Live Wild with Remi Warren

Episode 220: Application Strategy and the Balance of Opportunity

Release Date: February 5, 2026
Host: Remi Warren

Episode Overview

In this episode, Remi Warren dives deep into Western big game tag application strategy, breaking down the ever-tightening balance between hunting opportunity and quality. With demand for tags at an all-time high and technological advances making hunters more successful, Remi details how game managers are seeking new ways to keep hunting both challenging and accessible. He shares a personal hunting story, tactical advice for drawing tags, and predictions about the future of hunting regulations—particularly the expansion of weapon restrictions and technology limitations to balance success rates and opportunity.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Personal Story: Lever Gun Hunt with Family

• [05:25] - [13:50]
• Remi recounts last season’s deer hunt with his father-in-law, who chose to use a classic lever-action rifle with open sights:
  • Weather was "socked in," rainy and cloudy—not optimal for elk glassing, so they shifted to deer.
  • Close, exciting stalk through thick timber; his father-in-law, Ray, made a successful shot at around 30 yards after patiently waiting for a clear opportunity.
  • Having his kids and wife along added to the joy:

    “My son...was like, ‘Wow, Grandpa, great shot!’ You know, it was so fun to have the kids there.” (Remi, 13:25)

  • Story sets up the theme: success (and enjoyment) doesn’t always require cutting-edge gear or hunting in prime conditions.

2. Primitive Weapon Hunts & Balancing Opportunity

• [13:50] - [16:10]
• Remi notes a trend toward hunts with primitive weapon restrictions: traditional muzzleloaders, open-sight rifles, etc.
• Restricting weapon choice often opens up more tags, offering more opportunity to hunt.

3. Application Season: Stress and Strategy

• [16:10] - [32:50]

• It’s “application season,” and Remi empathizes with stress over the ever-decreasing number of available general or OTC (over-the-counter) tags.

• States must balance two things:

  • Opportunity: Chances for hunters to draw tags and get afield.
  • Quality: Density/maturity of game, hunter experience (fewer hunters = better quality).

• Notable dynamic: More tags often equals lower quality; fewer tags can equal higher quality but much less opportunity.

• Remi’s tactic: Focus on drawing tags for weapon types and seasons with lower hunter success (e.g., archery or tougher muzzleloader hunts), increasing draw odds even if success rate drops.

  “If you start to go with units where success is lower and a weapon choice that's more difficult, the odds of obtaining a tag dramatically increase. The odds of coming home with a buck or a bull…dramatically decrease. But that's kind of the balance that you're playing.” (Remi, 29:58)

4. How Game Managers Design Seasons

• [32:50] - [39:20]
• Managers adjust tag numbers and weapons allowed based on anticipated success rates.
• “Opportunity” hunts often occur in “inopportune” seasons (e.g., October deer, when deer are hard to find).
• Weapon types are another lever: Archery and primitive weapons = more tags available.

5. When More Success Means Fewer Tags

• [39:20] - [52:00]
• As modern equipment (rifles, muzzleloaders, bows, rangefinders) dramatically raise hunter success, agencies respond by restricting technology or lowering tag numbers.
• Remi outlines the shift:

  • Past: Low success with archery/muzzleloader, so states allowed lots of tags.

  • Present: Tech and information (including “podcasts like this one,” as Remi notes) have upped success so much that tags dwindle and restrictions increase.

    “Now, as those success rates start to jump up... then they start to go, whoa, okay, now we have to start to restrict that.” (Remi, 41:23)

  • Example: Some states banning scopes from muzzleloader seasons, or requiring more traditional muzzleloader designs.

6. Future Predictions: Tech Restrictions & Hunt Design

• [52:00] - [62:50]

• Remi predicts a continuing trend of states:

  • Increasing restrictions on weapons (traditional bows only, open-sight/limited-caliber rifles, no crossbows, etc.).

  • Potential bans on tech: rangefinders, certain trail cameras, thermal optics, two-way radios.

  • Offering more “short-range weapon” seasons to balance hunter numbers and success.

    "You're going to see a lot more traditional muzzleloader hunts, a lot more traditional bow hunts, a lot more limited caliber or short range and open sight rifle hunts." (Remi, 57:30)

• Encourages hunters to prepare accordingly and see the upside: more opportunity if you’re willing to “go the hard way.”

7. Tactics for Drawing Tags in Challenging Times

• [29:00], [44:40], [49:30]

• Choose less popular weapon types or hunt units with lower reported success rates.

• Apply for “off-peak” or inopportune hunting seasons.

• Don’t ignore tough-access or wilderness units—they may have low density but offer a tag every year.

• Sometimes, hunting where “everyone says is garbage” can be productive if you rely on skill and persistence.

  “There’s a lot of guys out there that get a tag every single year...because they’re going to the places that people don’t really want to hunt.” (Remi, 48:00)

8. Conservation Shoutout

• [63:00] - End

• Final tip: To increase hunting opportunities, support conservation—better habitat means more animals, which means more tags and better quality.

• Strong endorsement of the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation (RMEF) and other conservation organizations.

  “Probably the best way to have more animals on the landscape is improvements in habitat... That is often done through conservation partnerships and organizations.” (Remi, 63:23)

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On family hunting:

  “It was very exciting. My kids are pretty excited, and they're watching... they just thought it was the greatest.” (Remi, 13:10)

• On application season anxiety:

  “Application season can be as tumultuous as the hunting season, right? Not everybody wants all the secrets to be given out.” (Remi, 16:15)

• On technology’s effect:

  “There’s a lot more information. There’s podcasts like this one, which…provide an advantage. If you have a certain type of knowledge, you can be more successful.” (Remi, 50:10)

• On weapon tech changes:

  “When I was growing up, muzzleloaders were like short range weapons designed to shoot 100 yards or less. And now you've got muzzleloaders that…guys are shooting 3, 4, 500 yards.” (Remi, 51:25)

• On future regulation:

  “I would not be surprised if many places you start to see more and more restrictions on the type of equipment that you can use. And it makes sense, I think, when they're trying to manage opportunity, quality and success rates.” (Remi, 61:00)

Episode Timeline / Timestamps

• [00:00] – [03:00] – Intro and sponsor messages (skipped)
• [03:00] – [13:50] – Family story: Lever action deer hunt, lessons and traditions
• [13:50] – [16:10] – Reflecting on primitive weapon hunts and opportunity
• [16:10] – [32:50] – Application season, how hunt quality and opportunity are balanced, Remi’s approach to tag drawing
• [32:50] – [39:20] – State game management principles, success rates, weapon seasons
• [39:20] – [52:00] – Technology’s impact, agencies respond with restrictions
• [52:00] – [62:50] – Remi’s predictions about future weapons and tech restrictions, and new “hard way” hunt types
• [63:00] – end – Conservation message; supporting RMEF for more wildlife, tags, and quality hunts

Key Takeaways

• Being strategic about application means considering both weapon type and seasonality, often choosing “harder” options to maximize draw chances.
• Expect more weapon and tech restrictions in the future, which, while challenging, will open up new kinds of hunting opportunities for those who adapt.
• Conservation efforts are foundational: Supporting habitat improvement is ultimately the most direct path to more tags and better hunting for everyone.

Final Thoughts (Remi’s Tone)

Remi’s signature optimism, independence, and encouragement shines through. Rather than lamenting change, he frames regulation and restriction as opportunity—for challenge, for tradition, and for more time spent “living wild.” His closing call to support conservation is as tactical as any application tip.

“Apply smart.” — Remi Warren (end of episode)