Patrick Durkin

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Patrick Durkin of Eau Claire, Wisconsin, is an award-winning outdoor writer, newspaper columnist, and general outdoors reporter. He has been MeatEater's wildlife research contributor since June 2018, and writes frequently for national archery and hunting magazines. Durkin also provides editing services for books and magazines, and served as contributing editor/writer for the Archery Trade Association from September 2001 through January 2021.

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After serving in the U.S. Navy from 1975 through 1980, Durkin earned a journalism degree at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh, and graduated magna cum laude in December 1983. He spent the next eight years working as a sports reporter, education reporter, weekend editor and outdoors editor at the Oshkosh Northwestern newspaper before beginning his magazine career. He edited Deer & Deer Hunting magazine from 1991 through 2001, and he also edited Whitetail Hunting Strategies magazine from 2002 through 2003, and National Whitetail Hunter’s Journal magazine from 2003 to 2006. He later served as editor for Inside Archery magazine, an archery industry trade publication, from 2014 to 2016.

Starting with the Oshkosh Northwestern, Durkin has written a weekly outdoors newspaper column since 1984. His column has appeared regularly in over 20 Wisconsin newspapers during his career, including the Wisconsin Outdoor News, Watertown Daily Times, Chetek Alert, Ladysmith News, Barron News-Shield, Bloomer Advance, Green Bay Press-Gazette, Wisconsin State Journal, Appleton Post-Crescent, Wausau Daily Herald, Sheboygan Press, Fond du Lac Reporter, Oshkosh Northwestern, Manitowoc Herald Times Reporter, Marshfield News Herald, Stevens Point Journal, Wisconsin Rapids Tribune, Racine Journal-Times, Waukesha Herald and Eau Claire Leader-Telegram.

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Durkin’s magazine articles have appeared in American Hunter, Outdoor Life, Bugle (Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation), Quality Whitetails, Whitetail Journal, Whitetail Hunting Strategies, Archery Business, Bowhunt America, Inside Archery, ArrowTrade, North American Hunter, The New Pioneer, Bowhunting World, Mossy Oak’s Hunting the Country, Texas Game & Fish, Deer & Deer Hunting, Tactical Weapons, and National Whitetail Hunter’s Journal.

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Durkin married his wife, Penny, in 1980, and they have three adult daughters and eight grandchildren. His oldest daughter, Leah, is a Navy nurse-midwife, and has hunted and fished with him since age 3. His daughter Elle graduated from the University of Wisconsin-Madison in May 2008 and works as an actuary in Madison for CUNA Mutual; and his daughter Karsyn graduated from UW-Madison in May 2010 and works as a book-acquisitions editor at PESI Inc. in Eau Claire.