Ep. 230 | Live Q & A

Summary

Live Wild with Remi Warren – Ep. 230 | Live Q&A (April 9, 2026)

Episode Overview

In this dynamic episode, Remi Warren hosts a live call-in Q&A, offering hunting advice, practical tactics, and gear insights to listeners around North America. The episode is punctuated with prize giveaways (OnX Hunt membership and Montana Knife Co. Speedgoat knife) and real-life success stories from listeners who have benefited from Remi’s teachings. The tone is conversational, encouraging, and full of actionable information for both new and experienced hunters.

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Key Discussion Points & Insights

1. Mobile vs. Static Camps for Backcountry Elk and Mule Deer Hunting

• Caller: William from Carson City, Nevada
• Timestamp: 02:52 – 06:13
• Remi’s archery elk hunting involves a mobile strategy, especially until he finds elk.
• Once into elk, he sets a lightweight camp and day-hunts from there, keeping flexibility.
• For mule deer, more likely to remain fully mobile, carrying camp each day.
• Remi:

  "I like to go in with that mindset that I am going to be mobile and then go. You can cover a lot more country when you have less weight." (04:40)

• Advice: Don’t overcommit to a spot unless you’re into animals—staying light allows you to adapt.

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2. Arrow & Broadhead Selection for Archery Hunting

• Caller: Chance from New Mexico
• Timestamp: 06:23 – 13:26
• Arrow spine should match your bow’s draw weight and length, not the target species.
• Remi prefers ~520 grain arrows, mostly with 100-grain broadheads, adjusting only for tuning or lighter species (e.g., pronghorn).
• Tuning, arrow balance, and customer support at Day Six Arrows emphasized.
• Remi:

  "We build arrows for people for hunting. Whether you know exactly what you want or you're like, I don't even know where to start—that’s what we specialize in." (12:41)

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3. Strategies for Hunting Elk During Quiet, Hot Septembers

• Caller: Caden Langer from North Idaho
• Timestamp: 13:39 – 21:44
• When elk aren’t vocal, Remi suggests:
  • Early season scouting for burns, clear-cuts, and water sources.
  • Locating sign (rubs, trails) in bedding habitats.
  • Creating strategic midday or glassing routes, using e-scouting tools like OnX 3D mode.
• Prize Awarded: OnX Hunt Premium Membership
• Remi:

  "You can find a lot of success... just changed our strategy based on what we knew about the area to kind of target what was going on that particular season." (18:47)

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4. Best Lower 48 and International Moose Hunting Opportunities

• Caller: Justin Downs from Northeast South Dakota
• Timestamp: 22:08 – 27:47
• Idaho offers the best odds in the Lower 48 (no preference points, random draw).
• Newfoundland recommended as the most affordable, high-success Canadian option.
• Alaska DIY hunts are possible but increasingly expensive, focus on any-bull tag areas in draws.
• Remi shares excitement about taking his dad moose hunting in Newfoundland.
• Remi:

  "You could do [Idaho] while simultaneously planning for something down the road... Newfoundland is probably the best place and it’s got to be one of the best places in the world to hunt moose." (24:23)

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5. Tactics for Targeting Bears During Elk Hunts

• Caller: Garrett from Oregon
• Timestamp: 28:01 – 34:18
• Bear activity is highly food-source dependent; look for fresh scat and determine what they’re eating (e.g., manzanita berries, acorns).
• Glassing manzanita patches during productive berry years yields great results.
• Predator calling with fawn-in-distress calls can draw in bears after long sessions (45min+).
• Use trail cameras on water if legal.
• Remi:

  "One of the first things that I generally do is figure out what they're eating... I just glasses opening things. And I mean, one day turned up three, four, like big, big bears." (30:03)

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6. Self-Filming Your Hunts: Gear and Camera Recommendations

• Caller: Brandon Hartree from Wisconsin
• Timestamp: 34:27 – 39:55
• Remi uses high-end Sony mirrorless DSLRs but says they are challenging for most to self-film.
• 360-degree action cameras like Insta360 X5 are surprisingly effective—can mount on pack or bow and capture immersive footage.
• Handycam-style camcorders are great for ease and zoom; phone digiscoping solutions also viable.
• Cautions that GoPros or action cams often miss the critical moments.
• Remi:

  "This 360 cam captures stuff you didn't even know you could capture... It seems like some kind of wizardry when you look back." (38:32)

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7. How to Successfully Finish the Stalk When Elk Move into Timber

• Caller: Aiden from Colorado
• Timestamp: 40:04 – 46:26
• If elk always disappear into dark timber, Remi recommends:
  • Identify and still-hunt bedding areas during midday.
  • Move slowly, glass frequently, and stay aware of bedding topography.
  • Use prevailing winds and thermals to plan approach; patience pays off (wait for steady wind or specific time of day).
  • Consider ambush setups based on feeding/bedding patterns.
• Prize Awarded: Montana Knife Company Speedgoat knife
• Remi:

  "I've killed a lot of elk... sneaking through bedding areas. And when I do it, I'm very methodical about it. I'm getting the wind right." (42:14)

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8. Tag Application Strategies: Utah & Over-the-Counter Considerations

• Caller: Darren from Central Utah
• Timestamp: 47:13 – 50:57
• Remi would prioritize elk or deer limited-entry draws in Utah, as pronghorn is easier to draw/out-of-state.
• Suggests using OTC options for deer/elk if unable to draw, and seeking out lesser-known elk units for quality and lower hunter density.
• His personal Utah strategy: "shoot for the moon" as a non-resident, knowing it's a long wait but worth it.
• Remi:

  "I love chasing pronghorn... [but] I'd probably prioritize elk or deer... The pronghorn you can kind of go do other places easily." (48:15)

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9. Ethical Judgment Calls: Long-Range Spring Bear Hunt Decision

• Caller: Alex from Utah
• Timestamp: 51:14 – 58:55
• Caller describes passing up a 629-yard shot on a bear, waiting for a closer opportunity which never materialized.
• Remi strongly affirms the restraint and ethical decision, relating his own “shoulda-woulda-coulda” moments and importance of making peace with decisions.
• Remi:

  "You can second guess yourself either way... but there's so many variables. I think that, like, what you did was the right move. I think it was the ethical play." (54:44)

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Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On adaptability:

  "You can cover a lot more country when you have less weight, and when you're moving through, you're more quiet." – Remi Warren (04:40)

• On customer service:

  "We build arrows for people for hunting... we're the only arrow manufacturer that does that." – Remi Warren (12:41)

• On bear glassing:

  "Some years I'll be elk hunting and I'll run into 10 times the amount of bears that I do another year." – Remi Warren (28:47)

• On filming wizardry:

  "This 360 cam captures stuff... seems like some kind of wizardry when you look back at the thing." – Remi Warren (38:32)

• On ethical shots:

  "You can always second guess yourself... but there's so many variables. I think that, like, what you did was the right move." – Remi Warren (54:44)

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Prize Giveaways

• OnX Hunt Premium Membership: Awarded to Caden (21:56)
• Montana Knife Company Speedgoat Knife: Awarded to Aiden (46:41)

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Timestamps for Important Segments

• [02:52] – Mobile Backcountry Elk Camp Strategies
• [06:23] – Arrow & Broadhead Selection Deep Dive
• [13:39] – Hot September Elk: Quiet Tactics & E-Scouting
• [22:08] – Moose Hunting: Lower 48 vs. Canada/Alaska Options
• [28:01] – Bear Hunting Tips During Elk Season
• [34:27] – Self-Filming Hunts: Gear & Camera Advice
• [40:04] – Elk Disappearing Into Timber: Finishing Strategies
• [47:13] – Utah Application Strategy & OTC Insights
• [51:14] – Ethical Call: Passing on a Long Bear Shot

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Overall Tone and Takeaways

Remi brings an expert, yet approachable tone, tailoring advice to each caller’s unique situation. The show is grounded in practical knowledge, ethical hunting, and the ethos of continuous learning—making it a valuable listen (and summary!) for hunters of all backgrounds.

