The reports are mixed, but after a few weeks of pheasant hunting there appears to be some good results.

Pheasant hunters in the state have been giving mixed reports. Some are spending a good amount of time in the woods and not really seeing many birds while others have been reporting better hunting than last year.

For the most part things appears better than last year for pheasant hunters in Minnesota.

A common story is that a group of hunters will find plenty of birds available, but there is some work that will be required. As you and your party head out to the field to cover those edges you might have to cover more ground and spend more time looking than in the past seasons.

Hunting was hard last year and the numbers were down. It was not a good season for pheasants. This year, things are better, but there is still work required. And maybe that’s alright. Hunting is not always about just walking into a field and flushing out a bunch of birds. With a little added difficulty it will become all the more rewarding when you do harvest those pheasants.

Numbers for pheasants in Minnesota are down from the average of the last ten years. It wasn’t too long ago when hunters could find plenty of birds to harvest. This year, if you’re looking to find easy birds you’ll be out of luck. The birds are up from last year after a good spring hatching season, but the drought and other conditions this fall have led to a below average year.

Don’t be discouraged if you’re looking for a quality late season hunt. There should be plenty of opportunity to get out and enjoy a pheasant hunt. The weather has been up and down this fall so when the good days arrive make sure to get out there and hit the dges. There are more birds than last year and with a little hard work you can fill your limit.