I sat down with Jaden Bales this week for one of those conversations that starts as a catch-up and turns into a full-on masterclass — and I didn't even plan it that way. It's been way too long since Jaden and I recorded together (we live in the same town, so we keep telling ourselves we don't need a podcast to catch up — turns out we do).

Jaden's got a trail camera bull he's chasing this fall — a mid-July photo puts him around 340", with room to grow into the 350 range by September — and he wanted to pick my brain on how to actually turn this thing up before archery season opens. So that's exactly what we did.

We get into the real difference between hunting a "201-level" six-point and hunting a genuine target bull — because trust me, those are two completely different games. We talk about why elk don't respect your neat little three-mile circle on OnX, why a good bull might blow off his summer ground and go rut ten miles away, and why "air miles" is the only way to actually think about elk movement in big mountain country. We also get into backpack-hunt logistics, meat care in the backcountry, why purple roads and hiking trails matter less than you think (until they don't), and the mental shift it takes to go from "find one bull" to "learn four different herds at once."

If you've got a shooter on camera right now and you're trying to figure out your game plan for opening week, this episode is basically a free coaching session. Grab a coffee and get ready to think differently about how elk actually use the mountain.

 Tricer
This episode is brought to you by the good folks over at Tricer. I always want to call them Tricer Tripods, but they make a lot more than tripods — the RP Bipod is one of my favorite pieces of gear I own. At 10.5 ounces it's stupid lightweight, it comes with long legs and short legs, and it works on both Picatinny and ARCA. All that for $350 is a no-brainer. I've shot a lot of critters off this thing.

Check it out at tricer.com and use code TRO to save 10% off.

Maven Optics
This episode is also brought to you by Maven Optics — a direct-to-consumer optics company out of Wyoming that I've been running for years. The comment I get every single time someone picks up a pair is, "Oh man, these are actually really good." Yeah — I told you. From binos to rangefinders to rifle scopes, Maven is hands-down the best bang for your buck in the optics world, because cutting out the big box store markup means better glass for less money.

Check them out at mavenbuilt.com and use code TRO at checkout for a special gift.

Timestamp Segment 0:00 Intro — Welcome to the Elk Hunt Podcast 1:15 Sponsor: Tricer RP Bipod 2:45 Sponsor: Maven Optics 4:00 Catching up with Jordan Bales — wedding recap 6:30 First elk hunt four weeks out — this year's scouting mission 8:15 The trail camera bull — first photos and initial score estimate 11:00 Piecing together bull location vs. known cow herds 14:30 Why elk wander farther than most hunters assume 18:00 201 vs. 301 hunting: chasing a six-point vs. chasing a target bull 23:00 Why it takes a team to hunt one specific giant bull 27:30 Thinking in "air miles" instead of trail miles 31:00 Bachelor herds, rut timing, and reading bull behavior in late August 35:00 Strategy: kid gloves vs. hard-charging a target bull 39:00 Backcountry logistics — backpack hunting, horses, and pulling meat 43:00 Meat care and temperature management in the backcountry 46:00 Recreational hiker traffic — does it actually affect elk? 48:30 Roly-poly country vs. big mountain drainages — which makes you a better elk hunter 51:30 Hunt West coaching — booking a consult with Jordan 53:00 Outro — free hunt planner and show links

(Note: these timestamps are estimated proportionally based on conversation flow within the 50-minute runtime — swap in your actual DAW/editing timestamps before publishing.)

Alright guys, this one is mind-blowing. I know Mark Livesay is talented — you all know him from Treeline Academy, the best e-scouting course on the planet — but I was not ready for what he showed me on this episode. Mark's been locked in a cave for six months building something called Hunt Research IQ, and he brought it to the Elk Hunt Podcast for the very first reveal. First show. Nobody's seen this yet.

This isn't a draw odds app. This isn't a spreadsheet. This is 20 years of harvest data for elk and deer across 11 Western states, run through AI, and turned into heat maps, custom scoring sliders, unit comparisons, moisture tracking, remote-core calculations, and print-ready reports that make every other research platform out there look like it's stuck in 2005.

We get into how the scoring system works, why averaging three, five, and twenty years of data matters more than looking at last year's numbers, why Montana's fractional bonus points might be sabotaging your odds without you even knowing it, and how Mark's moisture-tracking tool is already changing how he plans hunts around drought years and burns.

Then we shift gears and talk burns, same-year fire strategy, moisture-driven elevation shifts during the rut, and Mark's own busted rotator cuffs — which means he might be strapping a crossbow to a llama this September. You don't want to miss this one.