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For more tips, stories, or to engage with Remi Warren, visit remiwarren.com or check out his gear recommendations and additional content on his store and blog.

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Live wild and good luck on your next hunt!

Transcript

[A]

Foreign.

[B]

I'm Remy Warren and I've lived my life in the wild as a professional guide and hunter. I've spent thousands of days perfecting my craft. I want to give that knowledge to you. In this podcast we relive some of my past adventures as I give you practical hunting tips to make you more successful. Whether you're just getting started or a lifelong hunter, this podcast will bring you along on the hunt and teach you how to live wild. If you really want to utilize a lot of this information from the podcast in the field, one of the best ways to do that is to be physically ready for the hunt. And that's really why I've partnered with Mountain Tough. So if you aren't familiar with it, Mountain Tough is an online training app designed for hunters with a ton of added benefit. In addition to the fitness programs built for that backcountry hunting, you also get access to nutrition and recovery guides for on and off the mountain, mental toughness training, and this really great in app community that connects you with other Mountain Tuft toughers and coaches. This app is packed with value. To help you stay ready to get started in the journey, go to mountaintuff.com that's mt n t o-u g h.com. Welcome back to Live Wild Podcast everyone. This week I'm really excited because I'm doing a live call in Q and A. We have lots of people waiting on the line here and for good reason. One, they get their questions answered. But also for these live Q and as something that I really enjoy doing, I'm giving away some incredible prizes. So up for grabs today, one lucky caller is going to get one of these Onyx Premier memberships or premium memberships. It's a little gift card for that. And then another lucky caller is going to get one of my absolute favorites, Montana Knife company. We've got today a speedgoat. It's the stonewashed blade, one orange and black. This is the I would consider this kind of the flagship of the Montana Knife Company knives. Awesome knife. It's got that paracord wrapped handle. It's ultralight. This is the one that's like I think just their bread and butter. The workhorse of the Montana Knife Company lineup. So someone is going to get this. I'm going to ship this one out. It's got it in my hand right here. I'm going to ship this out right after this podcast to one lucky caller here. One of the things that it is that springtime a lot of people planning, a lot of people may be having hunts coming up. So this is that time where we get to ask those questions and I get to answer them. And it's always fun for me to hear maybe some of your hunting questions. So if you're calling in, feel free to just give me your name where you're from, and we'll talk hunting. All right, let's go to our first caller here. Hey, welcome to Live Wild Podcast. Who am I talking with?

[A]

William. Hey, William, from Carson City, Nevada.

[B]

What's your. What's your hunting question?

[A]

So I actually want to put. Want to throw this out there. I met. Heard about you sitting next to your parents on a flight in 2019 on their way back from one of your hunting shows.

[B]

Oh, that's awesome. Right on. Yeah, I was probably. They're probably coming back from Salt Lake or something.

[A]

Yeah, yeah. So quick question. When you're out archery elk hunting and you're hunting the wilderness, do you like to camp in the same spot or do you move every night and just biv whack out on the side with them?

[B]

Yeah, Honestly, I feel like my hunting style is more keep my camp mobile. But it also depends, like, if I get into an area where I'm really getting into animals, I'll often maybe just pitch a camp, and then I can move lighter and faster each day from there. But I also like to have my setup where I'm not necessarily tied down to a bigger base camp. Everything's kind of light and fast, and I can move when needed. For mule deer, I'm more apt to carry my stuff with me every day and just continually move. For elk, I feel like elk are more of a species when you. When you kind of get into the animals, they're going to be around in that same general area particularly. And I feel like maybe I, Trish, travel more for. For mule deer, I don't know why. Maybe it's just the earlier season. But for elk, oftentimes, especially because elk are such large animals, I want more room in my pack to. To maybe make an initial pack back to camp. So sometimes with elk, like, I might go into an area, find, not find what I'm looking for, continue to move till I find it. Once I find, oh, look, there's some elk in this basin or whatever, I'll set up camp, and then maybe I'll spike out and day hunt from there, going back to my camp each day. So I don't. Every hunt's a little bit different. I don't necessarily have a specific, you know, formula every time, but I really do like to keep my setup more mobile in case I need to move. I think one of the things that people get into is they get in their, in their planning process. They go, okay, here's where I'm going to get into. Here's where I'm going to set my camp, and that's where it's going to be for the week. And so they, they bring a little bit heavier gear, this, that and the other thing, they get it set up and then there's just no elk around. And they continue to just commit to this particular drainage, this particular area because they've invested so much energy and all that into getting their camp there. And then they kind of lose out on that flexibility to be mobile. So I like to go in with that mindset that I am going to be mobile and then, and then go. You can cover a lot more country when you have less weight, though, and when you're moving through, you're more quiet. So oftentimes, like, I'll get into that area, I might leave my tent, set up, stuff out of it, hunt around if I'm getting into animals, continue going back to that camp, and then when things change, I'll pack up and move if I need to. So I hope that helps.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

Sense. Yeah, you got, you got an elk hunt planned coming up.

[A]

Ah, over the counter, Oregon, and hopefully John, Nevada.

[B]

Awesome. Right on, man. We'll keep me posted. Let me know how, how it goes for you. And I mean, one of the, one of the most fun hunts you can do is getting after elk, especially like with your bow or in that back country setting and scenario because there's just so many good opportunities and it's just, it's an adventure every time. So keep me posted on how it goes.

[A]

Will do.

[B]

Awesome. Appreciate it. All right, we're going to head to our next caller here. Hey, welcome to Live Wild Podcast. Who am I talking with?

[A]

Hey, this is Chance from New Mexico.

[B]

Chance, how's it going, man? What's your question?

[A]

Pretty good. I was, I'm trying to get into archery hunting and I was curious about your arrow selections. Basically more of the lines, kind of like what broadhead weight do you typically try and stick with, like for different species? And then with the spine, do you change that with each species or do you pretty much run like a general all the same?

[B]

