After sitting out deer hunting this year I can say that in my area the pheastants are less then last year I would hate to say it but maybe 1/2 of last years. I will give a better description after next weekend deer hunting. I think the cool wet spring was hard on the pheasant hatch.

My farm in SW MN has more birds than last year, based on my hunt last weekend. The fact that corn was in and fewer birds where taken on the opener left more for last weekend, but I think there is more in general.

We shot 25 birds last weekend for 5 guys with many of the roosters being young of the year with no tail and little adult plumage. These were late hatch birds and we passed on many that couldn't be identified in the field. Hans

Numbers are way lower here compared to last year. A lot of farmers just arent seeing them while combining either... Pretty sad

At first I thought there were plenty of birds, but they were just in the corn.Well now I think this year is really low compared to the last couple now that corn is coming out.. Today we had 5 dogs and 4 guys and saw less than 20 birds. I am used to seeing 50 to 200 or more birds per day.

Well I didn't hunt last year, but all I know is that I have been to the south-central area of the state 4 times now and haven't seen much. Maybe 6 or so birds each time. I don't want to even think about how many miles I have walked per bird. I grew up in ND hunting and didn't think MN would compare to ND but didn't expect to see this few. Regardless I will be out a few more times to try to get my young shorthair on some more birds. I was debating whether to make another trip back to ND, but definitely will now. Must of put her on a few hundred birds when I was back there a few weeks ago. If it wasn't for deer hunting I would be back to chasing grouse.

This IS Minnesota pheasant hunting, I expect to walk miles per bird. I hate to put it this way, but 'I remember' back in the early 80's, I was in college, I'd come home and hunt all day and be lucky to see a pheasant!!

Theres pheasants to be had out there if you put in the miles. Maybe not as good as last year but there are birds. And with the late corn harvest, the late season hunting will be pretty darn good.

Thats my prediction and I'm sticking to it!

I hope you are right. Regardless I am heading out tomorrow again and trying to hunt further south near the Iowa border to see how that is. I Figure I would rather drive another hour if it increases my odds of seeing birds, though not sure if that is a realistic expectation or not.

I think your odds will improve if you head west instead of south rmkod.

Went a little more south and west. Probably put up 15-20 birds. So definitely saw more birds down there. My friend had 3 nice shots but wasn't able to connect, thats why its called hunting!

Which towns were you hunting by--generally?

Windom area. Most the corn was out down that way.