Take a listen, then go dig into Hunt Research IQ yourself. Links below, and use code TRO for a discount from our guy Mark.

This episode is brought to you by onX Hunt. If you've been through our free four-hour e-scouting course over at elkhunt201.com, you know I preach building color-coded waypoints, markups, and tracks for every hunt. Building a folder, building a plan — that's the difference between showing up and figuring it out versus showing up ready. This is what onX is superior at: hunt planning. If you're not an Elite member yet, Elite has a ton of tools to help you plan better.

 onxmaps.com

Use code TRO when you upgrade to Elite for a special discount.

This episode is also brought to you by the good folks over at Maven Optics. Direct-to-consumer optics company right out of Wyoming, and I've been using them for years. My favorite thing is watching people get their hands on a Maven for the first time and go, "Oh man, these are actually really good." Yeah — I told you. From binos to rangefinders to rifle scopes, Maven is the best bang for your buck out there, because you're not paying the big box store markup.

mavenbuilt.com

Use code TRO at checkout for a special gift.

Time Segment 0:00 Intro & sponsor reads (onX Hunt, Maven Optics) 4:30 Welcome Mark Livesay — the big reveal, first show, six months in build mode 8:15 Elevator pitch: what is Hunt Research IQ? 12:00 Why averaging 3/5/20-year data beats single-year snapshots 17:30 Building custom scoring sliders and unit health trends 23:00 The heat map: dragging, hovering, live data pulls 28:45 Comparing units side by side & the "unit profile card" 34:15 Rankings tab, health trend colors, and finding sleeper units 40:00 101 / 201 / 301 hunter framework — what stats matter at each level 47:00 Print reports, unit briefs, and AI-written unit descriptions 53:30 Montana's fractional bonus point trap explained 58:00 Remote core, road density, and what "remote" really means 1:03:00 Bull-per-square-mile harvest density and reading hunting pressure 1:09:00 Moisture tracking tool & elevation focus bands 1:14:00 Hunt planning suite, checklist tool, and hike time calculator 1:18:30 Talking burns: mosaic vs. straight-edge fire boundaries 1:24:00 Live demo — analyzing a current Utah fire for same-year burn potential 1:29:00 Mark's Island Park story: why elk drop elevation in dry years 1:34:00 Rut timing shifting later into September 1:37:00 Mark's rotator cuff injury, crossbow talk, and this year's hunt plan 1:39:30 Pricing, free trial, and where to find Hunt Research IQ 1:40:30 Outro & free hunt planner

(Timestamps are approximate — built from transcript flow, adjust to actual audio if needed.)

Alright guys, today's episode is a good one. I'm sitting down with Kevin Gower — a Colorado public land guy who's been in the elk woods since he was 12 years old and has packed out more elk than the years he's been hunting. That's 22 elk in 23 seasons. Not luck. Not private land. Public dirt, over the counter, doing it the hard way.

We get into it — why most guys aren't consistent on public land, the "cover ground" era of learning to elk hunt, and why the YouTube backpack-hunting romance can actually work against you when you're trying to learn a mountain. We talk mindset — the "today's the day" mantra, why you can't write the story before the hunt is over, and why the guys who stack hard experiences early end up with the confidence to go get it done later.

Kevin also walks through his biggest bull — a solo four-mile pack out in thirteen inches of fresh snow — and why moments like that are what separate hunters who quit from hunters who figure it out. We dig into silent bulls and why they're some of the most killable elk in the woods, calling strategy, reading pressure on the edge of private land, when to leave elk to go find better elk, and why learning to hunt the storm front instead of fighting the wind might be one of the most underrated skills in elk hunting.

This one's packed with real public land wisdom from a guy who's put in two decades on the same mountain. Grab a notebook, this is a good one.

onX Hunt

Today's episode is brought to you by onX Hunt. If you haven't checked out our free 4-hour e-scouting course yet, go grab it at elkhunt201.com — it's completely free. Building a color-coded system of waypoints, markups, and tracks for your hunt is one of the most important things you can do before season. Too many guys draw a tag and just show up to figure it out — don't be that guy. If you're not an Elite member yet, Elite unlocks a ton of extra planning tools that'll make your prep this fall way more dialed in. 

onxmaps.com Use code TRO when you upgrade to Elite.

