Peax Thrive Vodcast

Remember when elk hunting out West meant hitting the mountains, not crunching numbers, gaming odds, or dodging fine print and deception? Is the elk tag game rigged, and are the rules changing while you're still in line? What's happening in the Western elk tag system isn't just frustrating, it's broken. The states know it. The math proves it. Application season is here, our annual collision of hope and reality. It's when we obsess over draw odds, dissect point strategies, and hustle every angle to and elk tag for next season. Today, elk hunting has become a two-tiered game: those with points… and those without. The hard truth? Both camps are in trouble. In this week's Thrive episode, we're pulling back the curtain, digging into the trends, the tag systems, and the truth about what it really takes to hunt elk in Montana, Wyoming, Idaho, and Colorado. It's not just about tag costs, its exposing a system that's quietly become a lottery that you pay to lose.  Do these systems still work… or are we all stuck in an expensive spin cycle?   Additional Thrive Resources Use My Code TREELINE for a discount on your Peax Equipment gear!  Treeline Academy Courses – (Use code THRIVE to save 20% on any Treeline course)https://www.treelineacademy.net Treeline Podcast Archivehttps://www.treelineacademy.net/podcast-main--b42b4 Treeline Thrive Vodcast Archivehttps://www.treelineacademy.net/thrive Points, Odds & Reality: Our 2026 Hunt Application Strategy – GOHUNT Big Hunt Guys Podcast – Episode 207https://youtu.be/Q7l6mnD-ol8?si=AsGEIL3OWZnSQqHQ On X Hunt – Elk Draw Trends: Study Of Western US Data 2018-2022https://www.onxmaps.com/hunt/blog/elk-draw-trends?  

Most Western hunters don't fall short because of bad luck—or bad gear. And no one sets out with the goal to be average. But somewhere along the way, comfort and familiar creep in and take over. This is how the cycle begins, and you need to be intentional to break it.  ·      Same familiar spots ·      Same excuses ·      Same half-ass preparations ·      Expecting different results ·      Doing the same things, in the same places, in the same way, yet still expecting different results The Truth: The surefire way to stay an average Western hunter is to keep acting like one. Today, we're talking about why average hunters stay average and breaking down four common pitfalls that keep hunters stuck year after year.   Hope is not a strategy. _________________________________________________ Additional Thrive Resources Use My Code TREELINE at Peax Equipment for a discount.  Treeline Academy Courses – (Use code THRIVE to save 20% on any Treeline course)https://www.treelineacademy.net Treeline Podcast Archivehttps://www.treelineacademy.net/podcast-main--b42b4 Treeline Thrive Vodcast Archivehttps://www.treelineacademy.net/thrive

In the last Thrive episode, I laid out some hard truths. Montana's deer herds are in trouble. The response to that episode was immediate, emotional, and a bit overwhelming.  Hundreds of comments, strong opinions, and a lot of understandable frustration from people who care deeply about Montana's deer herd. But here's the thing, pointing out the problems was only step one. Today's episode isn't about outrage; it's about your comments, ideas, and potential solutions. I'm going to address the biggest questions you asked, and then I'm going to lay out several ideas for your consideration. Doing nothing is no longer an option; we've been wearing that option out. _____________________ Additional Thrive Resources Use My Code TREELINE For A Discount and to show support for the Vodcast.  Treeline Academy Courses – (Use code THRIVE to save 20% on any Treeline course)https://www.treelineacademy.net Treeline Podcast Archivehttps://www.treelineacademy.net/podcast-main--b42b4 Treeline Thrive Vodcast Archivehttps://www.treelineacademy.net/thrive Understanding Mule Deer & Antler Point Restrictions: The Mule Deer Working Grouphttps://wildlife.utah.gov/pdf/mule_deer/mdwg-6_point_restrictions.pdf    

Have you ever seen something coming from a mile away? Yet, nobody does anything about it? Montana's deer herds didn't just disappear overnight. It wasn't random. This was a slow-motion train wreck, and the people in charge of the tracks, well, they stood there and watched it happen. That's Montana's mule deer story. From over 386,000 animals to under 250,000 in just seven years.  While other states pulled back and course-corrected, Montana kept feeding the tag machine.  Now they want a pat on the back for finally cutting a few nonresident deer tags? I mean seriously….. In this episode of the Thrive Vodcast, we will work through the numbers, policies, and patterns, and let you judge for yourself.  __________________________________________________ Additional Thrive Resources Use My Code TREELINE For A Discount and to show support for the Vodcast.  Treeline Academy Courses – (Use code THRIVE to save 20% on any Treeline course)https://www.treelineacademy.net Treeline Podcast Archivehttps://www.treelineacademy.net/podcast-main--b42b4 Treeline Thrive Vodcast Archivehttps://www.treelineacademy.net/thrive Fish and Wildlife Commission Votes Ro Reduce Nonresident Deer Licenseshttps://montanafreepress.org/2025/12/05/fish-and-wildlife-commission-votes-to-reduce-nonresident-deer-licenses/

There's one thing that will end a hunt faster than a blown stalk or busted gear—and that's getting cold and wet. Once extreme cold sets in and your feet start to go numb, your hunt is headed downhill fast. Yes, you can tough it out for a little while, but the truth is, you're on borrowed time and your hunt might already be over! I've been on enough late-season hunts to know this all too well.  Getting chilled to the bone doesn't happen by accident. Avoiding it requires intention and a systematic approach.   If you get it wrong, you're likely to end your hunt early.  In this Thrive episode, I'm breaking down five tactics that can help keep you warmer, drier, and more prepared for the cold days ahead on late-season backcountry hunts. __________________________________________________ Additional Thrive Resources Use My Code TREELINE For A Discount and to show support for the Vodcast.  Treeline Academy Courses – (Use code THRIVE to save 20% on any Treeline course)https://www.treelineacademy.net Treeline Podcast Archivehttps://www.treelineacademy.net/podcast-main--b42b4 Treeline Thrive Vodcast Archivehttps://www.treelineacademy.net/thrive Grakksaw – Use Discount Code Treeline https://www.grakksaw.com/ Peax Christmas Giveaway Video – Dumb & Dumberhttps://youtu.be/CNYo1hcFhAw?si=wJuwNJwyaiT8Rz6M