
Advertise on podcast: The Silvercore Podcast with Travis Bader
Rating
5from
This podcast has
195 episodes
Language
EnglishPublisher
Travis BaderExplicit
No
Date created
2019/09/06
Latest episode
2026/10/06
Average duration
118 min.
Release period
15 days
Description
The Silvercore Podcast explores the mindset and skills that build capable people. Host Travis Bader speaks with hunters, adventurers, soldiers, athletes, craftsmen, and founders about competence, integrity, and the pursuit of mastery, in the wild and in daily life. Hit follow and step into conversations that sharpen your edge.
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Check latest episodes from The Silvercore Podcast with Travis Bader podcast
Ep. 195: Dallas Brodie, OneBC Leader: Taxes, Firearms and Crown Land | BC Election 2026
2026/10/06
OneBC leader Dallas Brodie sits down with Travis Bader for the first conversation in the Silvercore Podcast's BC Election 2026 series.
The conversation runs in three parts: the person, the party and the platform. Brodie traces her path from corporate lawyer, youth defence counsel, broadcast journalist and Residential Tenancy Branch arbitrator to her election as MLA for Vancouver-Quilchena in 2024. She talks about getting her PAL in 2021 and her expulsion from the BC Conservative caucus in March 2025.
On the platform, Travis puts questions from the Silvercore community to her on OneBC's proposed 25% cut to personal and corporate income tax and two-point PST cut, a 10% savings target for every ministry, the party's position on the federal firearms buyback, a provincial storage program and a provincially appointed chief firearms officer, hunting licence revenue, moose and caribou declines, Crown land access, Aboriginal title and the Cowichan decision, SOGI 123 in schools, public safety and addiction, and her first 100 days.
ABOUT THIS SERIESOn September 25, 2026, Travis invited the leaders of all five parties with seats in the BC legislature to the same long-form conversation, with the same format and the same community questions, and followed up on September 28. At the time of recording, OneBC accepted, the BC NDP declined, Centre BC was arranging a date, and the BC Conservatives and BC Greens had not responded. Any leader who accepts before the October 24 election gets the same opportunity. The views expressed are the guest's own. Silvercore does not endorse any party or candidate.
During the conversation, Ms. Brodie names Silvercore as an example of a contractor for a provincial firearms storage program. Silvercore has no storage plan and no arrangement with OneBC or any other party.
CHAPTERS00:00 About this series: who was invited and who answered01:37 Welcome, Dallas Brodie02:47 Law, broadcasting, business and the road to the legislature07:21 Fishing, a PAL and learning to shoot12:29 A public decision with a personal cost19:48 Federal influence, labels and political debate26:23 The strongest argument against her platform28:15 SOGI 123 and what is taught in schools37:11 The 25% tax cut and how it is costed40:24 A 10% savings target, including health and education41:17 The federal gun buyback and a provincial storage program46:37 Hunters, conservation and listening to the experts51:38 AI and decision-making in government58:17 The RCMP, the buyback and a provincial chief firearms officer1:02:47 Where hunting licence money goes1:04:44 Debt, deficit and the snap election1:06:41 Moose, caribou and predator management1:10:25 Crown land access and Aboriginal title1:14:58 Affordability: what changes for a young family1:17:40 Repeat offenders and open drug use1:20:53 The Cowichan decision and private property1:28:21 Improving life for Indigenous people1:30:09 Intergenerational trauma and policy1:36:39 Polarization and leadership1:42:33 Her first 100 days1:44:12 Her pitch to voters who have never voted OneBC1:45:29 Closing thoughts
FIND OneBChttps://1bc.ca
_____The Silvercore Club keeps you sharp and has your back. $5M excess liability insurance for hunting, fishing, and shooting across Canada and the US, member discounts, and a community that gets outside. $59/year.Join the Club - https://www.silvercore.ca/club
Firearms & hunting courses - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/categoryMerchandise - https://www.silvercore.ca/collections/all-merchandise
Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.travSilvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors
This content is for information and entertainment only. Nothing here is professional, legal, or safety advice. Firearms, hunting, and outdoor activities carry real risk. Know and follow the laws that apply to you, use safe practices, and get proper training from qualified professionals before acting on anything discussed. Silvercore accepts no liability for how this information is used.
Ep. 194: Jay Nichol: Why Most Hunters Fail Before They Leave the Truck
2026/09/22
Jay Nichol spends around 140 days a year in the mountains. He guides black bear, mule deer, mountain goat and coues deer across British Columbia, Alberta and Mexico, and runs The Mindful Hunter, an unsponsored gear-review and podcast platform that has grown into Mindful Hunter Outfitting, the Forged in the Backcountry apparel line, and Mindful Munitions, a new Canadian store for the gear he trusts.
In this conversation with Travis Bader, Jay explains what he changed after too many clients missed their shot in spring bear camp, how 18 years of sobriety shaped the way he leaves home for a hunt, and what sends hunters out of the backcountry early.
From Jay:The Truth About Training for Mountain Hunting (free downloadable plan): https://youtu.be/wAugmpvZrtcFree downloads and tools: https://www.mindfulhunter.com/toolsKowa TSN-88A Sweepstakes: https://forgedinthebackcountry.com/blogs/resources/kowa-tsn-88a-sweepstakes
Find Jay Nichol:The Mindful Hunter: https://www.mindfulhunter.comThe Mindful Hunter Podcast: https://mindfulhunter.podbean.comYouTube: https://www.youtube.com/c/MindfulHunterInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/mindful_hunterMindful Munitions: https://mindfulmunitions.comForged in the Backcountry: https://forgedinthebackcountry.comForged in the Backcountry on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/forgedinthebackcountryMindful Reviews: https://www.mindful-reviews.com
_____The Silvercore Club keeps you sharp and has your back. $5M excess liability insurance for hunting, fishing, and shooting across Canada and the US, member discounts, and a community that gets outside. $59/year.Join the Club - https://www.silvercore.ca/club
Firearms & hunting courses - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/categoryMerchandise - https://www.silvercore.ca/collections/all-merchandise
Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.travSilvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors
This content is for information and entertainment only. Nothing here is professional, legal, or safety advice. Firearms, hunting, and outdoor activities carry real risk. Know and follow the laws that apply to you, use safe practices, and get proper training from qualified professionals before acting on anything discussed. Silvercore accepts no liability for how this information is used.
