8/8/25: Robbie Kroger of The Origins Foundation & Shoot Indoors Buckley & Custom Ear Solutions Today’s Guests: Robbie Kroger with The Origins Foundation to talk about tonight’s event in Windsor, CO and will fill us in on The Origins Foundation Mission! Then Tim Christpherson Owner of Shoot Indoors Buckley is with us to talk about their amazing facility and then we wrap it up with “Listen Up” with Dr. Melissa Fling, Owner of Custom Ear Solutions to talk about the importance of protecting your hearing. Dr. Fang offers several different custom products for shooting and other activities such as
SPEAKER 01 :
Welcome to Sportsman of Colorado, Colorado’s premier outdoor radio show heard every Saturday afternoon on KLZ 560 with insights on hunting, fishing, archery, guns, and ammo from Colorado’s top outfitters featuring the industry’s leading experts on how to enhance your experience in the great outdoors. Now, here’s your host, Scott Watley.
SPEAKER 12 :
Welcome to Sportsman of Colorado. Thank you so much for joining us now. Hey, just a quick reminder. I ran into some guys the other day that did not know we had the replays on Sunday. So if you miss our live show on Saturdays 1 to 2, you can catch us twice on Sundays. That’s 8 a.m. and 8 p.m. And then also the following Thursday, the show re-airs. And sometimes you’ll hear about events and different things, so just make sure you’re paying attention to the date because some of those are maybe on the weekend that we’re speaking of. So when you hear the replay… It may not be applicable, but again, a lot of great guests we have, and we’re going to have a guest today that I’ve known about for several years, never had the privilege of meeting until this last weekend at our United Houndsmen of Colorado banquet, and that is Mr. Robbie Kroger, most of you know from blood origin. And so, Robbie, with that, welcome to Sportsman of Colorado. It’s an honor to have you on, sir.
SPEAKER 07 :
Oh, it’s my honor, man. It’s always my honor. When somebody says, hey, we’d love to talk to you a little bit more, how can I say no? So thank you for having me.
SPEAKER 12 :
Well, I appreciate it. I appreciate it. All right. Man, there’s so many angles I want to start off with here. But first of all, why don’t we just, and most people know you, like I say, from the Blood Origins and the founder of that and all, but give us some background of yourself and a little bit of your background and how all this came about with Blood Origins.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah. So, you know, I came from South Africa originally. I’ve spent almost 20 years of my life in the, or 23 years of my life in the Southeast, 20 years in Mississippi, three years in Tennessee. Started to hunt a little bit. I never hunted before I came to the States. I got married, had two small boys and just started really, I’m trying to understand hunting and being able to give this lifestyle across to my kids. You know, I’m a proud American now and to be able to enjoy this this beautiful place the resources the public lands the 2a you know the second amendment be able to to do everything that you guys you guys loved and i would say often take for granted i was like man we i you know i want to say something about this because i come from a different place and i and i have a very different perspective sure and so i wanted to understand why people hunted really and that’s how we started with this project called blood origins and We just wanted to communicate a more true representation of who hunters are. And that morphed into building a nonprofit. That morphed into becoming more of an advocate, putting our head above the parapet and taking bullets and sending bullets down. But those bullets were full of truth. And it has now sort of elevated itself to the next level. And as you heard me say on the weekend… Blood Origins isn’t Blood Origins anymore. We’re the Origins Foundation now, and we need to reach more people. We need to engage more people. We need to raise more money. And really, there’s a much bigger cause in which hunting fits into, which is now championing for the truth around sustainable use of wildlife, which includes all sorts of wildlife conservation issues around the world. So that’s really a shortened version of where we got to today. Sure.
SPEAKER 12 :
And, you know, Prop 127, of course, was really big here last year, and you guys played a key role in that, so thank you for that. But I think in some ways, some people might have sat back and said, okay, we’ve won, you know, we won the battle. Well, no, we won that little squirmish a little bit, but, man, the battles are really ahead of us, aren’t they?
SPEAKER 07 :
You know, yes and no. Like, you’ve got to take your victories and you’ve got to celebrate them and And the winner of Prop 127 was a huge victory. We’ve never seen something like that happen before. And we’re getting victories on the board. We’re putting runs on the board everywhere in the world. And we’ve got to recognize that we are starting to be better about what we do and how we do it. We are recognizing that there’s certain stories that we need to tell to help that message. So for instance, we’re coming back to Colorado and We’re actually working right now in Colorado on a documentary that is to show the real implications and consequences of ballot box biology. So a lot of people would have voted yes to reintroduce wolves into Colorado without really an understanding of what that yes vote means. They think it’s just like, yes, it’s brilliant to bring an apex predator back to the landscape. And in some instances, it might be needed. But I think it’s also worthwhile in the same breath explaining, like, this is what’s going to happen when you do tick yes and it does pass. Do you know the ranching community and what impact it’s going to have on them and the kinds of dogs that they now need to purchase and implement and how those dogs actually don’t interact very well with the sheepdogs, which are the herding dogs that they have, and that they now have to be put through all of these different rigors for something that they didn’t vote yes on. And so it’s not just a story about ballot box biology and Wolfrey introduction. It’s a much greater story, which is, I guess, true consequence to decisions. And it’s really what happens in life, right? You’ve got true consequences to any decision that you make. So I think, yes, it’s easy to look at a doom and gloom scenario, like we’ve got much, much bigger fights ahead. But I like to also look at some of our victories and You know, we’re slowly doing much, much better in our narrative, in our storytelling, in pushing back. You know, we’re in a much better place today than we were, say, five or ten years ago.
SPEAKER 12 :
Oh, absolutely, absolutely. If you’re just joining us, Robbie Kroger is with us. He is the founder in the past now of Blood Origins, and now everything you’re going to hear forward is the Origins Foundation. You can find out more about it at theoriginsfoundation.org. We’re looking back, man, it seems like the sportsmen, outdoorsmen, have not really engaged a lot. Dan Gates, our friend with Colorado, who’s responsible for wildlife management, said if 30% of the licensed hunters in Colorado would have voted against the wolf issue, we would have won that hands down. And I think the key is doing what we’re doing now, educating and you bringing the message that you’re bringing and all. But what are other steps you think we need to take as outdoorsmen and sportsmen and conservationists to get the message out to the non-hunter? How’s the best way to do that?