Yeah. So I'll break it down a little bit just to kind of bring, you know, better understanding to it. So the spine weight is just going to be essentially the flex of the arrow for the Most part. So what that is is it's, it's spanning I guess it's a 28 inch arrow spanned over with a weight hung in the center. And it tells you how much that arrow flexes. And that flex is extremely important in what's the archer's paradox. That flex needed to transfer that energy from this bowstring into that now moving arrow. And it needs to flex the exact right amount so it stabilizes quickly and easily to give you good arrow flight and like a precise shot. So if you, if your spine is off it, that's more of a factor of your draw weight and your draw length. So if your spine's off, what you're going to get is more erratic arrow flight and your bow is not going to tune really well. So then when you go to throw broadheads on or other things that's going to be the difference there. Now you can actually, that spine weight is actually dynamic, meaning that if you add or subtract weight to the front of the arrow, it can start to adjust the way that that arrow flexes actually because as you, you know you're cutting down your arrow for your particular size that changes things. So sometimes you could add weight or subtract weight based on that. For me personally I just generally shoot hundred grain broadheads only because they're readily available like it's, it's, they're easier to find and I often will with our day six arrows I'll often, if I want more weight forward, I can mess with the outset and add more weight there and then continue to use that 100 grain. Now where I would maybe go to 125 is if I, I had a certain arrow that was cut down for my length and I just couldn't get it to tune right. And I might try adding 25 more grains to that up front broadhead and if I got it to fly better then I would maybe go with that. For me particularly what I'm trying to do is I'm just. One of the things that I often do is I just build toward like a, a goal weight of a particular arrow. My arrows are generally around a hundred and or sorry, 520 grains all in. That's with the broadhead, the outsert, the whole arrow, everything like that. So I shoot more off of looking for a particular arrow weight than anything and then I just match the spine based on my draw length and my draw weight. So I have like I've shot when I change that spine is mostly when I change a bow and I might be shooting A different draw weight. So I used to shoot 80 pounds, now I just shoot 70 pounds. When I shot my 80 pound bow, I shot a different spined arrow and actually a heavier arrow because as you get that higher, stiffer spine, it, it will increase the AM of material which can add more weight to the arrow. So it was actually a heavier arrow, different spine. And then when I dropped my draw weight down, I ended up changing the spine. And now between bows or whatever, or between species, I really don't change that much. If I were to change anything, it would be the overall arrow weight. Like maybe I'm hunting mule deer and I want less drop or pronghorn, I want less drop in the arrow. Then I might go to a little bit lighter arrow per se and that would be your, your. You're going to find that in your grains per inch. So the GPI of the arrow. So every inch of arrow is a different weight in grain. So I could go into a lighter grain per inch arrow. I actually have one set up that I'm setting up right now where I want it for 3D shoots in the summer. Maybe I'll do some pronghorn hunting, maybe some mule deer hunting with it. It's got a little bit lighter arrow like in that 420 range and 420 grains all in. That's with the broadhead on it as well. That's. And so with that lighter green arrow, I might get less drop out of a similar bow. Or this is just another bow that I have that set up for that. But for me generally I think one arrow for all species. I go with our day six HDs. Like those are our heavy duties. They're a heavier grain per inch. They're like, I call it like shooting rebar. They're nearly indestructible. And then with our Day 6 outsert system, like it's the strongest arrow combination in the world. Like you just cannot get a stronger setup than that. So that's what I, I run with and I just really utilize that because I build that system for elk and larger, you know, like mule deer, bigger bodied animals and then I can hunt anything with it, if that makes sense. I know there's a lot of info in there, but that's, it's just, I, I think that that kind of answers your question.

[A]

Yeah, absolutely. I'll have to head over to day six and check out those areas that you were mentioning.

[B]

Yeah. And you know, you can head over. That's like you can head over to our website and we're going to Continually. We actually just finished filming a bunch of more learning based how to, like, just really describing arrows. So we've got a bunch of blogs coming out. Over the next couple months, we're going to start putting more and more videos, like probably daily or definitely weekly on our YouTube channel about just the nuances of that stuff. And then the other thing is, like, if you guys have questions and you're like, I, I want to build an arrow. I don't even really know where to start. Call us. Like, call our shop at day six. You can go on our website. We have a phone number there. Brian's probably going to be the one that answers the phone in the shop. But, like, whoever you're talking to there is going to be able to build you the exact arrow. And that's what we specialize in. Like, we build arrows for people for hunting. Whether you, you know exactly what you want or you're like, I don't even know where to start. That's what we specialize in. That's like, we're the only arrow manufacturer that does that, and that's kind of part of our specialty. And why not only do you produce really high quality arrows, but we're able to like, custom fit it for you and make exactly what you need, whether you just want to talk it out and say, like, hey, is this right for my particular setup? Because we want, we definitely, like, our biggest thing is we want people to have the most accurate arrows in the world. And to do that, we really have to build it specifically for, for everybody's individual setup. So if you just call and one of the things that you need to know, definitely know your draw length, definitely know your draw weight, and we can, we can start building from there. And, and definitely like your, your bow make and model. Because sometimes, you know, there might be a few things with different makes and models that we know about that we're like, oh, yeah, we would suggest this or, or that, but for the most part, like, that's open to everyone. That's. That's something that we kind of pride ourselves in. Is. Is our customer service on that end of the spectrum.

[A]

Awesome. Well, I appreciate it.

[B]

Yeah, thanks so much for the call and best of luck to you.

[A]

Thank you.

[B]

All right, we're going to jump to our next caller here. Hey, welcome to Live Wild Podcast. Who am I talking with?

[A]

Hey, Remy, this is Caden Langer calling from North Idaho.

[B]

Hey, Kaden, how's it going, man?

[A]

It's an honor to speak to you. I just wanted to say thank you for your Podcast, you helped me get my first archery bull elk. Two years in the bow hunting. So a huge help.

[B]

Awesome, man. That's great to hear. That's, that's always encouraging because that's, I mean, I've guided people and run into people. They're like, man, I've spent seven, eight years, still haven't killed the bull or still haven't killed an elk. So it's always encouraging to hear when people have taken some of that knowledge and applied it and been successful. So congratulations. What's your, what's your question today?

[A]

Yeah, yeah. So my question is, lately in north Idaho, it seems like we've been having some really hot Septembers. So and my main tactic is, is bugling. But this last September, I realized that wasn't really working with the bulls. They just weren't really talking. So I recently invested in some better, some higher power binoculars. But, you know, I'm sure, you know, around here in Idaho there's, there's not great like glassy knobs and great glass advantages where you get clear country. So I'm just curious, what's your, what would be your strategy if the bulls are being quiet and would you want to like move through the mountains and try to look for those little open patches or what would be your strategy if the bulls aren't talking?

[B]

Yeah, I mean, I have a couple of strategies based on that. It kind of depends on when in September. One of the things that I do like about especially that Idaho season is it starts September 1st. And what you get with that first part of September, like, it's consistent in that, in that timing of you have the opportunity to kind of catch bulls a little early in the season where you could potentially, especially if you live in the area, do some early season scouting, whether it's, you know, trail cameras, I guess, I guess I don't know exactly what the regulations are going to be changed to. I haven't really looked into that yet. But you know, like any kind of summer scouting you can do in locating bulls early and then finding that habitat. Also, anywhere in the unit where you can find burns, clear cuts, more alpine type areas, openings like that, good feeding areas, is going to be some places that I'm going to target and then other places I'm going to target are going to be that water, like water sources, isolated wallows and water holes, anything like that that might attract animals to those particular locations. Because in places where there's a lot of timber, you know, you run into the trouble of like, okay, maybe you can't glass Everywhere, but there are places that you will be able to glass. So utilizing that summer scouting and or early season knowledge to find those areas, and then you can hit those later. Another tactic that I use a lot in timber is following topography. So finding those, those steep areas where something's a little bit different, if it's all steep, and then you've got a more gradual ridge that runs up a sp where it has this little bench. Elk really like those flatter areas, especially in steep country, to bed. So I'll focus on that. I'll move into those areas and look for sign and see if this is a place where there's trails, game trails, track sign, rubs, stuff like that, to locate sign throughout the September season. And the more places you can locate, like that preseason is just going to help you kind of find those places that you can go to during the season. One of the things that I really focus on too is like rubs and other sign that you can find year round, but really indicate areas that are getting more pressure and more action during that September timeframe. And then, you know, within that you can be moving, you can be cow calling. The elk might be quiet, it might be hot, but they're still, they still got a rut at some time. They're still in there. And then you can also, you know, sneak in or like bump into them per se, moving through country, still continuing to broadcast your calls, like mid to late September. And then one of the other strategies that I use in those time frames is then, you know, going from those travel corridors to maybe potential places that you can glass. So often I'll have like a route that I take, and it's like, okay, I go up here, I call off onto these sides, I hit this particular bedding area, maybe potentially midday, I throw out cow calls in there. Then I move up to an area where I can glass in the evening or glass in the morning or start in the morning and, and kind of build a route based on the things that you find in the things that you see. And you can find a lot of success that way. The elk aren't making a lot of noise guiding in similar country for many years. It's like over the course of a season or in, over the course of multiple years, we'd always kind of have similar success, whether it was elk screaming or elk being quiet. Well, we just changed our strategy based on what we knew about the area to kind of target what was going on that particular season. And it can change daily too, is what you'll find out. They might not Be quiet. But one day you get in there and, hey, the weather broke. It got cold, it got whatever. But you're. You're already putting yourself in a position of where the elk might be based on, you know, moving around and seeing what you find other parts of the year, other parts of the season, and then when they start to light off, you're already in position for when that happens. So I think that that's a really successful way to target elk in September. And then the other thing is, you know, think about really identifying areas where you can even sometimes change your strategy. There's places where I've hunted where it's all thick and it's all whatever, but there's a couple different places that are a bit different. Oh, if I go back into this canyon, I get up into it. It's a little more alpine basin in this one particular zone. Okay. That's a good spot that I can target early because that's where bulls will summer and other things. So as the season progresses, you might change the places that you target, and you might target more places that are more conducive to glassing.

