2026
ElkNut
Elk calling and hunting training, rebuilt from the ground up — one codebase for iOS, Android, and web, with an AI Call Coach and offline field mode.
Timeline
Ground-up 4.0 rebuild
Stack
Ionic 8 · Angular 21 · Capacitor 8 · NestJS
Outcome
One codebase shipping to iOS, Android, and web (PWA)
The problem
ElkNut is one of the best-known names in elk calling, and the app had a loyal following on an aging codebase. Paul wanted a real rebuild — one app for iOS, Android, and the web, with modern training content, new hunt tools, and something no competitor had. And it had to keep working deep in the backcountry, where there's no signal.
The build
I rebuilt ElkNut from scratch as a single Ionic 8 / Angular 21 / Capacitor 8 codebase that ships to iOS, the Play Store, and the web as a PWA, backed by a NestJS API on Firebase. The headline feature is an AI Call Coach: you record a call, and it scores you 0–100 on pitch, cadence, realism, and tone, with written coaching — powered by Gemini. Everything the app teaches works offline, so the calling library, video, and maps are there when you're miles from a tower.
ElkNut is built for hunters who want to get better at calling and reading elk, from a first cow call to a screaming bull at last light. The rebuild keeps everything the app was known for and adds the pieces people kept asking for.
The training side is a deep, expert-made library — bugles, cow calls, and estrus calls with pro audio and video, proven field tactics, and step-by-step calling sequences for real hunting scenarios. The new AI Call Coach lets you practice against it: record yourself, watch the waveform, and get an honest 0–100 score with tips on what to fix.
Under the hood it’s one Ionic + Angular + Capacitor codebase compiled to native iOS and Android and served on the web as a PWA, sharing a single TypeScript library with the admin dashboard and the marketing site. A NestJS API on Firebase handles auth, content, subscriptions, and the AI scoring. The whole thing is built offline-first, because the moment you actually need it is the moment you have no bars.
Get it on the App Store, on Google Play, or on the web.
The outcome
ElkNut 4.0 shipped to the App Store and Google Play as a full rebuild — the calling library, tactics, sequences, and video training, plus the new AI Call Coach and 15 hunt tools, all from one codebase across three platforms.
- One codebase shipping to iOS, Android, and web (PWA)
- AI Call Coach that scores recordings 0–100 with written feedback (Gemini)
- Offline field mode — training, video, and maps with no signal
- 15 hunt tools: rut calendar, pack-out calculator, draw tracker, harvest log, and offline MapLibre maps with GPS tracks
- Admin dashboard for managing content and subscriptions
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