SPEAKER 07 :
You know, we’ve got to be comfortable and confident in our ability to say something, comment on something, talk to somebody over the dinner table, interact with them at the gas station, at the gas pump. And the way that you can do that is by learning from, you know, folks like us, folks like Dan Gates, absorbing the material, understanding the material, and then just being, again, confident enough in your stance, in your opinion, And also at the same time, in a very respectful manner, engage with people. You’re not going to get anywhere in this world, especially in the digital media world we live in, if you come off as a very aggressive commenter. Or aggressive like, it’s my way or the highway. That’s not going to help our cause. It’s not going to help your cause if you’re trying to engage somebody. So you’ve got to have the right demeanor, number one. Number two, I think… just as important is again be confident enough and you you know learn from people pick up statistics bury them in your brain use them feel confident using them and then you know at the end of that if you feel like you only can say one sentence or two sentences say one or two sentences and say hey you may want to go check out origins foundational you may want to go check out crwm you may want to go check out a couple of podcasts that uh that dan gates is doing um and others obviously sure I think that that’s the way that, and I think narrative also, like you’ve got all that, but also if you’re a hunter, know that there’s lots of other things to why we hunt and to the sort of benefit and consequence that comes from you hunting than just a dead animal that you place on your social media. Correct. And so when we as a collective community start communicating more along those lines, like, hey, Here’s a buddy of mine that I’m giving a bunch of venison to because he really likes venison, but he doesn’t have time to hunt. Or he really likes venison, but he doesn’t even want to hunt. But he’s happy for me to do it and for me to give him some meat, fresh organic meat. You know, tell stories like that. Become the storytellers that we’re supposed to be. That’s only going to help our cause.
SPEAKER 12 :
Yeah, absolutely. Now, this documentary that you say that you’re working on, you announced here this last weekend at the banquet there, that’s going to be debuting at our Mile High Hunt and Fish Expo next March, correct?
SPEAKER 07 :
That’s the plan. Okay. That’s the plan, Scott. You never know what happens between now and then. But right now, the plan is, you know, finish filming. Hopefully in the December, January timeframe, we’re working on post-production already, lining things out, putting interviews in place, cutting interviews. So it’s not going to be like the heavy lift of a post-production piece once you finish filming in the January, February timeframe. So the plan is very much so, is to try and debut the Wolves in Denver documentary series. with the Mile High Expo because, and really very simply, the Mile High Expo and the team there, Phil and Abe, were just tremendous to us. And they said, look, we want to raise some money for you. We want to raise some money for this project. and this documentary, and they did, which is amazing.
SPEAKER 12 :
Yes, yeah. I was emceeing that banquet that night, and, man, hands were going up all over. And so, yeah, we were super happy to do that for you. And just a real quick note on that, the Mile High Hunting Fish Expo, the dates are March 20th through the 22nd. We will not be back at the Gaylord. we are going to be going to the National Western Center Expo Hall, the new Expo Hall. And so we’ll give you more information about that another time, but I didn’t want to throw that in. It is March 20th through the 22nd for the Mile High Hunt and Fish Expo. So you’re coming to town in Windsor. Tell us about an event.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, so we’ve got a really cool event that’s happening this Saturday night, August 9th. It’s with Uluru’s Archery, and it’s really a film event, a summer film event. And we hope to make it more of an annual event, actually. So it’s up at the Grain House in Windsor, Colorado. It’s our summer film festival. You’re going to see two films. You’re going to see Lionheart that we showed everyone last year. And then there’s another film called King of the Crown Mountain. So come out, see some great films. It’s going to be a great silent auction. We’ve got a great artist called Wilson Clark. Wilson Clark will have two sets. The doors are going to open around 4 o’clock in the afternoon. There’ll be a bunch of vendors there. Your ticket gives you free food, so come get a meal. I know everyone’s going to need to eat and eat dinner. You going out and eating dinner is going to cost you about the same as what you’re going to get your ticket for. If you are buying tickets, you can find the link on our Instagram. You can find tickets on Ulrich Archery’s Instagram, and you can get a 25% discount right now by going to find the link, and that’s arrow25 is the 25% discount.
SPEAKER 12 :
Okay, well, we’ll make sure and put that on our social media as well. Yeah, please. Yeah, all transparency here. We’re having to prerecord this show today. And so as it is airing here on Saturday, the event is tonight. So hopefully you can get that out.
SPEAKER 07 :
That’s right, tonight. You need to come tonight. This is airing at 1 o’clock. You’ve got four or five hours. Just come on. You can buy a ticket at the door at the Grand House. Come on. Have a good time. Have a good meal. Buy a couple of drinks. and watch some great films.
SPEAKER 12 :
And support us. Yeah, for sure. You know, when it brings up with just filming and all the things that you do, I don’t think people understand how much money it takes to make this happen. So when I say how can we help you, I mean, it all boils down to just everybody needs to donate what they can, correct?
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah. Look, what we typically ask is this. If you like what we do, we ask you to donate to us the cost of a cup of coffee a month. That’s all we ask. So whatever your favorite coffee is, you know, I’ll admit and be and say that I am, I love a caramel macchiato at Starbucks and that costs $6.44. That’s all I’m asking you to do is like, if you, you know, you like four or five, you like four or five, Starbucks coffees a month. Can you drop your quality from five to four and just donate the $6 of that fifth cup of coffee to us? And at the same time, we’re going to enter you into amazing giveaways every month. So you could win a $500 Eberle stock gift card for giving us six bucks a month. Last year, somebody won a Springbok Slam Hunt in South Africa.
SPEAKER 12 :
Wow. Okay.
SPEAKER 07 :
For giving five bucks a month.
SPEAKER 12 :
Right. Wow. All right. So they just go to the website.
SPEAKER 07 :
And you’re supporting us, right?
SPEAKER 12 :
They can do that on your website, theoriginsfoundation.org, correct?
SPEAKER 07 :
Theoriginsfoundation.org. You can support us. There’s a donate button. Just hit the donate button, and they’ll send you right through.
