In this departure from standard gear and shooting talk, Mike opens up about a lifelong, deeply personal battle: his weight. Peaking at well over 300 pounds, the former lineman and powerlifter realized his relentless dedication to building his business had completely sidelined his physical health. Down 90 pounds, Mike gets vulnerable about the mental hurdles of long-term weight loss. He discusses the confusing reality of feeling strangely unaccomplished simply because the transformation took years of eating less and making slow, sustainable choices, rather than relying on a dramatic, agonizing 30-day sprint.From cutting out alcohol and relearning how to run post-knee surgery, to the shock of knocking out his first continuous 3-mile run, Mike explores the shift from raw lifting strength to functional endurance. He also reveals the sadistic 10-mile, 100-pound ruck challenge waiting for him at the 100-pound weight-loss milestone, thanks to Ryan Garner. This episode is a call to action to find your "why," embrace doing hard things, and trust the long, slow process of changing your life.

Welcome back to another episode of Red, White, and Moose! This week, we kick things off with a major update for the Ultimate Hunting Experience—the rest of the year's schedule is officially live! We highlight the upcoming events in Rose (OK), Preston (ID), and Brownfield (TX). Spots are limited, so head over to theultimatehuntingexperience.com to lock in your expedition before they sell out.Then, we are diving deep into the archery rabbit hole. With rifle hunters making the crossover to the bow world, it’s time to talk about taking total control of the tuning process. We are taking the same mindset used to excel in precision rifle matches and applying it to compound bows.Listen in as we break down the current state of the Mathews ARC 34 setup and walk through the list of equipment and tools going into the new home bow shop. From the ATC Spike Press and Quick Bow Draw (QBD) to the BAP Pro Shop Vise, Mod Saw Pro, and the OMP fletching jig, we cover exactly what professional-grade gear was chosen and the "why" behind it all.Plus, we discuss the deep science of arrow ballistics, upcoming broadhead testing (including Beast, Toulou, and Iron Will), and an upcoming Axis deer hunt where I need your help deciding: do I bring the bow or the rifle? Tune in and let me know!

In this episode of Red, White, and Moose, we are breaking down an absolute rollercoaster of a weekend at the PRS Punisher Positional. From battling heavy, switchy tailwinds and 94-degree heat on Day 1 to surviving a gnarly Texas thunderstorm in a fifth-wheel, the elements were out in full force. I walk through the highs of climbing into the top 10 early on, the brutal reality of dropping down to 35th after a disastrous final stage, and the hard-fought grind back up to finish 13th overall.Beyond the match recap, we dive deep into the technical and mental aspects of precision rifle competition. I’m answering listener questions on how to keep your head in the game after a bombed stage, why relying on a strict pre-stage checklist is your best safety net, and what it takes to shift your stage prep into your subconscious to hit that elusive flow state on the clock. We also get into the weeds on evaluating complex props like rocks and tractor tires, running the 7 SAW, and my initial thoughts on the new Vortex Ace I pulled off the prize table.

Mike is back on the mic and back on the firing line. After a wild year of building Phalanx Arms, getting the Ultimate Hunting Experience (UHE) off the ground, and just surviving the chaos of entrepreneurship, Mike finally got back to his roots at the Thunder Beast King of Coal Canyon PRS match.In this episode, Mike breaks down the mental friction of returning to competition after a hiatus and how relying on a strict mental checklist helped ground him through some of the most brutal, 180-degree wind shifts the Whittington Center could throw at him. He takes a deep dive into the gear that ran flawlessly for him, explaining exactly why he chooses to run a 7 SAW with a Botnia Maxi for the ultimate blend of recoil management and impact visibility.Key Takeaways:The King of Coal Canyon Breakdown: Navigating the mentally exhausting, constantly switching valley winds in Raton.The Power of the Checklist: How leaning on standard operating procedures can save a stage when the wheels start to fall off.Gear Talk: Why the 7 SAW is a cheat code for spotting trace and impacts, and a breakdown of Mike's Lone Peak/Foundation/Kahles setup.PRS Updates: Thoughts on the influx of suppressors on the line and the new 50/50 PRS scoring system.Data Management: A Kestrel sector hack to manage extreme wind angle changes on the clock.Archery Updates: Fixing a stubborn shoulder alignment issue in the draw cycle and teasing the new professional-grade at-home bow shop build.