Bridger Watch

This episode is also brought to you by Bridger Watch — a smartwatch built specifically for hunting. All your normal smartwatch features (health tracking, fitness tracking, texts) plus, in my opinion, the best mapping capability of any wearable on the market. You can save offline maps, ship them straight to your watch, and pan around right on your wrist with a screen that's genuinely impressive for its size. Bridger Watch also integrates directly with onX — share a whole hunt folder or a single waypoint from the field straight to your watch, so if your phone dies or you lose it, you've always got a backup.  

bridgerwatch.com

(Approximate — based on episode flow, total runtime ~1:02:00)

Man, this one's for anybody who just loves talking to a regular dude who's put in the years and killed a lot of elk — because that's exactly what this episode is. Brian Rae grew up in Idaho with an outdoors family, killed his first buck AND his first bull at 12 years old within two weeks of each other, and has been chasing bulls in some of the nastiest, steepest, most brutal backcountry ever since.

We get into it all in this one. Brian tells the story of getting truly lost overnight at 19 — no coat, dead flashlight, sleeping next to a fire he built with toilet paper and a lighter, and the almost unbelievable coincidence of how he found his way back to camp. We talk about how close that feeling of panic really sits, even for guys who know these mountains better than anybody.

Then we get into the good stuff — the hunting. Brian breaks down calling in two six-point bulls back to back with his buddy Chad, a wounded-bull recovery that turned into "a bathtub full of blood," and an eight-yard, full-draw standoff with a black bear that walked right down a game trail at him.

But this isn't just war stories. Brian gets into the real strategy behind killing a herd bull consistently — why getting close beats bugling every hundred yards, why he mimics satellite bulls instead of challenging the herd bull head-on, and why wind and thermals will beat you every single time, no matter how good your setup is.

If you want to hear what it actually takes to kill mature bulls year after year — not the highlight reel, the real work behind it — this episode is for you.

This episode's hunt-planning talk is powered by onX Hunt. Whether you're building color-coded waypoints, markups, and tracks or organizing an entire hunt folder before you ever set foot in the field, onX is where the planning happens. If you drew a tag this year, don't just show up and figure it out — build the system, build the plan.

Upgrade to onX Elite and unlock the full hunt-planning toolset.

onxmaps.com Use code TRO when you sign up or upgrade to Elite.

A smartwatch built specifically for hunting — with the best mapping capabilities of any wearable on the market. Save offline maps, pan and zoom right on your wrist, and integrate directly with your onX account to send waypoints, tracks, and markups straight to your watch. It's not replacing your phone's mapping — it's your backup when your phone dies, drops, or gets left in the truck.

bridgerwatch.com

Dillon Ness is back on the show, and dude, this one's a good one. If you haven't heard our last conversation, go find it — I've always considered Dillon one of the best open country elk killers I know. But what people don't realize is the guy crushes it in the mountains just as hard. Well-rounded doesn't even cover it.

In this episode, Dillon walks me through the full story of last year's mountain bull — a hunt that started with him throwing a dart at a map, glassing bulls pouring off the alfalfa at first light, getting boogered by other hunters, losing the herd, and eventually catching them in the dark on their last drink of water before bed. It's one of the best hunt breakdowns we've recorded, emotional gut-punch ending and all.

From there we get into the nuts and bolts — how to actually dog a herd in the dark without blowing them up, why satellite bulls are your best friend, what 20 failed days of hunting really look like (because that's 90% of the season, not the highlight reel), midday strategy for guys who don't have 27 days to burn, and the biggest lesson 301-level hunting has taught both of us: elk are never random, and neither should your strategy be.

We also get into a mindset shift that I think is worth the price of admission alone — using onX the wrong way is probably costing you elk without you even knowing it.

Grab your coffee, settle in, this one's just shy of an hour and fifteen, and it's packed.

This episode is brought to you by the good folks over at Maven Optics. Love those guys, love the product, love the team, love everything about it. Maven is a direct-to-consumer optics company right out of Wyoming, and I've personally been running their stuff for years. My favorite comment I get when someone picks up a Maven is, "Man, these are actually really good" — and I just say, "Yeah, I told you."

Binos, rangefinders, rifle scopes — Maven is, hands down, the best bang for your buck out there. Because they sell direct-to-consumer, you're not paying the big box store markup for the same glass quality.

 Check them out at mavenbuilt.com 

This episode is also brought to you by Bridger Watch — a project I've been building for a long time now. Everyone said we couldn't take on Garmin. Here we are anyway, and I think we've built something amazing: a smartwatch built specifically for hunting.

The standout feature is the mapping. On top of all your normal smartwatch stuff — health tracking, fitness tracking, texts — Bridger Watch has the best mapping capability of any wearable on the market. Save maps offline, pan around right on your wrist, and the screen clarity is unreal. We've also built a full onX integration, so you can push waypoints, tracks, and markups straight from your onX account to your watch. Set a waypoint at the truck, drop a pin on a bedded bull, and it's on your wrist — even if your phone dies. This isn't about replacing your phone's mapping. It's a redundancy for the woods, and a watch you'll wear every day of the year, hunting season or not.