SPEAKER 12 :
Right. Okay. What are the next steps here over these next few months that people need to do, really? And I highly recommend everybody follow them on social media. Man, Robbie does a great job there. Thank you. So follow on social media, tell your friends about it, and let’s spread the word. And folks, look, I realize it is short notice the way we had to work this out. Again, Robbie and I just met this last weekend, and he said, I’m coming back Friday to Colorado. So I said, well, let’s get you on to talk about your event. If you can make it up to Windsor, do that, okay? And if you have questions about it, yeah. Hey, my cell is 720-201-8585. Get in touch with me, and we’ll get you there. And you can get tickets at the door, you said, right, Robbie?
SPEAKER 07 :
That’s correct. Absolutely.
SPEAKER 12 :
All right. Good deal. How do we get a couple more minutes here, but how do we get young people? You know what, man, I’ve seen just a big diminishing deal with young people, you know, because a lot of fathers don’t hunt, different things like that. And what’s your message out there to help all of us? I mean, I had one guy I was talking with at the banquet, and he said, you know, if all the hunters out there just adopted kids, all of us know somebody that the dad doesn’t hunt. Just ask them, hey, can I take your kid fishing? Can I take him hunting? Can I take him camping? Whatever, just to get him out like that. What are some things we can do to get our youth in? And like you say, it’s not about just shooting stuff or things like that. You know, conservation and just really teaching them the right way about the outdoors.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, that’s a good question. I think, number one, you nailed it. If you live in the neighborhood and you’re taking your sons hunting, and they’ve got a friend in the neighborhood that you know doesn’t hunt, just invite them. Tell your son to invite them and ask their parents if they would be okay with you taking them hunting. You never know what the parents will say. You never know what the kid will say. That’s a super easy way to do it. That’ll be a major multiplier in terms of getting people out into the outdoors. Secondly, here’s where the tough part the tough hurdle to climb over. If, if you don’t have that, you know, friend, how do you get into those, those, those households that dad doesn’t hunt anymore? And maybe the kid is, has interest, but like, you know, how’s the kid going to reach out? That’s a tough hurdle. However, there are great, great organizations in most States, including the typically the wildlife agency of the state that, that has great youth hunter education, hunter opportunities. And there’s great organizations like Outdoor Tomorrow Foundation that’s pumping a bunch of hunting literature into schools all across the country. I would say I’m actually more… What’s the word I’m looking for? I’m not, again, I don’t believe in sort of the doom and gloom, like we’re losing hunters because we’re not recruiting youngsters anymore. Right. I think that there’s a lot of fabulous organizations doing great work in that realm. Oh, sure.
SPEAKER 12 :
Absolutely.
SPEAKER 07 :
And I think that there’s also great science and research that says there’s also something to be said about investing in sort of the late adult onset hunter. So not just like inviting the kid to go hunting of the friend. Why don’t you ask the dad if he wants to go hunting?
SPEAKER 12 :
Boy. Yep. Great idea. Yeah.
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah. And so if the dad wants to go hunting, then you’re actually going to be, that’s probably more effective in my brain because if you can get the dad hunting, who has resources, then he’s going to introduce his son and his daughter and maybe the mom into hunting.
SPEAKER 12 :
Sure. You know, that is a great thing, too. Man, a lot of women have really gotten into the, I’ll just say the outdoors, the big umbrella of the outdoors over these last several years. And that’s been great to see.
SPEAKER 07 :
Absolutely. You know, it’s the biggest growing demographic of the hunting community right now is women hunters.
SPEAKER 12 :
Yeah, absolutely. Well, hey, folks. You’ve got a few hours to get to Windsor. Do it. We need your help. We want you to come. Hey, come support Robbie and the Origins Foundation. It’s the originsfoundation.org, and it’s the grain house. Now, does that give you the address? And I know if you don’t have it, I’ll put it on my social media here in just a few minutes. But does it give you the address there of that?
SPEAKER 07 :
I will tell you right now, you’re putting me on the spot.
SPEAKER 12 :
Yeah, I know.
SPEAKER 07 :
Give me two seconds. No problem, no problem. It is the Grain House in Windsor, Colorado.
SPEAKER 12 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 07 :
And the Grain House address is… 178 B Raindance National Drive.
SPEAKER 12 :
All right. All right. So, Grain House. Hey, you can Google that. So, do that.
SPEAKER 07 :
Google the Grain House and let your phone take you there.
SPEAKER 12 :
Absolutely. And you know what, Rob? Give you a chance to meet Robbie there. And I’m telling you, we had a few minutes just the other night and super enjoyed getting to meet you. And, again, we’re going to be doing this a lot more here because we want to keep everybody.
SPEAKER 03 :
Yes, sir.
SPEAKER 12 :
involved in what you’re doing we’re going to try to get some support for you and uh hey keep this ball rolling so to speak robbie so man i appreciate your time uh welcome back to colorado and if i wasn’t didn’t have to be down in florence colorado for the outdoorsman days uh this weekend i would certainly be in windsor so i wish i could be two places in the world if you’re not at our events you better be at the outdoorsman’s event absolutely absolutely well robbie i appreciate your time sir and i’ll be back in touch with you
SPEAKER 07 :
Yeah, please do. Anytime you need me on, I’ll be happy to come on.
SPEAKER 12 :
All right, man. I sure appreciate it. That’s Robbie Kroger, once again, the founder of The Origins Foundation, TheOriginsFoundation.org. And, folks, I’m serious. Look, maybe your plans tonight were doing something else. You know what? Put that on hold. Head up to Windsor. Come to the greenhouse. Help support. Great family event. Hey, you’ll get to meet Robbie and hear more about the Origins Foundation. He mentioned a silent auction, dinner and all. It would be a great night for you. You’re listening to Sportsman of Colorado. We’ve got to take a quick break, and we’ll be back with more right after this.
SPEAKER 09 :
If you’re in the market for a new rifle for the big game season or a new shotgun for some doves or upland game birds, head on over to The Gun Room. Kevin Flesch here from Sportsman of Colorado, inviting you to visit Denver’s oldest gun dealer. And that’s The Gun Room at 1595 Carr Street in Lakewood. They offer buy, trade, consignment, transfers, and appraisals. And if you purchase a gun, we’ll cover your background check fee. It’s The Gun Room, 1595 Carr Street. Tell them Sportsman of Colorado sent you.
