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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.

County-by-county debate over shotgun zone for deer hunting takes center stage in Minnesota

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

Public forums are being held in many counties across central and southern Minnesota right now as county board members hear from constituents regarding the use of rifles for deer hunting in what were previously shotgun zones.
It’s a safe bet that some of those meetings have been more contentious than what took place in Alexandria on the evening of Feb. 18. The five Douglas County commissioners did not vote on the issue, but what they heard from the more than 20 people who spoke was overwhelming support of implementing rifles for deer hunting county-wide.

County-by-county debate over shotgun zone for deer hunting takes center stage in Minnesota Read More »

Has South Dakota seen any negative effects from longer pheasant seasons?

2 Comments / Discussions, Featured, Features, Home Page News, Hunting, Minnesota, National Hunting /

Gus’ body language gave off all the classic signs as we approached a corner near the end of a long walk along the edge of a cattail slough.
At age 7, he is in his prime years as a bird dog. Young enough where stamina isn’t an issue and experienced enough to consistently piece together the puzzle. His pace quickens when on a bird, but he’s methodical in his approach, dissecting every detail. Gus froze and glanced back at me. Almost simultaneously, a rooster erupted from the cattails.

Has South Dakota seen any negative effects from longer pheasant seasons? Read More »

Changing snow trends raise some wildlife concerns during Minnesota winters

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

Wet flakes kept flying during the first big snowfall in west-central Minnesota this past November.
It was the kind of heavy snow that lays down grasslands, and in this case, even cattails. That initial blast of snow and then the on-and-off thawing and freezing over the month of December laid some of the smaller sloughs in this area nearly flat, making some cover almost useless for pheasants that typically use cattails in big numbers at this time of year.

Changing snow trends raise some wildlife concerns during Minnesota winters Read More »

Longtime Outdoor News columnist Steve Carney part of 2026 Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame class

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

Steve Carney is doing exactly what he was meant to do with his life as a fishing guide and outdoors communicator for almost 50 years. There’s no doubt in his mind.
As a young kid, Carney, now 72, would get dropped off by his dad at Lake Calhoun in Minneapolis with a rod and a handful of jigs. He’d spend his entire days fishing around the lake from shore until his dad picked him up after getting done with work at 5 p.m.

Longtime Outdoor News columnist Steve Carney part of 2026 Minnesota Fishing Hall of Fame class Read More »

After recent cold, how has this Minnesota winter been for wildlife?

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

Minnesotans are well adjusted to the cold, but the arctic blast that covered the state this past weekend raises questions for wildlife.
For hunters and those who care about wild critters, the most common question is, “How does anything outside survive this?”
The good news is that wildlife species native to Minnesota are well equipped to handle these extreme cold snaps when quality winter habitat is available.

After recent cold, how has this Minnesota winter been for wildlife? Read More »

Whitetail harvest of antlerless deer, mature bucks both jump in latest national deer report

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

The National Deer Association released its annual deer report on Jan. 15 that takes a close look at nearly everything pertaining to whitetails, including detailed harvest and hunter information, from across the country. 
Two things that stood out: whitetail hunters in the U.S. shot more than 3 million antlerless deer for just the third time in 11 years, and the percentage of 3 ½-year-old and older bucks in the antlered buck harvest was the highest ever recorded.

Whitetail harvest of antlerless deer, mature bucks both jump in latest national deer report Read More »

Commentary: Time to remove Minnesota’s ‘aggregate’ bag limit for deer

Leave a Comment / Discussions, Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, Minnesota, National Hunting, Opinion /

Many states might have a deer-hunting law or two that leave hunters scratching their heads. But, for the most part, regulations are created for good reasons.
I typically don’t have a problem with Minnesota’s deer-hunting regs, but I came upon one recently that makes little sense and contradicts the messaging hunters hear from DNR deer managers. It’s worth pointing out.

Commentary: Time to remove Minnesota’s ‘aggregate’ bag limit for deer Read More »

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

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

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

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 /

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 »

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