Check it out at bridgerwatch.com

Time Segment 0:00 Sponsor reads — Maven Optics & Bridger Watch 3:15 Welcome back Dillon — new baby, real estate license, fencing life update 6:30 Why "time" is the real secret to killing big bulls 10:15 Setting up the story: last year's mountain bull, throwing a dart at the map 14:45 Glassing bulls off the alfalfa at first light, finding the herd bulls' pattern 19:30 Getting boogered by other hunters, losing the giant at 58 yards 24:00 Relocating, finding the sanctuary drainage where elk funnel every night 29:15 The morning of the kill — dogging the herd in the dark through the willows 35:00 The shot, and the emotional final bugle exchange between the two bulls 40:30 Blending mountain calling with open country tactics after the kill 44:00 The underrated skill of dogging herds in the dark without bumping them 49:30 "Chumming the water" — using satellite bulls to create chaos 55:00 What 20 failed dogging days actually look like (the other 90% of the season) 1:01:15 How long to wait before going back after blowing a bull out 1:05:00 Midday strategy — mountains vs. open country, and what changes with less time 1:10:00 101 vs 201 vs 301 — the biggest lessons each level teaches you 1:12:30 The onX mistake most hunters make (turn off the purple lines) 1:13:30 Two totally different hunts this year — mountains, then prairie, and "upgrading your lens" 1:14:20 Wrap-up and free hunt planner

(Approximate timestamps — adjust to final edit.)

Alright guys, this one's a good one. Darin Hardy's back on the show, and dude, we go everywhere in this conversation — broadheads, blood trails, mountain lions with broadheads stuck in their throat, turkey hunting like you elk hunt, and the mindset work that actually separates the guy who kills every single year from the guy who's still hoping to get lucky.

We start off nerding out on pre-season bow prep — what "long distance" actually means, why I want four-inch groups at 80 before I ever worry about a 40-yard shot, and the drills Darin runs to build pressure into his practice instead of just chasing tiny groups. We get into the fixed-blade vs. mechanical broadhead debate (and why I think too many guys aim right behind the shoulder when middle-middle gives you way more margin for error), then Darin tells a wild story about tracking a bull for a mile and a half off almost no blood — and an even wilder story about a mountain lion he shot that had been living for years with a broadhead through her throat.

From there we get into the real meat of this episode: what actually makes a 201 hunter. Darin breaks down why the guys who kill consistently aren't the ones who need every condition to line up — they're the ones with an adaptive mindset who can find the shot that's three steps to the left instead of only seeing the one they planned for. We talk about the 90/10/1 framework, calling audibles in the field, why it took Darin 23 years to kill his first bull, and why the "10 straight days in September" rule matters more than almost anything else for a new elk hunter.

We close out talking about Darin's new venture, Level Seven High Terrain, where he's using horsemanship and hunting as vehicles for leadership and mindset coaching — and honestly some of what he shares about "demand vs. ask vs. offer" will change how you think about pressure, calling elk, and life in general.

If you're gearing up for season, this episode's got tactics, gear talk, and the mental framework to actually go use it. Enjoy, guys.

onX Hunt — onxmaps.com This episode is brought to you by onX Hunt. Remember the old Garmin Rino days where you could see your buddy on the map? onX basically reinvented that with their new Share feature. Head into the app, go to the new Go Track section, and hit Share Your Location — now you and your hunting buddy can see each other on the map in real time (works while you're in service). It's a small feature but a genuinely useful one for staying connected with your crew in the field. Go check it out at onxmaps.com.

Bridger Watch — bridgerwatch.com This episode is also brought to you by Bridger Watch — a smartwatch actually built for hunting. On top of all the usual smartwatch stuff (health tracking, fitness tracking, texts), Bridger Watch has the best mapping capability of any wearable on the market. Save offline maps, pan around right on your wrist, and thanks to the onX integration, you can share waypoints, tracks, and markups straight from your onX account to your watch — so if your phone dies or gets left in the truck, you've always got a backup. It's built to work alongside your phone, not replace it. Use code TRO at checkout at bridgerwatch.com for a discount on your watch.

