PODCAST · leisure
Peax Thrive Vodcast
by Mark Livesay
`Welcome to the Peax Thrive Vodcast!This short-form, straight-to-the-point show is unlike anything else available in the Western hunting space. It was built for Western hunters looking to level up their game.We'll cover Western hunting topics important to you, such as advanced e-scouting, hunt planning, tactics and strategies, DIY backcountry meal preparation, gear reviews, technology training, and more.Every episode is designed to give you the edge you need to move your Western hunting pursuits to the next level.
Episodes
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Thrive 69 - No Hunters - Probabaly Means No Elk
The reality is that draw odds tell you how hard a tag is to get. They don't tell you whether the unit is any good. In this Peax Thrive episode, Mark sits down with Chiam Loyd at the PEAX studio. They use the new Treeline Hunt IQ Suite to take Chiam's Montana general elk tag from 196 units down to…
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Thrive 68 - Grizzly On The Blood Track • Live From The Hunt
Two bulls down, a grizzly on the blood trail, a barrage of gunfire next to our kill site, and a llama still running with an elk herd at 12,000 feet. The Wyoming hunt had it all. This is a Peax Thrive Live From the Hunt episode, recorded at a Montana trailhead the night before packing in. Mark…
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Thrive 67 - Grizzly Attack In Camp, Missing Llama | Live From The Elk Hunt
Five days into our Wyoming elk hunt, a grizzly came through camp at two in the morning. One of my llamas broke a half-inch lead rope and disappeared into the dark. He's still out there. This is a Peax Thrive Live From the Hunt episode — recorded in camp at last light, no script, still in the…
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Thrive 66 - The Most Expensive Backcountry Stove We Tested Finished Last
Chiam owns more backcountry stoves than any sane person should. So, he finally did what nobody in the hunting space has done: he put twelve of them head-to-head on a 100-point scorecard and let the data decide. Boil times measured three separate ways and averaged. Fuel burn weighed to the gram,...
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Thrive 65 - August: Where Elk Seasons Are Won
In this Thrive episode, we dive into the Work That Nobody Sees And Few Hunters Do! Five e-scouting and hunt-planning tactics that will help you find elk before you ever load the truck. How to set your elevation band off this year's soil moisture instead of habit, how to actually map hunting...
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Thrive 64 - The Archery Elk Hunt That Never Happens
Three hunters. Nine days. Three archery bulls. We recored this after the hunt a year ago, sitting in the dirt next to all three racks, the day we came off the mountain.Last September, Jeff Helm, Josh Smunk and I packed eight llamas 4,500 feet up into very remote piece of public land. What came…
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Thrive 63 - 5 Elk Tactics Almost Nobody Uses
Elk season is just weeks away, and here are five tactics almost nobody actually uses. Every one of them is still doable this week. (Part 1 of 2 — Part 2 drops next Tuesday. Most elk hunters read the same articles, watch the same videos, pick the same trailheads, and walk up the same trails —…
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Thrive 62 - Axis Deer Showdown In Hawaii (Ft. Bow Disciples)
On this Thrive Live From The Hunt, with Bow Disciples but this time we've traded the elk woods for the islands of Hawaii — chasing one of the most beautiful and most destructive animals in North America: the axis deer. Introduced over a century ago, they've exploded across the islands, stripping...
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Thrive 61 - Why Only 6% Punch Elk Tags: How to Avoid Being Average
Six percent. That's how many public-land elk hunters actually punch a tag. The other ninety-four out of a hundred go home empty-handed. Those six percent aren't luckier than you. They're not tougher than you. They just did the work, months before the season, behind the e-scouting screen. It's…
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Spring Bear: Live From The Hunt Lessons Learned
In this live from the hunt Thrive episode, Chiam and I are joined by Lucas, the Peax Equipment spring bear hunt giveaway winner. We sit down together on the hunt to talk about the lessons learned and the highs and lows of spring bear hunting. This season had it all: snow, heat, and a lot of…
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Thrive 58 - Blood On Their Hands: The Grizzly Crisis
On the morning of May 3rd, a 33-year-old man named Anthony Pollio left his father a voicemail from a trail in Glacier National Park. He told his dad he was hiking up a mountain. He told him about his day. He said he loved him. He hung up the phone and kept walking up that trail. He never came…
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Thrive 57 - DIY Backcountry Meals Changed Everything
In this Thrive Vodcast episode, I'm in the kitchen dialing in two custom freeze-dried meals that are going with me on the mountain on my upcoming spring bear hunts. A Deluxe Mexican Style Scramble and Carnivore Ice Cream. Yes. I did say Ice cream. My goal with this episode is to parts. One –…
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Thrive 56 - 10 Spring Bear Gear Essentials: In Ten Minutes
Spring bear season is here, and if your gear isn't dialed right now, you're already behind the curve. Today, I'm not going to waste your time. I've got 10 pieces of gear sitting here that have earned a spot in my pack this year for spring bears. We're gonna rip through these and do a quick...
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Thrive 55 - The Hunt Plan Hunters Don't Build
So many elk hunters fail for one simple reason…They can't find elk! But when you really dig into it—that's not the only real problem. They never built a strategic hunt plan with multiple fully vetted Hunt Areas More importantly, they did not build a plan that could adapt to a changing hunt...
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Thrive 54 - Next Gen Smartwatch: Built For Western Hunters
So much of today's hunting tech is overhyped… or flat-out useless. But every once in a while, something shows up that actually moves the needle. This new Bridger Watch might be one of those tools. We're talking best-in-class topography maps, extreme battery life, fast ballistics, and incredible...
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Thrive 53 - Is the West Quietly Being Privatized?
We talk about public land like it's permanent. Like it will always be there. Like nothing can really change it. But what if the real shift isn't happening through legislation? What if it's happening quietly… through purchase? What happens when the winter range, the migration corridor, the valley...
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Thrive 52 - A 233% License Fee Increase: Now You Need To Pay To Shed Hunt
On today's Thrive Vodcast show, Mark is joined by Jeff Helm, they are fresh off the Peax Elk and Bear Tour events, and they break down the latest Western hunting news. In this episode, they dive into Montana's new license changes, including mule deer B tag restrictions, elk, deer, and antelope...
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Thrive 51 - No Middle Ground | Has Western Hunting Peaked?
In this special edition of The Thrive Vodcast, No Middle Ground Mark and Chiam cut through the noise of modern Western hunting with zero fluff and zero filter. Has Western hunting peaked, or has the rising costs and demand finally broken the system? Do you run a 0° or 15° sleeping bag, and what…
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Thrive 50 - The Death Of Adventure: The Modern Man Disconnect
Today's Thrive episode is a little different. No hunt tactics. No gear talk. No strategy. We will get back to that, but today I want to explore a topic that's been on my mind. It's about us! More specifically, the disconnect of the modern man. You don't need a PhD to see it, men are drifting and...
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Thrive 49 - Spring Bear Success Starts Now: 2026 Will Expose The Unprepared
Spring bear season doesn't start when the tag hits your pocket, it should start right now! This year, the snow isn't normal; the prime bear elevation zones they may not line up like they have historically. Spring bear hunting is snowline game. An elevation game and a timing game. The bear hunters...
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Thrive 48 - The Truth About Elk Tags: Is The System Rigged
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...
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Thrive 47 - Why Average Western Hunters Stay Average: Four Pitfalls To Avoid
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...
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Thrive 46 - The Numbers Don't Lie: Montana Mule Deer Collapse
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...
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Thrive 44 - The Death Of A Thousand Tags: The Mule Deer Freefall
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...
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Thrive 44 - Late-Season Hunts Are Brutal: Five Tips To Keep You In The Game
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...
