Place to live near the cities with decent hunting/fishing

[Mil_Vet]

My girlfriend and I are thinking about moving to the twin cities. Where is a good place to live within 20 miles from the cities, but still has a little country element to it? I love to fish and am fairly new to hunting. Living here in Kansas City it seems like I have to drive forever to be able to do those things. Thanks.

 

[Uncle Buck]

You can find good fishing, deer and goose hunting very close to the metro area. Pheasant,ducks not so much. Lots of sportsmen from the area many who are right here may give you more specific advice.

 

[birdshooter]

I live in the Hanover/St. Michael area which is about 35 NW of downtown MPLS. Hanover is a smaller community pop (2500 give or take). St. Michael a couple miles to the north is a bit bigger (10-12000) and Albertville a couple miles to the north of that and a split between the two in population. Lots of newer development within the areas within the past 5 years and each of these towns are no more than a few miles from the interstate.

The area is what I would describe as semi rural with major shopping centers within 15 miles and close to several public hunting areas and decent fishing very close by.

 

[goldeneye]

I live west of the cities on Hwy 55. If you get out by Maple Lake you are close to 494 and 30min west of 94. This is a great area lots of lakes and lots of public land. Let me know if I can help in anyway.

 

[shorthairs4life]

Prior Lake might also be worth checking out. I also moved here from KC 2+ years ago and live out in New Prague. It's about 45 miles from the cities but close to hunting and fishing.

 

[JDThorstad]

I live northeast of the cities in the Hugo area, I like the area for several reasons, As long as your 600ft from a building you can shoot a shotgun, there is some pretty decent fishing nearby, and its very close to 35E I can get to St. Paul in a half hour if I need to. I will say this though, even though you drive around town and dozens of great looking fields that are full of pheasants, its almost impossible to get permission. Either the owner is a pheasant hunter and doesnt want anybody out there, or if he isnt, his brother is, and if he isnt, someone from his church is. But there area a few WMA's.

 

[tOlzon]

I don't know anyone from the twin cities area who has luck pheasant hunting within 30 minutes of the twin cities area, and I know a LOT of people from the twin cities area.

Many of them have good dogs and a lot of pheasant hunting experience, but it's hard to see birds when 4-5 groups tromp through the WMA's every Saturday and Sunday.

Since you're from KC, I assume you won't know anyone with private property.

It's similar to any other large city in that you can either live there and drive 1-2 hours to good hunting, or live near good hunting and drive 1-2 hours to the "big city".

Sure, there is some decent deer hunting and fishing, but this is a pheasant forum, so I assume that's what you're wondering about.

Don't get me wrong, it's a great place to live, but "The Cities" are just that, cities. I believe that Minneapolis's urban sprawl may be even worse than most similarly-sized cities, making the trip to the country even longer.

Hell, I live 50 miles away and we're practically a suburb.

 

[Downtown Bang!]

Late to the party but will post anyway.

If you mean 20 miles from downtown as mentioned above that will still put you in the middle of the suburbs. To get into a more rural setting I'd say you would need to look at least 35-40 miles outside downtown and be looking away from the interstates.

If being close to good fishing is a bigger interest I'd look at the east and northeast (Ramsey & Washington county) communities. They are also closer to the downtown area and the commutes are not bad. St. Croix & Mississippi rivers for great walleye fishing and many other species. Some good bass and panfish lakes over 1000 acres like Bald Eagle, White Bear Lake, Big Marine etc. Countless smaller lakes that will provide the same action. Problem with this part of the cities is it will add an hour to your drive west for any pheasant and duck hunting and at least a 1/2 hour if your heading north for ruffed grouse.

Western areas can have decent fishing and will put you within 2-3 hours of some very good pheasant and duck hunting. I'd look at Carver & Wright County communities. It will be a tough commute into the downtown area from here though.

North possibilities would be communities in Isanti or Chisago County. Fishing is actually pretty darn good here too. Chisago chain of lakes, many other small lakes and about 90 minutes to Mille Lacs. Your also only 2-3 hours from some world class ruffed grouse hunting. Does stretch out the drive time to the top notch pheasant areas and the commutes into town can be long.

Good Luck

 

[birdshooter]

Many of them have good dogs and a lot of pheasant hunting experience, but it's hard to see birds when 4-5 groups tromp through the WMA's every Saturday and Sunday.

If you are referring to WMA"s closer to the cities, I don't think you have to limit the one's closer to the twin cities for that statement to ring true. I've seen plenty of WMA's, WPA's clear out to the Dakota border that were a "take a number" or move on to another area to find one that is not being used or that some group had just pulled out of. Everyone knows that Private land, however hard it may be to come by, still holds the best hunting no matter where you are in the state.

I'm assuming the original poster was looking to be closer (within reason) to the cities for employment opportunities, yet still live in a semi rural setting. This is quite common for many folks now days as urban sprawl is continually moving outward and people are accepting the longer commute to get out of the city hustle and bustle.