Minn. Gov Tim Walz at the pheasant hunting opener in Ortonville, Minn. October 11, 2025. (Photo/Minnesota Gov Tim Walz Facebook)
ORTONVILLE, Minn (KFGO) Governor Tim Walz joined hunters, conservationists, and community leaders in Ortonville, Minnesota Saturday for the 13th annual Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener.
“There’s a lot of nostalgia that goes with this, a lot of excitement. So many of us grew up around it. When you finally get the chance, you’re old enough to go out with your parents, your uncles, you know your cousins and get out in the field, spend time with the dogs.” Walz said.
Walz says he bagged a couple of birds during the opener. The governor said there were a lot of birds and got two roosters while hunting along a slough. Walz announced that next year’s Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener will be in Northfield, Minn..
With pheasant numbers soaring and more than 25,000 acres of public hunting land ready for boots and bird dogs, DNR Commissioner Sarah Strommen says the dollars for a license and pheasant stamp have a rippling effect.
“Because those dollars from licenses and stamps go back into the resource, whether it’s monitoring pheasants or other species, populations go into habitat improvement. And so really you are making an investment in future experiences in the outdoors.” Strommen said.
The pheasant hunting season runs through January 4th.
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