Podcast Summary: Live Wild with Remi Warren

Episode 219 | The Art of the Precision Shot

Release Date: January 22, 2026
Host: Remi Warren

Overview

In this episode, Remi Warren dives into the fundamentals of making precision rifle shots for hunters. Building on last week's discussion about shooting in quick, unpredictable offhand opportunities, this week Remi shifts focus to the cold and calculated precision shot. He discusses both the mindset and methodology required for accurate shooting at any distance, offers personal hunting stories to illustrate key points, and highlights new gear and technology available to hunters. Remi underscores the importance of mastering equipment, steady shooting form, practice routines, and the benefits of modern ballistic tools, all aimed at helping hunters make the perfect shot when it matters.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Opening Story: Whitetail Hunt with Family

• Remi begins with a story about hunting whitetail deer with his dad, emphasizing the value of shared experiences and the satisfaction of a hunt that goes right.
• Key moment: "I like to work up his rifles as well as I'm working up mine. We've got like a couple different guns of the same caliber...I just give him the same scope, I have the same setup." (27:40)
• Describes the process of finding, stalking, and successfully harvesting a buck after scouting multiple areas and overcoming challenging visibility and weather.
• Discusses field processing and how venison has become a family favorite, including tips on burger blends using bacon for flavor.

2. The Art of the Precision Shot: Philosophy & Preference

• Contrasts last week’s focus on offhand, quick shots with this episode’s emphasis on precise, well-prepared shooting.
• Remi clarifies he’s not solely about long-range hunting, but about maximizing accuracy at any distance—with a strong personal preference for getting closer if possible.
  • "We aren’t talking about long range shooting, we're talking about making a super accurate, precise shot, no matter the distance." (31:40)
• Emphasizes that having a precision setup increases both ethical kills and personal success—whether at 100 yards or 600.

3. Essentials of a Precision Shooting System

• Accurate Rifle: The importance of using a firearm that consistently produces tight groups. "If your rifle is inaccurate at close range, it's going to be way more inaccurate at further ranges." (36:02)
• Adjustable Optics: Preference for scopes with adjustable turrets over simple holdover reticles for refining adjustments based on temperature, altitude, and distance.
• Rangefinder: Necessity of knowing exact range for proper drop compensation, especially for precision work.
• Ballistic Calculators & Apps: Outlines the evolution from manual cheat sheets to modern apps and connected devices, allowing hunters to adapt to environmental factors dynamically.

4. New Technology Highlight: Vortex Relay and Ballistics Tools

• Remi explains his experience testing the Vortex Relay—their new integrated ballistic system.
  • "They've got a new system where you can link up different, I guess, devices and it kind of like...they talk really fast...you can get all my drop compensations like holdover, windage, all that stuff within the range of the optic." (49:29)
• Praises advances like high-end glass in rangefinding binoculars (Talon HD1 10K), atmospheric-connected weather meters, and instant data-sharing between devices.
• Maintains that even with cutting-edge tech, old-school cut sheets and manual adjustments still have their place as backups.

5. Building and Confirming Your Ballistics System

• Stresses the importance of chronographing your rifle to get actual muzzle velocity for more accurate ballistic solutions.
  • Recommends calibrating at relevant altitude and average temperature to match expected field conditions.
• Encourages repetitive testing at multiple distances (walking the rifle out) and in various weather to develop confidence in both equipment and data.
• Notable Quote:
  • "I want to make sure that my grouping is sub MOA...almost all of them in the same hole if I can get it." (1:08:22)
• Talks about fine-tuning for specific configurations (e.g., with or without a suppressor), including recording velocity and differences in point of impact.

6. Practical Field Skills: Getting Steady

• The absolute key to precision shooting is the ability to steady your rifle—at the range and in the field.
  • Bench rest: Emphasizes sandbags, bipods, and stable benches, with focus on repeatable form and using squeeze bags for fine adjustments.
  • Field improvisation: Recommends binos or a pack under the rear stock, or even a fist, to create stability.
• Explains the "nearly self-supported" rifle—where it would stay on target even if let go—which minimizes error at the shot.
  • "If you can't do it at a bench, you can't do it in the field." (1:18:19)
• Practical tips for improving groups and diagnosing shooters’ errors by moving targets closer if struggling, then building back out to distance.

7. Practice Routines & Preparation

• Advocates for regular, varied practice—not just sighting in "the week before the hunt," but developing muscle memory and familiarity with your system throughout the offseason.
• Dry-fire practices for trigger control, repeatability, and diagnosing bad habits.
  • "Dry fire practice...making sure that like that precise moment that you want that hammer to drop. Click. Yes. It was right where I wanted." (1:31:20)
• Recounts guiding stories about clients who consistently under-prepare and how true preparation sets top hunters apart.

8. Mindset: Doing it the Best Way

• Recurring message: proficiency and routine practice are the “best way,” not just the “easy way,” to make the most of rare hunting opportunities.
  • "If you want to get by consistently in different scenarios...then practicing with what you're hunting with, being proficient and paying attention to all the little details is absolutely going to change the game for you." (1:38:37)

Notable Quotes

• On rifle setup and hunting:
  • "I like to work up his rifles as well as I'm working up mine. We've got like a couple different guns of the same caliber..." (27:40)
• On the goal of a precision shot:
  • "We aren’t talking about long range shooting, we're talking about making a super accurate, precise shot, no matter the distance." (31:40)
• On gathering drop compensation:
  • "They've got a new system...where you can get all my drop compensations like holdover, windage, all that stuff within the range of the optic." (49:29)
• On building confidence with equipment:
  • "You start to build confidence in that setup...confidence in that dope chart, confidence in that adjustment." (1:08:32)
• On steadiness being key:
  • "If you can't do it at a bench, you can't do it in the field." (1:18:19)
• On the difference preparation makes:
  • "If you want to get by consistently in different scenarios...then practicing with what you're hunting with...is absolutely going to change the game for you." (1:38:37)
• On practicing with intention:
  • "Dry fire practice...making sure that like that precise moment that you want that hammer to drop. Click. Yes. It was right where I wanted." (1:31:20)

Timestamps for Key Segments

• [00:00] – Introduction & Remi’s whitetail story with his dad
• [27:40] – On matching rifle setups and process in the hunt
• [31:40] – Defining the precision shot: philosophy, not just distance
• [36:02] – Equipment: rifles, optics, rangefinders, and basic ballistic tools
• [49:29] – Testing new ballistic technology: Vortex Relay and integrated systems
• [1:08:22] – Practice, grouping, and the importance of chronographing
• [1:18:19] – Key skill: achieving a nearly self-supported, steady rifle
• [1:31:20] – The role of dry-fire practice and addressing shooting form
• [1:38:37] – Final message: proficiency, routine, and doing things the “best way,” not the “easy way”

Tone & Style

Remi’s delivery is casual, passionate, and story-driven. He mixes personal hunting anecdotes, practical tips, and a touch of gear enthusiasm, all with a focus on helping listeners improve their skills, enjoy their time outdoors, and hunt ethically.

Closing Thoughts

Remi wraps up by encouraging listeners to use the preseason to prepare both physically and with their shooting systems. He teases upcoming episodes on e-scouting and tag applications and offers discounts from podcast sponsors for listeners gearing up for the season. His final sign-off:
"Stay precise. Catch you guys later."