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Joined: 15 Dec 2005 Posts: 59

Just wondering if anybody on the board is familar with SW Minnesota Pheasant hunting. I am looking at heading that way on 10/29. Going with my 4 best friends Me, Myself, and I and of course Max the wonder dog....a 2yr old Wirehaired Griffon.....you wonder what hes going to do next! I am looking at hunting public land so any pointers would be great. Hopefully I'll be able to find some birds. I've got a 16ga 525 just waiting to ruin a roosters day.
Thanks
Scott

Member Joined: 19 Mar 2007 Posts: 279 Location: Mn

Go North and west of Worthington and you should do ok. Pick up a copy of the public hunting lands map put out by the DNR. A lot of WPA and WMA land there. You will need steel for the WPA's, but now the WMA's. Charlie

Member Joined: 01 Jun 2006 Posts: 182 Location: Minnesota

Really good public land between Sleepy Eye, Springfield and Comfrey.

Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Posts: 154 Location: Denver, Colorado

I hunted south of Mankato from 10/20 to 10/23. The area had had so much rain the previous week there was standing water and muddy fields everywhere. The fields were so muddy there was still lots of unharvested corn because the farmers kept getting their combines stuck in the mud. The ditches, which you could normally walk across, were so full of water that you couldn't cross them except at bridges making access to some fields more difficult.

Either the extra wettness or the standing corn or both kept the birds out of the fields and fence rows I had access to. Only saw about 5 roosters in 3 days of hunting.

Bring extra boots and socks.

--shinbone

Joined: 04 Aug 2007 Posts: 54 Location: Minnesota

Just South of Marshall on opening weekend, 3 of us limited out in 1.5 hours on public land... should be obivious what WMA we were on... we saw about 25-30 roosters that morning. We ended up opening the bar @ 10:30am and closing it that night, the next morning I was the only one who made it out into the field, shot my two birds in 30min on the same WMA and then drove the other 2 guys back to Minneapolis (they looked like walking dead) Good Luck... if you get lucky and get your birds earily go to the Wooden Nickel Saloon and stick to beer!!!!

Member Joined: 02 Feb 2007 Posts: 371 Location: mpls mn

Nice photo probably a little different results with out the help of those fine hounds!
Shinebone have you been after those Maryland and Virginia grouse?

Joined: 28 Mar 2007 Posts: 154 Location: Denver, Colorado

robp - I haven't been out chasing the grouse, yet. I did some pre-season scouting a few months back, though, and have a few WMA's in mind. I scouted West Virginia, too. This'll be the first season grouse hunting for me, so I am not sure what kind of success to expect. Anyone want to join me, let me know and we can plan an outting.

--shinbone