Time Chapter 0:00 Intro — Welcome to the Elk Hunt Podcast 1:00 Sponsor: onX Hunt's new Share/Go Track feature 3:00 Sponsor: Bridger Watch — mapping, onX integration, and redundancy in the field 5:30 Pre-season excuses, scouting (or lack thereof), and getting back into bow shape 9:00 Switching to broadheads Aug 1 and Darin's practice progression 12:30 What counts as "long distance" — 4" groups at 80, and how standards have changed 16:00 Tack drivers vs. tactical shooters — building a foot in both camps 19:30 Darin's pressure drills: cold bore walk-up shot and the 3-second draw timer 24:00 Random range drills, pin setup philosophy, and avoiding the 30/40/50 gap 28:00 Cody's 104-yard follow-up shot story and shot placement lessons 31:30 High lung vs. low lung — the biomechanics of a shot and why tracking differs 36:00 Why "middle-middle" beats aiming right behind the shoulder 40:00 Fixed blade vs. mechanical broadheads — guiding clients vs. personal preference 45:00 Jarrett's bull — an incredible mile-and-a-half track job off almost no blood 50:00 The "Shot Science" idea, uphill/downhill elk myths, and animal toughness 53:00 The mountain lion with a broadhead through her throat 55:30 Darin's turkey hunting film, elk-hunting-for-birds strategy 58:00 What separates a 101 hunter from a 201 hunter — the adaptive mindset 61:30 The 90/10/1 framework and calling audibles in the field 65:00 Journey vs. destination — why Darin's first bull took 23 years 68:00 The 10-consecutive-days rule for new elk hunters 71:00 Level Seven High Terrain — horsemanship, leadership, and mindset coaching 75:00 Demand vs. ask vs. offer — lessons from horses that apply to elk and life 78:00 Closing thoughts, shoutouts, and outro

(Note: since I don't have your actual episode audio, these timestamps are placed proportionally based on the order and length of topics in the transcript. Send me the real runtime markers if you want these tightened up to the minute.)

Alright guys, this week we're kicking it off with Tate Bradfield, founder of Process Based Hunter. Tate's got one of the more interesting backstories I've heard on this show — went from working in a mine, to door-to-door sales, to guiding elk for other outfitters, to eventually running his own semi-guided elk hunting courses where he takes 150-180 people a year and actually teaches them how to hunt instead of just pointing at a bull and telling them to shoot.

We riff on a ton of stuff in this one — his "at-bats" philosophy for picking a guided hunt (spoiler: stop asking how big the bulls are and start asking how many encounters per day you'll get), why he thinks cow calling during rifle season is one of the most underused tactics out there, how he snuck within 60 yards of a 200-inch mule deer with a cow elk decoy and no rifle in hand, and why most guys pack way too much gear and focus on the wrong stuff before a hunt.

If you've ever thought about leveling up your elk hunting instead of just white-knuckling your way through another season, this episode's for you. Tate's semi-guided archery course still has a few spots open for 2026, and rifle spots are open for 2027 — head to processbasedhunter.com or check him out on Instagram @processbasedhunter.

If you're in the market for a new rifle scope, go check out Maven Optics. These scopes are built around world-class Japanese glass and built for hunting — not just for sitting on a shelf. Because Maven sells direct to consumer, you're getting an unmatched value for what you're paying, whether you're just getting into the game or you're dialed in for long-range shooting. Cody's used a lot of them, killed a lot of things with them, and stands behind every one.

👉 Shop now at mavenbuilt.com 💰 Use code TRO at checkout for a special gift

onX just rolled out a new Share feature that's basically the modern, better version of the old Garmin Rino days. Head into the app, go to the new Go Track section, and hit Share Your Location With Your Friend — now you and your hunting buddy can see each other on the map in real time. (Heads up: it only works with cell service, so it won't help you deep in the backcountry — but for the hunts where you've got signal, it's a game changer.)

👉 Check it out at onxmaps.com

(Timestamps are approximate chapter markers based on episode content — adjust to your exact audio if needed.)

Alright, if you want a raw, unfiltered elk hunting conversation from a guy who is absolutely obsessed with the game — this is your episode. Brandon Schmitz out of North Idaho joins the show for his very first podcast appearance, and let me tell you, this dude brings it. No fluff, no highlight reel — just honest elk hunting from a guy who has spent the last six years grinding through some of the most demanding country in the West.

Brandon didn't grow up with a silver spoon handed to him in the elk woods. His dad lost the fire for hunting after wolves moved into North Idaho and wrecked what used to be some of the best big game hunting in the country. So Brandon had to figure it out himself, and that journey is exactly what makes this conversation so good. From his very first elk hunt — where his cousin smoked a bull that basically walked up to a truck parked in the middle of the road — to going toe-to-toe with grizzly bears, packs of wolves, and rutting bull moose in the same drainage, this guy has seen it all.