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Thrive Vodcast 43 - Western Hunting & Marriage: Curbing The Chaos
Today's show is going to be a bit different, OK, a lot different. This Thrive episode isn't about hunt planning, elk strategy, or bear tactics. It's about something that comes up more than just almost anything else: Merging Western hunting & successful marriages, and what it looks like when one…
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Thrive Vodcast 42 - Backcountry Gear You Didn't Know You Needed: LIVE From the Hunt
In this special Live From the Hunt edition of the Thrive Vodcast, I sit down with my good friend Chiam — cameraman, hunter, freeze-dry fanatic, and world-class skinny-jean-wearing tech gear junkie. Warm weather has delayed the elk migration, the elk aren't cooperating, and we were grinding…
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Thrive Vodcast 41 - How Thrive Started: Where We Are Going
What happens when you give me the keys to the bus and let me run wild? I've been sitting on this pre-recorded episode for a while now. We are now 40 shows deep into this Thrive journey, so I figured it's the perfect time to drop it. Brice Bishop, a good friend and the founder of Peax Equipment…
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Thrive Vodcast 40 - Blood Tracking: A Not So New Approach
If you hunt long enough, unfortunately, wounding an animal is going to happen. It's not a matter of if, it's when! It sucks. It's heartbreaking. It's real, and it just happened to me! What you choose to do next is where the story can take a sharp turn—for better or worse. In this Thrive episode…
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Thrive Vodcast 39 - Public Land Hunting Just Changed Forever
Five years. Four hunters. One millionaire ranch owner. In the end, the Supreme Court said… "We're not taking the case." In today's Thrive Vodcast, we're breaking down what this decision really means for Western hunters — and what you might need to know before stepping over that corner. Then, we...
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Thrive Vodcast 38: Loose Bison Rampages Town - The Bearded Butchers
This is part two of my conversation with the legendary Bearded Butcher Brothers. Scott and Seth take us from our elk hunt together back to the butcher shop and into one of the craziest chaos stories. A bison breaks loose from their White Feather Butcher shop and goes on a rampage through town!…
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Thrive Vodcast 37 - The Bearded Butchers Unleashed
In this special edition episode of the Thrive Vodcast, I sit down with the legendary Bearded Butcher Brothers. Scott and Seth are the two men behind YouTube's most popular carnivore and butchering channels. I'm blessed to call these two guys friends. They are not only masters in the butcher shop,...
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Thrive Vodcast 36 - The Transition To Late-Season Elk
That's a wrap for most of the western archery seasons. The bows are cased, the bugles have gone quiet, the bulls are becoming more reclusive, and now it's time to switch gears. We're headed into those late rifle elk seasons, and your entire approach needs to shift. Here's the thing! The elk have...
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Thrive Vodcast 35 - The September Obsession: What It Gives – What It Takes
There's something about the magic of September! The elk bugles, the crisp mornings, the miles we grind, it's sacred ground for archery elk hunters. In this Live From The Hunt Thrive Vodcast, I take you beyond the adrenaline and intense obsession of September. Yes, it's magic, it's important, but...
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Thrive Vodcast 32 - Live From The Elk Hunt: One
This episode is the first live from the hunt series! I'm on an archery elk hunt with Jeff Helm, Josh Smunk, and Brian Andrews. Jeff is packing elk out, so Josh and I set down to record this live from the hunt episode. Hope you enjoy it. ___________________________________________________…
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Thrive Vodcast 31 - Keys To Elk Success With Corey Jacobson
The season is finally here, and I couldn't be more fired up. It's going to be a real test for me, but I would not want it any other way. Before I head out into the Wilderness, I wanted to release a Live On Location episode I did with Corey Jacobson. I was honored to sit down with Corey, he is one...
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Thrive Vodcast 30 - Why Llamas Crush The Backcountry
In today's episode, we're cutting through the pack animal noise and answering one of the most common questions I get: What's the deal with pack llamas? What's all the hype? Are they really worth it? How do they stack up against horses, goats, or mules? Should you buy them? Can you rent them? Why...
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Thrive Vodcast 29 - Turning 60, Torn Quad - Planning My Toughest Season Yet
The Western seasons are firing up, and if you're not already prepping, you're behind the curve. On this episode of the Thrive Vodcast, I'm diving into how I'm prepping for back-to-back steep terrain, high-stakes hunts, while rehabbing from torn quad surgery and turning 60 along the way. We review...