____
00:00 Introducing Jay Nichol03:00 Leaving home at 1504:00 Only as sick as our secrets08:00 Stolen CDs and the start of addiction14:00 Addiction as a sense of purpose18:00 The rite of passage nobody gave him24:00 Letting people help you26:00 Two mistakes: no mentor, no community32:00 The annealing hot take35:00 University with no high school diploma40:00 Proving something to his father43:00 Ego death and moments of clarity49:00 Clean your house before you leave52:00 The dark years, 2023 and 202456:00 Tapping out versus breaking1:01:00 Why men talk shoulder to shoulder1:09:00 Hours per day doing what you love1:12:00 Anger as fuel, and compartmentalizing1:17:00 Telling his daughter no1:19:00 1,200 rounds in five days1:22:00 The kneeling logging road shot1:24:00 Buy a 223, shoot 1,000 rounds1:27:00 Kill the weak parts1:30:00 Zone two and the StairMaster1:36:00 Travis on going into AFib1:42:00 The illusion of learning1:45:00 Nothing died, so you failed1:47:00 36 deer in 105 minutes1:50:00 Spend it on field days, not a spotter1:52:00 Forged in the Backcountry1:56:00 Outfitting in BC, Alberta and Mexico2:00:00 Launching Mindful Munitions2:04:00 Why the focus is men
Ep. 193: Mark Twight: Trained the 300 Cast, Then Walked Off Aquaman
2026/09/08
Mark Twight joins Travis Bader on the Silvercore Podcast for a conversation about alpinism, Gym Jones, the training behind 300, and life after peak performance. The booking took five years and one condition: in person only.
Twight climbed in the Alps, Alaska and the Canadian Rockies, including The Reality Bath, a route that went unrepeated for 37 years. He climbed the Slovak Direct on Denali in 60 hours with Steve House and Scott Backes. His books Extreme Alpinism and Kiss or Kill were picked up well outside climbing, including by military units who found the chapter on attitude and character applied to their work. He later worked on nine feature films, most of them with director Zack Snyder, building physical transformations against production deadlines.
In this conversation, recorded in person in Montana, Twight talks about what separated him from better technical climbers, why he keeps walking away from things at the top, and what he has found in the valley since.
Topics covered:- Growing up the son of a National Park Service law enforcement ranger- Taking up shooting in 1995, and mentors including Brian Enos and Pat Rogers- Getting disqualified before firing a shot in his first match in 21 years- Self image, permission to fail, and why some competitors stall- Mount Hunter in 39 hours nonstop, and the arithmetic of pack weight- Writing while drinking, and the decision to stop- Building the cast of 300, and why fast results do not hold- Leaving the Aquaman job when the paycheque became the only reason to stay- Declining physical capacity, and purpose after achievement
A conversation about total commitment, and the bill that comes due for it.
Learn more about Mark Twight:Website: https://www.marktwight.comSubstack: https://marktwight.substack.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/wfmft
_____The Silvercore Club keeps you sharp and has your back. $5M excess liability insurance for hunting, fishing, and shooting across Canada and the US, member discounts, and a community that gets outside. $59/year.Join the Club - https://www.silvercore.ca/club
Firearms & hunting courses - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/categoryMerchandise - https://www.silvercore.ca/collections/all-merchandise
Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.travSilvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors
This content is for information and entertainment only. Nothing here is professional, legal, or safety advice. Firearms, hunting, and outdoor activities carry real risk. Know and follow the laws that apply to you, use safe practices, and get proper training from qualified professionals before acting on anything discussed. Silvercore accepts no liability for how this information is used.
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00:00 Five years and a one word reply06:20 A ranger father, an anti-authority son12:50 Nine films, mostly with Zack Snyder17:20 Forty pounds and a changed life20:00 Extreme Alpinism reaches Special Forces26:50 The mountains are not clever, men are28:40 Guns are stupid, then a range day31:30 Brian Enos, Gunsite and mentors41:50 Back to competition, DQ'd first match49:40 You never outperform your self image51:20 Permission to fail57:20 Seven lives in one lifetime1:01:00 Mount Hunter, 39 hours nonstop1:04:50 The Slovak Direct in 60 hours1:11:00 Why he stopped climbing1:16:30 Writing drunk, and what it cost1:29:00 Coming down to the valley1:38:40 Borrowed beliefs and in-group politics1:44:40 Hunters, conservation, common ground1:47:20 Paragliding before anyone knew how1:56:40 Something to rebel against2:00:20 The first gym, and what it taught him2:06:40 Invitation only, everyone on parole2:12:30 300 and the website that crashed2:16:30 Fear, rationalization, walking away2:23:20 Walking off Aquaman2:31:50 Fast results are unstable results2:46:20 Why dangerous things matter2:51:40 Risk tolerance over technical skill3:03:40 No off-ramp for veterans and athletes3:08:00 Intent instead of intensity3:17:30 Saying goodbye to Daryl Miller3:23:20 What success means at 65
Ep. 192: "I Wanted to Live My Life Armed" | Ian Sim Returns
2026/08/25
Ian Sim spent nearly three decades in the RCMP. In December, alone in his apartment, the strokes came. He saved the wine, booked an Uber to emergency because it was faster than an ambulance, and days later faced a decision about a clot-busting drug with minutes on the clock and nobody to call.The man who returns to the Silvercore Podcast is in what he calls the afterglow. Colours are brighter. Food tastes better. Any familiar face is an old friend.Ian cold-called the SAS out of directory assistance and got a yes. He policed Wreck Beach by getting out of the car and learning names. He wrote a counterterrorism paper that got him summoned to the principal's office, and he has rebuilt his off-duty carry proposal into something a province could adopt on its own. And he answers the question an RCMP recruiter asked him at 19: do you have a healthy or an unhealthy interest in firearms?His answer got the room to go quiet.Ian speaks as a private citizen. His views are his own, not those of the RCMP.
_____The Silvercore Club keeps you sharp and has your back. $5M excess liability insurance for hunting, fishing, and shooting across Canada and the US, member discounts, and a community that gets outside. $59/year.Join the Club - https://www.silvercore.ca/club
Firearms & hunting courses - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/categoryMerchandise - https://www.silvercore.ca/collections/all-merchandise
Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.travSilvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors
This content is for information and entertainment only. Nothing here is professional, legal, or safety advice. Firearms, hunting, and outdoor activities carry real risk. Know and follow the laws that apply to you, use safe practices, and get proper training from qualified professionals before acting on anything discussed. Silvercore accepts no liability for how this information is used.
