Elk Talk

In this Episode (78) of the Elk Talk Podcast, Corey and Randy get a chance to catch up for a midseason update.  Topics covered include a lot of stories from Montana and Idaho, Donnie’s broken leg, heavy packouts, grouse tally, transition to post-rut and rifle seasons, lower elevation elk, last minute bulls, Destination Elk, Randy’s Montana moose, the unexpected turns of life, and a lot of other st...

In Episode 77 of Elk Talk Podcast, Corey is home from a harrowing Alaska Roosevelt archery elk hunt.  Randy has been waiting for Corey's story since getting a picture with no details.  This is a story you want to hear.  A story about dreams, perseverance, risk-reward, foolish chances, being prepared for the unexpected, kidney stones, terrible weather, and some of the world's largest-bodied elk in...

In this episode (76) Corey and Randy have a preseason session to discuss the 2021 elk season that launches by the time this episode drops. Randy chimes in from a temporary studio, apologizing for the bad audio, while Corey is fully loaded for Alaska archery elk.  Topics covered include Alaska archery elk, luck better than hard work, prioritize physical condition or knowledge or both, mobile tactic...

In this episode (75) of Elk Talk Podcast, Corey talks with Brice Bishop of Peax Equipment.  While Randy is in Nevada, Corey and Brice talk about manufacturing hunting-specific products for western mountain hunting. This is a story of building a hunting equipment company from nothing more than a great idea and a lot of hard work.  Topics covered include listening to hunters, fulfilling their needs,...

In this podcast, Corey and Randy take the stage at the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation Mountain Summit, where the audience receives a new Gerber knife for having the courage to ask a question that Corey and Randy try to answer.  Questions asked include conservation opportunities, adult onset hunting, getting young hunters involved, too many hunters, the need to continue improving access, calling set...

In this Episode (73) of Elk Talk Podcast, Corey and Randy are taking listener questions and reciting some experiences of recent elk seminars.  Topics covered include Alaska elk hunting, smoke and elk, hunting new areas, food scarcity, what is the best elk forage, elk dispersal, calling for elk is not for turkeys, making elk hunting simple, eliminating where elk "ain't", most archery seasons are a...

In this episode (72) of the Elk Talk Podcast, Randy and Corey dive into the topic of drought impacts on elk. This takes them into migratory v. non-migratory elk, how to E-scout for each, dispersal v. density, selecting the best sanctuaries based on weather and moisture, priority on highest quality food in drought years, data used for selecting OTC and general units, your archery setup, remaining t...

In this Episode (71) of Elk Talk Podcast, Corey interrupts Randy's Montana drawing results and with Randy's serious sinus infection they to try carry on a podcast about planning elk hunts now that tags are being issued.  Topics covered include E-scouting differences for archery seasons compared to rifle seasons, eliminating where elk aren't, fall back options in Idaho and Colorado, cow elk hunting...

In this episode (70), Corey and Randy are answering listener questions and focusing on planning season.  Now that tags are being drawn, we take questions that give our approach to planning a hunt.  Topics covered include early archery season, how an E-scouting plan is developed, using rafts to escape the crowds, Corey's shed antler report, risk analysis while in the woods, selecting a general unit...

In this Episode (69) of The Elk Talk Podcast, Corey and Randy are again scanning listener questions and explaining their approach to many of the topics facing elk hunters.  Tangents explored are public land etiquette for hunters and antler nuts, how to improve habitat for drought, drought impacts on hunting strategy, Randy's Five Periods of the Elk Calendar, some people need a wedgie, technology a...

In this episode (68) of the Elk Talk Podcast, Corey and Randy talk about the upcoming Colorado elk deadline and a host of other listener questions.  Topics covered include, if Corey was King for a Day, R3 or access, selecting season dates, solo set-ups, nuances of thermals, barometric changes, elk and grizzlies, antler hunting, why some rules exist, elk/deer combo ideas, hunt a week straight or sp...

In this Episode (67) of Elk Talk Podcast, Randy and Corey talk about the upcoming New Mexico deadline, along with a host of listener Q&As.  Topic covered include the basics of New Mexico elk apps, Idaho rule change to lower DIY tag allocations, trail cams on winterkills, wolves impacting how elk behave, wolves less vocal, adaptive elk hunters, calling in November, what are edges, high elevation el...

