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That's accumulated total precip from June 10 - July 14, including only stations that reported 90% of the time.

I've now had rain 26 of the last 40 days at my house in SC MN. This is concerning. Flooding/ponding have not been significant issues over that period, but that's a lot cold and wet for the chicks. I did see 8 broods on my morning coffee drive yesterday, with a good mix of age and brood size. But...

I saw the same thing turkey hunting/scouting. Nearly got run over by a herd of 30+ hen pheasants in March while scouting a WPA. Then when I hunted it in A season, was completely covered up in birds (none of them turkeys, unfortunately).

Lots of variables, but a few things to consider. Median hatch date for MN tends to fall between June 10 and June 15 (depending on the year). Chicks start to fly at 2 weeks, and are decent flyers at 3 weeks. At that age, they can also thermoregulate fairly well. So by now, more than half of the...

Drove through the local grassland complex this morning and saw 5 pheasant broods, 3 of which contained flyers (3-4 week old chicks). It was hard to get good counts since the shoulders and ditches haven't been mowed yet, but the first brood had at least 10. That's a good indicator that the hen...

The bulk of SW MN did not get anywhere near as much rain as the Willmar area did. South of the MN River, the most I've seen cumulatively is in the 2-3 inch range over the last week. It was above 50 degrees overnight all but maybe one night--so cooler, but not that cold, and wet, but not...

I asked the guy who sent out the survey :)

The survey is only going to a random sample of pheasant stamp buyers, not everyone. There will be other opportunities for feedback (open to everyone) if the survey respondents support any of the proposed changes/alternatives.

Season dates (including opener and closing date) aren't chosen each year--they're determined by the established rule. See below, which is what Limitless already said. 6234.0400 TAKING PHEASANTS. Subpart 1. Open season. Only cock (male) pheasants may be taken by firearm or bow and arrow from...

I hunt way too many WPAs to ever carry lead, and can't justify the expense of the higher end alternatives (Boss, Hevi-shot, etc.). I use 3 inch Federal Black Cloud in #4 steel almost exclusively. I use improved cylinder early season when the pheasants display better manners. Modified choke in...

Ice is fine in cattails and most open water on small to medium-sized sloughs in southern MN. What melted during the day was freezing overnight. Standard precautions about thin ice near moving water (ie ditches), drainage tile inlets, muskrat huts, beaver dens, etc. still applies.

In the last 5 years, I've flushed huns from 3 WPAs and at least 6 WMAs that I can think of. I GPS track coveys when I see them (primarily from the road in the winter), and have at least 15 likely populations identified. There are more huns out there than you think.

No birds out there. Time to stay home and get out the ice fishing gear, maybe watch the football team. Heard they're decent this year.

Dove opener update. WMA, non-managed dove field.

Call the local Area Wildlife Office where you would like to hunt and ask about small grain fields or other potential dove hunting opportunities. SW MN is your best bet. Opportunities exist, but they would easily be overcrowded if promoted widely.

Former DNR Commissioner Tom Landwehr is a guest on this week's "The Flush" podcast. He talks about the MN buffer legislation starting at the ~35 minute mark.

I saw 4 separate broods on gravels roads yesterday in the local grassland complex. None of them large, but I also didn't flush them out of the ditch either (to get a better count). SC MN. Saw a lone hun too. Pheasants are resilient birds, and their number one goal right now, beyond surviving...

Dogs have been on fire the last few hunts, recovering birds I thought I had no chance at finding. Open field tackles on crippled runners, near blind retrieves across the slough, dead birds tucked under cattails woven so tight I can't see the dogs even when Garmin says they're 3 ft away...

I've done it and never had an issue, but I have run into deer hunters (unexpectedly) on public land who came in from private land, so no cars at the lot. It's not a terrible idea to put an orange vest/skid plate on your dog as an extra security measure, and to also make sure you're wearing the...