SPEAKER 12 :
Now that the summer heat is on with temperatures in the 80s and 90s, it’s easy to forget that our pets can’t cool off by changing into shorts and t-shirts like we do. Pets wear fur year-round and are limited in how well they can cool their bodies. It doesn’t take long for them to overheat and get in serious trouble with hypothermia or heat stroke. Hey, this is Scott Whatley and every summer we hear sad stories about pets being left in cars or out in the hot sun and the tragic outcome that follows. The team at Lone Tree Veterinary Medical Center wants your pets to be safe this summer and have a few tips that can help. Be sure your pet always has access to fresh water both indoors and outdoors. Limit your pet’s outdoor walks, hikes, and other outdoor activities to early morning and evening hours when it’s cooler. Bring plenty of water along for your pet. Keep pets inside during the day where air conditioning or fans keep it cooler. Make sure your pet has a shaded area if out in the yard. And never, never leave your pet in a parked car, even for a quick errand. Temperatures in a car can rise to dangerous levels within minutes, even if shaded and the windows are open. For more information on hot weather safety, check out the Stay Cool, Avoiding Hypothermia in Pets blog at LoneTreeVet.com. For more information about the many wonderful services at their facility, just give them a call at 303-708-8050. That’s 303-708-8050. Lone Tree Veterinary Medical Center. It’s the place where my pets go. Save now at the Outdoorsman’s Attic. It’s your go-to consignment store for outdoor gear. Hunting, fishing, camping, they’ve got it all at unbelievable prices. Right now, save up to 30% on sleeping bags and tents, up to 40% off on footwear, and up to 50% off on clothing. Located at 2650 West Hampton in Sheridan, they’ll even turn your old gear into cash. And don’t forget, for expert firearm cleaning and repair, see Scott the Gunsmith and mention Sportsman of Colorado. It’s the Outdoorsman’s Attic. Gear up and save.
SPEAKER 04 :
KLZ 560, your home station.
SPEAKER 12 :
Welcome back to Sportsman of Colorado. Thank you so much for being with us today. Shoot indoors, Buckley. Hey, a great range, 1310 South Abilene Street, and the owner joins us today, our good buddy, Tim Christopherson. Christopherson, how are you?
SPEAKER 11 :
Christopherson, yes.
SPEAKER 12 :
Doing well, Scott. How about yourself? Doing good, man. Buddy, years gone by, hasn’t it? It’s… It’s been a quick summer for sure. You say the summer’s been good, though.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, summer’s been good. Been busy. Carton kids are all around the state and even to Canada. We had to travel for the lacrosse tournament this year, so up in Calgary for a weekend, which was fun. But, yeah, so it’s been a busy summer. On and off work. Been busy at the range and really things have been going well.
SPEAKER 12 :
Well, good, good. You know, I know I’ve never been through a time like this, so much attack on our guns and firearms and different things. A lot of changes have come up over last year and this year. One thing is new training-type mandates. Kind of tell us a little bit about that for those that don’t know, and then about some of your classes.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, for sure. Anybody that is a current CCW holder or looking at obtaining their permit to conceal or carry a handgun is required new training as of July 1st of this year. So it’s a two-hour refresher course for existing permit holders and then an eight-hour mandatory course with shooting in both classes in order to obtain your new permit. So that started, like I said, July 1st. And we’ve seen a big demand for that. A lot of people are exercising that right to carry. So it’s good to see people going through the steps and obtaining those permits. Right.
SPEAKER 12 :
How many people can you put in a class each time?
SPEAKER 11 :
We just redesigned our classroom. We can actually fit close to 30 people in our classroom now.
SPEAKER 12 :
So it is somewhat limited. So people that want to get in… Better call.
SPEAKER 11 :
Oh, for sure. Scarcity. We like to see our classes between 10 and 12 people. We do run some special events where we’re, you know, putting more people in the classroom, but you won’t see an overcrowded class more than 10 or 12 people typically.
SPEAKER 12 :
And I tell people all the time when they say shooting, I go, look, the way I believe it is, they’re not looking for you to be a marksman in that. They’re looking for you to be safe with a firearm, correct?
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah. And the shooting requirement, while it is a requirement, they’re, We’re looking for safety more than we are marksmanship. There is an accuracy requirement. I think we’re yet to have anybody fail that portion, so don’t be intimidated.
SPEAKER 12 :
You must stay on paper.
SPEAKER 11 :
Don’t be intimidated by the shooting portion, and we’ll give one-on-one instruction as needed to assure proficiency.
SPEAKER 12 :
Right. And what are those classes running right now, money-wise?
SPEAKER 11 :
So we did have to double the length of our class. So that essentially doubled the cost of the class as well. The refresher course is $125. That’s two hours. You’re going to spend time in the classroom and time on the range. And then the CCW new permit class would be $250. That’s basically seven hours, uh, classroom instruction. And then, uh, you go on the range for the last hour. So, uh, yep. We’re making sure we’re running through the paces.
SPEAKER 12 :
So what are you seeing in, in, um, people coming in more guys, more women than normal? I mean, what do you, who are you seeing coming in for the classes?
SPEAKER 11 :
You know, we’ve got a really good mix of men, women, children. Um, there, I wouldn’t, you know, it’s a predominantly male sport. I will say that, but, uh, You know, women’s participation in the shooting sports has grown exponentially over the last several years. And whether it’s somebody trying to protect themselves or just find a new hobby or a new sport to enjoy, we really get all walks of life. Right.
SPEAKER 12 :
Again, Tim is with us at Shoot Indoors Buckley. It’s 1310 South Abilene. There are several other locations around the area. As well, let’s see, we’ve got off 6th and I-25.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yep, 6th Avenue and I-25 is our Shoot Indoors Denver location. We have another one just off of 39th and Monaco. That’s what we call our Shoot Indoors Central Park. And then our first location in the metro area, been around for just over 12 years now, almost 13, is up in Broomfield off of Highway 36 and 120th. So easy to get to anywhere you are in the metro area. And your hours at your store are? We are open 10 a.m. until 10 p.m., Monday through Thursday, 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. on Fridays. And then long weekend hours, 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. So we try to accommodate as many schedules as we can. So whether it’s work or play, we can hopefully find some time to get in.
