The 90/10/1 Framework: Calling Elk (and Life) Audibles with Darin Hardy

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.

Sponsors

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.

Chapter Timestamps (estimated based on episode flow — adjust to exact audio if needed)

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.)

Three Key Takeaways

1. Consistency beats conditions. The hunters who kill year after year aren't the ones who need the wind, weather, and lane to all line up perfectly — they're the ones who stay adaptive when things go wrong and still put themselves in position for luck to find them.
2. Shot placement margin matters more than pinpoint accuracy. Aiming for the middle of the lungs instead of tight behind the shoulder gives you a much bigger margin for error — and understanding the difference between a high-lung and low-lung hit changes how (and when) you should track.
3. Time in the field compounds. Ten consecutive days in September, rather than scattered weekend trips, lets you actually read the mountain's rhythm — and for a new elk hunter, sustained immersion (not luck) is what shortens the road to a first bull.