In this Episode (66) of the Elk Talk Podcast, Corey and Randy start taking viewer questions related to the recent flurry of legislation in western states that will impact hunting opportunity and elk.  Before long Corey has point Randy down the legislative rabbit hole and they do and in depth discussion of where these bills are coming from, what hunters can do to improve the situation, and why the...

In this episode (65) of the Elk Talk Podcast, Corey and Randy pay tribute to the amazing folks who consistently fill elk tags with only weekends to hunt.  We admirably refer to them as Weekend Warriors. Topics covered include hunting on a budget, knowledge trumps gear, making due with what you have, making the most of a limited schedule, meat care concerns determine where/how you hunt, backpacks a...

In this episode (64) Corey and Randy go over all the details of applying for elk in Arizona.  A complete discussion of the Arizona draw system is provided, along with some things to think about in a drought year such as 2021.  Topics include draw system, points, strategy to increase your odds, mistakes to avoid, season dates, deadlines, setting realistic expectations, baking a bigger elk pie, star...

In this Episode (63) of the Elk Talk Podcast, Corey and Randy discuss details of drawing elk tags in Wyoming and Corey gives the details of his Idaho wolf hunt.  Topics covered include deadlines, point systems, point creep, general tags, non-resident tag allocation, costs, strategy for low point holders, wolf habits, managing predators, hunters' role in conservation, and other topics about hunting...

In this Episode (62) Corey and Randy take listener questions and dive deep into the topic of shrinking herds and less opportunity, which leads to a discussion of non-resident allocation, crowding by residents, western tradition of blaming non-residents, why can states discriminate against non-residents, growing a bigger pie or fight over a smaller pie, putting more elk on the mountain, and issues...

In this episode (61) of the Elk Talk Podcast Corey and Randy discuss an overview of the 2020 elk season and answer audience questions.  Topics covered include muted rut, base your hunt dates on moon phase, tactics for silent elk, overthinking your situation, 2021 planning and changes to season dates, hunting for your own reasons, hunting new burns, and more topics that try to explain why 2020 was...

In this Episode (60) of the Elk Talk Podcast, Randy and Corey catch up to discuss recent elk hunts during that transition from peak rut to post-rut.  Topics covered include calling in October, second cycle rut, 2020 is a weird elk season, archery tactics for early rifle seasons, value of scouting, opening day strategy, elk change when the shooting starts, and other topics relevant to October elk h...

In this Episode (59) of the Elk Talk Podcast, Corey and Randy answer listener questions about what has been a strange year for elk vocalization and rut intensity.  Topics covered include reports from Corey and Randy’s hunts so far, challenge versus locating bugles, where are the elk if I am seeing fresh sign, hunting pressure, transition from peak rut to post-rut, testing new equipment, second cyc...

In this Episode (58) of the Elk Talk Podcast, Randy is in the Idaho backcountry with Kurt Howard, GM of Rocky Mountain Hunting Calls, while Corey is off chasing Oregon elk.  Topics covered include an autopsy of what can go wrong and what must go right on a high pressure public land archery elk hunt, moon phases, weather impacts, what causes peaks in bugling activity, risky plans can go south, weat...

In this Episode (57) of The Elk Talk Podcast, Randy and Corey take on many listener questions that are focused on hunting elk in the pre-rut period; early September.  Topics covered include calling techniques, solo set up, dispersal after velvet rub, drought impacts, when the rut gets rolling, when to cow call, water attracts, variable moisture patterns, dry year post-rut patterns, knowing your pl...

In Episode 56 of Elk Talk, Corey and Randy talk about some equipment specialized for elk hunting. Corey talks about his history designing elk calls, and Randy talks about his recent collaboration with Gerber. Corey goes into tactics of calling elk and setups in archery elk of late August and early September.  Finally, they discuss using 3D maps for E-scouting elk. Learn more about your ad choices....

In this Episode (55) of The Elk Talk Podcast, Corey and Randy take on the many questions listeners have about hunting elk in grizzly bear country.  Some of the best elk hunting in the west is occupied by grizzlies, yet many avoid these areas.  Topics covered include avoidance, clean camps, field dressing among bears, hanging quarters in camp, bear spray or sidearm, risky behaviors, bear densities,...

In this Episode (54) of the Elk Talk Podcast, Corey and Randy talk llamas and elk hunting with Beau Baty of Wilderness Ridge Trail Llamas.  Topics covered include the history of llamas, maintenance in the backcountry, max loads, what they eat, how to rent them, conflicts with bears and wolves, where they can go, temperament, comparison to horses and goats, durability, longevity, trailering and tra...