I am in the process of putting together a different web page that will correspond to the new show. Also, there is a rumor that I actually my have a “Facebook Page!” Who would have ever thunk it? So, I will take a temporary leave from writing on this site. Consider me in “hibernation” for just a little while. Know that everything is great here. Actually, better than ever! I think our new show is going to blow you away. So, I wish you all health and happy hunting. God Bless! Keith  

MERRY CHRISTMAS!

Merry Christmas to everyone!  This is the most magical time of the year.  This is the time when we celebrate the birth of our Savior Jesus Christ.  One of the most special parts of that is sharing this special season of the year with our family and friends.  When I look around me this Christmas I realize that I am one of the luckiest, and most blessed, guys on the planet.  I have the greatest wife in the world!  My wife Jeanne and I will be married 25 years in 2010.  I have the three most wonderful children EVER!  All three of them, Zach, Jake and Anna, are in college at Kansas State University and are great kids.  Although they are out of town we talk every day and share with each other what is going on in our lives.  The conversations almost always go with me asking “how was school”? And them asking, “how was your hunt”?  Isn’t that cool!  I can’t wait for them to get home to share the last few days of the season in the field with me.  My mom works with me and still keeps Keith on the straight and narrow!  My school teacher brother Kevin still inspires me.  My dog Cuddles is of course, “mans best friend”!  I love my family!

When I look around I realize that I have the greatest friends ever, too.  There have been many people that have come and gone in my live but my “friends” are still here through thick and thin.  Getting the chance to not only film a new show with, but to become the closest of friends with Jim Burnworth and Ray Bunney has been awesome.  My long time friendship with Ted Nugent has got me, and my family through some tough times and made the best of times even better.  My camera guy Josh Ishmael is so cool that I can’t believe that he hangs out with me.  My work crew, Leah, Mike, Linda, Denise, John, Elaine, Teresa, and Jenny make me better than I really am.  Spencer, Mark, Monte, Kevin, Tony, Earl, Millie, Kirby, Frank, Jon, David, Jim, Paul, Mike, Ron, Brian and many more people in my life make Christmas time, and really everyday, unbelievable to me.  When you add to that list all of the great folks I meet on the road and in hunting camps…Wow!

So, during this special time of the year I encourage you to look around you and hug and thank all of the wonderful people in your life.  Then, remember that there are many others out there who are far less fortunate that us.  So I hope that you put a quarter or two in the red kettles this year and may find some extra money for other charities as well.  My favorite is The Outdoor Adventures Foundation and you can contact them at www.outdooradventurefoundation.org to find out more about their mission and get evolved.

MERRY CHRISTMAS TO ALL!!!!!

Keith

Happy Thanksgiving to all!  I love this time of year.  It is the annual season of harvest.  Farmers are finishing up combining their fields, we actually got our soy beans out of the field two weeks ago, and hunters have taken to the woods to stock their freezers for the coming year.  Although the grain and meat fill our stomachs there is something bigger going on when we hunt and harvest.  There is a spirituality that is engrained with hunting.  We realize that just as God made the crops of the field and the fruits of the trees renewable, He also has given us dominion over the animals so that we will have an unlimited source of renewable protein.  Also, we all hunt with our families and friends and that camaraderie helps builds bonds and relationships that last lifetimes.  Is there anything more special than sharing your son or daughters first hunting experience?  Watching your ageing dad shoot what may very well be his last pheasant?  Helping a friend blood trail, and ultimately find, his “big buck”?  Checking your trail cameras with your spouse?  Filling feeders or setting up stands with your children?  Listing to friends “hunting adventures” over a cup of hot coffee?  Reading about “how to do it” in one of your favorite hunting magazines?  Watching your favorite shows on the Outdoor Channel?  Listening to Ted Nugent’s “Fred Bear” because it is the one song that not only describes what hunting is all about but it helps define you as a hunter?  Oh yes, I love this season!  I love everything about hunting!  I am “THANKFUL” that there are enough of us that stand up for, and protect, our hunting and shooting rights.  I am “THANKFUL” that we have the right to “Keep and Bear Arms”!  I am “THANKFUL” for my family and friends!  I am “THANKFUL” for my health and the health of my family!  Most of all, I am “THANKFUL” that we have a loving and caring God who gives us all of the blessings in our lives!  So my Thanksgiving prayer for 2009 is that we all will recognize the many blessings in our lives; that we all have the courage to stand up and fight for the things in our lives that we know are right and decent; that we all do a little more to share some of our blessings with those less fortunate; for good health and a safe and successful season of harvest!  Happy Thanksgiving, Happy Hunting and God Bless!   

