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Prospects are looking good for pheasant hunting in southwest Minnesota, after a mild winter and conditions that were better for nesting, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says.
The DNR's annual roadside wildlife survey found that the pheasant index is up nearly 20% from last year.
Based on the August roadside pheasant counts, the DNR's pheasant hunting prospect map for this fall shows fair or good prospects across a wide portion of southwest and south central Minnesota.
"The increase in the pheasant index across the state and within several regions is good news for pheasant hunters this fall," DNR senior wildlife research biologist Steven Woodley said in a news release. "Our warmer winter likely helped the overwinter survival of hens, and the drier and warmer spring and summer created better conditions for nesting and brood-rearing relative to last year."
The 2026 pheasant season opens statewide at 9 a.m. Saturday, and runs until Jan. 3.
Across the roadside survey area, this year's pheasant index was 90 birds per 100 miles of roads driven, compared to 75 birds in 2025, the DNR said. The pheasant index was highest in the west central, southwest, south central and central regions of Minnesota. Both the west central and southwest regions had pheasant indices above 130 birds per 100 miles, the DNR said.
Observers in the August survey counted more broods of pheasants, which the DNR said is generally a good sign for pheasant numbers. There were 93 broods per 100 hens, which was an increase from 82 broods per 100 hens in 2025. Observers counted an average of four chicks per brood, which was the same average as 2025.
"The increase in brood numbers for a second year in a row is welcomed after their decline in 2024 due to wet spring conditions," Woodley said.
Weather conditions and habitat are the biggest influences on Minnesota pheasant populations, the DNR said.
More information on pheasant hunting in Minnesota is available on the Minnesota DNR website, at https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/pheasant/index.html. The DNR reminds pheasant hunters that they must wear at least one visible article of clothing - like a hat, jacket or vest - that is blaze orange or pink. More blaze will make hunters more visible to others.