[A]

Awesome. Well, thank you. That. That really helped.

[B]

There's a lot of information in there, but I think that, you know, combining a lot of different strategies and then really, you know, if you're in the area utilizing that is. That's the greatest advantage you can have to any hunting tactic is being close to an area where you can spend more time in there outside of the season. And I would say the month of August is a real prime time to locate bulls, like, if there's any time in the year, like. Right. Especially if you can, like, foray that knowledge from August into the beginning of September. It's a really good time to go in there with that spot and stock mentality and kind of move in on areas where you can hopefully find elk prior to the season.

[A]

Yeah. Yeah, that makes sense. Awesome. Thank you so much.

[B]

Yeah, we'll appreciate it. Thanks for calling. And you are our lucky caller number three that wins our premium Onyx membership. So if you don't have an Onyx membership, I'm going to. Well, even if you do, you can give this to someone else as a gift card for a premium membership. One of the things that I utilize and it should. It should help you is go in that 3D mode. And then the other thing is, you know, you can use some of the other layers within the onyx map to show to highlight those areas that have fewer trees, those areas that maybe have burns like all that kind of stuff, all those, all that little bit of data goes a long ways. Like a lot of the stuff that I'm talking about, I first escout it out and make my plan that way. And then do yourself a really good service and like fly around your unit on the maps in 3D and really just look for stuff that might line up with what you're looking for. You'd be surprised how many good little glass advantages, openings, different types of topography and benches that you can find just by cruising around on that e scouting and then get it, get a weekend or something and go investigate and check it out. I think that's a really good way to, to, to understand the area and then find animals that maybe other people are, are not, not going to turn up.

[A]

Yeah. Amazing. Thank you so much. I really, really appreciate it.

[B]

Yeah, appreciate it. So keep an eye out for a text after this, after this podcast and we'll, we'll get you your gift cards.

[A]

Thanks so much, Remy. Have a good one.

[B]

Yep, have a good one. All right, we're gonna jump to another caller here. Hey, welcome to Live Wild podcast. Who am I talking with?

[A]

Hey, Justin Downs, Northeast South Dakota. Thanks for all you do for the hunting industry and for taking these live Q&As. Really appreciate it.

[B]

Yeah, well, appreciate you calling in. Thank you so much. What's your, what's your question today?

[A]

Well, just wondering what your thoughts are and move strategy. I'm in my low 40s. Are there lower 48 states worth chasing for draw or is it a save up and go to Canada, Alaska? I mean, I'm not necessarily needing a 70 inch Yukon bull moose, just something representative of the whatever state I would be in or territory. And just curious if there's still time to get drawn here in the lower 48 of my age or, or save up a little bit and go north.

[B]

Yeah, that's a great question. You know, I just recently drew my first moose tag in many years of applying. However, I think that if you're talking for, for drawing moose, I really think that Idaho is your best bet. And there's some areas that traditionally are maybe a lot easier to draw than other places. Wherever everybody's on an equal footing, there's no points, there's no point system. So everybody's in that random draw. And there are some areas that might surprise you on the draws. Now those areas might be very tough moose hunts, but you can get out and get in the field. I would definitely look at that as a strategy as far as application and, and Then maybe that's one of the things too where hey, I'm going to try that, try applying. You know you're going to be out your, your license fee of like $160 something dollars every year. And then, and then if you draw, you know, it's a, I think it's a, I can't remember the exact price tag but it's a lot cheaper than going on a hunt in Canada or something like that. However, you could do that while simultaneously planning for something down the road as well. I would say the two best options in my opinion, you've got the like if you, if you're like hey, I want a really good quality moose hunt, I want a good opportunity to harvest a bull. I think Newfoundland is probably the best place and it's got to be one of the best places in the world to hunt moose because they have such high densities of moose. They're a different like they're a Canadian moose but they're also on the smaller side of Canadian moose. I think of them more of like their own species. Like a Newfoundland moose to me is like more like a Shirus moose in my opinion. Like a Canadian Shirus moose and or eastern Shirus moose if there ever was such a thing. Just based on their body size and everything, they definitely seem different to me. And then within that you can actually get some really good bulls like with like, I mean they still harvest 45, 50 inch bulls which would be a heck of a shirous moose and as good as anything you could expect to harvest in Idaho. So like that opportunity definitely exists there. There's a lot of different outfitters. I would definitely, you know, really do my due diligence on the different outfitters there. But I feel like for the price and for the opportunity there's nothing better. I'm actually going there with my dad this, this year, taking him because he's never hunted him, harvested a moose, he's never got to hunt him. And so I'm headed there the Outfitters. It's a Kai Outfitters and then I've also hunted with Grand Lake Adventures but same owner of both and like we had the first time I went it was like phenomenal moose hunting where you're seeing multiple moose a day, multiple moose on a trip, like incredible, incredible opportunity. I'm excited to take my dad there this year and compared to like Alaska or BC or something like that, a fraction of the price honestly. So that's an option. And then another option would be like if you wanted to save some money and try to do like a DIY moose hunt in Alaska. Those are definitely doable. The price on, like just even flying into Alaska and doing stuff like that isn't what it used to be like when I started doing this stuff 15 years ago. You know, it's just the cost of everything's gone up. But on those, like, you, you have to. There's a lot like three brow tines or 50 inch bulls. So there's a lot of restrictions. One thing I always recommend for people is look for some of the draws where they're our moose areas where you can shoot any bull because it, it makes it easier on having to decide what, what bull to shoot and gives you opportunity, you know, a little more opportunity to harvest. And sometimes those areas are, you know, a little bit easier to access than other places that might have those antler length or point restrictions. So that's something to think about. The draws for Alaska happen to be in, I guess they, they're due in December, so kind of the end of the year. That's another thing to think about. So you can think about applying in Alaska. You think about DIY hunt in Alaska, apply in Idaho and then consider like a Newfoundland moose hunt, because they've got great moose hunting and with the right guides, you're going to have a pretty incredible, pretty incredible hunt.

[A]

Awesome. Thanks for the advice. Appreciate it. And enjoy the hunt with your dad. My dad's been my hunting buddy my whole life and we just never know when our last hunt's gonna be. So enjoy.