Six-plus years in, Brandon still hasn't notched his tag, but don't let that fool you. This dude is FINDING elk — like, legitimately locating 20-plus bulls in a single season. The problem he keeps running into is the same one that trips up a ton of DIY hunters: closing the deal. We dig deep into that in this episode, and I think a lot of you guys are going to hear yourselves in Brandon's story.

We talk about the mental side of solo hunting, what it really means to "be in striking distance," how to work a bull when your setup goes sideways, the art of building a bull's ego so he's absolutely fired up the next morning, and why sometimes the laziest move IS the right move. We also get into the very real challenges of elk hunting in grizzly and wolf country, the predator management problem that nobody in power wants to touch, and what it's like to be solo in the woods surrounded by apex predators that don't have a healthy fear of humans anymore.

This is one of those conversations that reminds you why we love this thing so damn much — even when it's hard. Maybe especially when it's hard.


This Episode's Sponsors

Tricer
If you're not running Tricer gear in the field, you're leaving performance on the table. I'm a huge fan of the RP Bipod — at 10.5 ounces, it is flat-out one of the best hunting bipods on the market. It comes with long and short legs, works with Picatinny and ARCA systems, and for $350 you're getting features that compete with bipods that cost twice the price. I've shot a pile of critters off this thing and I wouldn't leave home without it. Tricer makes more than just bipods, too — go check out their full lineup.
Shop now: tricer.com | Use code TRO to save 10% off your order.

Bridger Watch
I built Bridger Watch because I was sick of pulling my phone out 100 times a day to check onX. The idea was simple: put maps on the watch so hunters can keep their phone in their pack and their eyes on the country. We set out to build the best smartwatch ever made for hunters, and I genuinely believe we did just that. If you're a watch guy and a hunter, there is nothing else like this out there.
Check it out: bridgerwatch.com


Timestamp Chapters
0:00 – Intro & Sponsor: Tricer RP Bipod
2:15 – Sponsor: Bridger Watch
4:00 – Welcome & Brandon's Background | Growing up in North Idaho, impact of wolves on his dad's hunting
8:30 – Getting Hooked | Brandon's first-ever elk hunt, cousin CJ kills a bull, truck in the road, borrowed gear, high school kids packing meat
17:00 – Six Years Deep | Journey from first hunt to now — tagged out? No. Elk found? Absolutely.
21:30 – Finding vs. Killing | Brandon's biggest skill and his biggest challenge; heavy glassing in thick country
27:00 – The Mental Game of Solo Hunting | Decision fatigue, second-guessing, the ex-wrestler problem, and why being "lazy" sometimes wins
33:30 – Striking Distance Philosophy | Cody breaks down the concept — be close, let things happen, stop trying to kill the elk and start trying to stay near the elk
39:00 – Close Call on the Wallow | The mid-September herd bull story — moose sparring, 7 cows, drawn back, two steps short of a shot
47:30 – Working a Bull After a Blown Setup | Building a bull's ego, bugling small, raking in the dark, keeping him fired up for first light
54:00 – Grizzly Bear Encounter | Sow with three cubs, bear spray + pistol double-fisted, fog rolls in, the Snapchat decision
1:02:00 – Getting Back on the Horse | Overcoming the fear, returning to the same hillside, the mental win of facing it
1:05:30 – Wolf Country | Multiple wolf encounters — road wolves, pack following them out of the timber, wolves lighting off after a bugle
1:13:00 – Predator Management Frustration | Grizzly population, government inaction, hound hunting, trapping, and the reality of wolf numbers in North Idaho
1:18:00 – Bull Moose Problems | Moose responding to elk calls, moose following, Brandon's very close call with a bull moose 4 yards away
1:20:00 – Wrap-Up & Good Luck | Final thoughts, gratitude, planning a return episode after the kill


3 Key Takeaways 

1. Stop Trying to Kill the Elk — Start Trying to Stay Close to It
One of the most useful mindset shifts in this episode: instead of putting the pressure of "I need to kill this elk tonight" on every single move, just focus on getting into striking distance and staying there. Elk hunting rarely goes according to the exact plan, but things tend to happen when you're consistently close. Measure your days by time spent within range of elk, not by whether a shot materialized. This single reframe takes the anxiety out of solo hunting and keeps you in the game longer.