I’m back in the saddle again!  I have just returned home from a tour of Montana, Wyoming, and my beloved MacMillan River Adventures in Yukon Canada.  The hunting and filming was spectacular!  While elk hunting, I had an elk walk up to me so close that I could have touched him with the tip of my Gold Tip arrow.  However, that wasn’t the most excitement that I have had recently. While hunting at MacMillan River Adventures, which is undeniably the greatest moose hunting on the planet, I had a close encounter to beat ALL close encounters!  With only a bow and arrows in my hand, I was charged by a monster 1,800 pound bull moose.

One of our expert moose calling guides, Matt, called this bull to 15 yards of where I was standing in a willow patch.  Matt had been raking trees and bull grunting like a big boy himself so the bull came in looking for a fight.  When he stepped out of the willows at 15 yards broadside I was at full draw and ready to give him the hot sauce when my camera man Josh said “NO”.  When you are filming a T.V. show, no means no, so I didn’t shoot.  The bull walked a few more steps and then turned directly toward me and stopped.  After some head swaying, eye rolling and menacing grunts, the bulls ears dropped and he charged at me full boar.  During the rut an enraged bull moose will charge a freight train.  Trust me, at that moment I wanted to be anywhere but in the path of this angry behemoth.  Thank God I was already at full draw because when the bull got to one yard I shot an arrow just inside his right shoulder, between his nose, horns and shoulder bone, and drove it through his right lung and into his heart.  The bull skidded to a stop, with his last track measuring only 18 inches from the tip of my Lacross boot!  He staggered, turned on a dime, and disappeared into the willows from wince he had come.  I will be writing this entire story for a popular magazine so you can read the entire story then.  Just know that I was unscathed and will be grilling moose back straps with NASCAR legend Kyle Petty tonight at the Ultimate Tailgate American Royal BBQ bash!  Moose-elujah!

You can see this incredible hunt footage on the new show that I am filming for “The 4CE” that will be airing on the Outdoor Channel every Thursday night at 7:00pm EST starting in July of 2010.  My co-hosts on that show are Jim Burnworth of Western Extreme and Ray Bunney of Adventures Abroad, also on the Outdoor Channel.  Jim was also up in the Yukon and his hunt footage is awesome, too.  Also on the hunt was my good friend Ted Nugent.  I was at Ted’s side when he arrowed a monster bull at 12 yards.  You can watch all of these hunts on “The 4CE” and Ted’s “Spirit of the Wild”.

I want to personally thank everyone for the kind words and e-mails that I have received, and especially for all of the prayers.  I am not totally out of the woods but at least I am back in the woods.  I am on the right track and plan to keep promoting hunting, our Second Amendment rights, and family values for many years to come!  I wish all of you a healthy and successful season of harvest!   Godspeed!  Keith

Greetings all!  As another summer comes to an end, just like you, I have been getting ready for another hunting season.  I have shot, cleaned, shot, and re-cleaned all of my rifles.  I just put a new Octane site on my Ross bow and finally have it dialed in after shooting many arrows.  I had been shooting nothing but broad heads for over two weeks now so I felt like I was very close to my season shooting form.  I bought a new sleeping bag and made sure that all of my other equipment is in fine working order.  This is the same ritual of preparation that I have gone through for nearly thirty five years.  But as it turned out, the one detail that I have been overlooking for years is ME!  I don’t mean that I have allowed myself to get out of shape.  No, I lift weights three times per week, run two miles three times each week and do thirty minutes of hills on the treadmill two additionally days.  I don’t drink, don’t do drugs (except my vitamin regimen) and do not smoke.  However, what I have failed to do is to get an annual physical with a doctor.  In fact, until three weeks ago, I didn’t even have a family doctor!  As good as I felt and as much as I worked out and stuck with my clean living habits I figured “who needs to see a doctor”.  Well, the answer is that we all need to get annual checkups.  If you’re my age and older (I’m 49 and counting) it is IMPORTANT.  Due to a funny coincidence I actually got my blood pressure taken and it was off the charts.  This set in motion a series of events that still has my head spinning.  After some tests and a blood work up, my NEW doctor forbid me from traveling until some additional workups are done.  Did I mention that this all occurred two days before my plane left for my first African safari?  No African safari for Keith!  Although no one wants to be told that they are sick or that something is wrong with them, I am at least lucky that I over came my macho, I’m invincible attitude and got a check up sooner than later.  We are still not sure where this path is going to lead but I am very confident that I have excellent doctors and I will soon be in the woods and field hunting with my family and friends!

So what is my point in sharing all of this with you?  Well, I want you to protect and look after yourself just like you do your hunting equipment.  Treat yourself like the precious gift from God that you are.  You clean your gun after using it and wax your bow string often.  So, see your doctor annually.  If you do not have a doctor, get one.  Check with your doctor before hand, but start a regular exercise program.  Start eating a little healthier.  Stop smoking.  Don’t drink to excess.  Try and cut out some stress in your life.  Don’t be like Keith and brag about not seeing a doctor for years!  It’s not cool, it’s stupid!  Look after yourselves as I want to share a campfire with each and every one of you!  