____
00:00:00 Welcome back00:01:00 The warning shots00:12:00 The big one00:18:00 The clot buster decision00:29:00 A song and a $5 bill00:43:00 Is there any such thing as a coincidence?00:53:00 A Reaper in the desert00:56:00 Cold-calling the SAS01:04:00 The afterglow01:12:00 They don't look like supermen01:19:00 Radio, Wreck Beach and who works for whom01:32:00 Smart on crime01:35:00 Off-shift carry, the proposal rebuilt01:48:00 Define the problem first01:55:00 The paper and the principal's office02:10:00 A Liberal beat him to it02:14:00 "I wanted to live my life armed"02:26:00 The next sidearm02:36:00 Courts and credibility02:38:00 Until next time
Ep. 191: The Next Mission: Kyle Lamb on Cancer, Faith, and the Poems He's Never Published
2026/08/11
Retired Delta Force Sergeant Major Kyle Lamb returns to the Silvercore Podcast to talk about his new book, The Next Mission, co-authored with his wife Melynda. Kyle spent 21 years in the US Army, 15 of them in Delta Force, and fought in the Battle of Mogadishu in 1993.
The day episode 124 finished recording, Kyle got a phone call telling him he had bladder cancer. He had just told Travis, on tape, that he was living as though he had six months left. What happened next changed how he and Melynda live.
In this conversation:
The phone call after the last podcast, and the lung finding that followed for his wifeWhy The Next Mission reads the Bible through a special operations lens, and why Bible scholars are not the audienceEhud the left-handed assassin, and how researching a bronze dagger led to Herodotus and tin from ancient BritainThe Apostle Paul chained to a Roman soldier, and the two words that would have stopped his beatingWhy Melynda's name is on the cover, and the five chapters she red-X'd out of Leadership in the ShadowsTwo poems read aloud that have never been published anywhereTwelve years without a drink, and the conversation in Hawaii that changed how he saw itWhy the Christian who did the most for his faith in two years is a Muslim friendWhat tribe actually means, and why it has nothing to do with skin, geography, or religionThe redactions left visible in the book, and the note inside the cover confirming no AI was used
The Next Mission is 432 pages, published June 6, 2026. Signed and personalized copies are available direct from Viking Tactics. It is priced at $27.17, a reference to Proverbs 27:17, iron sharpens iron.
Kyle Lamb and Viking TacticsSigned copies: https://www.vikingtactics.com/shop/the-next-mission/Stay in the Fight Foundation: https://www.vikingtactics.com/stay-in-the-fight-foundation/Team VTAC Podcast: https://kylelamb.libsyn.com/Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/vikingtactics
_____Silvercore Club - https://www.silvercore.ca/club
Online Training - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/canadian-firearms-safety-course-onlineOther Training & Services - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/categoryMerchandise - https://www.silvercore.ca/collections/all-merchandiseBlog Page - https://www.silvercore.ca/blog
Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.travSilvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors
____
00:00 The best conversations happen off the record01:41 Welcome back, Kyle Lamb02:19 The year-end question, and what happened that same day03:40 "Mr. Lamb, you've got bladder cancer"04:50 Then it was his wife06:20 What he said to God in the truck11:20 Time is the gift13:30 Nims Purja and purpose after achievement16:20 What's the mission today?23:00 How the book started: Ehud and the bronze dagger26:10 The Apostle Paul, chained to a Roman soldier30:15 Battlefield reflections and the audiobook31:15 Why Melynda's name is on the cover33:50 Speaking, elk season, and his grandson's first hunt36:10 The attention span of a squirrel39:40 The Kyle pile45:40 The guns he'd never get rid of50:20 Commander's intent: reach the unreachable51:30 Don't wear your faith as a badge55:20 The Muslim friend who sent him a Bible verse1:04:20 What tribe actually means1:08:30 How his prayers changed1:11:50 Twelve years without a drink1:14:30 What an answer to prayer looks like1:21:00 The farther from the flagpole1:26:20 "If I shoot guns, I get paid"1:29:20 The path of Musashi1:34:40 Two poems, never released anywhere1:46:10 What the public doesn't see1:47:20 The five chapters his wife red-X'd1:50:50 Putting the light on evil1:51:50 Meek is not weak1:56:40 Cutting twenty percent2:00:40 Why he writes at a sixth grade level2:15:20 Do you feel guilt?2:22:20 The motorcycle in the classroom2:26:30 Where to get the book, and why it costs $27.172:28:20 The redactions and the unit approval
Ep. 190: John Barklow: They Needed a Mountain Warfare Expert. They Picked a Diver.
2026/07/14
John Barklow spent 26 years in the U.S. Navy, most of it teaching Naval Special Warfare how to survive the coldest, most unforgiving mountains on earth. After 9/11 the military needed mountain warfare experts and almost none were left. They picked a diver from Cleveland, Ohio, and his work went on to reshape cold weather survival training for a generation of special operators.
In this conversation, Travis Bader and John go far past gear. They get into the mindset that keeps you alive when things go wrong, the difference between chasing happiness and building satisfaction, and why the hunting and firearms communities are so quick to turn on their own. John breaks down his famous rewarming drill in full: what to do if you fall in cold water in the backcountry, why you keep your wet clothes on instead of stripping them off, and how your own body heat dries your system from the inside. He explains how to train it safely in your own backyard before your life depends on it.
He also tells the story of a British Columbia horseback hunt that nearly ended under 1,400 pounds of falling horse in the dark, opens up about two hip replacements and refusing to let the old man in, and shares, for the first time publicly, who wrote the foreword to his new book.
Some of the best survival lessons of your life are the ones John learned the hard way, so you don't have to.
John's first book, Knowledge from Storms, is available for pre-order now. This episode includes a giveaway. Details are in the show and on our channels.
