201 vs. 301: What It Really Takes to Target a Big Bull
I sat down with Jordan 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 Jordan 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).
Jordan'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.
This Episode's Sponsors
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.
Chapters
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.)
Three Key Takeaways
- Think in air miles, not trail miles. The mental trap most hunters fall into is measuring distance the way a human experiences it — on foot, along trails. Elk cover ground on a completely different scale. A bull that seems "close" to a herd on the map might actually be far enough that he's already moved on to check her and bounce. Recalibrating your sense of distance is one of the biggest jumps from intermediate to advanced elk hunting.
- Targeting one specific bull requires understanding every herd around him, not just his. The moment you commit to "301-level" hunting — chasing one specific animal instead of just filling a tag — the job changes from finding an elk to mapping an entire drainage system: every bachelor group, every cow herd, every likely wind-and-terrain funnel within a few miles. It's genuinely harder and less fun than general elk hunting, which is exactly why it usually takes a team.
- Patience beats pressure with a known target bull. The instinct to hike straight into a bull's last known location and start calling is usually the fastest way to lose him for the season. Watching from a distance, learning what the herd is doing morning and evening, and staying in "kid glove" mode until you actually have eyes on him gives you a far better shot than blowing him out of the country on day one.