SPEAKER 12 :
And you talk about being convenient for people because, you know, other places may close 5 or 6 o’clock. You’re there until 10 o’clock or 8 o’clock. And, I mean, that’s awesome.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, and we’re just meeting the demand because there’s many days where our busiest hours of the day are from 8 to 10 o’clock because there’s nothing else to do, especially if you’re in the shooting sports. Every place else is closed down. So we’ve really taken a stride to keep it convenient with our hours.
SPEAKER 12 :
Well, here’s the thing I hear, too. I mean, the whole time you’ve been with us is, man, I don’t need a coffee bar. I don’t need a restaurant. I need a place I can just get in and shoot.
SPEAKER 11 :
You know what I mean?
SPEAKER 12 :
Yeah. And be cost effective. And you’re certainly that.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, we try to keep our walk-in rates competitive. We definitely have our membership rates probably the most competitive in the industry in this area. So for $40 a month, you can get unlimited access to our range and not pay any per-visit fees. So it’s very cost-effective if you’re shooting more than once a month.
SPEAKER 12 :
You know, here’s something to manifest. And I highly recommend you follow them on their social media. And again, it’s Shoot Indoors Buckley. But you will see things from… Bachelor parties, bachelorette parties, you’ll see work functions group. What I’m saying is people can get in touch with you. You can kind of design something for any type group or individuals that want to come in, can’t you?
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, absolutely. We’ve worked with groups that bring catering in. We’ve got our classroom space is great for gathering. If there’s not a class going, we can arrange the classroom for you. And, you know, we get groups constantly coming in just to find a fun way to spend an afternoon or a team-building event. Wow, cool.
SPEAKER 12 :
Hey, you were telling me before we came on air you had a pretty special guest recently that’s going to be coming back in November.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yes, just last week we had Sam Yu, and for those of you who don’t know who he is, he is an international competitor in shooting sports. He’s done a lot of training of celebrities for certain movie roles and that type of stuff, and he is the best marksman, best firearms handler I’ve ever been in close contact with. He’s amazing. He’s won world championships in IPSC. He is… A lot of fun to watch. And he did a training course, a three-day course here last week, and he’s coming back in November to do some more training. And so watch our website, watch our calendar, and see when we have him posted.
SPEAKER 12 :
Yeah, we’ll definitely get you back on that for sure.
SPEAKER 11 :
It’ll be training unlike anybody’s ever seen before.
SPEAKER 12 :
If you’re familiar with the John Wick movies, he’s the one that trained Keanu Reeves, correct?
SPEAKER 11 :
Yep, that is correct. So he walks the walk and talks the talk for sure. Wow, that’s awesome.
SPEAKER 12 :
Now, gun rentals. Let’s talk about that a little bit and how all that works.
SPEAKER 11 :
You know, our gun rentals and our fleet is constantly growing. We’re adding one to two, maybe three guns a month, so we’re up well over 60 now available for rent. And you can come in without anything, and we can help you get on the range. A single firearm rental is $20. If you want to try multiple firearms, you’re going to pay $35. Ammo is an additional purchase for that, but it’s a great way to try something before you buy it or just come out for a fun afternoon.
SPEAKER 12 :
And you work with our friend Ryan, Big Horn Firearms, and you all do quite a few events together too.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, we’ve done several events in the past. He always does his anniversary party that we set up a booth at, and we work closely with him and his crew over there obtaining firearms, and we send people his way all the time. So it’s fun to have that business relationship with a reputable gun store. Right.
SPEAKER 12 :
Those machine gun shoots, those are pretty crazy, aren’t they?
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, we’ve pared back on those slightly. We’re doing them probably quarterly now as opposed to monthly, but still a great way to get out and shoot something that you may likely never have another chance to do. Machine gun shoots are always a good time.
SPEAKER 12 :
all right um if people want to get i’ve talked to a few people and i’ve told them just to call you but i’ve talked to a few people that says man i just don’t want to be in a class with training i just i want to i’d like to do one-on-one stuff is anybody on your staff available to be hired for like a one-on-one for a few weeks for training yeah absolutely we’ve got uh you know with this new colorado requirements we’ve got several verified instructors working for us
SPEAKER 11 :
Not that they need to be a verified instructor to do a one-on-one lesson, but those go for $125. Okay. It’s 90 minutes. Usually the instructor will, you know, gauge your ability level up to 30 minutes in the classroom, and then the rest of the time is spent on the range going over the fundamentals or whatever skills you’re wanting to work on.
SPEAKER 12 :
Mm-hmm. Again, Tim Christopherson is with us at Shoot Indoors Buckley, 1310 South Abilene Street. And, hey, pretty much they’re always open that you’re awake, all right? So that’s the easiest way to put it. But, again, this is a great place, and it is exactly what I said a few minutes ago. Hey, if you’re there just to get in, be able to shoot your gun in a good environment, clean environment, great staff. uh, shoot a lot of different guns maybe. And, and let’s mention this real quick, you know, before you go to Ryan and buy a gun, try some, shoot, see what fits you, right? That’s the best place to do it is your place. Yep.
SPEAKER 11 :
And like I said, our rental fleet is constantly evolving. So we’re bringing on the, you know, new popular guns that are, you know, coming out. So we always try to keep that fresh. So, you know, what you’re looking at, what you’re trying to rent and shoot is what you’re able to go out and buy right away. So, And you were telling me you just celebrated five years. We did. Five-year anniversary on July 7th. So that was exciting. You know, opened this business, arguably the worst time in history, right in the peak of COVID. So we faced many challenges there. But, you know, we adapted and overcame. And now we just celebrated five years. So that’s quite an accomplishment.
