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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.

Minnesota research shows wolves have fishing honey holes, too

Featured, Fishing, Home Page News, Minnesota, National News, Nature Page & Night Sky, News /

Wildlife biologists have long known that wolves are opportunistic feeders that will take advantage of a host of diet items available to them, but until recently it was not exactly known how often wolves in places like northern Minnesota were targeting freshwater fish.
Researchers from the Voyageurs Wolf Project, a University of Minnesota research project in collaboration with the National Park Service, shed some light on the subject.

Minnesota research shows wolves have fishing honey holes, too Read More »

Video: Use standing corn to your advantage this deer season

Featured, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, National Hunting, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin /

It is not uncommon for some hunters to avoid standing cornfields when it comes to bowhunting whitetails, the idea being that the large majority of deer will go unseen because they spend their time within the corn.
Beans get plenty of attention during the early season, but Eric Morken of Outdoor News loves when it is a corn year in areas he hunts, specifically in the early season.

Video: Use standing corn to your advantage this deer season Read More »

Minnesota DNR works on plan to track crossbow data after legislators approve their full use during archery season

Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, Minnesota, National Hunting, National News, News /

It didn’t take long for Todd Froberg, Minnesota DNR big-game program coordinator, to get a few emails from the public asking why the DNR would allow hunters of all ages to use crossbows during the state’s full archery season.
“I had to tell them it’s the Legislature (that legalized the activity),” Froberg said. “I really hadn’t heard much about anything having to do with crossbows for a few years now, or any kind of big talk.”
A look at how the DNR might track crossbow use and what Minnesotans might be able to glean from Missouri and Wisconsin deer harvest.

Minnesota DNR works on plan to track crossbow data after legislators approve their full use during archery season Read More »

Buck beds: Why some seem to matter more than others

Features, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, National Hunting, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin /

Bucks with a few years of age on them seem to almost never bed randomly, which makes locating their beds pretty predictable. You’ll find beds in some terrains where the buck using it seems almost unkillable. Hill-country bedding comes to mind, where they often bed based on wind direction to use both sight and smell to their advantage.
Finding this bed felt different. The buck was using it so frequently because it contained the best cover in an area where habitat diversity was otherwise limited. Really pinpointing bedding areas like this has helped me put together detailed plans that have paid off in past seasons. 

Buck beds: Why some seem to matter more than others Read More »

Scouting out bulletproof whitetail setups: targeting areas where everything comes together

Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, National Hunting, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin /

Anyone who bowhunts on a regular basis can relate to how important it is to find stand locations that feel almost bulletproof. Nothing is ever guaranteed in hunting, but I’m referring to those areas that put you within 30 yards of primary deer movement while not being detected by scent or sight before a deer presents itself.
These locations are sometimes few and far between, especially on landscapes where does and fawns can seemingly come from any direction. But these spots are often vital to success if you’re targeting an older buck on public or pressured private land.

Scouting out bulletproof whitetail setups: targeting areas where everything comes together Read More »

Minnesota turkeys bucking trend of nationally declining numbers?

Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, Minnesota, National Hunting /

There are parts of the country where wildlife managers are working to reverse a trend of declining wild turkey numbers, but Minnesota’s turkey population appears to be bucking that trend, at least in many regions, as hunters head afield during this year’s spring season.
That’s according to the tools DNR wildlife managers currently have at their disposal to measure turkey numbers in the state.

Minnesota turkeys bucking trend of nationally declining numbers? Read More »

Is lack of antlerless deer take reason for concern in parts of Minnesota?

Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, Minnesota, National Hunting, News /

Hunting is the primary tool that state wildlife agencies use to manage deer herds, but making a dent in whitetail populations by way of antlerless harvest is proving to be a difficult proposition in some parts of the country. That includes some areas of Minnesota.

Is lack of antlerless deer take reason for concern in parts of Minnesota? Read More »

Ditch the blind when bowhunting turkeys

Featured, Features, Home Page News, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, National Hunting, New York, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin /

Four toms had put on an incredible show not far from this place the previous morning. I called two of them to within 25 yards, but never got the shot I wanted with my bow.
That scenario is not uncommon. I sometimes question why I don’t get a shotgun license for spring turkey hunting. Then a hunt comes together and reminds me why I love chasing turkeys while toting a bow. Here are a few things to consider if you want to ditch the ground blind while bowhunting.

Ditch the blind when bowhunting turkeys Read More »

Winter’s effect on Minnesota whitetails felt nearly statewide this year

Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, Minnesota, National Hunting, National News, News /

Wildlife managers from northern Minnesota are again concerned about this winter’s effects on the deer herd, but the toll Mother Nature is taking on deer this year extends farther south than normal.
March is an important month for whitetails as they start to run out of fat reserves they came into the winter with. Reports from many parts of the state indicate that deer are in need of refueling, with some starting to succumb to the effects of cold and deep snow.

Winter’s effect on Minnesota whitetails felt nearly statewide this year Read More »

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