Podcast Summary: Live Wild with Remi Warren

Episode 210 | Tracking Pt. 2 – The bull that beat us to the truck
Host: Remi Warren
Release Date: November 20, 2025

Episode Overview

In this episode, Remi Warren continues his deep dive into the art of tracking game animals in the wild, building on last week's episode about identifying tracks. This installment focuses on how to actually follow a track—when and how to be effective, reading animal behavior through sign, and deploying field tactics for outsmarting elk and deer. Remi blends detailed instruction with anecdotal storytelling, offering both practical hunting strategies and memorable lessons from guiding in tough conditions.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Entertaining Story: The Bull that Beat Us to the Truck

[06:45]

• Remi recounts a tracking mishap in snowy timber, where after miles of following a bull elk’s fresh tracks, he realized the animal had circled back and passed within 20 yards of their parked truck.
• Notable Quote:

  “I’m not kidding you, the bull track walked within 20 yards of where the truck was parked… If someone was just sitting at the truck, they would have absolutely just killed this bull." — Remi Warren [08:05]

• Lesson: Tracking in snow reveals not just animal locations, but also behaviors you'd never suspect, including how closely you might cross paths without knowing.

2. Deep Dive: Understanding Animal Behavior is Key

[13:30]

• Emphasizes that successful tracking hinges on knowledge of the animal:
  • Species-specific habits (feeding, bedding, migration)
  • Time of day/year and corresponding animal behavior
• Notable Quote:

  “You can have all the gear in the world... but if you don’t have that knowledge of the animal that you’re chasing, then you’re kind of spinning your wheels on the tactic that you’re using.” — Remi Warren [14:40]

• Explains how, for example, a bull elk might be:
  • Migrating (moving to lower elevations late in the season)
  • Feeding or seeking bedding cover depending on time of day

3. Tactical Insights: Anticipation & “Thinking Like the Prey”

[20:10]

• Remi describes “time-heading”—predicting where an animal’s travel leads and getting ahead (rather than trailing step-for-step).
• Details interpreting posture in tracks: straight lines for movement, meandering for feeding or bedding, clusters for bedding sites.
• Notable Quote:

  “There’s going to be a distance where I need to pay a hyper level of focus on the places where I think it’s going to turn up. Because a lot of people follow tracks and blow stuff out…” — Remi Warren [22:05]

4. Predator Avoidance: How Animals Use Terrain & Wind

[27:00]

• Wildlife often beds with wind at their back and visibility downwind—imitating their natural responses to predators is vital.
• Memorable Example:

  “That buck that I killed last week... was just up above the creek, watching its back trail, wind coming down the hill…if the buck’s bedded, he’s bedded here. And within 100 yards I ran into that deer and shot that deer because I understood the game.” — Remi Warren [29:45]

• Practical advice on using topography, wind, and cover in your favor.

5. Wind Management & Leapfrog Stalking

[33:00]

• Sometimes, when wind is unfavorable, it's better to back out and "leapfrog"—moving to parallel ridges, then intercepting tracks with improved wind advantage.
• Key Technique:
  • Use mapping apps (e.g., OnX) for planning these moves.

6. Glassing Tactics in Thick Cover

[42:00]

• Remi advocates constant use of binoculars, even at close range.
• Notable Quote:

  “I, around my neck, have 12 power vision, and some people just choose not to use it… You do not spot animals through osmosis.” — Remi Warren [44:05]

• Technique called “rolling the focus”—methodically adjusting focus to scan through layers of timber and pick up movement or hidden animals.

7. Speed and Stealth: When to Move Fast, When to Stalk

[52:30]

• In open country, you can move faster and glass ahead; in thickly vegetated places, treat the track as a continuous, slow-motion stalk—every step could reveal a bedded animal.

8. Hunting Culture & Tradition

[56:00]

• Highlights the subculture of dedicated trackers who wait for fresh snow and embrace tracking as their primary hunting tactic.

9. Gear Considerations for Trackers

[59:00]

• Describes the benefits of lightweight, quiet gear (fleece, minimalist day packs), and adapting based on distance and weather.
• Tip: Use quieter gear for thick snow; avoid loud, crunchy snow when possible.

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• “We kept joking like, should’ve never been hiking all those miles. Should’ve just sat in the truck, kept drinking our coffee... would kill the big bull. I’m never that guy.” [09:30]
• “Most animals are putting themselves in position where they aren’t going to get attacked by predators... Understand that and that safety net really allows you to say, this is a good potential place for this animal to bed.” [28:10]
• “You have to look through your binos to utilize that superpower... I use it in every scenario. No matter how close or far.” [44:55]
• “You know that that deer’s there, it’s in that track somewhere. Now you’re just stalking that track...” [53:15]

Key Timestamps

• 06:45 — Start of the “bull that beat us to the truck” story
• 13:30 — Discussion of animal knowledge as critical for tracking
• 20:10 — Anticipating animal movement and “time-heading”
• 27:00 — Animal use of wind and bedding tactics
• 33:00 — Leapfrogging ridges for better wind
• 42:00 — Binocular tactics in close country
• 52:30 — Speed and stalking methods in different terrains
• 56:00 — Reflections on the culture of tracking hunters
• 59:00 — Gear preferences and tips for quiet maneuvers

Takeaways

• Tracking is a dynamic, anticipation-driven process: It’s about predicting behavior, reading sign, and planning your approach.
• Understanding animal behavior is more important than any gear.
• Always use your optics, even when you think you don’t need them—the most successful hunters “look through” rather than “look at” the woods.
• Be adaptable: Shift between still-hunting, glassing, leapfrogging, and stealthy stalking based on terrain, wind, and cover.
• Tradition and culture matter: There’s a camaraderie among trackers; it’s an art handed down between generations.

Closing Thought

Remi wraps up with humor from his family:

“My grandpa used to say, 'Can’t eat them tracks.' And my dad would say, 'You can if they’re in the snow—so go ahead, go eat some tracks.'” [01:08:10]

If you want more detailed examples or stories, or to hear about specific tactics in Remi’s own words, be sure to check out the full episode!