SPEAKER 12 :
Quite an accomplishment. Absolutely. Now, are there other special deals or days or discounts? I think you do some things for veterans.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah, so military, police, current form military, law enforcement, firefighters, EMTs, always get a discount when you come in. Just make sure you mention it at the counter. They’ll likely ask you as well. Um, we do have our ladies day, uh, probably our most popular weekday. Uh, that’s a women’s shoot for $10, uh, get a free gun rental and a free target. So, uh, best value in town, in my opinion.
SPEAKER 12 :
Absolutely. Um, anything coming up anytime soon you want to mention or a little too early to mention?
SPEAKER 11 :
Um, we don’t have a lot, uh, other than, like I said, Sam is coming back in, uh, November. He’ll be running some classes before hours, after hours. So I might have to adjust your schedule a little bit to take advantage of that. But he likes to be on an empty range. So we’ll be operating those classes outside of business hours. Other than summer’s almost over and our winter season’s picking up, expect to be a little bit busier, but still with 12 lanes, we can easily accommodate 200 shooters a day. So don’t let a line scare you away. Yeah, really. Is there anything you can’t shoot there? We can’t shoot birdshot, so shotguns with slugs or buckshot, and then we don’t shoot .50 caliber BMG. Other than that, all rifle calibers, all pistol calibers, and shotguns with slugs or buckshot. And for those black powder people out there, we can accommodate black powder as well. Our ventilation system is second to none, so you won’t be filling the range with smoke.
SPEAKER 12 :
I’ll tell you, that’s here for a note. I actually got a muzzleloader tag this year, so I’m planning on stopping by. That would be great. Talk about your staff a minute. And all we hear about how friendly and knowledgeable your staff is, and that means a lot to a business, you know, when they’re welcomed. And I think that’s one thing when people come over and over again, you kind of build a great community there, you know?
SPEAKER 11 :
Oh, absolutely. My staff speaks for themselves. And you can check our reviews online. You’ll see we’re at 4.9 stars, which is the highest rated range in the nation. And, you know, our staff goes above and beyond. and really just creates that welcoming atmosphere. So whether you’re a novice or a beginner, or you’ve been shooting for, you know, decades, um, our staff can probably help you out one way or another. Yeah, for sure.
SPEAKER 12 :
Once again, it is shoot indoors, Buckley 1310 South Abilene. You can check out the other locations in the area as well. And if you’ll listen, um, Hey, everyone’s phone, we’ll throw out some deals where you can get a chance to, to win a gift card there. And, um, A great, great store. Again, over 60 guns you can try and shoot. And I want to make sure I’m right on this. $20 if you rent one gun. $35 you can shoot anything.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yep. And you buy your own ammo. And you buy the ammunition, correct. Yeah, the person buys their own ammo. All right.
SPEAKER 12 :
Anything we forgot?
SPEAKER 11 :
I don’t think so, Scott. Good. All right, man.
SPEAKER 12 :
Always good to see you. Congrats on five years. Man, I’m telling you, not only going through COVID, but just to make it five years is a big deal. Yeah.
SPEAKER 11 :
You know?
SPEAKER 12 :
I mean, it really is.
SPEAKER 11 :
Yeah. From the inside looking out, it felt like I blinked and we were there. But it was a quick five years. But lots of trials, tribulations, and here we are.
SPEAKER 12 :
Sure. Well, you’ve done a good job, bud. Congratulations. I appreciate it. You’re listening to Sportsman Colorado. We’ve got to take a quick break, and we’ll be back with more right after this.
SPEAKER 02 :
Are you in the market for a new firearm? Or maybe looking to purchase your very first firearm? Well, wouldn’t it be great to have an experience worth telling your friends and family about while making such an important purchase? At Big Horn Firearms, we know how important that is, and it’s our mission to provide this experience to every customer that walks through our front door. Hi, I’m Ryan, owner of Bighorn Firearms, located in southeast Denver, and my team and I are customers too. We know what it’s like to experience the typical specialty store attitude, and we believe everyone deserves a first-class experience when purchasing a firearm. If you’re searching for friendly service, a knowledgeable and passionate staff, and a great selection of firearms, we’d like to invite you to Denver’s best independent gun store, Bighorn Firearms, one mile east of Evans and I-25. Whether it’s your first gun or you’ve been collecting for years, our friendly and knowledgeable staff are passionate about answering all of your questions. Service and selection is our commitment to you. That’s Bighorn Firearms, located at 2175 South Jasmine Street, Suite 105, Denver. Call us now, 303-758-9423, or shop online, bighornusa.com.
SPEAKER 12 :
Here’s your Water Talk Minute with Paul the Waterman, brought to you by Water Pros.
SPEAKER 05 :
Folks, everybody needs to go to the EPA website and check out the contaminated candidate list. There’s unregulated contaminants that have been in our drinking water forever. And what that means is that municipalities don’t have to test for them. So we have 1,4-Dioxin. It’s an unregulated contaminant that’s been in the water supply since the early 1900s. We have synthetic estrogen that’s in our water supply. We have pesticides, herbicides in our water supply. So this is something that educate yourself. This is why we need a point-of-use reverse osmosis system for our drinking water, because of all the contaminants that the EPA is not allowing our municipalities to tell us about.
SPEAKER 08 :
Riding an e-bike will make you feel like a kid again. Just try it. Hi, I’m Randy Crancy, founder of e-bike of Colorado. E-bikes are a fun way to ride the trails. Pedal assist technology flattens the steepest hills. We have 14 major brands to choose from and our expert staff will find you the perfect bike. Come take a free test ride at e-bike of Colorado in downtown Louisville next to the historic grain elevator. Open seven days a week from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. Learn more at ebikeofcolorado.com. Just try it.
SPEAKER 12 :
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SPEAKER 04 :
This is KLZ 560, your home station.
SPEAKER 12 :
welcome to sports from colorado today we’re going to talk about something that is super important and uh unfortunately if you’re in my age range uh after 60 um you you grew up hunting and shooting you probably were not aware of how damaging our sport we love and hunting and shooting can be to our ears and uh we welcome dr melissa fling our exclusive audiologist here for sportsman of colorado and haystack help radio she owns custom ear solutions her number 720-839-7705 dr fling thanks for being with us hi scott i’m still going to get you to a range all right so in the next couple weeks i know i say that every time but i want to get you to a range where you can kind of really get an idea of what all then that’s going to give you a big insight say boy
SPEAKER 06 :
Can we do an outdoor range? I’m scared of the indoor ones.