Learn more about John Barklow:Book: Knowledge from Storms (St. Martin's Press)Website: knowledgefromstorms.comInstagram: @jbarklowCourses: outdoorclass.comFree videos: Montana Knife Company YouTube, MKC Survival Guide series
_____Silvercore Club - https://www.silvercore.ca/club
Online Training - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/canadian-firearms-safety-course-onlineOther Training & Services - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/categoryMerchandise - https://www.silvercore.ca/collections/all-merchandiseBlog Page - https://www.silvercore.ca/blog
Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.travSilvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors
____
Timestamps
00:00 Cold open: they picked a diver01:00 The best introduction he's ever had02:00 Cleveland, Ohio does not grow mountain men05:00 Enlisting in the Navy at 1907:00 The cardinal direction: a heading he couldn't name08:00 Breaking the script he was handed10:00 Happiness versus satisfaction17:00 The harder you work, the luckier you get18:00 When it goes wrong in the mountains, who does he call?21:00 COVID, and the birth of Knowledge From Storms23:00 The inciting incident: his drill in a competitor's marketing27:00 Why the hunting and firearms communities eat their own28:00 The camo wars, and refusing to fight in public31:00 Trust is slow to earn and fast to lose34:00 Travis at 16: the station wagon, the cabin, and hypothermia38:00 Where he learned cold: diving, the Sierras, and Mark Twight41:00 After 9/11: rebuilding a lost cold weather capability42:00 Making the soldier durable45:00 The rewarming drill on camera, and Adam Foss47:00 The static rewarming drill: clothing is shelter48:00 Why building a fire can be the wrong first move49:00 Trap the heat, then move51:00 An hour in: the shivering stops54:00 Do it in your backyard, not in the middle of nowhere57:00 Granddad in denim, and what modern gear actually changed59:00 The active rewarming drill: one bucket, any trailhead1:02:00 Mark Twight wrote the foreword, announced here first1:05:00 Extreme Alpinism: the book that prepared men for war1:06:00 Going light without getting forced out: the margin of safety1:09:00 Three days pinned in a Mount Rainier blizzard1:11:00 Planning builds confidence, confidence builds decisions1:13:00 Keeping your world small when the float plane leaves1:16:00 We romanticize the mountains. Here is the rest of it.1:19:00 The PPCLI research miss1:20:00 The BC horseback hunt that went wrong1:22:00 1,400 pounds of horse in the dark1:24:00 Giardia, and the unforced error he owns1:28:00 Two hip replacements, and not letting the old man in1:32:00 Who the book is for1:35:00 OutdoorClass and Montana Knife Company1:38:00 Start higher on the mountain, but climb it yourself1:39:00 Student of the game: enjoy where you are
Ep. 189: Why This Wildlife Artist Hides His Paintings in the Wilderness | Casey Braam
2026/06/30
Get the free bear guide Casey Braam and Travis Bader made, and enter to win an SAI Optics red dot, at : Silvercore.ca/bear
Every download is a contest entry. Silvercore Club members are entered for free automatically, and can earn a second entry by downloading the guide.
Wildlife artist Casey Braam hikes into wild places, paints what he finds, posts clues online, and gives the painting to the first person who figures out where he is and hikes out to meet him. He calls it the Art Outside Project. In his second time on the Silvercore Podcast, 101 episodes after his first, Casey explains why he is doing it. The reason is bigger than art. It comes down to getting people outside and teaching them to actually see the world they live in.
Casey and Travis also go deep on spring bear hunting: reading sign, judging and selecting bears, why patience and selectivity make the whole thing richer, and the hard-earned rule that can save your hunt, shoot a bear until it is down and done. From there it opens up into what makes any outdoor experience richer over time, the value of risk and the "question mark," raising kids who get dirty in a world full of cameras, and why there is no fence between us and the natural world.
If you have ever felt like you walk through the woods on autopilot, this episode is about switching that off.
Free bear guide and SAI red dot giveaway: Silvercore.ca/bear
Gear and partners mentioned:
-IBI Precision rifles and barrels. - https://ibiprecision.com/**Silvercore Club members get 10 percent off through the member portal.
- Norma Bondstrike ammunition- https://www.norma-ammunition.com
- SAI Optics - https://armament.com/collections/sai-optics-riflescopes
Find Casey Braam and the Art Outside Project:Website: https://www.artbycaseybraam.comInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/cabraam/
_____Silvercore Club - https://www.silvercore.ca/club
Online Training - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/canadian-firearms-safety-course-onlineOther Training & Services - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/categoryMerchandise - https://www.silvercore.ca/collections/all-merchandiseBlog Page - https://www.silvercore.ca/blog
Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.travSilvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors
____
Timestamps
00:00 Why he gives his paintings away01:53 The bear skulls, the invitation, and two styles of hunting05:09 Hunting for the experience, not just the kill07:35 Eleven bears in a day, and the animal he knows best14:09 The free bear guide, and why every bear looks 400 pounds16:20 A mama and cub at fifteen yards18:28 "It's not the one": passing on a taker21:00 The propeller-sound bear and a tactical retreat25:00 Tiffany's shot, and the bear that got back up28:44 Shoot it till it's down: tracking, anatomy, and lost bears33:00 Why cranked magnification gets you killed up close38:45 The Art Outside Project, and what sparked it40:50 Why getting people outside changes them45:24 Teaching your lazy brain how to actually see52:38 Two hours on a shoreline he'd seen a hundred times55:29 What makes a painting, or a meal, worth more1:00:09 How any business can steal this playbook1:04:07 The ingredients of a richer adventure1:07:02 Closer to death, more alive: the question mark1:17:12 Who's standing next to you when it happens1:18:33 Raising kids who get dirty in a panopticon world1:25:10 No fence between us and nature1:29:41 The giveaway, the guide, and the gear
Ep. 188: Why Canada Really Bans Your Guns | Blair Hagen NFA
2026/06/16
Get your FREE Authorization to Carry guide: https://www.silvercore.ca/authorization-to-carry
Blair Hagen has spent 30 years fighting Canada's firearms laws, and now, days after the National Firearms Association lost its president Rick Igercich, he is the one holding it together.In this episode of the Silvercore Podcast, Travis Bader sits down with Hagen, executive vice president and now acting president of the NFA, for a clear-eyed look at where Canada's gun fight actually stands in 2026: the assault-style firearm confiscation, the Order in Council (OIC) bans, the handgun freeze, and the amnesty that keeps getting extended because almost no one is complying.Hagen survived two armed robberies behind the counter of a Vancouver gun store, then was refused a permit to protect himself. He explains why firearms in Canada get banned for how they look rather than what they do, why a serious gun charge is the first thing a prosecutor drops, why the numbers behind the confiscation do not add up, and the one thing every gun owner can actually do that works.What we get into:
Why "assault-style firearm" is a political marketing term, not a legal oneThe "comply or become a criminal" trap inside the current buybackEstates, the handgun freeze, and how a widow loses a collection's valueThe NFA Save Firearms program and storing prohibited firearms legallyWhether you can still buy and transfer a handgun in Canada, and where an Authorization to Carry fits in
Whether you have owned firearms your whole life or have never touched one, this is a conversation about property, rights, and who decides what is yours.
