Monday, January 12th, 2026

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Monday, January 12th, 2026

Breaking News for

Sportsmen Since 1968

Eric Morken

Eric Morken is a writer and web editor for Outdoor News who lives in west-central Minnesota with his wife and two daughters. Morken graduated with a journalism degree from Augustana College (now Augustana University) in Sioux Falls, South Dakota in 2007. He has worked in the journalism field ever since, and his outdoor work has been in print and digital publications across the country. When not writing about the outdoors, Morken is an active participant in them. He can be found doing some casual fishing in the summer and chasing turkeys in the spring, but his passion is centered around bowhunting whitetails. It’s a year-round commitment of scouting and hunting different regions of Minnesota and surrounding states on public and shared-private lands every chance he gets. Contact Morken at emorken@outdoornews.com. Follow him on Twitter @EricOutdoorNews or on Instagram @elmorken.

Latitude’s Method III or Lonestar saddle? My pick after a full season of hunting in them

I wasn’t necessarily close to giving up saddle hunting after my first year trying it in 2018, but I left that season hoping I was missing something in terms of how to hunt comfortably.
So much has changed for the better for saddle hunters today. Saddle hunting has become popular among mobile hunters, and many companies have entered the market. That has led to competition and creative ideas that push saddle-makers to produce better products.

Latitude’s Method III or Lonestar saddle? My pick after a full season of hunting in them Read More »

Want a more efficient whitetail rut in 2026? Start brainstorming now

The month of November ushers in a mix of emotions for whitetail fanatics. Primarily, it’s excitement, sure. But at least for me, there’s also some added pressure.
It’s not external pressure. Nobody else really cares if I shoot a buck. It’s the fact that so much mental and physical energy is exerted throughout the year, leading up to that two-week period.

Want a more efficient whitetail rut in 2026? Start brainstorming now Read More »

Target staging areas in late October for better bowhunting; here’s what they look like

There were fresh deer droppings and tracks all over a corner of the beanfield that had just been combined during the previous week.
The problem? The corner was 15 yards from a well-traveled road with homes all along it as it winds around one of the most popular lakes in this area of Minnesota. Deer were certainly feeding here under the cover of darkness. So, where were they entering the field and how could I catch them during daylight?

Target staging areas in late October for better bowhunting; here’s what they look like Read More »

Near-ideal conditions set up promising deer season in many parts of Minnesota

A year ago, wildlife officials with the Minnesota DNR were quick to caution that one mild winter might not move the needle in a big way when it comes to what deer hunters could expect to see during the state’s 2024 gun season.
Now, the question is what will a second straight year of similar weather conditions mean for the deer herd as hunters head to the woods for the firearms opener Nov. 8?

Near-ideal conditions set up promising deer season in many parts of Minnesota Read More »

Want to try winter camping? Here’s the must-have gear and knowledge to make it a great experience

Outdoor users in Minnesota may know Blane Klemek as the northwest region wildlife manager with the state’s Department of Natural Resources.

That job with an emphasis on wildlife and the outdoors certainly fits with how Klemek lives his life. He’s a passionate adventurer focused on fishing, hunting, and camping. For 25 years he has gone on winter camping trips, usually with about five other friends in the Boundary Waters Canoe Area Wilderness of northern Minnesota.
“Sometimes it can be an absolute challenge with cold temperatures and snowfall,” Klemek said. “But with experienced people, many hands make light work.”

Want to try winter camping? Here’s the must-have gear and knowledge to make it a great experience Read More »

A quick chat with wild turkey expert Dr. Michael Chamberlain

Back in 2011, wildlife researchers began noticing a trend: declining wild turkey numbers in parts of the country. The initial concern focused on southern states and the southern Midwest.
“Originally that’s where the concerns kind of blossomed,” said Dr. Michael Chamberlain, a National Wild Turkey Federation distinguished professor at the University of Georgia Warnell School of Forestry and Natural Resources. “But I think the evidence is pretty clear that since then there’s a growing recognition that populations are declining in a number of other states, including some of the northeastern states and some of the Upper Midwest states.”

A quick chat with wild turkey expert Dr. Michael Chamberlain Read More »

Four reasons you aren’t having the bowhunting success you want

My wife and I were in our kitchen almost 15 years ago on a summer Sunday afternoon when I brought up deer hunting, a subject she’d heard me mention frequently.
“I want to get really good at bowhunting whitetails,” I said.
“OK,” she responded, barely looking up from the task she was tending to.
“I don’t think you understand,” I told her. “What I have been doing isn’t working. I’m not seeing the results I want, and it’s going to take me committing to this far more than I have been.”
Archery humbles a person every season, but big-buck sightings and deer kills in general have grown substantially since making real changes after that conversation.

Four reasons you aren’t having the bowhunting success you want Read More »

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