SPEAKER 12 :
I know, because I got a feeling your ears are very sensitive.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yes, they are. That’s why I’m afraid.
SPEAKER 12 :
There are some guns that go off, and there are some times that I jump, because you’re just not expecting it. But it is pretty loud. But let’s give one tip real quick here. If you’re in a range, and we’re going to talk about your products, But there’s nothing wrong with double protection. You’ve said that before. Using some of your products possibly and then using your muffs, right?
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah. Double is so important with indoor because probably as everybody can tell when they’re doing indoor shooting, it’s louder than it is outdoor because the Sound reverberates and bounces off the walls. So it makes it louder, which means it’s more dangerous and you need more protection. So ear molds or ear plugs and muffs over it.
SPEAKER 12 :
Right. What have you seen? You’ve been to a couple of our expos and different things. You’ve talked to people in the outdoors a little bit here. I think there’s so many myths out there because a lot of people think, hey, if I’m behind the person shooting or five or six yards away, the sound’s not – I mean, it is still a loud thing for our ears, isn’t it?
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, definitely. I always think that anybody that’s standing by, no matter how far – I mean, at a certain point, obviously, you won’t need it. But if you’re standing nearby – It could be loud enough for you too. I mean, so the person that’s shooting at their ear, it depends what the firearm is, but it could be up to 160, 170 dB sound pressure level. And so it could potentially be still up to like 120 if you’re standing just a few feet away. And that can still do instant damage. So bystanders also need to wear hearing protection.
SPEAKER 12 :
Right. And we talked about a few weeks ago, we did a great show on suppressors and silencers and all. And there are some things even now where those may get to a point where we don’t have to go through such a special process and we can just get them over the counter. But I fear sometimes people think, Well, good night. Man, if I got a suppressor, I don’t even need to wear hearing protection.
SPEAKER 06 :
Right.
SPEAKER 12 :
And that would be a bad myth because that’s not true.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yes, that’s a myth. Yes. Yeah, I think it’s always needed. I mean, really, when it comes down to it, firearm use is not safe for your hearing, no matter if you have a suppressor and hearing protection. So you’ll still have dangerous exposure. But… If you don’t use either of those things, it’s far more dangerous and will do damage much faster. So even with a suppressor, it’s always important to still wear hearing protection. Right.
SPEAKER 12 :
So let’s break down your products here, and especially we’ll talk now. You’ll hear Melissa on our Haystack Help Show. She’s on Wednesdays at 1230 with us. And, of course, you’ll hear on Sportsman of Colorado, too.
SPEAKER 06 :
let’s kind of break down what you feel are your best products for those in the outdoors so solid ear molds for maximum hearing protection and that could be for indoor shooting like we talked about or if you’re like in an industrial setting where you do not need to be aware of your surroundings or communicate solid ear molds would be the best option for that if you do need to communicate or you want to be able to hear between shots then we could look at some type of filtered custom ear mold and that’s what i have that’s what you have yep you’ve got impulse filters in yours which will allow you to hear fairly it’s still it still takes a little bit away from your hearing i mean what’s your experience with that yeah no i mean i
SPEAKER 12 :
I can understand guys when they’re talking and things. We were actually pheasant hunting in Kansas. So I don’t know, 30 yards or so, 40 yards, another hunter may be away. But I could understand them, okay, at that distance. But it was nice when the shot rang that it wasn’t as before.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yes, yes. Yeah, so filtered could be a good option for hunting where you need to hear between shots, work situations where you need protection but still need to be able to communicate somewhat effectively with people. Filtered is also good for water activities, swimming, surfing, whitewater rafting. If you’re with a group of people and you want to have some awareness and be able to communicate, then we could do a filtered water ear mold. And what was the – tell me again the question. I lost my train of thought.
SPEAKER 12 :
No, what we were talking about, what do you feel in your products would be great for shooters and hires?
SPEAKER 06 :
Oh, yes, yes. Yeah, so it would be either the solid ear molds, filtered ear molds. Electronic is also an option if you need some amplification. If you’re trying to listen to the game or if you have some hearing loss, amplified electronic products. hearing protection would be a good option so it’ll offer the same thing that a filtered ear mold would it will compress on a shot but it will amplify between shots and make it so you can hear soft sounds more easily right yeah and your um your solid ones approximately cost Yeah, those are $160 for the pair. Okay. Filtered will be a little more. Those will be more like $260 for the pair. And then there is the cost of doing impressions on your ears as well, which is $25 per ear. So if we’re doing both ears, it would be $50, and that would be in addition to the cost of the ear molds. Now, one thing that I can offer is once I do the impressions, I’ll scan them and convert them into digital files and I’ll have that file indefinitely. So we don’t have to repeat the impressions every time you want a new pair of ear molds. I’ll already have those scans and those are good for about up to five years after which your ears might start to change a little bit.
SPEAKER 12 :
Right. And I honestly think everybody needs at least two of what you mentioned. The solid.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, right.
SPEAKER 12 :
We are in ranges here. I don’t need to talk to the guy next door. I don’t even know him. You know what I mean? So you just want that maximum protection and then getting the filter type. you know as a win-win to you yeah as well and then so if you got 125 dollars um for your your awesome hearing exam i mean to spend you know three five hundred bucks let’s say yep be totally protected yep and know where you’re at with your hearing that’s a pretty good investment in your health to me
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, and it’ll make the difference for you in the long term.
SPEAKER 12 :
Because you know what? Hearing aids ain’t no $500 hearing aids. You know what I mean? Seriously, right?
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, those are a little more expensive.