Find the NFA: https://nfa.ca
NFA on Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/national_firearms_association/
NFA on Facebook: https://facebook.com/NFACANADA
NFA on X: https://x.com/CanadasNFA
_____Silvercore Club - https://www.silvercore.ca/club
Online Training - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/canadian-firearms-safety-course-onlineOther Training & Services - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/categoryMerchandise - https://www.silvercore.ca/collections/all-merchandiseBlog Page - https://www.silvercore.ca/blog
Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.travSilvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors
____
Timestamps:
00:00 Cold open00:46 Remembering NFA president Rick Igercich02:28 How Blair got into the fight: the registry and David Tomlinson08:38 Canada's gun culture, and a global audience listening12:49 Two armed robberies behind the counter17:00 Denied a carry permit in a store full of guns20:19 "What can I do?" and the early '90s political wasteland26:00 Property rights and the slippery slope30:35 The amnesty extension and the courtroom no-win34:32 Why gun charges get dropped first, and "assault-style" spin40:49 Estates, the widow problem, and the caliber ban48:24 "We do not make mistakes": the inheritance test case50:44 Magazines, deactivation, and rules you can't comply with57:03 OIC chaos and the meaningless word "variant"1:03:15 Aesthetics over ballistics: why guns really get banned1:09:41 Talking guns with someone who fears them1:13:22 The handgun freeze and the Save Firearms program1:22:00 The toll of 30 years on the line1:24:45 Cooking the numbers: only 4,000 Mini-14s?1:29:00 The quiet plan to put gun stores out of business1:33:31 The Conservative Outdoors Committee and revolving-door courts1:37:57 Which org to support, and what you can actually do1:45:08 Closing, and Blair's goodbye to Rick
Ep. 187: The Price of Speaking Up: Fined $29,000 for Walking in the Woods | Jeff Evely
2026/06/02
Jeff Evely served 20 years in the Canadian Armed Forces, with deployments to Afghanistan and Iraq. He came home, retired to his hometown in Cape Breton, and within months found himself arrested at a war memorial he was trying to guard, then later fined nearly $29,000 for walking in the woods during a Nova Scotia fire ban.
He fought back. And he won.
In this conversation, Travis sits down with Jeff to unpack the $29,000 ticket, the court win against the Nova Scotia government, the trucker convoy and Rolling Thunder arrests, and what it actually takes for one person to push back against institutions that have stopped listening. They also get into the Fourth Turning, stoicism, Carl Sagan and skepticism, the limits of the courts, why politics is downstream from culture, and the deepest personal cost Jeff has paid for standing on principle.A conversation about courage, consequences, and what it costs to hold the line.
Find Jeff Evely:Twitter / X: @JeffEvely
_____Silvercore Club - https://www.silvercore.ca/club
Online Training - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/canadian-firearms-safety-course-onlineOther Training & Services - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/categoryMerchandise - https://www.silvercore.ca/collections/all-merchandiseBlog Page - https://www.silvercore.ca/blog
Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.travSilvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors
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Timestamps
00:00 Cold open00:42 Twenty years in, vaccine mandates out02:00 Refused at the Legion, the lone protest begins04:09 Trucker Convoy, taking down the fence05:00 Arrested walking to the war memorial in his medals07:00 Rolling Thunder and the limits of standing on your rights10:10 The Fourth Turning and why institutions are collapsing18:17 Anything currently going right20:51 Portapique, gun policy, and the firearms debate23:51 Wildfires, arson, and the climate narrative shift25:28 How the Silvercore Club came to exist35:42 The $29,000 fine and the court win46:00 Why courts alone won't change the culture48:15 Carl Sagan, skepticism, and a logical framework52:20 COVID, the fog, and the totalitarian impulse59:41 Anarcho-tyranny and the strategy to destabilize01:03:00 Shame, accountability, and bringing consequences back01:14:00 May Day Kids in Crisis and confronting Poilievre01:22:32 Victimhood, cultural Marxism, and the trans question01:28:40 The greatest price: his daughter01:31:09 Raising kids on logic, what could change his mind01:35:00 Hard times, strong men, and how we raise the next generation01:37:13 Close
Ep. 186: The Pentagon Just Released 162 UFO Files. A Canadian Forces Insider Read Every One.
2026/05/19
Last Friday, the Pentagon released 162 declassified UFO files through a brand-new portal called PURSUE. The first formal federal release in 80 years. Some are calling it disclosure. Some are calling it a nothing burger.Rocky Swanson has spent his life inside the kind of system that handles this material. Joined the Royal Canadian Army Cadets at twelve. Served a full career in the Canadian Armed Forces, including a NORAD posting. Came home and became deputy fire chief in the town he grew up in. He was approached by the federal government to advise on a Canadian UAP initiative alongside sitting members of parliament. He was a guest co-host on a podcast that interviewed Lue Elizondo, the former Pentagon official who put UFOs on the front page of the New York Times in 2017. He got close enough to see the seams.
In this episode Travis and Rocky walk through the Pentagon release, the actual evidence in the new tranche, why three pilots are not the same thing as three radar tracks, why Skinwalker Ranch matters more than people think, what really happened inside AATIP, who Bob Lazar actually is, and why the most interesting UAP case Rocky has ever encountered did not come from the Pentagon at all. It came from an F-18 pilot over the Canadian Arctic.Rocky believes in the possibility of life out there. He does not believe the people on stage right now are the ones who have found it.If you came to this conversation looking for someone who will tell you what to believe, you are in the wrong place. If you came looking for someone who will tell you how to think about this honestly, settle in.