[B]

Oh, yeah, I know. I appreciate that. Thanks. Yeah, we're excited about it that that's going to be, you know, my big hunt of this year. And the thing that I'm, I think I'm most looking forward to, I've talked him into bringing his, him, his bow, so we'll see. I think we'll probably bring or have a rifle just in case things don't work out or whatever, but, man, I know he's, he's, he's already getting fired up and just practicing and we're excited. We're excited. Hopefully we'll be able to call him in a good, a, a good bowl and, and have a good time, if nothing else. I know we're gonna have a good time.

[A]

Absolutely. Great. Thanks a lot, Remy. Appreciate you.

[B]

Yeah, appreciate the call and best of luck to you. All right, let's go to our next caller here. Hey, welcome to Live well Podcast. Who am I talking with?

[A]

Hi, this is Garrett from Oregon.

[B]

Garrett, how's it going, man?

[A]

Doing well. Hey, Remy. So I got question for you. I know like summer and get going into September and everything, everybody's focused on elk. But everywhere I go during elk season, there seems to be fresh pile of bear spine everywhere. Was curious how what's the best way to go about targeting all bear?

[B]

Yeah, I mean the best thing especially there's a couple of strategies that I've used in combination during an elk hunt. One of the things that you're going to find is like every year it's weird, but it really is just so food source dependent. You'll be surprised some years when food sources maybe or like it's a dry year, bears might be more concentrated on water and so you can kind of like pinpoint them. Or some years like there's been places I've hunted in New Mexico where when the acorns are really good that year it's just like it seems like there's more bears out and maybe it is. They're just there's more food sources they hold in those places and they just kind of get in that, that heavy feed pattern. I'm not really sure what it is but like some years I'll be elk hunting and I'll run into 10 times the amount of bears that I do another year. And so when I, when I start to see that bear sign and when I start to really like see that there's activity tracks, other things in that particular area, then sometimes I'll go, oh, hey, this is one of those years I should start focusing on bears. One of the first things that I generally do is figure out what they're eating. That's just often if you see fresh bear scat sign, crap, whatever, and there's something particular in it, you can start to focus on that as a food source. And one of the things that you might notice is like, you'll see this happens. What, like what kind of area are you hunting in? Like what might be a potential food source in there?

[A]

It's mostly manzanita, dry. So I mean water's probably a huge one. I know manzanita is not a food stuff, but probably, yeah, I couldn't tell.

[B]

Well, so here's one thing. When. So that manzanita actually certain years is like the absolute best food source. Because certain years you'll have the manzanita berries. As long as it's like true manzanita, not cinnamon lothus. But like you'll get those manzanita berries, they taste like you can actually eat them. They taste like sour apples, like a lot of water in them and other Things, but it depends on the year. Some years you'll. They just won't have those manzanita berries. But early in September on those years that have big manzanita berries, I will just sit back and I will just glass those thick manzanita patches, get the best view I can, and just watch them all day. And you. You'll be surprised how many bears you turn up. I did that a couple years ago and it was like, just noticed that there was like manzanita berries everywhere. I started seeing bear sign with it in it. And I just got back, started glassing manzanita patches that I could find around, like in amongst like some thicker timber stuff. So I just glasses opening things. And I mean, one day turned up three, four, like big, big bears. So that can be a really good way to do it. Another thing that I'll do is if I find areas where there's not as much feed, but like, hey, I'm seeing that particular. Like it's a area with scrub oaks or whatever in certain canyons, and I see a lot of acorns and there's scat, then I'll. Then I'll focus on those areas where that whatever particular food source is. Another thing that I'll try, like while I'm glassing or trying to target bears, targeting water. If it's legal to use trail cameras where you're hunting, trail cameras on water sources can tell you a lot about bear activity in that particular area. And then just setting up some calls like, like predator calling in particular areas. Like, get to where those food sources are, get downwind of it, preferably uphill, and then just start calling. I'll use like a fawn and distress call. You gotta rip on it for about an hour to an hour and 15 minutes. Like it wears you out. Yeah. And it's just constant for like an hour. And you're like, this is, this is crazy. Get somewhere where you've got a good view below you because you can see them come up better than maybe something solid behind you or somebody behind you. You'd be surprised. Like, they, they generally come in in like 45 minutes to an hour almost every time. Even if I've even like, called it bears that I've seen, and they'll listen to it for forever. And then at one point they just run in. It's really exciting. It's really fun. It's a cool way to hunt. You know it. A lot of times I've actually realized that when I do it, a lot of times they'll circle you wind you and then never come in. But you'd be surprised how many actually do come in that maybe you didn't see. I've had that happen where oh geez, like they, you catch, cut their tracks on the top of your tracks on the way that you came in or stuff like that where the direction the wind was blowing or hear them crash off behind you. But it can be a fun way to, to just add a little bit of excitement to it and maybe something while you're, you know, in a lull between elk hunting or something like that. I've done it a lot too, where the elk action got slow, it was a hot day, the elk hunting slow. Let's switch to bears. We'll go glass for a little bit. But I've been surprised too, even when it's hot. Like I'll catch bears feeding out and some of that stuff at weird times. I don't know if it's more based off the moon or them just finding a good food source and not caring. Like I've been on those 100 degree days and middle archery season, like sun beating down on a hillside and seeing a, like a good sized black bear just gathering up manzanita berries, eating them in a pile right in front of him, you know, didn't move for hours. So it's definitely a, definitely a fun time to chase them and I think it's like a really underlooked resource as far as like some good fall hunting for sure.

[A]

Awesome. Yeah, thank you. And I also wanted to say thank you to the podcast because I was able to actually harvest my first archery bull last year and I've been diving into the live wild pretty heavy and I've used a few tips and tactics and came out on top on opening day. So I was pretty excited about that.

[B]

Heck yeah, man. Well, that's awesome. I appreciate it. Appreciate the call and the support and keep me posted, man. Hopefully I'll, hopefully I'll get a good successful bear picture from you this, this fall.

[A]

Sounds good. Thank you, Remy.

[B]

Awesome. Appreciate it. All right, we're going to jump to our next caller here. Hey, welcome to Live Wild podcast. Who am I talking with?

[A]

Hey, this is Brandon Hartree from Wisconsin.

[B]

How's it going, Brandon?

[A]

Oh, it's going good. I had a question. I want to start to get into some like self filming. I was just wondering what kind of cameras and systems you use for doing that. I've done some with a GoPro and just cell phones just doesn't quite turn out top notch. So I just Wonder if you could send me in on that?

[B]

Yeah, so I mean the first, the stuff that I self film with I've used for a long time has been like the Sony cameras, my particular camera. So it's a Sony like mirrorless DSLR type camera. You know it's got like an interchangeable lens, it's very difficult to film with. But like I kind of committed to them a long time ago and figured it out like the quality is so good. I don't necessarily know if I would like even suggest that for people but it is definitely an option. It's a really good camera. I have like the Sony A7SIII but they have all different models of them. But the other thing is like they're very expensive as well honestly like there is some handy and I've even thought about going back to something like this just like a handycam style camera. They have like those 8K handycams and they've got zoom on them, they're easy to use. Like honestly you probably get some great stuff with that. I've actually gone the other way in, in a lot of the cell filming stuff I've done lately because the technology on some of these cameras is getting so much better. I've actually got one sitting right here on my desk. I just bought this Insta360, like this X5 Insta360 and do the quality. These things are crazy. I don't know how they work. Like it's just too. Have you seen these things? They're like a 360cam but it's got two opposing lenses, one facing each direction and then somehow stitches it all together and you got an app and you can zoom in and like I, I've, I've been using this a little bit recently and I can like you can put it on your pack and I mean you can even zoom in on animals within bow range. Like pretty dang easy. You know it obviously doesn't catch everything or like as good as zoom as something else but just for like self filming and having that they're pretty slick. It's a pretty cool little camera. And then maybe in combination with like a good phone that has some zoom and then just using like a mag view for the like larger farther stuff to film through your spotting scope. Get some great stuff that way. Now if you just want like real high quality cinematic TV style looking stuff you got to go with a DSLR mirrorless type camera. And if you want something that's just easy to shoot, good zoom, pretty seamless, can get Some great stuff and probably wouldn't even tell the difference for just most things that you're going to use it for. I would go with like a Handycam camcorder style camera and that. That's kind of the way that I would break it down.

