This episode breaks down how elk actually respond to hunting pressure and why most hunters misunderstand where mature bulls survive once seasons open.
Cliff talks with a self-taught elk hunter, Dan Vinson, who learned the hard way, without mentors or shortcuts. The conversation centers on pressure, access, and human behavior, not elevation gain or how far someone is willing to hike. Elk do not disappear when pressure increases. They compress into small, unattractive pockets where hunters walk through but never slow down enough to hunt.
The episode also covers bivy hunting, decision-making under uncertainty, and the cost of overcommitting to camps or rigid plans. A detailed solo bull encounter highlights how quickly things unravel after the shot, why blood trails are not guaranteed, and how emotional load compounds when hunting alone.
This is a realistic look at elk hunting as it actually happens for most do-it-yourself hunters.
Resources from Dan Vinson
Wild Gym | All Things Rucking: https://www.wildgym.com/
Dan's Instagram - https://www.instagram.com/wilddanvinson
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