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Wednesday, September 30th, 2026

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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.

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

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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

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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 »

Young black bear wanders through city limits of Alexandria, Minn.

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

A bear passing through town might not create a huge stir in its traditional range, but it’s a bit of a talker when it happens in central Minnesota.
Residents of Alexandria in Douglas County shared videos and photos on social media of a young bear moving through city limits on Wednesday, May 20.

Young black bear wanders through city limits of Alexandria, Minn. Read More »

Despite dip from 2025, Minnesota turkey hunters on pace for top-three harvest

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Minnesota’s turkey harvest through Monday of this week is down almost 12% from the same time last year, but hunters are still on pace to kill the third most birds in state history this spring.
The total harvest as of Tuesday morning was 13,547 registered birds. That’s compared to 15,417 turkeys shot through the same portion of the season in 2025.

Despite dip from 2025, Minnesota turkey hunters on pace for top-three harvest Read More »

Video shows evidence of reproducing cougar population in Minnesota for first time in more than 100 years

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The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced today that for the first time in more than 100 years, evidence of cougars reproducing in Minnesota was documented in video captured by the University of Minnesota’s Voyageurs Wolf Project.
The footage, which was captured on March 25 and first seen by researchers when the cameras were collected this past Sunday, April 26, shows a female cougar with three large kittens.

Video shows evidence of reproducing cougar population in Minnesota for first time in more than 100 years Read More »

Minnesota’s early turkey kill drops from 2025 as hunters deal with poor weekend weather

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

Minnesota’s spring turkey hunters did not catch a break with the weather during the early portion of the season, and harvest numbers so far seem to be reflecting that.
Snow in early April made things feel a bit like winter in some parts of the state ahead of the April 15 opener for the first seven-day firearms season. Hunters who could hunt weekdays during the A season had good conditions in some areas, but the weekend was cold and windy.

Minnesota’s early turkey kill drops from 2025 as hunters deal with poor weekend weather Read More »

Results from FFS study part of talkers at MN-Fish Summit in Alexandria

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

Minnesota’s fishing advocacy organization, MN-FISH, hosted more than 230 people for its 2026 Angler’s Summit last Friday, April 17, with almost eight hours of programming.
It was an opportunity to celebrate fishing in the state, air concerns, learn about fisheries-related research, and discuss the role that anglers play in preserving the state’s fisheries.

Results from FFS study part of talkers at MN-Fish Summit in Alexandria Read More »

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