunting Big Mule Deer and The Stories on Amazon here or signed copies from the Rokslide store here

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 though his Pomoly Circle 6 tent, and Rich Cotte from First Hunt Foundation tells us about some opportunities to give back. Sam then shifts the talk toward the other Rokslide.com gear reviews and recaps the latest Western news. Zero Fox Given LLC- https://zerofoxgivenllc.com/ POMOLY CIRCLE 6 Review- https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/pomoly-circle-6-review.385914/ First Hunt Foundation- https://www.firsthuntfoundation.org/ Howl for Wildlife- Take Action Check out Rokslides 2024 Best Gear- https://www.rokslide.com/best-gear-of-2024-rokslide-edition/ Visit Rokslide's Rokcast Forum to submit questions, request a topic or give feedback. To be a guest on Tipsy Tuesday please send an email to [email protected] [ Rokcast is powered by onX Hunt. For 20% off, use Promo Code “Rokcast” at onX Hunt here.

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/mature-buck-harvest-rises-to-another-new-u-s-record/ Also, Robby shares four gross scores from mule deer vs. their lab age results, sent in from a listener. The bucks ranged from four to seven years old. The size of their antlers vs. their age might surprise you. Robby also talks about the slider feature on the National Drought Monitor in anticipation of his upcoming episode with Josh Boyd, Hydrologist for U.S.F.S, on the water season update for 2025 in the next few weeks You can link to the Drought Monitor here Comparison Slider | U.S. Drought Monitor https://droughtmonitor.unl.edu/Maps/ComparisonSlider.aspx Learn about fawn to doe ratios and a lot more in this latest episode. Rokcast is powered by onX Hunt. For 20% off, use Promo Code “Rokcast” at onX Hunt here https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app You can find Robby’s books, Hunting Big Mule Deer and The Stories on Amazon here or signed copies from the Rokslide store here

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 Expo episode. Sam then shifts the talk toward the other Rokslide.com gear reviews and recaps the latest Western news. Hardside Hydration-https://www.hardsidehydration.com/ Grakksaw- https://www.grakksaw.com/ Kapture Gear- https://kapturegear.com/ Trail Goods Co- https://trailgoods.co/ Wiser Precision- https://www.wiserprecision.com/ Grayl-https://grayl.com/ SGT. Daniel Gurr Foundation-https://www.danielgurrfoundation.org/   Howl for Wildlife-https://www.howlforwildlife.org/take_action Check out Rokslides 2024 Best Gear- https://www.rokslide.com/best-gear-of-2024-rokslide-edition/ Visit Rokslide's Rokcast Forum to submit questions, request a topic or give feedback. To be a guest on Tipsy Tuesday please send an email to [email protected] [ Rokcast is powered by onX Hunt. For 20% off, use Promo Code “Rokcast” at onX Hunt here.

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 Idaho Fish and Game commission if the public approves them, but the comment period is only open until Sunday 2/23/25. This is your chance to have a say in your mule deer hunting future. The Idaho Mule Deer proposals are some of the most aggressive ever to come out of Idaho to help grow more big bucks. So listen to the episode and then head over to Southeast Region Deer Proposals | Idaho Fish and Game here https://idfg.idaho.gov/rules/big-game/seasons/southeast/deer to leave your comment. There are also proposals for all of the 7 regions in Idaho that you can comment on.  Both residents and non-residents can have their voice heard. The episode with Idaho Biologist Eric Freeman mentioned in this episode can be found here Idaho Mule Deer Management with Eric Freeman - Rokslide https://rokslide.com/idaho-mule-deer-management-with-eric-freeman/

