Live Wild with Remi Warren — Episode 204: “Talk Elk”

Date: October 9, 2025
Host: Remi Warren

Episode Overview

In this episode, Remi Warren dives into a detailed recap of a recent elk hunt in a limited-entry private land area, sharing vivid stories of in-the-field encounters and practical elk calling strategies. Emphasizing the thrill and art of calling elk, Remi distills key elk-hunting mantras brought to life by a week of non-stop rutting action. The episode weaves together actionable advice, memorable anecdotes, and lessons learned to help listeners hone their elk calling and hunting approaches, regardless of their experience level.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Setting the Stage: New Territory, Rutting Action

• Remi describes hunting a private land, limited-entry area—unusual for him as most of his experience is on public land (07:40).

• The hunt was “an absolute rut fest,” with high bull-to-cow ratios driving intense calling opportunities.

  “It’s not like giant bulls or anything…just mature bulls, but a lot of, a lot of bulls and like a lot of rutting activity.” (08:33)

2. The Experience of Calling Elk

• Remi’s passion for elk calling and bugling shines as he details the excitement and challenge it brings:

  “There’s nothing more exciting than when you’ve got that bull coming in and he’s just screaming on the other side of the stuff…” (04:30)

• High-density bull populations made for frequent vocal encounters but didn’t necessarily make the hunt “easy”—targeting mature herd bulls still took strategic play (14:00).

• “There’s just something super cool about it. It just gets your adrenaline pumping.” (04:50)

3. Hunt Recap: Day-by-Day Highlights

Day 1:

• Multiple bugling bulls at daybreak. Remi uses both cow calls and bugles to interact.
• Encounters with several bulls, including a large, wide 5x5 and a satellite bull, but opts to wait for a more mature one (13:00–20:00).
• Notable moment: “How did such a large animal get so close without me knowing?” (16:18)
• Glassing in the afternoon reveals 10+ bulls, including a 6x7 with a broken beam (21:00–23:00).

Day 2:

• Similar “rut fest” conditions, with bugling and fighting.

• Remi discusses timing and elk movement, noting mid-morning holds promise when elk are “parking up” after feeding.

• Hot cow triggers chaos; Remi describes aggressively moving in and employing loud challenge bugles:

  “It just becomes like…hot cow action. And when that happens, it’s just absolute chaos…chasing and fighting and running…absolute chaos in there.” (34:24)

• Several close-range encounters, but no shots taken.

Day 3:

• Transition to a new area in search of a better bull.

• Calls a lone, receptive bull to within 20 yards using cow calls but can’t get a shot due to thick cover (48:00–49:00).

• The “Whisper Bull” reappears (a bull with a notably weak bugle), comes to 23 yards but spots Remi before a shot presents itself:

  “He dips down and pops out at, like, probably 23 yards. And it’s just like, he’s just about to take one more step...” (54:25)

• Evening: calls in a fiery, growl-bugling five-point to ultra-close range; passes on the shot, preferring to chase bugles and find a six-point (57:00–01:01:00).

• Chases another bull near last light but is unable to get an ethical shot as darkness falls.

Subsequent Days:

• More challenging action with elk going quiet after several eventful days.

• Remi reflects on always seeming to tag out on the last planned day.

  “If I have five days to hunt, I will take five days to hunt…it’s like you shoot it on the last day no matter what.” (01:08:55)

Last Day, Success:

• Moves into a new, more open canyon.

• Spots a cow and bull; stays quiet and simply shadows the herd.

• Shoots a mature six-point bull after stopping him with a cow call, then quickly finishes the bull with a follow-up shot after hitting him a little far back (01:15:40).

  “Which was good…sometimes, I don’t know…I’m not going to make any excuses…He was down pretty quick, within a few minutes…” (01:18:00)

4. Tactics, Mantras & Lessons Learned

A. Tailoring the Call to the Situation

• “Give them what they like”: Keep experimenting with bugles and cow calls to find what a particular bull responds to (01:22:35).

  • Some bulls wanted only growly bugles, others responded to whiny, drawn-out cow calls.

    “You will notice that a bull might respond to a certain call, but he won’t respond to another one.” (01:24:48)

• “Take their temperature”—understand the mood of the elk before deciding how aggressive or subtle to call.

B. Aggression When It’s Called For

• “Can’t make an omelette without cracking a few eggs.” When elk are frenzied, be aggressive—don’t be afraid to bump a few on the fringes to get into the action (01:27:40).

  “Oftentimes…as soon as they get out of sight…they’re going to stop because they don’t know why they’re running…” (01:29:20)

• Challenge bugles and pushing hard can be necessary when the herd is moving and active.

C. Sometimes, Silence Is Golden

• “Sometimes the best call is no call.”

  • Remi shot his bull by staying quiet and simply shadowing the animals.

  • Be willing to switch from calling to still hunting, depending on conditions.

    “As somebody that likes to call, it’s hard to say…But sometimes that’s the best move.” (01:32:50)

• Know when to switch back to calling if the situation demands.

5. Final Thoughts

• Success is about adapting to elk behavior, herd dynamics, and weather.
• Both high-action and slow days can happen on any hunt.
• Limited-entry areas provide more frequent encounters, but similar tactics (and effort) are needed as in public land hunts (01:37:40).

6. Advice for Listeners

• Remi reiterates the importance of learning a range of tactics; no single strategy guarantees success.
• Whether you’re in an epic rut-fest or struggling through quiet days, understanding elk behavior and responding appropriately is key.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On calling bulls:

  “I’ve even gone as far as…not shooting a bull that I didn’t bugle in.” (05:10)

• On rut chaos:

  “It just becomes…absolute chaos…chasing and fighting and running…” (34:24)

• On experiment and adaptability:

  “Give them what they like…try different calls. Some bulls might respond to a certain call but won’t respond to another.” (01:22:35)

• Aggressive tactics:

  “Can’t make an omelette without cracking a few eggs…We are going to bump some elk right now. That’s just how it’s gonna be.” (01:27:40)

• Silence, sometimes:

  “Sometimes the best call is no call…sometimes that’s the best move.” (01:32:50)

• On the frequency of last day success:

  “If I have five days to hunt, I will take five days to hunt…you shoot it on the last day no matter what.” (01:08:55)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [04:30] — The thrill of bugling and calling in bulls
• [08:33] — Limited-entry area: expectations and reality
• [13:00–20:00] — First morning: calling and close encounters
• [34:24] — Hot cow chaos: when elk explode into activity
• [54:25] — “Whisper Bull” close encounter
• [57:00–01:01:00] — Aggressive calling and nearly shooting a big five-point
• [01:08:55] — The ‘last day’ phenomenon
• [01:15:40] — Final day, playing it quiet, and tagging out
• [01:22:35] — Calling mantras: “Give them what they like”
• [01:27:40] — Aggressive pursuit when elk are frenzied
• [01:32:50] — Sometimes the best call is no call
• [01:37:40] — Public vs. private land: frequency versus tactics

Additional Notes

• Remi briefly transitions to mentioning his upcoming mountain goat hunt and encourages supporting the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation for their conservation work.
• He highlights an RMEF edition of a Banish suppressor by Silencer Central, partial proceeds benefitting RMEF membership.

Takeaway

This episode is a treasure trove of hands-on elk calling strategy, delivered through a memorable hunt week full of action, near-misses, and finally, last-day success. Whether learning to modulate your calling or to embrace silence, Remi’s stories underscore the art of reading elk behavior and adapting in the moment—key lessons for new and seasoned hunters alike.