Ops podcast episode 2

Published on October 19, 2019
Duration: 52:02

This podcast episode from O'Neill Ops features James O'Neill and Keith Risky discussing their lifelong partnership in hunting, filming, and gear development. They emphasize the importance of extensive field testing, continuous practice, and understanding animal behavior for successful predator hunting. The conversation delves into rifle modifications, suppressor benefits, and the evolution of their equipment and techniques, highlighting a commitment to practical, real-world application over theoretical best practices.

Quick Summary

The O'Neill Ops team prioritizes understanding predator senses and working animals into close range, emphasizing continuous trigger time and extensive field testing for gear reliability. They advocate for learning from failures and have evolved their rifle platforms for better maneuverability and ballistic performance, often utilizing suppressors and first focal plane optics.

Chapters

  1. 00:41Introduction & Podcast Series
  2. 01:33Introducing the Team: Keith Risky
  3. 02:12Early Days: Kyle Calling Contests & College Ball
  4. 04:23Transition to Long Range & Custom Rifles
  5. 06:00New Setup & Content Production Plans
  6. 07:32Summer Project: The Add-On Build
  7. 08:01Diverse Terrain & Cinematography
  8. 09:03Future Podcast Goals & Format
  9. 10:00Podcast Equipment Evolution
  10. 10:20Keith's Background & Jobs
  11. 12:02College Baseball & Return to Farming
  12. 13:03Gas Station Business & Coyote Hunting
  13. 14:23Hunting as a Lifestyle vs. Hobby
  14. 14:33Cattle Protection & Predator Control
  15. 15:13Balancing Business and Hunting
  16. 16:13Keith's Guiding & Scouting Advantage
  17. 17:02Continuous Improvement as Predator Hunters
  18. 17:33The Camera Factor in Hunting Sets
  19. 18:08Seasonal Hunting Challenges (October Calling)
  20. 19:15Impact of Deer Hunters & Gut Piles
  21. 20:13Podcast Goals: Length & Focus
  22. 20:37Introducing John to the Podcast
  23. 21:16Learning Through Experience & Failure
  24. 22:06Early Ventures: Cutting Irrigation Systems
  25. 23:33Snowball Effect: Selling Prepared Steel
  26. 24:04Ambition & Avoiding Average
  27. 24:41Evolution of Equipment: Mock Cans to Modern Gear
  28. 25:33Future Podcast Topics & Details
  29. 26:37Gaining Experience Through Failure
  30. 27:10The Art of Calling: Not Just Button Pushing
  31. 29:15Unprofessional Podcast Elements (Background Noise)
  32. 29:44Respecting Products & Avoiding Badmouthing
  33. 30:14Test & Evaluation: Running Gear Through the Wringer
  34. 31:05R&D vs. Test & Evaluation
  35. 32:10Athletic Skillset & Hunting Transitions
  36. 33:13The Need for Training & Practice
  37. 33:53Working the Animal: Fooling Nature's Predator
  38. 35:21Learning from Filming: Game Tape Analogy
  39. 35:56Insights from Night Hunting
  40. 36:18Early Gear Purchases: Suppressors
  41. 37:04Access to Gear & Avoiding 'Best' Labels
  42. 37:32Humility & Confidence in Skill
  43. 38:10Suppressor Reviews & Exclusive Designs
  44. 39:02Rifle Evolution: From Factory to Custom
  45. 39:15Early Rifle Mods: Shortening Barrels for Suppressors
  46. 39:48Optics Evolution: First Focal Plane
  47. 40:31Increasing Twist Rate & Heavier Bullets
  48. 40:46Dialing vs. Holdover for Content
  49. 41:14Viewer Questions & Feedback
  50. 42:24The Cost of Footage Errors: Manual Focus Mishap
  51. 43:42A Memorable Hunting Set Gone Wrong
  52. 44:50Filming a Large Coyote Pack
  53. 45:45The Blurry Footage Incident
  54. 46:16Learning from Mistakes
  55. 47:19Face Paint Review
  56. 47:30Podcast Wrap-up & Future Content
  57. 48:22Social Media Handles
  58. 48:41Organizing Content & Staying Focused
  59. 49:15Genuine Interest & Feedback
  60. 49:45Constructive Criticism & Understanding Different Views
  61. 50:19Roots in Childhood Modifications
  62. 50:33Modern Equipment for Efficiency
  63. 51:03Closing Remarks & Call to Action

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the O'Neill Ops team's philosophy on predator hunting?

The O'Neill Ops team emphasizes understanding the predator's senses and working the animal into close range rather than solely relying on long-range shots. They believe continuous practice, extensive gear testing, and learning from failures are key to success in hunting astute animals like coyotes.

How has O'Neill Ops approached rifle modifications for hunting?

They have evolved from factory rifles to custom builds, shortening barrels for maneuverability and threading them for suppressors. They also favor faster twist rates for heavier bullets to better handle wind and increase ballistic performance in their hunting platforms.

What are the key benefits of using suppressors in hunting, according to O'Neill Ops?

Suppressors offer significant advantages such as reduced noise for better communication in the field, improved shooting experience, and enhanced stealth. While acknowledging the administrative process, they consider suppressors a vital tool for modern hunting.

How does O'Neill Ops ensure the reliability of the gear they recommend?

The O'Neill Ops team rigorously field-tests all gear for extended periods, often a year or two, to identify weaknesses and confirm reliability. Products that fail quickly or do not meet their demanding standards are not used or featured in their content.

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