_____Silvercore Club - https://www.silvercore.ca/club
Online Training - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/canadian-firearms-safety-course-onlineOther Training & Services - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/categoryMerchandise - https://www.silvercore.ca/collections/all-merchandiseBlog Page - https://www.silvercore.ca/blog
Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.travSilvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors
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Chapter timestamps
00:00 Cold open. The Pentagon just released 162 UFO files01:50 How a mutual friend's UAP footage started this conversation03:40 The conservation officer sighting that no one can explain07:30 Reading the Diary of a CEO UFO episode like a detective09:20 What an actual thermal imagery expert sees in the new footage17:00 The Nimitz Tic Tac case is not what you think it is21:00 Rocky admits he was starstruck by the Pentagon witnesses24:00 Wile E. Coyote, age 9, and Rocky's own first UFO sighting27:00 The 2016 moment that pulled him back into the rabbit hole33:00 Applying arson investigator rigor to UFO claims36:00 Why the Go Fast, Gimbal and Tic Tac videos were chosen39:30 Why is Trump releasing the files now?42:00 The intelligence friends who believe, and won't say why45:00 What would actually change Rocky's mind47:00 Rocky's CIA-adjacent contacts and how grifts get built50:00 The isotopic ratio testing story that fell apart51:00 When the Pentagon tried to read him in to NORAD programs54:00 The Sky Canada Project, and what Canada is actually doing56:00 Asking the base commander permission to study UFOs57:00 F-18 pilots who saw things they couldn't explain1:01:00 Japan Airlines Flight 1628 and the Arctic walnut-shape sighting1:03:00 The Canadian general who became Rocky's most credible witness1:09:00 Collective ignorance versus a cabal1:12:00 Bob Lazar has the credibility of a Labrador retriever1:15:00 Those who talk don't know. Those who know don't talk.1:19:00 Skinwalker Ranch and the dino beaver problem1:23:00 How Paul Hellyer got used by the UFO community1:26:00 Religion, ufology, and the snake-kissing Pentecostal connection1:28:00 Admiral Tim Gallaudet, hauntings, and pre-positioned belief1:33:00 Why humans are drawn to this in the first place1:39:00 Science asks questions. Ufology asks you to believe.1:42:00 What Obama actually said. What Trump actually meant.1:45:00 Don't be pulled down the rabbit hole1:46:00 The series begins. What we'll do next.
Ep. 185: 37 Dead at the Bluebird Cafe: Why Canada Won't Talk About It with Dr. Noah Schwartz
2026/05/05
Dr. Noah Schwartz is the political scientist who decided he could not write honestly about Canada's gun community without going through the licensing system himself. He took the PAL. He took the RPAL. He sat at 84 kitchen tables across this country. What he found is a story most Canadians have never heard.
In this episode we cover the largest deliberate mass casualty event in Canadian history that almost nobody remembers, why the handgun freeze was announced after a shooting in Texas, the policy framework Czechia used after a university massacre that did the opposite of what Canada did, and what it means that single-shot black powder pistols were banned alongside Glocks.
Get Targeted: https://amzn.to/4wbl61w
More from Noah: https://noahschwartz.ca and @NoahSchwartzy on X
_____Silvercore Club - https://www.silvercore.ca/club
Online Training - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/canadian-firearms-safety-course-onlineOther Training & Services - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/categoryMerchandise - https://www.silvercore.ca/collections/all-merchandiseBlog Page - https://www.silvercore.ca/blog
Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.travSilvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors
____
Timestamps
00:00:00 Cold open and Silvercore Club
00:01:16 Welcome and meeting at the NFA event
00:02:01 What political science is and how Schwartz fell into firearms research
00:05:18 Breaking suburban-Ottawa preconceptions, his first time shooting in rural Alberta
00:08:51 American gun rights vs Canadian citizenship, the load-bearing distinction
00:11:27 What being treated fairly looks like, the handgun freeze and inheritance
00:13:55 Teaching gun politics at university, viewpoint diversity in the classroom
00:17:54 Storytelling, evolution, and why narrative beats statistics
00:23:00 Mass shootings, mental health framing, and why fear overrides evidence
00:25:46 Why Targeted exists, and who it is actually written for
00:27:30 The two factions of Canadian gun advocacy, hunters and sport shooters
00:31:23 Civilian-military reconnection, rifle shooting as the first federally funded sport
00:33:18 The aesthetics theory, what black rifles communicate to both sides
00:36:14 Canadian identity, the CBC, the National Film Board, and the gunless cowboy
00:39:20 Finland and the Nordic security model
00:41:11 The case for a Canadian firearms museum
00:43:41 Making the gun the object instead of the person
00:45:00 The largest deliberate mass casualty events in Canadian history, including Bluebird Cafe
00:48:13 Why cars and alcohol kill more people but face less regulation
00:51:13 The 6 percent problem, gun owners as a political minority
00:53:01 Interest group capture and why the community loses 70 percent of the time
00:55:30 Reconnecting firearms to national defence, Carney's civil-servant proposal
01:01:30 The OIC, executive overreach, and why parliament matters
01:04:35 Black powder pistols banned alongside Glocks
01:05:15 Why the handgun freeze was announced after Uvalde, Texas
01:08:19 The Czech Republic, Charles University, and a different policy response
01:10:30 The real causes of crime, mental health, and harm reduction
01:12:30 How current laws stop gun owners from seeking mental health help
01:17:51 Blake Brown and the Angry White Men question
01:22:32 Why treating the media as the enemy is a losing strategy
01:25:23 Personal agency and not outsourcing your voice to organizations
01:28:04 RCMP variant reclassifications and the case for objective criteria
01:33:00 The Bader 2020 OIC affidavit, prohibited weapons absurdities, charge stacking
01:37:15 What he would tell a PhD student starting on Canadian firearms policy
01:39:00 Suppressors and the next policy fight
01:40:29 Closing message to young Canadian hunters and sport shooters
01:42:34 Wrap
Ep. 184: The Secret Language of Animals: How to Hear What the Wild is Saying About You | George Bumann
2026/04/21
George Bumann can hear a coyote two miles away and tell you there's a wolf on the ridge. He's watched ravens rat out approaching eagles before they're visible. He's tracked a mountain lion by thinking like one until the birds around him started treating him like a predator.
The uncomfortable truth? Every time you step into the woods, the entire landscape is already talking about you. Your location, your mood, your intentions. All of it, broadcast across hundreds of yards before you see a single animal.
George spent four decades decoding animal language from his home at the edge of Yellowstone. In this episode, he reveals what the animals are actually saying, why experienced hunters are still missing most of it, and the one skill you can start practicing this weekend that changes everything.