In this episode of Red, White, and Moose, we sit down with Korbin Williams, the owner of Korbin's Archery. Korbin shares his incredible journey from working full-time as a school psychologist to building bowstrings in his garage until 3 AM, and ultimately expanding into a premier multi-location archery business across Texas. We dive into the psychology of business, the importance of surrounding yourself with people who genuinely want to see you succeed, and Korbin’s non-negotiable philosophy of providing top-tier, "Chick-fil-A" level customer service.Then, we do what we do best: nerd out on gear. Korbin breaks down his personal process for selecting and tuning a bow, his stance on front and back bars, and why he relies on multi-pin horizontal sights for dynamic spot-and-stalk hunting. We get deep into the weeds on arrow builds—debating 4mm vs. 5mm shafts, comparing the aerodynamics of a 3-fletch hard helical against a 4-fletch, and exploring how wind drag affects fixed-blade broadheads at extended distances. Korbin also drops some serious knowledge on bare shaft tuning, walk-back tuning, and the mental clarity of the "blank bale."Plus, we recap the massive success of the inaugural Ultimate Hunting Experience event at Gravestone and tease what's coming next!A huge thank you to our partners who make this possible: Alpha Munitions, Lone Peak Arms, Foundation Stocks, Hawkins Precision, West Texas Ordnance, Raven Rifles, and Botnia Solutions.

The Ultimate Hunting Experience Has ArrivedIn this episode of Red, White and Moose, Mike is running on pure adrenaline and zero sleep after successfully wrapping up the inaugural Ultimate Hunting Experience (UHE) at Gravestone in Lipan, Texas. If you've been wondering what UHE is all about, this episode paints the full picture: a low-stress, high-fun environment where hunters and families can test their skills across 13 simulated rifle scenarios and 16 lifelike 3D archery stages.Key Episode Highlights:The Industry Showed Up: Mike highlights the incredible support from event partners. Listen in to hear about SilencerCo’s massive suppressed shooting setup, Seekins Precision walking shooters onto an 1,125-yard buffalo target with a 7 PRC, and Steyr showcasing their ultra-safe youth rifles.Building the Next Generation: The true highlight of the weekend wasn't just the gear—it was watching new shooters succeed. Mike shares incredible stories from the line, including an 8-year-old making first-round impacts at distance and top-tier PRS pros coaching a local firefighter and his son out to 800 yards.Gear Talk & The 22 SAW: Mike breaks down his own time on the rifle course, running the 22 SAW with 62-grain ELD-VTs at 3,500 fps, and compares notes with Dan’s 6.5 PRC wind calls. Plus, the guys have a little too much fun launching energy drinks with the muzzle blast of a Steyr .50 cal.Humbling Archery Runs: Sweating through the Texas humidity, Mike recounts his own run on the 3D archery course. Putting the ARC 34 to work, he wraps up the course by accidentally shooting a ram target straight in the eye—proving that UHE is all about having a blast with your friends, even when your form falls apart.A huge thank you to the primary show sponsors making this possible: Alpha Munitions, Lone Peak, Kahles, Foundation, Hawkins Precision, West Texas Ordnance, Raven Rifles, and Botnia Solutions.

This week, Mike is joined by archery guru, engineer, and total super-nerd, Ryan Garner (@rgarner92). If you’ve ever wanted to know how the precision and tinkering of long-range rifle shooting translates directly into archery, this is the episode for you.Ryan drops an absolute masterclass on bow tuning, explaining why he prefers a 35-inch axle-to-axle setup, the mechanics of D-loop tuning for a steadier hold, and exactly what it takes to get your mechanicals and fixed blades hitting perfectly with your field points at distance. They also dive into the mindset of hunting, ethical shot distances, and Ryan recounts an unbelievable spot-and-stalk archery hunt in South Africa—including taking down a Steenbuck from the African "Tiny 10."Whether you’re a diehard bowhunter or a precision rifle shooter thinking about picking up a compound, this conversation is packed with deep-level insights to help you crush your next hunt.

