Explore every episode of the podcast Tag Her Out's Podcast

Morgan and Kaitlyn cover week two of the pre-rut (September 8–14): elk are finally moving and trackable, when to add bugles to your calling, and how to locate and close on a bull.

Week two of the pre-rut (September 8–14) is when things start to get fun, the elk are finally moving, and Morgan and Kaitlyn are changing their whole approach because of it. They break down what's shifting in the woods, how their calling has to evolve from last week, and the daily game plan they're running to take advantage of it. Plus, a muzzleloader-season story about a hunter who walked straight through their setup  and the talk he got afterward.

Resources mentioned: Week 1 of the rut series (listen first if you haven't); Week 3 drops Thursday, September 10, covering September 15–21

Follow Along: 📸 Instagram: @tagherout 🎧 Subscribe so you don't miss future episodes.

Building Confidence and Grit, One Hunting Season at a Time.

This is Part 1 of our four-part September series. We’re breaking down elk season week by week so you can hunt the week you’re actually in....not the week you saw on YouTube.

Week 1 is September 1–7. Colorado archery opens September 2. Montana opens September 5. Idaho is already open (August 30). Labor Day falls on September 7 this year, so the long weekend lands on opening week instead of before it. That’s going to stack more hunters onto the opener than a normal year.

Kaitlyn describes week one in two words: Christmas morning. You’ve waited a year. You’re fresh. The bulls are not. Mature bulls are still in their bedrooms. Younger bulls are doing the running around. They’re not screaming National Geographic bugles. They’re answering cow calls from bed: short, muffled, easy to miss if you’re talking.

Morgan and Kaitlyn walk through last year’s week 1 hunt: walking into a bedroom on day one, an overlooked middle ground between road hunters and the backpack crowd, six-to-eight hours of side-hilling deadfall, a hailstorm cow call that actually got a bull walking in… and the thermal/setup mistake that ended it.

What we cover:

• Why mature bulls are still in bull bedrooms, and why you don’t share those pins
• Cow calls first. Challenge bugles later (or not at all this week)
• What a laying-down, “I’m still in bed” bugle actually sounds like
• Shooter high / caller low when you’re playing cow
• How Labor Day + opening day changes pressure in Colorado
• Heat, water, and why wallows matter more next week
• Moon phase as context, not a stay-home rule
• Why week one can be your best shot at a big bull before he has a harem

Series calendar:

Week 1: Sept 1–7 (this episode)

Week 2: Sept 8–14

Week 3: Sept 15–21

Week 4: Sept 22–30

New episodes drop Thursday mornings, timed to the week you’re about to hunt.

Follow Along:

📸 Instagram: @tagherout

🎧 Subscribe so you don’t miss the rest of the September series.

Building Confidence and Grit, One Hunting Season at a Time.

Morgan and Kaitlyn break down their full elk scouting process, from e-scouting with onX and Google Earth to boots-on-the-ground scouting in the field: reading terrain and elevation, finding bull bedrooms and rubs, decoding elk sign (poop, game trails, and rub age), understanding what elk actually eat, and the most common scouting mistakes DIY hunters make before archery season.

The Gear We Actually Carry (And What We Left Behind)

Welcome to the very first episode of Tag Her Out 🏹🎒

Hosts Morgan and Kaitlyn kick off Season 1 with a real look at what's actually in their packs ahead of elk season, and why their systems couldn't be more different. From boots to kill kits to camp setup, this one's full of hard-earned lessons (and a few disagreements) from experiences in car camping and into the backcountry. 

If you're gearing up for elk season, or just curious how two women hunt differently and still make it work, this is the episode to start with.

Morgan’s pack list and weights can be found here: Morgan's Pack. Make your own by creating an account @ https://lighterpack.com/

Coming later this season: layers and clothing systems, thermals, backcountry nutrition, and a full episode on grit and mental toughness.

Get out there with what you have, take notes, and build from there — one season at a time.

Follow Along: 📸 Instagram: @tagherout 🎧 Subscribe so you don't miss future episodes.

Building Confidence and Grit, One Hunting Season at a Time.

Topic Timestamps:

• 0:00 – Intro & catching up
• 2:00 – Boots & socks
• 7:00 – Pack philosophy (meat-hauler vs. day pack)
• 13:00 – Bow, release, broadheads — don't forget these
• 15:00 – Calls: Hoochie Mama vs. diaphragm
• 18:00 – Wind detectors (non-negotiable gear)
• 20:30 – Gaiters
• 22:30 – Clothing & layers (quick hit, full episode coming)
• 24:30 – Kaitlyn's day pack & kill kit walkthrough
• 28:00 – Morgan's day pack & kill kit walkthrough
• 31:00 – Camp setup: sleep systems, food, water
• 34:30 – Water filtration debate (LifeStraw vs. iodine)
• 37:00 – Camp hygiene & scent control
• 39:00 – Orange hat / muzzleloader safety
• 40:30 – Final tips, wrap up

Let’s break down the calorie math behind elk hunting, plus snacks for the backcountry, hydration tips, and protein strategies for female hunters chasing elk in the mountains.

In this episode, Morgan (certified nutritionist and chef) breaks down the real math behind how many calories you're actually burning while elk hunting — and why most women come up way short. Kaitlyn shares how she keeps herself fueled with a rotating mix of sweet, salty, and savory snacks, while Morgan sticks to tighter, efficiency-driven foods. They talk about hydration, electrolytes, muscle recovery, and what to do when you're too busy chasing elk to remember to eat.

Plus: what happens when morale hits rock bottom on a rainy day with no elk in sight (hint: pizza and beer fix a lot).

Morgan’'s full pack breakdown — calories, protein, fat, and weight per ounce — is in the notes below.

Follow Along: 📸 Instagram: @tagherout 🎧 Subscribe so you don't miss future episodes.

Building Confidence and Grit, One Hunting Season at a Time.