Buy Eavesdropping on Animals here: https://amzn.to/4tfPJRH
Georges Website: https://www.georgebumann.com/gb/ Georges Art: https://georgebumann.myshopify.com Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/georgebumann/
_____Silvercore Club - https://www.silvercore.ca/club
Online Training - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/canadian-firearms-safety-course-onlineOther Training & Services - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/categoryMerchandise - https://www.silvercore.ca/collections/all-merchandiseBlog Page - https://www.silvercore.ca/blog
Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.travSilvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors
____
0:00:00 - Introduction and sponsor messages0:01:54 - George Bumann joins the Silvercore Podcast0:03:09 - What inspired George to write Eavesdropping on Animals0:04:00 - Tracking foxes as a kid and the mystery of how animals know you're there0:05:16 - Why George stopped hunting: health, family history, and an honest reckoning0:09:00 - Why stepping away from hunting actually deepened his understanding of wildlife0:11:19 - The Eden epiphany: the moment birds revealed the hidden language of the wild0:16:02 - The coyote's word for "wolf" and how George reads animal alarms at distance0:21:03 - Establishing a baseline: spotting the absence of normal0:22:00 - Spidey sense, military awareness, and why rural kids have the sharpest instincts0:25:24 - Indigenous wisdom: thinking happy thoughts on a moose hunt0:27:27 - Your emotional state changes how animals perceive you0:30:00 - Clever Hans the horse: what animals read in us that we don't know we're broadcasting0:34:00 - Tracking a mountain lion by getting inside its head0:37:48 - Crows that recognize your vehicle and hold grudges0:42:37 - Ravens and wolves: Norse mythology meets field observation0:49:13 - A grizzly bear encounter in British Columbia0:54:28 - When the squirrels alarm you, the hunt is over0:56:13 - The chickadee alarm system: counting the Ds to measure danger1:00:00 - Trying to outsmart ravens (and failing)1:03:20 - How your mood changes every animal encounter1:07:07 - Prairie dogs describing your shirt colour and how fast you walk1:08:06 - Disabilities as superpowers: ADHD, hearing loss, and trained senses1:14:04 - Sitting with Jon Young and discovering what 70 observers reveal1:17:41 - How AI is transforming animal language research1:22:00 - Why game calls fool judges but not turkeys1:24:45 - How do you call a beaver?1:29:54 - Animal accents: why crows sound different in California, Alaska, and Maine1:35:20 - The honeycomb landscape: reading the shape of silence1:36:08 - Don't walk like a human: moving through the woods like a squirrel or turkey1:40:24 - Why being quiet and receptive makes you a better person, not just a better hunter1:44:47 - Silvercore Club member question: the single most important thing you can start doing now1:46:22 - Faith, nature, and finding your church outside1:49:40 - It's about belonging: why nature connection fights loneliness and depression1:52:49 - Closing thoughts and part two teaser
Ep. 183: Charged by a Brown Bear at 2 Meters - Torkel Norling on Tracking, Stress & the Never-Quit Mindset
2026/04/07
Torkel Norling does 200 to 300 wounded game recoveries a year. He gets called by Swedish police in the middle of the night to track traffic-hit wildlife, hunts brown bears and lynx with dogs he's bred himself, and just wrote the book on modern blood tracking. Literally.In this episode, we cover the massive differences between Swedish and North American hunting culture, what happens during a real police tracking callout at 2 AM, a brown bear charge that stopped two meters from his face, the mental framework that separates good trackers from great ones, and why the "never quit" attitude matters more than breed, gear or method. Whether you track with dogs or alone with flagging tape and a headlamp, this one's for you.
Guest referral by Erik Rohdin of Nordic Tales and American Trails. - https://open.spotify.com/show/0S6FLXVhVbXXD802ws5j1w
Instragram - https://www.instagram.com/torkelnorling/ Modern Blood Tracking Book - https://mcfarlandbooks.com/product/modern-blood-tracking/
_____Silvercore Club - https://www.silvercore.ca/club Online Training - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/category Other Training & Services - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/category Merchandise - https://www.silvercore.ca/collections/all-merchandise Blog Page - https://www.silvercore.ca/blog
Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.travSilvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors
____
Time Stamps
[00:00:00] Intro and welcome[00:02:12] Swedish government-hunter relationship vs. North American friction[00:04:53] 12,000 wildlife accidents a year: Torkel's tracking operation[00:06:00] Moose population decline, wolves and Allemansrätten (right to roam)[00:07:44] BC vs. Sweden moose numbers and management philosophy[00:10:02] Why Sweden shoots cows and calves first, the science behind it[00:13:52] Wolf politics, the rural-urban divide[00:16:00] Two hunting traditions: independent forest dogs vs. continental driven hunts[00:18:48] Travis's Swedish hunting experiences, from Sollerön to the Norma estate[00:25:18] Advice for hunters without dogs, and why Torkel says there's no substitute[00:28:18] Police callout walkthrough: what happens when the phone rings at 2 AM[00:33:33] Hulda the scent hound, trained to only track on asphalt[00:36:22] The two-dog system, switching from tracker to bay dog[00:38:25] Close calls with wounded game, the mentality that separates good from great[00:40:52] The brown bear stories, dog sacrifice and a charge in the dark[00:46:36] Why Torkel felt zero stress with a bear two meters away[00:48:33] Travis on tunnel vision: skiing, motorcycles and a grizzly survivor[00:51:24] The stair model for stress, starting low and staying below the red line[00:53:14] Inoculation training: visualization, close-range drills and the safety bubble[01:01:02] Physical fitness as the foundation for mental toughness[01:02:16] The never-quit attitude, what elite trackers all have in common[01:06:21] Breaking tracking into single missions: find the start, follow the track[01:08:00] When you lose the trail, go back to the beginning and find your mistake[01:13:53] Practical tips for tracking without a dog[01:18:11] Drones, night vision, thermal: what Sweden allows after the shot[01:20:55] How Swedish hunt teams self-regulate without conservation officers[01:24:00] Bear hunting regulations, the two-dog limit and Plott Hounds from North America[01:29:44] Dog injuries and the reality of close-quarters predator work[01:35:05] Old methods vs. new, why emotion and tradition block progress[01:40:22] Top performers share knowledge freely, ego kills development[01:44:27] Where to find Modern Blood Tracking and how to connect with Torkel
Ep. 182: "I Shouldn't Still Be Here" | Sir Drifto on Risk, Adventure & Knowing When to Stop
2026/03/24
Nathan James, known online as Sir Drifto, holds the world altitude record for the highest electric paramotor flight and has flown hundreds of miles in a vintage open cockpit biplane with his dad. He's also the kind of guy who once tried to fly a paramotor under a bridge and lost his sponsorship in the process.
In this conversation, we talk about what happens when the risk-to-reward ratio flips, why real adventure can't be bought through a booking agent, the Camel Trophy / Defender Trophy comeback, growing up on dirt bikes and two-strokes, what every young person should experience at least once, AI and predictive surveillance, and why the simplest eras might have produced the most capable people.
Nathan is heading to British Columbia for the Defender Trophy, the successor to the legendary Camel Trophy, and this conversation captures exactly the kind of person they'd want behind the wheel.
