On the Trail With Mark Kayser

I admit that October whitetails are some of the hardest to hunt.

The producers at North American Hunter TV are creating a new opening for the show and to hit deadlines they asked everyone who co-hosts episodes to wash the camo off of their faces, clean up more than a camp, baby-wipe shower and meet in Minneapolis for some speedy filming.

Here's a quick update from the field. I only had a day off between trips and I promised Cole I'd take him hunting as much as humanly possible so we slipped in a speedy pronghorn hunt.

I just pulled up stakes on archery elk camp after hunting three windows throughout September. I lost. The elk won. I finally said “uncle” midday yesterday as temperatures soared and the tired bulls disappeared into dark timber.

We quickly hatched a plan. Doug would go above us and call. Watkins and I would find some cover between Doug and the bull and wait.

Halfway through the hunt my good friend Doug Gardner directed me to a remote treestand for a long shot on a big whitetail or possibly a big mule deer.

I've been bowhunting elk almost solid for the first two weeks of September, but it's time to take a break. Ya, right! I'm actually switching gears to deer for a few days and I'm heading toward Montana.

I'm down from elk camp for a few days and still no loins in the cooler. The elk were quiet at best and the best hunting I had was still-hunting after mountain showers.

Here's the elk update from Wyoming. We still saw herds numbering from 40 to 70, but I think they started to break down yesterday.

As I noted in previous blogs archery elk hunting is often best when partnered up.