SPEAKER 12 :
So, man, to spend, you know, I’ll just say it. Spend $500 to protect what you’ve got. I’m telling you, you don’t want to wait. And unfortunately, as I said at the beginning of the segment, growing up, I never even thought about this as a teenager and stuff. Shot a ton. And even, you know, early adult years a lot in shooting guns and letting my… put a gun on his shoulder so it would be steady and then letting him pull the trigger, you know. And I stick my finger in my ear, which probably didn’t do a lot, you know. And now the tinnitus rings. Yes. 24-7, never shuts off. So, hey, if you’re not there yet, don’t get there. I promise you. You don’t want that for sure. And your hearing test, we can break that down a little bit. That is not only just the traditional beeps, if you’ve had a testing for, I remember with mine, also some audio, some voices and different things, and just how you understand some verbiage, right?
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, yeah. It’s testing the softest volume that you can understand speech. Then we test how you understand speech at conversational level in quiet, and then how you understand speech when there’s background noise.
SPEAKER 12 :
Okay.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 12 :
Do you find that from shooters, is it across the board, whether it’s their high pitch hearing they lose or the low end of the spectrum they lose from shooting? Is it hard to tell that?
SPEAKER 06 :
No, it’s almost always the high-pitched end.
SPEAKER 12 :
The female end, where we can’t hear our wives, right? We can hear an elk from like four miles away bugling, but, honey, come in the garage. I couldn’t hear you.
SPEAKER 06 :
You’re going to get me in trouble with the wives, Scott. Yeah, that is. Well, you know what? Actually, when we look at where speech sounds fall in terms of their pitch and how loud they’re spoken, you know, vowels and consonants, the ones that are in the higher pitch range, somewhere between two and eight thousand hertz are K, S, T, F. th those sounds are beginnings and endings of words and that’s exactly why when you start to lose some hearing sensitivity in that area you start to perceive that people aren’t talking clearly or they’re mumbling because you’re not quite picking up on those really subtle consonant sounds so i’m going to comment on the wives voices No, but that does happen. It’s very common for people with hearing loss to feel like they don’t understand women as well. We just don’t have as much power and volume to our voices. And it’s not so much the pitch of women’s voices that’s a problem. It’s more the power and the volume. We don’t have the same power behind our voices. So that’s a problem for a lot of people with hearing loss, women included, right?
SPEAKER 12 :
All right. Once again, it is Custom Ear Solutions, 720-839-7705. When you call, let her know you heard her here on Sportsman of Colorado, and we would appreciate that as well. And as I mentioned, hey, $125 for a great hearing exam. She doesn’t take insurance, but again, if you have an HSA account, something like that, she can work with you there. But then the whole idea with custom is it’s a perfect fit. And if you’ve messed around with these foam plugs, anything you do is better than nothing. But most of us, and I’ve seen people at Rangers, and I’ve told you this before, Do not know how to insert the foam here. You know, and I look over and there are three, four sticking out of their ear. You know, they just think, oh, I’m protecting my hearing. You’re not. So, you know, when you’ve got something that’s custom, it’s a true fit. It’s going to do its job for you there. I never thought about this just while we were talking. It’s a little off topic. But as far as children go. At what age should people bring kids in to get hearing tested just to see where they are, even as smaller children?
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, that’s a good question. Well, for the most part, it’s already built into the system. So unless they get caught – so, well, let me back up. So when they’re born, they have a newborn hearing screening. Okay. Most of them pass that. If they don’t pass it, they’ll have a retest. If they fail that test, then they’ll go on to see an audiologist for a diagnostic hearing evaluation. And then we’ll go from there. So if hearing loss is identified, then they’ll see an audiologist potentially for a hearing aid fitting, right? And they’ll be monitored closely throughout their childhood until they’re an adult. So if they pass their newborn hearing screening, There are milestones, you know, that children will have as they develop. And it’s partly the parent’s job and the pediatrician’s job to pay attention to those milestones and make sure that they’re meeting those milestones. If they’re not, then sometimes hearing is the issue. And then the pediatrician will refer to an audiologist for testing. Once they get into school, then they’re screened pretty regularly. I want to say every three years, roughly, through high school. I mean, I even remember having a hearing screening probably my sophomore or junior year of high school. You know, they just come in and put you in a quiet room, put the earphones on and have you raise your hand for the beeps and then you’re done, you know. And so they so kids are screened pretty much all throughout their public schooling. I don’t know if that differs in private schooling. I wouldn’t think it does. But anyway, so kids are kids are pretty well monitored. But I would say between birth and school, it is more the parents job and the pediatricians job to kind of keep an eye on milestones and get them in to get a hearing test if something’s not quite right.
SPEAKER 12 :
And last minute here, but I would think if you’re a family that shoots together, and I know tons of families that do that, don’t just think that ear muffs are enough for you or your child, as we kind of talked about the double protection. So I would think… If nothing else, getting children made these little small moles, the solid ones for them, then the ear protection with the muffs would be really good for them, too.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah, yeah. And we can do that. Now, their ears, obviously, are growing very quickly. Sure, sure. So they’ll have to be replaced more often. So, you know, if you didn’t want to do custom, then you could get foam earplugs and just trim them down much smaller and put those in and then muffs over. And that’s a good point. Yeah. If you’re going to have infants as bystanders, they’ve got to have double hearing protection. Yeah.
SPEAKER 12 :
Absolutely.
SPEAKER 06 :
Yeah.
SPEAKER 12 :
Well, Dr. Flynn, thank you. Thank you, Scott. Always a pleasure to have you in. 720-839-7705 is the number. And when you call, like I say, hey, get an appointment. And I don’t want to say don’t go for just a hearing protection because that’s the whole purpose of the show. But I’m telling you, it’s better for you to get the hearing exam, especially if you hadn’t had one in a while. When’s the last time you had one? Think about it right now. If you can’t remember, it’s probably time for one, all right? And she’ll get you fixed up. Again, mention you heard her on the show, and we will thank you for that. Quick reminder now, if you miss our live show on Saturdays 1 to 2, catch us twice on Sundays. That’s 8 to 9 a.m. and, once again, 7 to 8 p.m. on Sunday evening. And we thank you for being with us. Hope you have a great rest of your day and a great rest of your weekend.
SPEAKER 10 :
The views and opinions expressed on KLZ 560 are those of the speaker, commentators, hosts, their guests, and callers. They are not necessarily the views and opinions of Crawford Broadcasting or KLZ management, employees, associates, or advertisers. KLZ 560 is a Crawford Broadcasting God and country station.