[A]

Okay. Yeah, I've seen those 360 things, just like some advertisements on social media and stuff. And I just curious on how they work. But I guess I said I've done a few things with GoPros but that's like been a stabilizer on the bow type of mount and then you lose it after you shoot type of thing.

[B]

Yeah, so that's the thing like with the. Yeah, I, I like, I. I've done so much self filming and I've used a GoPro very little. I actually got one. Where is it? Sitting on my desk right here. It's a DJI Action 5. So it's an Action 5 Pro. It's like essentially the. It's essentially a GoPro. It's a little bit better I think than the GoPro, but still like, you know, it's got like a better. It's got this like magnetic mount system thing so it clips on and off faster. I swear though, every time I use like a GoPro or a helmet cam, I literally had this thing on my head moving in on a fallow deer a couple weeks ago in New Zealand. And it's like of course I push the. But I don't know, it just. I swear that every time I try to film something with that, it never captures it. Right. Whereas this 360 cam captures stuff that you didn't even know you could capture. Like I set it up, I actually set it up as I was sneaking in just to film myself sneaking in on this buck because I have my big DSLR camera and I was sneaking in and the buck ran out to my right, like 20 yards away as I was moving in and I went back, I was like, oh, bummed. And you know, didn't get it on the big camera. And then looked on this 360 camera and I could zoom in, zoom over and see this deer jump out, look at me and whatever from 20 yards away. And the cool thing about it is if I put it on my bow or something like that, even if you've dropped your bow or whatever, it would continually catch that. So you could stabilize it in your phone and you would still get that impact in that video. They're pretty remarkable. Like it. It seems like some kind of wizardry when you like look back at the Thing. Every time I run it, I'm like, dude, I didn't even know that. Like, it just, it I. It's still new to me, so it's still shocking. Like, I'm sure the younger generations, like those have been around forever. Old, dude, why didn't you. Haven't you used them for years? But I literally just started using this thing this last season and it's been, it's been sweet. I mean, I really like it for that kind of stuff. I don't think there's be hard pressed to find something better. This one that I have is a little bit. I got it because it was like higher quality. It's a lot heavier and stuff too. And I have like a big kind of case thing on it. But man, I don't know, you can get some cool stuff with it and it like captures everything. So it's pretty cool.

[A]

Yeah, that's awesome. Well, thanks for, thanks for the info.

[B]

Yeah, appreciate it. Appreciate the call.

[A]

Thanks.

[B]

All right, we're gonna jump to another question here. Hey, welcome to Live Wild Podcast. Who am I talking with?

[A]

Hey, this is Aiden from Colorado.

[B]

Aiden, how's it going, man?

[A]

Not too bad. I just had a question more about in the hunting field. So this last few years we've gotten into some nice elk and stuff, but every time we see them and bottom, they end up running into dark timber and then they're just gone. Even when we go back or glass them up or try to glass them up later. And then it's public land, so we're not getting any bugles of any sort. So I was wondering if you just had any tips or tricks to try to like finish that last little step.

[B]

Yeah. So you're essentially saying there you see them, they're out and then they're just moving off into the timber without making any noise. But they aren't necessarily being spooked or are they getting spooked into the timber?

[A]

No, they're just going on there like, you know, after, after eating in the low meadows. And they'll just move upwards.

[B]

Yep. Yeah. So what I would, what I would focus on, and this is a strategy that I've used a lot of different places fairly successfully. You know, I think if you are having trouble getting that action in the mornings and the evenings because they're just, they're on like a feed bed pattern. I really am not opposed to getting up in their, their bedding zones. And so one of the ways that you, you know, you're going to want to find like the good trails and Then like I mentioned, I think it was probably that first caller talking about some of that timber topography, like really pulling out your onyx looking in there and, and finding those potential places where they might be bedding. So it often, like, if it's hot and stuff, might be that north face, and you might have something where it's like an open area, they move up a ridge and then they'll sidel around into like a north kind of face where maybe there's some places where it kind of benches out. I would also find places it, you know, they, they're going to try to bed somewhere where they've got maybe a prevailing wind that's coming downhill from them. So that kind of helps them add a little bit of security. But elk really love to bed in places that are comfortable. So somewhere where it's like maybe a ridge, benches out on the north side, or you've got like a finger ridge that drops down and has this little flat spot near the top. They also like those places kind of in the timber near the tops where that wind swirls. So they get a lot of different wind direction. They feel real safe in that. If you can figure out where they're bedding and then just still hunting through that bedding zone. Sometimes I'll go in quiet, sometimes I'll go in just throwing out little cow calls. Honestly, one of the biggest bulls I've ever killed was beginning of September. They were, they were bugling, definitely, like we were having action in the mornings, but I killed the bull right around lunchtime. Hottest part of the day, for the most part, just broadcasting calls. And he was bedded and heard it and decided he wanted to come in and check it out. And so that, that can definitely be a successful tactic. I've killed a lot of elk in that, on those quiet hunts in that midday, like just sneaking through bedding areas. And when I do it, I'm very methodical about it. I'm getting the wind right. I'm, you know, like, especially if I've seen elk where they go in and then trying to maybe follow that same kind of trail in following tracks in, I'm taking a step, I'm glassing, I'm looking, I'm glassing, I'm looking, I'm glassing. Like even in that thick country, like, my glasses up and I'm just head on a swivel, looking every direction because you really have to find them before they see you. And then just trying to crawl in, creep in, shadow that herd. Another thing is, like, if you can figure out their betting feeding patterns, trying to get ahead of them going before, like, getting up into where you think they might be going and doing a play where you're cutting them off in the morning or the evening can be very successful. So it's almost a similar tactic that we use rifle hunting, where we see where they're feeding and they've got this particular feeding area than anticipating where they're going to be the next day or that evening. And we set up an ambush where we can kind of move in closer. Sometimes you can call and drop them to your location. Sometimes it's better to just be quiet and try to. To stalk and approach and. And set up a good ambush. So those are all strategies that I've used in similar scenarios and been very successful with them.

[A]

Awesome. Also with that, do you ever experience a lot of swirling winds? Because that's what we experienced some.

[B]

A little bit, yeah. Yeah. I mean, that's the one thing. Like, often I'll.

[A]

I'll.