2. Let Curiosity Kill the Cat — Silence Is a Weapon
When a bull hangs up and won't commit, most hunters feel compelled to keep calling. Big mistake. A quiet elk is a suspicious elk — a quiet *location* is a curious elk. When you go dark after a bull responds, you're not losing the conversation, you're winning it. He'll start wondering where you went, and that curiosity will often pull him toward you. Learn to sit on your hands, let the shot clock run a little, and only break the silence if you truly feel him losing interest. When you do break it, try raking over calling — it's less demanding and gives you the chance to move.

3. The Decision Fatigue Problem Is Real — Have a Plan and Commit to It
Being physically tough enough to elk hunt is table stakes. The thing that actually determines success — especially for solo hunters — is the mental discipline to stick to a plan when everything is going sideways. It's easy to leave a drainage after a tough morning and convince yourself the elk blew out. It's harder to say "I committed to this spot for two days and I'm seeing it through." The hunters who string together good at-bats aren't necessarily the ones who work the hardest — they're the ones who make fewer panic decisions and have the confidence (sometimes fake confidence) to stay the course when doubt creeps in.

What does it actually take to stick it out on a 28-day elk hunt, fail over and over again, and still come home with a bull? This week I sat down with Matt Hartsky of Backbone Unlimited, a Wyoming bowhunter and podcaster who's as honest about his failures as he is addicted to the grind. If you've ever watched elk disappear into thin air, wondered why your calling fell flat, or felt like packing it in on day five — this one's for you.

Matt walked me through his entire 2023 archery season in southeast Wyoming: hunting public land over-the-counter tags, chasing one particular herd bull from four cows to nearly three dozen, learning the hard lesson of open-country thermals, and finally closing the distance to four yards on September 28th after 28 days in the field. It's the kind of season most elk hunters dream about — and the kind most would've quit on by day ten.

We also get into the fundamentals that separate elk hunters who fill tags from those who go home empty-handed: how to build a real plan in OnX beyond just dropping pins, why transition-area hunting is the most underrated tactic for early season bulls who refuse to bugle, how elk behavior changes day to day and week to week through September, and why the single biggest advantage you can give yourself is just more days in the woods. Matt also pulls back the curtain on what makes a herd bull so uniquely difficult to hunt — and why peak rut may not be when you think it is.

And beyond the hunting, Matt shares something personal: why Backbone Unlimited is about more than elk content, and what drives him to keep connecting with hunters across the country. This is exactly the kind of conversation that reminds you why we all love this sport.

Tricer Tripods

I've been running Tricer gear hard and I'm not going back. They make everything fast, light, and simple — from their seriously dialed tripods and bino mounts to pan heads, truck mounts, and the bipod I've been killing critters with all season. If your glassing setup feels clunky or your rifle needs a more stable platform in the field, Tricer has the answer. These are awesome dudes making great products, and it shows in every piece of gear they put out.

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Stone Glacier

My Stone Glacier Sky Archer 6400 has been to Alaska, British Columbia, Wyoming, and Montana this year. Ten-day backpack hunt or a quick day hunt off the side-by-side — this pack handles it all because it's designed to be minimalist and lightweight without sacrificing a thing. Stone Glacier builds an entire lineup of hardcore mountain hunting gear and every piece is built the same way: for hunters who actually go deep. If you're in the market for a pack or any mountain hunting gear, do yourself a favor.

stoneglacier.com Use code TRO — save at checkout  

You already know Montana gets talked about a lot in Western elk hunting circles — but are hunters actually hunting it right? This week, Cody sits down with Gibson Butler, a Montana-bred elk hunter who's put in the time, miles, and boot leather to figure out what it really takes to tag a mature bull on a general tag in the Treasure State.

Gibson breaks down his 2024 season in full detail — from the early September frustrations of finding a stud seven by eight and losing him, to going deep into a hard, committing piece of country in October and coming out the other side with a 58-inch main beam giant. This is a real, honest account of what a serious DIY public land elk hunt looks like — the setbacks, the patience, the weather, and the moment it all comes together.

Beyond the story, Cody and Gibson get into the strategy that makes or breaks general unit Montana hunts: why most non-resident hunters funnel into the same mountain ranges, how private land dynamics are shifting, why calling with a Hoochie Mama in Eastern Montana might be the worst thing you can do, and the underrated value of hunting October when everybody else has gone home.
If you've been thinking about Montana, applying for points, or trying to level up your open-country elk game, this episode is going to hit different. Gibson's a student of the craft, and the insights he drops on big bull behavior, elk density versus hunter density, and hunting elk like mule deer are the kind of stuff you don't find on YouTube.