Silvercore Podcast 182 Nathan James - Sir Drifto
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/sirdrifto/
YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@SirDrifto
_____Silvercore Club - https://www.silvercore.ca/club Online Training - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/category Other Training & Services - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/category Merchandise - https://www.silvercore.ca/collections/all-merchandise Blog Page - https://www.silvercore.ca/blog
Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.travSilvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors
____
Timestamps:
00:00 Intro and the Sir Drifto origin
01:34 Life is short and the risk-to-reward ratio
03:03 When risk stops falling only on you
05:20 Dirt bikes at eight and the berm that changed everything
08:33 Counting birthdays you didn't expect to reach
10:13 Regret as the real balancing act
11:50 Contrived hardship vs. real challenge
14:23 What every young person should experience once
17:36 The Wall-E problem and the softening of capability
22:01 Technology, instant gratification, and lost patience
24:06 Face-to-face connection as the future commodity
27:21 Photoshopping a report card and the sinking jet boat
30:29 The world record electric paramotor flight
40:42 The altitude and would he do it again
42:12 Why winter was the only option
43:22 Flying a Piper Cub cross-country with his dad
47:15 The broken fuel gauge and cornfield contingencies
52:11 The Defender Trophy (Camel Trophy successor) in BC
57:56 Whether it'll be televised
01:00:23 Safety third
01:01:17 Flying a paramotor under a bridge
01:04:12 The helicopter laser incident and federal consequences
01:12:28 AI, facial recognition, and pre-crime prediction
01:16:54 Favorite movies and books
01:22:06 Write down your bucket list and challenge every excuse
Ep. 181: "The Old Version of Yourself Has to Die" | Josh Botha
2026/03/10
Josh Botha showed up to his first precision rifle match with a blind-magazine .204 Ruger and no idea what he was doing. A decade later, he's a four-time Team Canada World Championship competitor, senior designer at MDT (Modular Driven Technologies), founder of the BC Precision Rifle League, and the man behind North Star Precision Training.
In this episode, Josh shares his journey from South Africa to England to BC, how archery led him into the precision rifle world, what it's really like inside MDT's culture, and the massive news about MDT acquiring Lone Peak Arms. We dig into the mental game of competitive shooting, the NRL Hunter format, wind reading, barriers to entry for new PRS shooters, the role of faith in business and life, and why one person stepping up can change everything.
🎁 This month we're giving away a SAI Mini Red Dot to an active Outpost listener - Silvercore Club members, activate the Outpost in your member portal to enter!
🔗 Connect with Josh:
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/jbotha_/ North Star Precision Training: [email protected] and https://www.instagram.com/northstarprecision/ BC Precision Rifle League: https://www.instagram.com/bcprecisionrifle/MDT Sporting Goods: https://www.instagram.com/mdttac21/Optics - https://armament.com/ Ammo - https://www.norma-ammunition.com/
_____Silvercore Club - https://www.silvercore.ca/club Online Training - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/category Other Training & Services - https://www.silvercore.ca/course/category Merchandise - https://www.silvercore.ca/collections/all-merchandise Blog Page - https://www.silvercore.ca/blog
Host Instagram - @Bader.Trav https://www.instagram.com/bader.travSilvercore Instagram - @SilvercoreOutdoors https://www.instagram.com/silvercoreoutdoors
____
Timestamps:
0:00 Intro & SAI Mini Red Dot Giveaway
1:30 Meet Josh Botha: Competitive Shooter & MDT Designer
2:16 Knocking Over Josh's Rifle at a PRS Match
4:24 Growing Up in South Africa & Moving to England
7:00 Family Moves to Canada: Landing on Canada Day 2006
8:33 BC as the Best of South Africa and England Combined
10:00 From BCIT Mechanical Engineering to "Pretensioneer"
11:55 MDT's People-First Culture and Hiring Philosophy
13:16 MDT's Origin Story: From Rooster33 to Martin's Vision
14:28 MDT Acquires Lone Peak Arms: What It Means
16:50 Passion vs. Career: Drawing the Line
18:48 How Archery Led Josh Into Precision Rifle
21:00 First PRS Match: A .204 Ruger and No Idea
22:00 The BC Sniper Match & Why the PRS Community Is Different
27:00 PRS Attracts "Weird Gear Math Nerds" — And That's Great
28:00 The Mental Game: Almost All of It Is Mental Now
29:13 Conscious Competence to Subconscious Mastery
30:06 Wind Reading: The Great Equalizer
30:50 Barriers to Entry: Cost, Fear & PRS .22 Matches
33:50 Launching North Star Precision Training
37:00 Training Venues & The BC Long Range Problem
38:00 Biggest Mistakes New Precision Rifle Shooters Make
39:27 Dealing with Match Pressure & First-Stage Jitters
41:00 NRL Hunter: The Most Fun Match Format Explained
46:00 Gear vs. Skill: LRF Binos, Tripods & Weight Limits
48:03 MDT's Content & Media Strategy: Becoming a Media Company
52:00 Education as Marketing: Magpul, Glock & MDT
54:50 AI in the Firearms Industry: Spanish & French YouTube Channels
57:37 Suppressors: Will MDT Get In the Game?
59:00 Fighting for Suppressor Legalization in Canada
1:02:49 The Power of One Person to Create Change
1:07:55 Leveraging Mentors & Asking for Help
1:08:46 Faith at MDT: A Quiet But Real Foundation
1:11:05 Josh's Faith Journey & Losing His Mom
1:13:29 A Transformative Six Months: Growth Through Trials
1:16:27 What's Next: 4th World Championship & Rimfire in Lithuania
1:19:00 Building a World Championship Rimfire Rig
1:20:14 Product Design: When "Done" Meets "Perfect"
1:23:21 MDT's Most Popular Products (Magazines & Chamber Flags)
1:24:38 CAPRA: The Canadian Precision Rifle Association Board
1:26:39 Addressing Conflict of Interest Criticism
1:30:28 Growth of PRS in Canada: From 75 Members to National Teams
1:32:12 Where to Find Josh & Final Thoughts
Podcast reviews
Read The Silvercore Podcast with Travis Bader podcast reviews
Willy ‘O 2025/11/06
Great Content
This is the show for you if the outdoors is more than a passion for you!
Matt4451 2024/08/13
Always entertaining
Brings new and exciting content each week
Mxsandy12 2021/12/29
Amazing outdoors pod!
A must for all nature lovers!
RP Productions 2021/12/29
Great!
Great detail on firearms and great perspective breakdowns on political views on criminalization and buisness takes. Intriguing and interesting topics....
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