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Thrive Vodcast 28 - Five Rules To Save Your Elk Season
Five Rules To Save Your Elk Season If you chase elk in the West long enough, you're going to face Hunt Area Paralysis. It happens when you pour all your effort and mental collateral into one so-called quote "money spot", only to pack in and find it stone cold. No fresh sign. No bugles. No…
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Thrive Vodcast 27 - Why 94% Of Hunters Don't Punch Elk Tags
After every season, I hear the same thing: 'Man, I wish I had prepared better.' Lack of preparation probably leaves more tags unfilled than poor shooting ever will. Today we're fixing that. We're diving into three elk-season preparations that can make or break your hunt, from mapping tech…
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Thrive Vodcast 26 - Early Elk Season Mastery
Welcome to Peax Thrive Vodcast Episode 26! This is another Live On Location episode, and I'm joined by one of the most intensely dedicated elk hunters I know—Dan Staten, the founder of ElkShape. Over the years, Dan and I have had some epic podcast conversations—and this one's no different. If you...
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Thrive Vodcast 25 - Surviving A Grizzly Attack – Spray vs Firearm
Bear Spray "versus" firearm is the question we are going to tackle on today's Thrive Vodcast. It's a question of survival. If you spend time in grizzly country, you might only get one chance to get it right. We're not talking barstool debates or Instagram flexing. We're talking about what works...
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Thrive Vodcast 24 - The Elk Locator You've Been Missing
Do you ever wonder why elk aren't where they're "supposed" to be? Everything looks perfect, but the elk are not there! This is part two of my Live On Location Thrive Vodcast with Cody Rich from the Rich Outdoors. Everyone has opinions, and you have heard them before: go high, go deep, go remote....
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Thrive Vodcast 23 - Killer Public Land Elk Nuggets With Cody Rich
This episode kicks off a brand-new format of the Peax Thrive Vodcast: Thrive Live On Location, and we're coming to you straight from the Total Archery Challenge in Red Lodge, Montana. Fair warning: this episode hits a little differently. I'm joined by Cody Rich — one of the prolific and sharpest...
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Thrive Vodcast 1 - Plan Better. Hunt Better.
Welcome to the Peaks THRIVE Vodcast! Join Mark Livesay as he redefines hunting podcasts for Western hunters. This unique show dives deep into essential strategies, tools, and tactics to elevate your hunting game. Expect insights on advanced e-scouting, hunt planning, DIY backcountry meals, gear...
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ABOUT THIS SHOW
`Welcome to the Peax Thrive Vodcast!This short-form, straight-to-the-point show is unlike anything else available in the Western hunting space. It was built for Western hunters looking to level up their game.We'll cover Western hunting topics important to you, such as advanced e-scouting, hunt planning, tactics and strategies, DIY backcountry meal preparation, gear reviews, technology training, and more.Every episode is designed to give you the edge you need to move your Western hunting pursuits to the next level.
HOSTED BY
Mark Livesay
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Frequently Asked Questions
How many episodes does Peax Thrive Vodcast have?
Peax Thrive Vodcast currently has 45 episodes available on PodParley. New episodes are automatically indexed when they're published to the podcast feed.
What is Peax Thrive Vodcast about?
`Welcome to the Peax Thrive Vodcast!This short-form, straight-to-the-point show is unlike anything else available in the Western hunting space. It was built for Western hunters looking to level up their game.We'll cover Western hunting topics important to you, such as advanced e-scouting, hunt...
How often does Peax Thrive Vodcast release new episodes?
Peax Thrive Vodcast has 45 episodes. Check the episode list to see recent publication dates and frequency.
Where can I listen to Peax Thrive Vodcast?
You can listen to Peax Thrive Vodcast on PodParley by clicking any episode. We provide an embedded audio player for direct listening, and you can also subscribe via your preferred podcast app using the RSS feed.
Who hosts Peax Thrive Vodcast?
Peax Thrive Vodcast is created and hosted by Mark Livesay.
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