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 deer in the Intermountain West and beyond eat throughout the year.  It's an in-depth discussion that also includes a visual aid: A complete thread on Rokslide.com's mule deer subforum. You can see many of the plants they discuss in this episode here https://rokslide.com/forums/threads/plants-every-mule-deer-hunter-should-know.395040/ Plants every mule deer hunter should know: Big Sage Brush Bitterbrush Oak Brush Aspen Serviceberry Mountain Mahogany Sticky Geranium Willow and more. Learning what mule deer eat is one of the top questions Luke Schultz and Robby get from mule deer hunters and this episode aims to answer that question. There is also a sweet app available that can help you identify plants. Check it out here. Wyoming Wildflowers on the App Store Also, if you're an iPhone user, your camera app has a plant identifying feature. Just snap a photo of any plant, and look for a button to auto-populate at the bottom of the image.  It's an " i " inside a circle.  Press that and it should link you to a suggested plant species/genus.  It's not perfect, but a great way to start learning about what mule deer eat. Rokcast is powered by onX Hunt. For 20% off, use Promo Code “Rokcast” at onX Hunt here https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app You can find Robby’s books, Hunting Big Mule Deer and The Stories on Amazon here or signed copies from the Rokslide store here

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 Sandusky reviews the SecureIt Agile Model 52 Pro. Brad Carter joins in to tell us about MTN HNTR out of Afton Wyoming. Sam then shifts the talk toward the other Rokslide.com gear reviews and recaps the latest Western news. Lea's Bighorn Sheep Ultralight Tripod Review Selway 6P Review Yukon 8P Review Alpine Sleeping Bag Review Carbon X Trekking Pole Review Howl for Wildlife Check out Rokslides 2024 Best Gear- Here Visit Rokslide's Rokcast Forum to submit questions, request a topic or give feedback. To be a guest on Tipsy Tuesday please send an email to [email protected] [ Rokcast is powered by onX Hunt. For 20% off, use Promo Code “Rokcast” at onX Hunt here.

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 traditionally hunted, he's changing his mindset on just what he'll pull the trigger on in the near future. Most hunters come to this crossroads in their lifetime and it's a good listen to hear Marc talk about his journey and his future.  This mindset could be good for conserving mature mule deer bucks for the future. We'd love to see you at the Expo Salt Lake City. Our seminars are scheduled for Friday 2/14 at 5:30 PM and Saturday 2/15 at 4:15 PM in room 150G. All seminars are free. You can download the Hunt Expo app here for full seminar schedules and so much more: Free Seminars – Western Hunting & Conservation Expo Hope to see you there. Correction to note: The QnA Seminar on Saturday not the final Seminar. Remi Warren comes on at 5:30 PM so be sure and stick around for that.  Rokcast is powered by onX Hunt. For 20% off, use Promo Code “Rokcast” at onX Hunt here https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app You can find Robby’s books, Hunting Big Mule Deer and The Stories on Amazon here or signed copies from the Rokslide store here

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 just released his short film "Monster Buck with the Mach 30 on Public Land".  Besides his Mach 30 PSE bow, he walks us through a recent hunt where he took a good mature mule deer in coulee country here Video Link - Mule Deer Archery Hunt | Rokslide Forum From the moon's effect on the mule deer rut to getting better venison through dry-aging, to making venison jerky to supporting the Blacktail Foundation, you'll be a better deer hunter for listening in to today's Rokcast. Rokcast is powered by onX Hunt. For 20% off, use Promo Code “Rokcast” at onX Hunt here https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/app You can find Robby’s books, Hunting Big Mule Deer and The Stories on Amazon here or signed copies from the Rokslide store here

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 member Torin Miller reviews the Coros Vertix 2 GPS watch review. Brock Akers is back with a First Lite 308 pant review. Initial Ascent co-founder Dennis Stokes talks packs and new products Rokslide review here. Sam then shifts the talk toward the other Rokslide.com gear reviews and recaps the latest Western news. Tipsy Tuesday #37 Youth Hunting Opportunities Hunting Fool Draw Deadlines Complete Grand Slam Raffle Initial Ascent Cliff Test Howl for Wildlife Check out Rokslides 2024 Best Gear- Here Visit Rokslide's Rokcast Forum to submit questions, request a topic or give feedback. To be a guest on Tipsy Tuesday please send an email to [email protected] [ Rokcast is powered by onX Hunt. For 20% off, use Promo Code “Rokcast” at onX Hunt here.