Building Maps for Hunters: Jeremy Gilbertson on Bridger Watch & Elk Hunting

Alright, so Jeremy Gilbertson is one of those guys who just went all-in on elk hunting—and it worked. This dude studied elk hunting harder than he studied school, killed a bull on his first-ever trip 36 hours from his front door in Minnesota, and then spent the next few years guiding hunters and building maps for a living. Now he's joining the Bridger Watch team to help us build the absolute best maps for wearables, because turns out everyone who said "nobody wants maps on a watch" was dead wrong. We dive deep into Jeremy's journey from cold-calling Colorado OTC units to guiding on private ranches in New Mexico, and we get into the real tactics that separate the guys who find elk from the guys who wander around hoping. We talk about e-scouting secrets, micro terrain, efficiency versus effectiveness, why busy is lazy (shoutout to Cal Arnold), and how to hunt like a 301 even if you're happy shooting raghorns. Jeremy's got a unique perspective because he's both a hardcore public land DIY guy and a guide who's seen hundreds of hunters make the same mistakes. If you want to learn how to find elk in tough units, how to balance aggression with patience, and why you need way more than seven days to figure out a unit, this one's for you. Let's get into it.

$10,000 ELK HUNT GIVEAWAY

We're partnering with Huntin' Fool Adventures for an insane giveaway. When you preorder a Bridger Reckon Watch and use code HF at checkout, you're automatically entered to win a $10,000 elk hunt voucher. You can use this for New Mexico landowner tags, a fully guided hunt, or whatever elk hunting adventure you want. Here's the best part: we're talking single-digit entries right now, so your odds of winning are actually really, really good. This isn't one of those giveaways where you're up against 50,000 people—this is a legitimate shot at a dream elk hunt. Head over to bridgerwatch.com, preorder your Reckon, use code HF, and you're in. If you were already thinking about getting the Founder Series, this is a no-brainer.

OnX Hunt - The ultimate tool for elk hunters and the app I absolutely won't go into the field without. Whether you're e-scouting from the couch or actually hunting elk, OnX gives you detailed maps, property boundaries, and over 50 layers of mapping data including satellite imagery, offline maps, and waypoints. It helps you make smarter decisions no matter where you hunt. Save time, avoid mistakes, and stay connected to your crew. If you're not an Elite member yet, you're missing out on a whole other level of tools. Head over to onxmaps.com and use code TRO to save 20% off your membership.

Tricer - These guys make gear that's fast, light, and simple. From bomber tripods to spotting scope mounts, panheads, truck mounts, and now even bipods—Tricer makes gear that just works. I've been running their bipod hard this season and it's been rock solid. If you're looking to upgrade your glassing system, check out Tricer. Head over to tricer.com, use code TRO at checkout, and save yourself 10%.

Stone Glacier - I've packed out a lot of animals with my Stone Glacier pack. This year, the Sky Archer 6400 has been with me to Alaska, British Columbia, Wyoming, and Montana. Whether it's a 10-day backpack hunt or day hunting from the side-by-side, Stone Glacier is minimalist, lightweight, and versatile. They make an entire suite of hardcore mountain hunting gear. Head over to stoneglacier.com, use code TRO, and get yourself some great gear.

TIMESTAMPS

• 0:00 - Intro & Bridger Watch Announcement
• 2:30 - Jeremy's New Role at Bridger Watch
• 5:45 - Building the Best Maps for Wearables
• 8:20 - Jeremy's Elk Hunting Origin Story
• 11:15 - From Minnesota Deer Hunter to Colorado Elk Obsessed
• 14:30 - First Hunt: 36 Hours to a Bull on the Ground
• 18:45 - How Much Was Luck vs. Skill?
• 21:30 - Advice to Your Younger Self
• 24:15 - Learning When to Run and When to Crawl
• 28:40 - Hunting 101 vs 201 vs 301
• 33:20 - Understanding Herd Dynamics at the Macro Level
• 37:50 - What Guiding Teaches You About Elk
• 41:15 - Elk Bros Outfitting Model Explained
• 45:30 - Hunting the Nucleus vs. Chasing Satellites
• 49:00 - Teaching Hunters vs. Learning Yourself
• 52:45 - E-Scouting Secrets: Avoid the OnX Holes
• 57:20 - Looking for Micro Terrain, Not Big Features
• 1:01:30 - Turn Off Public Land Layers When E-Scouting
• 1:04:45 - Rifle Hunting: Finding Where One Elk Can Survive
• 1:09:15 - Efficiency vs. Effectiveness in Hunt Planning
• 1:13:30 - Decision Fatigue and Mental Management
• 1:17:45 - Whoop for Hunters: Managing Expedition-Level Stress
• 1:21:00 - Why You Need More Than Seven Days
• 1:25:30 - Time on Feet Beats Everything Else
• 1:28:15 - Patience is the Hardest Skill to Master
• 1:31:45 - Elk Bros Details & Who It's For
• 1:34:00 - Outro & Hunt Planner Download

THREE KEY TAKEAWAYS

1. Stop Looking for Perfect Spots—Find Where Elk Can Survive - Everyone e-scouts the same big features: burns, mega meadows, obvious north-facing slopes. Jeremy's secret? Look for the smallest pockets where elk could survive, not where they want to be. That 50-acre hidden basin above the highway? That's where the pressure-educated bulls are living. When you're looking at a unit, turn off the public land layers and ask yourself: if I could hunt anywhere, where would the elk actually be? Then figure out how to access those spots legally. The micro terrain beats the macro highlights every single time.
2. You Need Way More Than Seven Days to Figure Out a Unit - Outfitters operate on seven-day hunts because they've already spent years figuring out where the elk are and what they're doing. When you show up as a DIY hunter with seven days, you're spending the first five just learning what the guide already knows. Jeremy's rule: plan for 10-15 days minimum if you're hunting a new unit. The hard units? Budget 12+ days just to figure it out, then another 3-4 to actually execute. If you only have seven days, you're gambling that you'll figure it out faster than average—and most guys are packing out on the drive home with all the knowledge they needed on day one.
3. Hunt Like a 301 Even If You're Happy Shooting Raghorns - The difference between a 201 hunter and a 301 hunter isn't the size of the bull—it's understanding the entire system. A 201 hunter finds a herd and focuses on that six-point. A 301 hunter understands where all the herds are, how they interact, where the satellites are coming and going, and how pressure moves elk across the entire unit. Here's the secret: if you hunt the nucleus where the big bulls are, you'll magnetize all the smaller bulls trying to be there too. Understanding macro herd dynamics doesn't just help you find giants—it puts you in position to encounter way more elk, period.