MN Public Hunting Areas

[rkappes]

Just got a MN Public Hunting Areas map and I was wondering if these public areas are any good for phez?

[Chaingang]

Really depends on where their located. Typically the SW and West Central areas of the state have been the best Pheasant producers. Locate good public lands in those areas and that will be your best bet.

[BigShooter]

Draw lines from Rochester to Pine City to Park Rapids to Moorhead. South & west of that border you will find pockets of pheasants. As you know Phez need groceries, cover, decent weather and prairie type conditions. As indicated numbers of birds generally increase as you head further west & south. The key issue in Minnesota is the improvements in equipment & the changes in farming practice have led to marginal pieces of land being tilled, decreasing available phez habitat.

As in any State the areas within about two hours of larger cities get the most pressure.

[rkappes]

Thanks for the info! I live in Moorhead, so I'll just jump on I29 and head south for a couple hours and see what I can come up with. Do you guys know if their are any birds around the Alexandria area?

I grew up north of Moorhead about 45 minutes and we have a ton of corn, beans, grains, etc...but no grassland so no phez. Kind of a shame that farmers need to plow up every little piece of land that they have to gain minimal acres. It's no wonder we flood every year. My grandpa always tells me stories about when the phez were thicker then black birds. Not the case now.

[BigShooter]

I used to hear lots of stories about hunters getting into Phez around Alex. Close to the metro area with I94 access, it was always a popular area for Twin Cities hunters many of whom had cabins at the nearby lakes. I saw a few birds north of Alex early last winter but have no idea if it was an isolated pocket or if there are decent numbers in that area.

I have relatives in the Twin Valley area & went to UND so I'm familiar with the area you grew up in.

[rkelly]

If I lived in Moorhead I would either move to Fargo, or hunt ND. I am originally from Fargo. You only have to drive and 1-1.5 hours southwest of there to get into decent pheasant hunting. Plus so much more land is accessible in ND. I know the out of state licenses are steep, but it is a closer drive in ND and you won't be walking areas 20 other guys walked that week.

[BigShooter]

At about $110 for each 14 day license (can be split into two 7 day periods) it adds up pretty fast to a younger person with a limited budget. I think the OP, with a shelter mixed breed pup, may be working on a way to enjoy gundog activities with limited resources. That is the way a lot of us started out.

rkelly is absolutely right about the better hunting conditions in ND close to Fargo but it's not a bad idea to explore and find some spots in MN either. You might think about going for grouse in MN sometime as you're not that far from good grouse habitat. Any way you go you and the dog'll have fun just getting out!

[rkappes]

Thanks for the info/advice guys. Before getting the mixed breed GSP/Springer I knew it would be a crap shoot whether or not she would hunt and I really really wanted a dog that would hunt, so I'm glad that its turned out. I was torn between buying a puppy from a breeder w/ a strong ped or rescuing a pup...decided to give the rescue a chance. I got Jersey at 6 months old, her obedience is still not 100%, especially the "come" command but she's definitely making progress. Her natural hunting ability has been unbelieveable....great nose, OK point, endless energy. I've always wanted a epagneul breton so I think a couple years down the road here once I get Jersey on the straight and narrow I'll get one. We normally hunt in the Spirit Lake IA area, we have buddies with private land to hunt, so thats pretty nice. Along with that we have a trip to SD and ND planned for this upcoming season. Just wondering about MN hunting for day trips during the week since the license is cheap. BigShooter your absolutely right, I just love getting out w/Jers and tromping around the countryside. Good idea about the grouse hunting, might have to head out east and try our luck with that. I'm also thinking about taking her out squirrel hunting this Fall, anything to get outside. Anyway thanks again for everyone's input, I appreciate it very much!

[DougB]

If you are near a big city, you will probably have a better hunt during the week than on a weekend. Less competition and the birds seem to sit a little longer.

[gspguy]

Hunting can be good in MN Public Areas but you have to be willing to move and cover a lot of ground. Couple tips.
1) Cover as much ground as possible and do it quickly. This usually means picking an area that has many public areas and hunting them quickly and then moving to the next one. On your map mark off the areas where you made bird contact and make note of the crappy areas so you can avoid them. Also pay attention to standing crops. I used this strategy alot when I was younger and found many areas that held birds year after year.
2) Go west and south young man. Start around the Lac Qui Parle area and work your way south from there through Marshall and over to Slayton.

You can find pockets in the Northern range (Alex) but your odds will go up further south and west. Also knock on some doors. The worst thing that'll happen is they'll say no. You may get rejected 10 times but the 2 times they say yes could put you in a gold mine of pheasants. Be sure to reward them with a bird if you get into them.

Good luck.

[RoosterBuster]

If you can get down to the Willmar area I have seen a bunch on the road early in the morning on drives to the in-laws. Have yet to hunt it, but I will be able to chime back in with some input after this next fall

And yes, be sure to knock on doors. Worst thing that can happen is them saying no, best thing that can happen is somebody that owns the land that doesn't hunt, and it doesn't get much pressure. Just make sure to try to make a positive impact on the people that do let you hunt their land.