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Patrick Durkin

Patrick Durkin: CWD is sinking deer herds in disease areas

1 Comment / Discussions, Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, National Hunting, Opinion, Wisconsin /

If you’re seeing too few deer in southwestern Wisconsin for your hunting or viewing pleasure, it’s time to accept the obvious reason: The culprit is chronic wasting disease (CWD), the always fatal prion disease that now kills more female deer in highly contaminated areas than hunters kill with bullets and arrows. Roughly speaking, that’s much of Iowa, Sauk, Richland, and western Dane counties.
The DNR confirmed that fact for the first time Jan. 22 when releasing the latest findings of its long-running $5 million study into how CWD affects deer populations.

Patrick Durkin: CWD is sinking deer herds in disease areas Read More »

A quick chat with Clay Newcomb — avid outdoorsman and storyteller

Home Page News, National Hunting, Quick Chats /

Clay Newcomb, 44, is host of the Bear Grease podcast, which is part of the MeatEater Podcast Network. He has worked for MeatEater since October 2021.
Newcomb grew up in the Ouachita Mountains of western Arkansas, and is a seventh-generation Arkansan. He’s a hunter, naturalist, mule skinner, storyteller and observer of rural culture. He’s also a writer, filmmaker and podcaster, and was owner/publisher of Bear Hunting magazine from 2013 to 2021.

A quick chat with Clay Newcomb — avid outdoorsman and storyteller Read More »

Patrick Durkin: One of three Wisconsin bear cubs survive after sow loses cornfield den

Featured, Home Page News, National News, Nature Page & Night Sky, News, Wisconsin /

Heavy rains and sodden fields in autumn often block farmers from harvesting cornfields before winter.
When that happens north of Hwy. 10, it’s no surprise weeks later when a combine cutting crops from the frozen fields kills or cripples denned-up black bears.
Contrary to assumption, not all bears burrow beneath stumps or underground to snore through winter. Bears can den in a culvert between fields or beneath roads, or the thick upper branches of fallen trees. Still other bears curl into subtle nest-den depressions they scrape into the interior of standing cornfields.

Patrick Durkin: One of three Wisconsin bear cubs survive after sow loses cornfield den Read More »

Patrick Durkin: Flipping through photos at year’s end keeps memories alive

Featured, Fishing, Home Page News, Hunting, National Fishing, National Hunting, Wisconsin /

In the week between Christmas and New Year’s Day, I enjoy scrolling through photos from the previous 51 weeks to sharpen memories already blurring and fading from view. Photos often trigger one of two thoughts: “That was this year? Seems longer.” Or, “That was this year? Seems like last week.”

Patrick Durkin: Flipping through photos at year’s end keeps memories alive Read More »

Want to hunt Western big game? Know these tips for navigating tag systems

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 /

If you want to hunt Western states in 2025 and beyond for elk, deer, pronghorns or other big game, start learning all you can about each state’s wildlife programs and application systems.
Don’t be discouraged if you feel like you’re treading water the first week. No two states offer the same wildlife species, wildlife numbers, license requirements or application systems and deadlines. You’ll feel frustrated trying to learn what’s behind every door, but the sooner you start, the better odds you’ll have to draw coveted tags each fall.

Want to hunt Western big game? Know these tips for navigating tag systems Read More »

Patrick Durkin: CWD, sick deer, bones all common in SW Wisconsin

Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, National Hunting, Opinion, Wisconsin /

Mike Purnell and his brother Lloyd concede they can’t find every carcass, skeleton or bone after deer die of chronic wasting disease on the family’s 700 acres of farmlands in southwestern Wisconsin.
But heading into December, the Purnells hadn’t found any deer skeletons this year. They hope that means their aggressive approach to managing deer remains their best option. The Purnells found enough dead deer in 2019 and 2020 to pattern where CWD-infected whitetails usually die.

Patrick Durkin: CWD, sick deer, bones all common in SW Wisconsin Read More »

Patrick Durkin: Hunting camp’s legends, memories live on

Featured, Features, Home Page News, Hunting, National Hunting, Wisconsin /

When walking around a dead man’s hunting camp, each glance and every step seems to stir up old stories, memories, and unasked questions from decades-long friendships.
When the day ends and you’re back at camp with those who knew him longer, you hear new tales and tributes while sipping scotch and eating bratwursts. Some such accounts answer years-old questions, while others expose assumed “secrets” as common knowledge among some crew members.

Patrick Durkin: Hunting camp’s legends, memories live on Read More »

Patrick Durkin: Hot tip from the grave doesn’t mesh with actual hunting trip to Idaho’s Panhandle

Featured, Featured, Features, Home Page News, Hunting, Hunting, Michigan, National Hunting, Wisconsin /

A death-bed confession of sorts inspired Logan Hyrkas to organize a hunt for mountain deer in Idaho’s Panhandle during the first half of November.
The hot tip originated something like this: Hyrkas, 31, chatted up a customer in August 2016 while working at a North Dakota car dealership. Hyrkas grew up in the small town of Calumet, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, but moved to the West because he loves hunting mule deer. As Hyrkas and the customer swapped deer hunting stories that August day, the man stunned him by sharing the GPS coordinates for his favorite hunting site in Idaho’s Panhandle.

Patrick Durkin: Hot tip from the grave doesn’t mesh with actual hunting trip to Idaho’s Panhandle Read More »

Patrick Durkin: A sobering fact is older, experienced hunters cause most hunting-related shooting incidents

2 Comments / Discussions, Featured, Home Page News, Hunting, National Hunting, Wisconsin /

At risk of annoying my fellow old-folk hunters, please remind your hunting partners to keep an eye on you – and you on them – when you’re hunting deer, ducks, turkeys, coyotes or small game.
That’s especially true when hunting with firearms, but it’s also possible to kill yourself or others with archery gear. In October 2012, a 50-year-old Marathon County, Wis., man died when his arrow struck his neck and penetrated his head as he hauled his cocked-and-loaded crossbow up to his treestand, broadhead pointing up.

Patrick Durkin: A sobering fact is older, experienced hunters cause most hunting-related shooting incidents Read More »

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