SPONSORS

This episode is proudly brought to you by two brands that Cody trusts in the field season after season:
 

Tricer Tripods
Fast, light, and simple — that's the Tricer way. From top-of-the-line tripods and bino mounts to pan heads, truck mounts, and their new bipod lineup, Tricer makes glass-and-glass accessories for hunters who take their optics seriously. Cody's been running the Tricer bipod hard and putting critters down with it. If you want to upgrade your glassing system, Tricer is the move.
Website: tricer.com   |   Use code TRO at checkout for your discount.

Stone Glacier
Stone Glacier builds hardcore mountain hunting gear for the serious backcountry hunter. Cody's Sky Archer 6400 pack has logged miles in Alaska, British Columbia, Wyoming, and Montana — equally at home on a 10-day alpine backpack hunt as it is on a day hunt off the side-by-side. Minimalist, lightweight, and built to last, Stone Glacier makes an entire suite of gear designed around the demands of mountain hunting.

Website: stoneglacier.com   |   Use code TRO at checkout for your discount.

TIMESTAMP CHAPTERS
0:00  Intro & Sponsor Read — Tricer and Stone Glacier ads.
2:30  The General Tag Situation — Gibson reveals he drew a Montana general tag — and Cody breaks down where general Montana archery fits in the Western draw tag hierarchy.
7:00  Public/Private Dynamics in Montana — How ranch ownership changes are shifting elk movement and sanctuary availability across the state.
12:00  Non-Residents and the Mountain Range Problem — Why 90% of out-of-state hunters funnel into the same few ranges and how to think differently about unit selection.
17:30  Gibson's 2024 Season — September Struggles — Four weekends of finding big bulls and losing them, including a near-miss on a giant symmetrical seven.
24:00  Going Deep in October — Gibson commits to a hard-access piece of country with one Peak Refuel and no water — and finds nearly 100 elk.
31:00  Watching the Herd for Two Days — Why Gibson didn't attempt a stalk immediately — broken six, a stud seven, swirling winds, and a giant donut of cows.
37:00  The Kill Shot — Rain sideways, foggy binos, Pink Panther stalking through satellites, and a 70-yard arrow eight inches back. Still double-lunged.
43:00  Big Bull Behavior — When to Strike — October elk movement, the 'cranky grandpa' bull theory, nomadic giants, and why routine bulls get killed.
50:00  The Case for October — Why Cody and Gibson love hunting the back half of the archery season — fewer people, cooler temps, and more active bulls.
55:00  What Most Hunters Get Wrong — The Hoochie Mama problem in Eastern Montana, elk density vs. hunter density, and why 'going deep' doesn't always mean going alone.
1:02:00  Covering Ground — The Eastern Montana Way — Using online research, rapid-fire glassing points, and moving smart to find elk in low-density country.
1:07:00  Calling vs. Glassing — An Honest Take — The evolution from stress-bugling everything to hunting elk like deer, and where calling still fits.
1:10:00  Wrap-Up & Outro — Links to Gibson's blog on elkhunt201.com, plus the free hunt planner resource.

THREE KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. Most Hunters Are Competing for the Same Ground
The natural way hunters research general Montana tags — looking at population numbers, picking obvious mountain ranges, following social media threads — funnels the majority of non-residents into a handful of the same units. The elk in those areas either end up on private land or go quiet from pressure. The guys killing mature bulls consistently are actively avoiding the herd mentality and looking for the anomaly: ground that doesn't show up in 15 Rock Slide threads, offshoots of established herds expanding into new territory, and country that doesn't look like a classic elk postcard.

2. Big Bulls Don't Get Old by Being Smart — They Get Old by Being Sporadic
One of the most honest and applicable insights of the episode: mature bulls aren't necessarily intelligent, they're unpredictable. The same wandering, nomadic behavior that keeps a bull alive for years is also what occasionally gets him killed — walking across the wrong piece of ground at the wrong time. If you're hunting for age class, you have to be ready to recognize and capitalize on those brief windows of vulnerability, like weather events, rut chaos, or the moment a bull is locked down and distracted by a hot cow. Patience and preparation matter more than calling or aggressive play.

3. Elk Density and Hunting Opportunity Are Not the Same Thing
More elk does not mean more at-bats — it means more hunters, which means more pressure, which means elk that stop bugling, leave timber late, and camp on private. The sweet spot for a serious DIY hunter is finding unmolested elk that still act like elk. That often means lower density areas where you have to cover serious ground to find them, but when you do, you're dealing with animals behaving naturally. Whether it's a glassable open-country unit or a commitment-heavy piece of backcountry, the goal is always the same: find elk that haven't been messed with.