Here are some of the best public land areas for pheasant hunting in Minnesota:
- Southwest Region (prime pheasant territory):
- Lac qui Parle Wildlife Management Area (WMA) near Madison
- Big Stone WMA near Ortonville
- Ruthton WMA in Pipestone County
- West-Central Region:
- Ordway Prairie near Sedan
- Chippewa Prairie near Montevideo
- Habitat Corridor WMAs in Pope County
- South-Central Minnesota:
- Swan Lake WMA in Nicollet County
- Talcot Lake WMA in Cottonwood County
- Vermillion Highlands near Rosemount
Key tips for MN pheasant hunting:
- Focus on Wildlife Management Areas (WMAs) with at least 100 acres
- Look for land enrolled in the Walk-In Access (WIA) program, especially in southwestern counties
- Use the DNR Recreation Compass online tool to find public hunting land
- The "Minnesota Pheasant Range" roughly follows I-94 south and west
- Best success is typically in the prairie portion of the state where there's a mix of grassland and agriculture
Many of the best areas are found in what's known as the "pheasant belt" - roughly from Worthington to Morris.
by Tim Esse