[B]

If I'm gonna try to hit those bedding areas, I'm gonna wait till that thermal is really cranking, and then like the hot part of the day where you've got a thermal that's moving up and then what's going to happen is, like, as you get the. The different ways that the shade hits the mountain, you know, the shade's gonna maybe suck it down, but if you've got, like, the hot sun hitting it, it's going to create that updraft. So if I've got a day where I've got a good prevailing wind, where it's just blowing one direction and then a thermal that's mixing in with that, oftentimes you can get away with a little bit more because it's pushing your scent up into the air. So I'll try to approach from above if I can. Like, or not necessarily above, but level with where I think that they're going to be, and then hoping that I've got a good wind, you know, in my face, they. They do love to bed in those. Those swirly wind places. So sometimes it's a. It's a matter of just. That's the hard part. Right. But sometimes you can play it right where you go, like, hey, if you know where they're betting, like, there's been places where I hunt and I. You kind of get to really figure these elk out. They are the thing and nice thing about elk is, like, they actually are pretty predictable animals. They like certain things and they like kind of. And they do certain little routes and they can be pretty predictable, especially if they aren't getting. If they're getting bumped. A lot changes, but they're almost just predictable on a bigger circuit. But they do like those. Those places where the wind kind of swirls around in different directions. There's certain times of day where you'll start to learn, like you're. You can get away with a little more scent wise. And there's other times where, like, I'll be super patient. I'm like, I know that they're there. Maybe I saw them go there. They didn't come out the other side, whatever. And I wait for something where it's like, okay, I wait for that evening thermal to shift, and I start to move in as it starts to fall. So it's like I can come up from below. I've got a good wind, and I've maybe got the wind and the thermal in the same direction. Then that's a go, right? Because sometimes in those swirling spots, it's like, it's where turbulent winds hitting a particular ridge or feature. But if you include like a thermal either direction into that, that, that assists in the way that you're coming in. Oftentimes they might not catch you, so it might give you a little bit more time to. To actually make a play.

[A]

Well, awesome. Thank you.

[B]

I hope that makes sense. Yeah. Yeah. Well, thank you for calling and you were our lucky caller number seven. So you're actually going home today with a Montana knife company speedgoat, stonewash blade, orange and black handle.

[A]

No way.

[B]

Mail that to you right after I get off this call. So keep an eye out for a message to this number that you called in on. Is that a cell phone?

[A]

Yes.

[B]

Perfect. Well, I'm gonna.

[A]

We'll.

[B]

We'll shoot you a message on this number that you called in on and we'll. I'll get that shipped out this afternoon, so you should see it in a couple of days. But appreciate you calling in and thanks for your question.

[A]

Thanks for Emmy.

[B]

Yeah, appreciate it. All right, we're gonna jump to a couple more questions here before we take off.

[A]

Hi, this is Darren from central Utah.

[B]

Darren, how's it going, man?

[A]

Not too bad. So my question is about, like, how do you prioritize what critters you're putting in for, like, here in Utah? I wanted to do elk, mule deer, and antelope, but I can only pick two out of the three.

[B]

Yep. So here's what I would suggest, like, for. For Utah especially now, you know, you can. That's the hard part. Right. Is you can only pick one of those. So what I would say is like, you know, the, the pronghorn is probably a little bit easier to draw so you could go after that the deer if you, you know, you have the opportunity to potentially do a general zone deer. Utah has some of the best elk and the best deer in the West. Really. Right in those limited dry areas. So I would probably prioritize one of those two and then I would look toward other places nearby where you could easily go hunt pronghorn. There's a lot of plate, there's a lot of states where pronghorn hunting. I love chasing pronghorn. Like it's such a fun hunt, but it's also one of the most doable hunts to do out of state. Like you don't really have to have much pre knowledge or scouting. You don't really have to have a ton of. It's not super expensive like the often there's easier draws. So if it were me, I would probably prioritize elk or deer. And you know, I mean for me, like when I started applying in Utah, I prioritized elk for myself because there's great bulls, there's phenomenal hunting. I could go hunt, you know, other places maybe for, for elk, but you know, with the opportunity to maybe hunt deer still on a general tag pronghorn out of state and build your points to try for kind of a really good rut type hunt for elk, that's pretty cool. So I don't know, it's, it's a heart, it's a toss up because I, I'm the same way. I love all those species, but I think that the pronghorn you can kind of go do other places easily. The deer you, you can still hunt in your state on general type tag if you know, if, if so inclined. The elk's the one that's probably, you know, maybe it's in the most demand, but it's also like a great hunt. And I think that there's a lot of opportunity too to get into a hunt that maybe other people don't see as premier as certain areas. Right. You can like chase those lower tier elk hunts and it would probably be like better than any hunt you could go on in a general unit in another state if I were to be honest about it.

[A]

Okay, yeah, that makes sense. Do you do much with the over the counter tags at all or do you stick with just the draws?

[B]

Yeah, I've definitely, I mean, well, most the hunts that I go on are, you know, more over the counter type hunts. That's the other thing is like, I mean you have, you have opportunity for deer and elk to do what you're talking archery, like some more over the counter type stuff or like extended season type stuff, which there can be some great stuff around. So, so, you know, I would do those kind of things outside of the, the draw stuff and then you know, personally try to shoot for the moon or draw like a decent area and get in on a hunt that will have, you know, just fewer hunters, hopefully more elk and you know, maybe even a little bit a pretty good trophy quality. Me for particularly like my Utah strategy has just been shoot for the moon and I've waited, I think I have 26 years of applying and still haven't had tag. But it's as a non resident. So you know, that's, it's a lot different. Like I think almost any area that I would have applied for as a resident I would have been in, in that hunt already. But that's just the game we play.

[A]

Makes sense and I appreciate the help. Thank you so much.

[B]

Yeah, appreciate it and best of luck to you.

[A]

Thank you. Take care.

[B]

You too. All right, we are going to jump to our final caller here. Welcome live Wild podcast. Who am I talking with?

[A]

Hey Remy, this is Alex from Utah as well and I've got a what would you do? Kind of question. So regarding spring bear hunting. Yeah, go for it. So this is a true story. Unfortunately no bear to to share for it, but this was a spring bear hunt in northern Idaho and long hunt, second to last day, we we find a really nice bear. It was actually a really cool experience. It was early June and so it was actually a boar and a sow and they were just doing their thing, going, walking non stop right and left, zigzagging, covering this whole basin that we were in. And so the other situation is there's a lot of trees and so we're shooting across the canyon or setting up our shot that way with really no chance to close the distance. A lot of tall pine trees and we were in a rock slide that had knocked down a lot of trees. So that was our window and essentially we're at, we spot the bear at a thousand yards walking away. Thankfully they kind of do a complete U turn and they're walking towards us, closing the distance. At this point they're in just like a perfect straight line coming to this opening. That's going to be about 500 yards. I practiced shooting out to 750 yards. I felt pretty confident at that range and essentially there comes to a point where they're, you know, going through an opening, going through trees where we can't see them going through an opening. And they get to the second to last opening before the opening where I'm planning on taking my shot. And the bear stops by this small pine tree, actually stands up and he's rubbing his back on it. And this is at 629 yards. And I'm just tracking him in my scope the whole way. And I just decided to not shoot at that time. And it was a range I felt comfortable with, but I really just felt like he was going to continue on this same path towards the south. And I could get a closer shot at 500 yards. Unfortunately that didn't happen. They got to the next tree line and never emerged out the other side. And the other part of my thinking was, you know, we have the next morning to hunt and so I didn't want to rush an opportunity. So we ended up not seeing the rest of the night. We wake up, we're back on that same spot the whole next day. We do re find them, but just never had an opportunity to shoot. That was really my one chance was that 629 yard shot. And I'm just wondering if you would have played it the same way as me or if you would have just, you know, first available opportunity, he stopped. Are you going to take that shot? I know it's long and there's a lot of, you know, ethical considerations. The wind was not too crazy, but. Yeah. What, what do you think you would have done?