I wish you all strong faith, great health, a happy family life and a killer hunting season!   Keith     

Happy Freedom Week to all!  As my good friend, Ted Nugent says, "we celebrate our American Freedoms everyday".  My family and I just shared and incredable Freedom celebration with Ted, Jim Burnworth and his family, Ray Bunney and his son, and many more of my family and friends here at the Mark Family Farm.  Nothing better than BBQ, music, fireworks and fun to celebrate our independence.  However, we know that we can only gather with our family and friends in celebrations like this because of all of the brave men and women who have risked it all, and some giving it all, so we can live as free Americans.  I hope that there are still enough of us patriots to make sure we remain free people.  Our government has gotten too big and is snowballing out of control.  Join with me by re-declaring our independence.  Join the NRA and write and call your congress person.  Get active and make a difference.

I also want to say that I am very excited about this new season for MacMIllan River Adventures.  JIm Burnworth, who makes the best outdoor television shows on the planet, is producing our new shows.  Along with Ray Bunney, Jim and I are working on an incredable project for 2010!  Stay tuned as it will be awesome!  God Bless and I hope you keep watching the new shows.  Keith

I hope all is well for you and your families as this new year begins.  Change seems to be the word everyone is using these days.  Well, there is nothing wrong with change as long as it is positive or an upgrade.  I am always looking to upgrade myself and everything that I am involved in on a regular basis.  As MacMillan River Adventures is in hibernation until the first week of July, we are really trying to upgrade the show.  We are really upgrading the production of the show and I will be trying really hard not to sound so much like a product salesman.  The last part will be difficult for me because I am very passionate about the products that help me to be so successful even if they are not sponsors of the show.  Regardless, we are committed to a faster paced and less promotional show that I know you will really like.  if any of you have some positive ideas I would really love to hear them.

On a similar topic, this month I had the privilege of meeting the host of Western Extreme, Jim Burnworth and his wife Lori.  They are the greatest people in the world and if you have not been watching Jim's show on Outdoor Channel you really need to make a special point to do so.  He is awesome!  Jim has been willing to share some of his vast expertise to help make MacMillan River Adventures the best show that it can be.  Just adding Jim's finger print to the show will definitely help with the ongoing upgrade.

Lastly, sometimes we get so busy in our day to day lives to really hear when God calls to us.  Sometimes we may hear it, but just ignore it.  I know that there have been times when He tried to call me, but I didn't answer.  I would encourage everyone to take a few minutes everyday to pray and meditate in order to put yourself in the right frame of mind so when God does call, you will hear.  I truely believe that some events that have receintly occurred in my life, like meeting Jim, is leading not only to positive upgrade but to a higher calling.  Stay tuned as this year may really be special! 

I hope that when the show starts again in July that you are all there to share in the new adventures.  I am very blessed to share these hunting stories with so many great people, like you.  God Bless!  Keith 

Merry Christmas to each of you and and a very happy hunting new year!  There is no doubt that 2009 is shaping up to be very interesting.  I am not just talking about my planed hunts to Africa, the Yukon, Wyoming, Utah, and Colorado, either!  I am talking about the potential effort of some politicians and other freedom haters to seriously attack our freedoms and rights.  It was just 6 short months ago when our Supreme Court correctly confirmed what most of us already know, that as free people, the right to "keep and bear arms" is a personal right!  Empowered by an apparant political shift to the left in our country, some of these folks will stop at nothing to take this right away from us.  It is more important than ever that we as hunters, shooters, and free people stand up, and stand together, to fight these freedom haters just like our forefathers did with the British on the bridge at Concord.  "But Keith, what can we really do"?  Join the NRA if you are not already a member or extend your existing membership if you are a member.  Get active, write your elected officials, speak openly to your friends, neighbors and co-workers about your beliefs, or give NRA memberships as Christmas gifts (they are only $20!!!)  You probably have some ideas yourself and i hope you share them with us.  Happy new year?  Well it could be, IF we stand strong to our beliefs and speak out and fight for them to ensure that we do not lose them FOREVER!

Lastly, i know that times are tough and that a lot of folks are having a hard time making ends meet, or having to cut out come pleasures like an out of town hunt or, for some people, much worse.  It is times like this when we must let the beauty of our human spirit come out and help those less fortunate than us, as much as we can.  That could be a financial donation to your church or other charity, donating food or cloths to homeless shelters or food pantries, adopting a less fortunate family for Christmas, and many, many more ways to make a real difference in the lives of those less fortunate.  I know that sometimes I get wrapped up in my worldly ways, like the show or my outfitting business, and don't do enough for others myself.  I can tell you that this year I am going to try and do more than my part and I hope that you all do too!

This coming year let's be warriors and guardian angels at the same time.  On both fronts, if we act with spirit, commitment, compassion and faith 2009 will be a good year!

Merry Christmas and God bless!

The Mark Family