In this episode of Red, White and Moose, the focus shifts to managing the absolute madness of preparation and precision. With the Ultimate Hunting Experience at Gravestone just days away, we dive into the behind-the-scenes logistics of processing an avalanche of Rinehart targets and sponsor gear. The workbench is heavy with new arrivals from SilencerCo, leading into a detailed breakdown of suppressor trade-offs—weighing K-cans against full-size setups, and the distinct advantages of titanium versus stainless steel for backcountry hunting. Finally, the focus turns to the archery range, exploring the meticulous process of tuning the Mathews ARC 34, the humbling reality of dialing in a sight tape at 100 yards, and how stretching the distance magnifies every flaw in execution.

In this episode of Red, White and Moose, Mike dives into a massive recap of the highly anticipated Dust Devil Duel NRL Hunter match. Before getting into the match breakdown, he shares some exciting updates from the shop, new gear testing, and what to expect from the very first Ultimate Hunting Experience event.Episode Highlights:Archery & Optics: Mike discusses testing out the new Kahles K540i and getting his bow dialed in with a Stan OnneX thumb button clicker ahead of an upcoming hog hunt.Ultimate Hunting Experience (UHE): The inaugural event is set for May 23rd and 24th at Gravestone in Lipan, Texas. Designed for both active competitors and non-competitors, it’s the perfect environment to test your gear in real-life hunting scenarios without the pressure of a formal match.Dust Devil Duel Recap: A massive thank you to the Bivens family, Diligent Defense, RecoilX, and all the shooters who made this one of the largest NRL matches in the country.Weather & Wind Conditions: A breakdown of the wildly switchy Friday winds, the consistent Saturday gusts, and how the terrain played tricks on shooters all weekend.The Ranging Challenge: Mike explains why so many shooters struggled with elevation data, detailing how deceptive Texas terrain and vegetation can lead to false range readings, plus his personal strategy for verifying ranges on the clock.The Kill Rack Stage: A deep dive into one of the most talked-about stages of the match—shooting from a dual-seat Kill Rack high rack buggy.Winners & The Texas Triple Crown: A huge congratulations to Alec Cochran for taking the overall win and securing the Texas Triple Crown, taking home a custom West Texas Ordnance rifle and suppressor. Shoutouts also go to Dorgan and Brandon Green for winning the team division, and Lane Ratliff and Colin Parsons for securing the Team Triple Crown.

The Ultimate Hunting Experience is officially live. After a year of working behind the scenes, Mike sits down with Dan from Raven Rifles to announce a massive new movement in the hunting and shooting industry. Co-founded alongside Evan Dextrase, Evan Hafer (Black Rifle Coffee), and the crew at Alpha Munitions, The Ultimate Hunting Experience (UHE) was built to fill a massive gap for the everyday hunter.We are bringing you real-life hunting scenarios in a totally non-competitive, family-friendly environment. No divisions, no match pressure—just you, your hunting buddies, and your gear out in the field getting better at what you love. Whether you run a centerfire rifle or a bow, UHE events give you the chance to run your kit, learn from experienced guides, and put your hands on top-tier gear from the best partners in the industry.In this episode, we cover:What to expect at a UHE event (blind scenarios, target types, and vendor integration).Why we built an event with absolutely zero competition pressure.The massive UHE prize offerings (giving away gear from Microtech, Vortex, Armageddon Gear, CVA, and more just for participating).The UHE Annual Membership: $129 gets you exclusive partner discounts (OnX, Mountain Tough, Manners, etc.) and entry into massive milestone giveaways.Details on the inaugural event at Gravestone in Lipan, TX (May 23rd & 24th).EARLY BIRD GIVEAWAY: Sign up for the first event by midnight on May 12th, and your name goes in the hat to win a Microtech LUDT knife, drawn personally by Dan.Register and get your membership now: https://theultimatehuntingexperience.com/