[B]

Yeah, man, I mean, I think honestly you did the right, the right call, right? Like you can, you can second guess yourself either way. And I think I mentioned this a couple weeks ago, but it's like, well, what would you rather like, what situation are you more okay with? Right? The, the bear definitely could have stopped, come in and you had, you had a plan, you had a play. You know, we got, we, we have like these certain limitations, right? And it's like, yeah, it was a hundred and something yards further. Yeah, you probably could have, you could have made that shot. But also there wasn't necessarily any indication saying that it wasn't going to continue on the way that you were thinking. You made that in the moment decision and I think that that was the right decision in the moment. You could always second guess yourself. You could have shot, could have killed, killed the bear dead and been like, hell yeah man, we got him. This is great. Could also dropped it a little bit because he Was standing up, hit him in the guts, and never found him, right? And then you're sick to your stomach for, you know, whatever. Like, there's so many variables. I think that, like, what you did was the right move. I think it was the ethical play. I think it was, like, for what you were hoping to get out of it. Like, it was what. And it just didn't work out. I mean, dude, I have. I have hundreds of. I have probably more of those stories than stories of the ones that. That worked out, right? But that's just. That's how hunting is, and especially spring bear hunting. Like, I swear, it's. It's like that. Like, you know, I don't know how many times I've been set up on a bear. It goes behind one tree, and you think, oh, he's gonna pop out in this next little opening. It never does. It's like, well, you never see that bear again. It happens, right? But, you know, I think that it's just one of those things. Like, that's just part of it, too. And I think there's, like, it's good to show restraint like that and. And. And make those right plays, right? And, you know, the next time. I mean, I've also had opportunities where, hey, it stopped. And it wasn't necessarily what I was expecting, but I felt confident in it, and I felt like, okay, this is now my opportunity, and you make it happen. But if you don't feel that in that moment, just, you know, don't. It's hard. It's always like the shoulda woulda, couldas. You always can do things right in hindsight, but you really don't know the actual outcome of what would have happened either way. So I think that, you know, yeah, you can. You always, you know, think. When I think back, I'm like, man, I would have made that happen. You're like, well, would you have? You know, we don't know. We didn't. We didn't do that. There's a reason we didn't do it. You know, you kind of just got to make peace with it, because there's times, too, where I've, like, oh, you know, shot at this particular. You know, it was like an elk, and I. I was at full draw. It walked behind some trees. It kept, you know, like, it came out on the other side instead of letting down, rearranging. I thought I knew the range. Shot. Shot right over him, right? It was like, well, that sucked. You know, if I would have just taken 10 more seconds, like, let down and done it different. I wouldn't have missed that bull probably like, you know, and I was like in the moment thought that was probably not the best opportunity for that. So it go.

[A]

It.

[B]

It honestly goes both ways. And I think that you should sleep easy knowing you did the right thing.

[A]

Right? No, I. This was actually two years ago. I wasn't able to get out last season. And it was actually my. That would have been my first, you know, big game tag that I would have punched. And so that was my first time behind the gun tag in my pocket animal, you know, legal animal that I want to shoot. And it was a crazy good learning opportunity. I was able to take my first mule deer that following fall, and I learned a ton from that experience. So like you said, I. I feel a lot better that you say the same thing as me, but also my experience as a hunter is far less than yours. And so. But even knowing that you, you know, probably would have played it the same way helps me feel better. I'm headed, headed back out this spring, so hopefully this is the time I finally get that Idaho black bear. But thank you so much.

[B]

Yeah, right on. We'll appreciate it. Thanks for sharing the story with us and, and keep me posted, man. Hopefully, hopefully it works out for you.

[A]

Okay, well, you'll be one of my top, top people to send the picture to.

[B]

Right on. Well, I appreciate it. Thanks for calling in and best of luck to you.

[A]

Thanks, Ronnie. See ya.

[B]

Well, thank you guys so much for calling in. It's always fun for me to get to do these, these live Q&As. It's great to be able to give away that Montana knife. And Onyx Premium membership. If you're listening to the podcast and you're like, hey, I didn't win anything. Well, Onyx is still has an offer for you guys. You can use code LIVEWILD and get 20% off whatever membership you choose. So you can do the premium membership. The premium plus. So you can get one state, you can get two states, or you can do the elite membership. Also for our Canadian listeners, Onyx works in Canada. I didn't know if you guys know this, but yeah, it's awesome. I've been using it up there and there's a lot of great features. All those in. And the other thing too is like, you can use all the tools and other features pretty much anywhere in the world just off like the satellite map. It might not have like the base layer data, land ownership, that kind of stuff. But even when I'm in New Zealand, like, I'M using it to drop pins, I'm using it to measure distance. All that stuff still works. Tracking my routes, all those things. So for the international listeners, it's still, it's, I mean, it's such an incredible tool to be able to utilize in the field and out of the field for a lot of that stuff. We talked about like glassing topography when you're talking about the layers that you can, the data layers that you can have. And then if you guys are looking for like, maybe you're like, hey, I've had Onyx in my state, but I'm thinking about hunting in other states or applying in other states, get that Elite membership. It has a ton of added benefit. It's got some sweet gear deals that always come out for the elite members. It's also got hunt application stuff where you can look at draw, draw, odds and everything like that. And then it also has multiple states where, hey, I'm thinking about applying here. You can pull up the maps, you can, you can look at each unit, land ownership, you can look at topography, you can look at unit boundaries, access roads, all those things. So it's such a useful tool, especially this time of year. That code works. It doesn't work in your app, so you got to go to their website. You can go to their website on your phone or whatever, but not through the App Store. So your Apple Store, the Google Store, whatever you use, you, that is completely separate. So if you have your subscription on that or whatever, that's separate, you can, you still get your subscription there. But if you want to use the code, you got to go to the website to use the code. Thank you guys so much for listening to the podcast. I'm excited. Like I said, we've got some, some good stuff on the day six side. Just some tutorial stuff, some, some blog stuff. If you aren't signed up for our email list over there, head over to our website, sign up for our email list. I've got some, some cool stuff coming out here in the near future and I think you're going to want to be on that email list to kind of be on the forefront of what we got coming. You can get on my email list as well, Remy warren.com also my store on there. You know, we have a lot of great gear, so if you're thinking about gearing up for this spring or maybe you just want some live wild swag, shirts, hats, whatever, we got that going over there. But we also have everything from optics, packs, sleeping bags, whatever's in stock. We're continually finding the latest and greatest gear and trying to showcase some of that tripods and shooting sticks. What else? Some of the other cool stuff. Oh, we got some new like dark energy battery stuff. One like a large electric generator for your truck. I actually just got one for myself. Put it in my. My new truck. I got. Dude, I got. I'm gonna. I'll have to do a rundown. I'm actually picking up my truck truck here pretty soon. I got a new truck and I got a new GFC put on it and I'm excited. I'm gonna go pick it up this weekend. So I'm stoked on that. I'll maybe give you some updates on that next week. See how that go. Take it on its maiden voyage. I've got a. I'm gonna call it the search for the shovel because when on my moose on a few years ago, I found this shovel, I took a picture of it and then left it, like thinking this is a weird place to find a shovel. And then I did a little research and it's like from the 1800s. You know, it's been sitting there for forever. You know, it's like a hand whatever shovel. There was a stamp on of the maker. So I'm like now I can't remember if I dropped a pin on it. I know the canyon that it was in. I'm like, that shell has been sitting there for 200 years. Like, what makes me think I'm going to go back and find it? But I don't know. Maybe I'll make a little scouting trip slash shovel finding mission. Keep you guys posted. So until next week, I'm just gonna say live w.