Live Wild with Remi Warren Episode 224 | Live from the Hunt Expo (Feb 26, 2026)

Overview

In this special episode of Live Wild, Remi Warren hosts a live Q&A seminar at the Western Hunt Expo in Salt Lake City. Speaking directly with hunters and fans, Remi shares candid stories, practical tips, and strategic insights gained from years of guiding, hunting, and running outdoor businesses. The live format provides unscripted advice on pursuing a hunting lifestyle, staying sneaky in the field, rifle choices for youth and long range, navigating new predator dynamics, effective team hunting, and adapting strategies to diverse terrain and species.

Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Balancing Passion and Business in the Outdoor Industry

Timestamp: [04:25-08:29]

• Remi discusses his lifelong commitment to making a living through hunting—as a guide, outfitter, and now entrepreneur.
• He emphasizes that "the hunt always comes first" and avoids letting business compromise his love for the pursuit:

  “I'll never do anything that gets in the way of my love of hunting. ...I would still be doing this for free.” – Remi ([06:10])

• Recent changes: Selling his outfitting business to focus on manufacturing (Day Six gear), while still maintaining direct ties to the field.

2. The Fundamentals of Being Sneaky in the Field

Timestamp: [08:39-11:54]

• Top 3 Rules:
  1. “Go the best way, not the easy way.” – Choose routes and strategies based on effectiveness, not convenience ([08:39]).
  2. “You gotta get way lower than you think.” – Prioritize stealth, often through extensive crawling and staying below sight lines ([09:00]).
  3. “I'm a big proponent of taking my shoes off.” – Reduce noise by stalking in socks or barefoot, toughening up feet as needed ([09:30]).
• Focus on details—quiet gear, tight clothing, and treating each stalk as critical.
• On authenticity in filming hunts:

  “You could easily just stalk in, kill the animal, go back into a fake stalk—and you don't do that.” – Audience member Jake ([11:54]) Remi’s reply: “That was always the thing that bugged me...For me, it was just, like, my way of doing it, and I liked it.” ([12:06])

3. Deep-Dive Q&A: Gear, Strategy, and Life in the Field

a. Hunting Frequency and Family Balance

Timestamp: [15:02-17:50]

• Remi maintains a high volume of hunts: 5 for himself, ~15 with others per fall, many more throughout the year (20–30 total).
• Credits family support and the evolution from solo hunting to sharing the experience with his wife.

b. Barrel Lengths and Caliber for Youth Hunters

Timestamp: [17:50-22:21]

• Shorter barrels (even 16–20”) can be effective, especially with advances in bullet technology.
• Remi advocates for rifles manageable by youth and emphasizes shot placement over raw power:

  “I’ve killed a lot of elk with a 6.5 Creedmoor... Make a good shot.” ([19:20])

• Bullet selection, particularly bonded bullets or federal terminal ascent, is more important than caliber alone.

c. Strategies for Elk in Wolf Country

Timestamp: [22:23-27:30]

• Despite the introduction and growth of wolf populations, Remi’s team found continued success with minimal changes to core tactics.
• Key adaptations:
  • Find persistent elk locations—safe zones with swirling winds, more cover, or difficult access.
  • Recognize elk now cluster more and choose different terrain to avoid predators.

  “I have literally bugled Elkin while wolves are howling across the canyon. And that's the God's honest truth.” ([22:45]) “We just adapted our strategy, and we ended up finding and killing just as many elk.” ([26:52])

d. Team Dynamics in Hunting

Timestamp: [27:30-31:43]

• Success depends on attitude: partners should be optimistic, supportive, and “over the next ridge” types ([28:18]).
• As a guide, Remi pushes but never endangers hunters. Adapting to team energy can make or break a hunt.

e. Roosevelt Elk vs. Rocky Mountain Elk Tactics

Timestamp: [31:55-35:05]

• Remi’s Roosevelt experience is mostly in Alaska—notes they are larger, terrain challenging.
• Tactics are based more on terrain than on species:

  “I look at... hunting them like other elk in similar terrain, than hunting them as a completely different species.” ([33:01])

f. Bullet Choice: Bonded Lead vs. All Copper

Timestamp: [35:09-38:48]

• Remi: “I prefer a bonded bullet” ([35:15]).
• Concern with all-copper bullets: sometimes “pencil through” with less energy transfer; bonded bullets mushroom and maintain more mass, providing more reliable penetration on big animals like elk.

g. Patterning and Locating Bulls from Trail Cameras

Timestamp: [38:48-43:27]

• Bulls often remain consistent on summer patterns (high elevation, water source) until the rut, then move—sometimes miles away.
• Bulls may not rut where they spend the summer; consider scouting for cows’ locations to intercept bulls later.
• Adjust expectations: “...wouldn’t be strange that that elk vanishes because it’s no longer there.” ([39:24])

h. DIY Hunting in New Zealand

Timestamp: [43:27-45:49]

• Tar and chamois in the mountains a top recommendation; fallow deer also fun.
• Key is research via the Department of Conservation site—New Zealand shares data and prioritizes hunter management for population control.
• Logistics for firearms have gotten tougher—bows are sometimes simpler for travel.

Notable Quotes & Moments

• On Authenticity in Hunting Media:
  “[Filming the hunt after the shot] just blew my mind. ...I wasn’t that type. Once I got something or got down, I would never think about going back and doing it a different way.” – Remi ([12:06])

• On Mentorship and Teamwork:
  “I would always push them to... what most people are capable of, and it’s often more than they think they are capable of.” – Remi ([29:20])

• On Bullet Selection:
  “With every bullet, I just like what— I like the effects better with the bonded bullet, the lead core.” – Remi ([38:44])

Important Segments & Timestamps

• [04:25] Life as a hunter-businessman: Passion vs. profit
• [08:39] Top 3 rules for stealth/stalking game
• [12:06] Authenticity in self-filming and hunting TV
• [17:50] Barrel length and caliber for young hunters
• [22:23] Hunting elk in areas with wolves
• [27:30] Teamwork: Maximizing success while hunting in pairs or with guides
• [31:55] Differences (and similarities) in Roosevelt vs. Rocky Mountain elk
• [35:09] Bonded vs. copper bullets for elk
• [38:48] Raising odds on a target bull seen on camera
• [43:27] New Zealand DIY hunting: Steps and species

Summary & Takeaways

This episode offers listeners direct access to Remi Warren’s hard-earned expertise, blending technical advice with philosophical insight. The themes of authenticity, resilience, and adaptability recur throughout, whether discussing the challenges of business vs. passion, the minutia of stalking technique, or strategies for new predator dynamics and varied habitats. Hunters of all experience levels will find actionable tactics, inspiration, and reassurance that the love of the hunt is the heart of a life lived wild.

For more information on Remi’s gear and to reach out with questions:
Visit day6gear.com

Quote for the road:
“I just want to say thank you, you guys are the reason that I do it. ...Until next week, I’m just gonna say: live wild.” – Remi ([47:45])