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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.

DNR asks public to assist in monitoring Minnesota turkeys by reporting sightings this summer

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

With wild turkeys now firmly established in the state and hunting for them as popular as ever, the Minnesota DNR is placing more emphasis on monitoring turkey populations. Hunters have an opportunity to assist in the efforts.
The DNR is asking the public to report all of their pheasant and turkey sightings through an online survey open from July through August. It’s part of a nationwide effort initiated by the National Wild Turkey Federation as state agencies share important information on turkeys.

DNR asks public to assist in monitoring Minnesota turkeys by reporting sightings this summer Read More »

Video: Easy steps to finding great whitetail setups

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

With so much information at our fingertips today as whitetail hunters, it’s easy to take in a ton of information. Sometimes, especially for relatively new hunters, this can lead to a lot of second-guessing in the woods and ultimately cost us deer.
In this video, Eric Morken goes through the three main ingredients that come together to create a great setup within security cover on a river bottom property he hunts.

Video: Easy steps to finding great whitetail setups Read More »

Proctor sophomore wins first-ever shoot-off to earn title at Minnesota clay target state tournament

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

Laine Graves had never shot in a moment quite like what he faced last Friday at the Minnesota State High School League’s Clay Target State Tournament, but to say he was completely unprepared for the pressure he faced would be disingenuous.
Graves just wrapped up his sophomore year at Proctor High School. He was one of the top 10 shooters in the Minnesota State High School Clay Target League by season averages this spring. He’s now competed in four state tournaments, making it each year since seventh grade.

Proctor sophomore wins first-ever shoot-off to earn title at Minnesota clay target state tournament Read More »

Eric Morken: Gear that stood out from the 2025 hunting season

Featured, Gear & Gadgets, Home Page News, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Hunting, Illinois, Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, National Hunting, New York, North Dakota, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Wisconsin /

I bowhunt whitetails in multiple states from late August through December. There’s pheasant hunting with my black Lab, Gus, from October through January and turkey hunting multiple states in the spring.
That covers a wide range of weather and hunting conditions in the Upper Midwest. Here are some gear items that stood out from this past year after hundreds of hours in the field.

Eric Morken: Gear that stood out from the 2025 hunting season Read More »

Survey details how Minnesota turkey hunters feel about wide range of topics

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

Turkey hunting is as popular as ever in Minnesota and a recently-released survey from the 2024 fall season and 2025 spring season sheds light on how hunters feel. The survey covers a wide range of topics related to turkey populations, regulations and season structure.

Survey details how Minnesota turkey hunters feel about wide range of topics Read More »

Silent entry and close encounters: Kayak tactics to help you kill more deer

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

Winds were gusting to over 40 mph on the afternoon of Nov. 2 last year as I slipped quietly up the river in my kayak for an afternoon bowhunt.
These types of winds are not a reason to stay home. They are an opportunity to get close to whitetail bedding areas undetected. The plan that day was to take advantage of the conditions and set up in a tree 20 yards off the river in thick cover. This would require using the kayak to slip past a primary bedding area.

Silent entry and close encounters: Kayak tactics to help you kill more deer Read More »

Minnesota turkey hunters take third most birds in state history

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

Minnesota’s spring turkey hunters killed almost 1,650 fewer birds than last year, but 2026 was still one of the top harvest years in state history.
Based on preliminary numbers, this year’s total harvest for the season that ran from April 15 through May 31 finished at 15,245 birds. That’s down about 10% from 2025 when hunters shot a state-record 16,903 turkeys. This spring’s total is the third highest harvest in Minnesota history, with the 2024 season falling second on that list when hunters tagged 16,714 birds.

Minnesota turkey hunters take third most birds in state history Read More »

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