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Author

Patrick Durkin

Patrick Durkin
President at Wisconsin Outdoor Communicators Association
Patrick Durkin is a lifelong bowhunter and full-time freelance outdoor writer/editor who lives in Waupaca, Wisconsin. He has covered hunting, fishing and outdoor issues since 1983. His work appears regularly in national hunting publications, and his weekly outdoors column has appeared regularly in over 20 Wisconsin newspapers since 1984.
Latest Articles
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Doe Hunt Ends 48-Year Late-Season Bowhunting Drought

A last minute, late-season doe hunt ends a 48-year drought for the author as he wraps up the 2018-2019 bowhunting season in Wisconsin.

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Dreadlocks Dave Gets His Bull Elk

Even when chasing bull elk in the middle of nowhere, you realize just how small a world we live in. Just ask Durkin and Dreadlocks Dave.

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Some Share Public Lands Better than Others

When hunting public land, you just never who, or what, you might encounter along the way.

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Fellow Predators Outshine this Bowhunter

One bowhunter is humbled by the skill of other predators he encounters in the wild places their share for the hunt.

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Making Mock Scrapes That Work

Here's a look at the good, bad and ugly when it comes to making mock scrapes on the properties you deer hunt this season.

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Conservation Fund Needs Bowhunters’ Support

Conservation efforts need support from bowhunters like never before. Here's what is happening this month and the impact it could have.

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Deer Camp Shack Needs a Large Team to Deliver its Heat

It takes a team to pull off all the chores necessary to make deer camp a success and run smoothly throughout the year and season after season.

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Should Other Outdoor Groups Pay as Much as Hunters for Conservation?

What would it look like if other outdoor groups paid as much as hunters for conservation?

Hunting Camp Ghosts Still Haunt Me 20 Years Later

Do you believe in ghosts? The stories of hunting camp ghosts in Alabama have stayed with author, Pat Durkin, for the last two decades.

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What Should You Do When You Find a Fawn?

It's hard not to want to help when we come across a deer fawn in the wild. But what should you do when you find a fawn?

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Are Wolves Good or Bad for the Great Lakes States?

Wolves tend to be the controversial species these days, but whether you love them or hate them - are wolves good for the Great Lakes States?

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Predators Don’t ‘Coexist’ With Prey

Predators and the prey they pursue - some control experts would say they should simply learn to get along, you know, coexist.

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Zinke Visits Highlight Hunters’ Conservation Investments

Do hunters and outdoorsmen truly pay the bills? Secretary Zinke visited several states in March to deliver the payouts, which total $1.1 billion.

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Biologist Consider Bounties to Attack Nation’s Worst CWD Outbreak

Could bounties to attack the nation's worst CWD outbreak truly work in the fight against this deadly deer disease?

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Secretary Zinke: More Access, Little Conservation

One year in, is Secretary Zinke getting things done in the name of conservation and hunter access or simply opening up more government access?

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Deer Farms Keep Trucking CWD

Some deer farms seem to be helping do their fair share to spread CWD crisis from one farm to another.

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Counterfeit Archery Products: Are You Buying Them?

Does buying counterfeit archery products really hurt anybody? Here's a look at what you should consider before you make your next purchase.

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Bowhunting Steers Packers’ Jeff Janis to ATA Trade Show

Green Bay Packer, Jeff Janis, admits he'll sneak in a quick bowhunt in on Sunday morning before kickoff.

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How Does Toxic Bait Affect Deer

What affect can toxic bait play on your local deer herd? Are there regulations in place to keep wildlife safe?

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First Deer Hunt

A deer hunter never seems to forget the stories that come with that first hunting experience.