Eric Morken

A buck stands at attention while feeding on forbs in a field this summer. In the video below, Eric Morken breaks down what he is looking for from an early-season archery setup. (Photo by Eric Morken)

Pictured is an Iron Will single-bevel broadhead with bleeder blades. Morken has become a believer in the effectiveness of single bevels after seeing the results of many quick kills of whitetails during the past four years. (Photo by Eric Morken)

The duck hunting station at this year’s Youth Outdoor Activity Day in Alexandria, Minn., was one of the more popular activities as kids popped up out of blinds and shot nerf guns at a picture of incoming mallards after a calling sequence. This year’s Youth Day, which is an entirely-free event that lets kids take part in more than 50 activities, drew 2,112 kids for a fun-filled day outdoors. (Photo courtesy of Angie Krebs)

The author practices his shooting from his hunting saddle this August. Morken says hunting out of a saddle instead of a hang-on stand is at the top of the list in terms of gear that has made mobile hunting more enjoyable for him. (Photo courtesy of Eric Morken)

From left to right, Hunter Krebs, Ryker Johnson, Macoy Denny, and Wyatt Krebs, along with the Krebs’ hunting dog, Winnie, celebrate a successful morning in the marsh during a Minnesota youth waterfowl hunting season. (Photo courtesy of Dean Krebs)

A buck slips into a bed two hours after daylight during a hunt Morken had on the morning of Sept. 1, 2024, in North Dakota. If you have setups that provide great access opportunities into security cover with good natural vegetation for deer to feed on, then you have a chance at success during early-season morning hunts. (Photos courtesy of Eric Morken)

It’s well known that heavy rains can be tough on young pheasants and turkeys. But how does abundant precipitation affect fawn survival in the earliest stages of a whitetail’s life?

While deer likely came through last winter in pristine condition, the Minnesota DNR is taking a conservative approach in order to grow whitetail populations in some locations. (Stock photo)

The Susquehanna River is the largest tributary and ends at the Chesapeake Bay. The University of Maryland’s Center for Environmental Science just rated the Chesapeake Bay’s condition a C+, its best grade in more than 20 years.

Dr. Bronson Strickland is the St. John Family Endowed Professor of Wildlife Management at Mississippi State University. (Contributed photo)