Dayton Bags No Pheasants on First Governor’s Opener

MONTEVIDEO, Minn. (AP) - Democratic Gov. Mark Dayton and GOP House Speaker Kurt Zellers were in the same party for a morning, though it wasn't a political party. They were in the same hunting party for Minnesota's first Governor's Pheasant Opener.

Dayton, Zellers and several others spent a sunny Saturday morning hunting on the Lac qui Parle refuge in western Minnesota.

The West Central Tribune of Willmar reports the governor did not bag a bird but Zellers harvested one. Refuge manager Dave Trauba says Dayton had to hold his shot because his press secretary was between him and two roosters the party flushed.

By noon the parties had harvested 30 birds and reported flushing well over 150 others.

The governor also went out for second try in the afternoon, but was not successful.