The Wallow Bull, the Grizzly Sow, and the Pack of Wolves — Stories From the Backcountry with Brandon Schmitz

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
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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.