A few birds taken during Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener

Hunters reported birds but few good opportunities in the Marshall area during the seventh annual Governor’s Pheasant Hunt on Saturday.

The Marshall area hosted Gov. Mark Dayton, Lt. Gov. Tina Smith and hundreds of guests for the weekend festivities, with 153 hunters harvesting 28 roosters during the morning hunt. Dayton’s hunting party did not take any pheasants; Smith was part of the women’s hunt Saturday morning, and did not take any birds.

The weekend festivities included a youth clay target league competition as well as the dedication of the James Meger Memorial Wildlife Management Area, which saw 220 people attend. The evening banquet drew 384.

Also during the event, Luverne was named as the host community for next year’s Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener.