Bear Hunting Results; Pheasant Opener in MN

The pheasant hunting opener was this past weekend in Minnesota.  Glen Schmitt from Outdoor News joined me on WJON to recap what happened.  He says the amount of people hunting was good, success was limited, as it normally is early in the year.  Schmitt explains a barrier was a lot of standing corn, which isn't unusual for this time of year.  He says pheasants feed in the morning and spend time in corn fields the rest of the day.

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Schmitt says there were a lot of reports of young pheasants, which is good.  He says the dry conditions make it tough for dogs to pick up the scent. Schmitt indicates he heard good reports in the Windom, Marshall and Ortonville areas.  He says better days are ahead for pheasant hunters.

Bear hunting season closed Sunday.  Schmitt says just under 3,500 bears were shot by hunters which is shy of the record by about 1,500.   He says most of the bears shot were shot on the front end of the season.  Schmitt indicates a lack of natural forest foods and a strong bear population led to a good hunting season.  He feels the DNR's estimate of the state's bear population is low based on reports.  The record for most bear shot in Minnesota was established in the mid 1990s.  Schmitt says at that time the number of bear tags available were more than double than what's available now.

Fall fishing is hitting its peak.  Schmitt says fall is the best time to fish because water temperatures have cooled, walleyes are really biting and there are less people fishing.  He says locally the walleye fishing has really picked up.  Schmitt suggests looking for walleye in shallow water, along shorelines, weed edges, flats, in 6-12 feet of water.  He says a jig and minnow and Lindy rigs and minnows are in play.   Schmitt believes walleye fishing will only get better as temperatures cool.

Schmitt talks a bit about the grouse hunt, youth deer hunt and archery hunt.  Listen to that and more in my conversation with Glen Schmitt, below.