The Luverne girls’ tennis team ended the week with a 5-2 win over the Worthington Trojans Tuesday, Sept. 13, and a loss to Sioux Falls Lincoln JV by a score of 4-3 Monday, Sept. 19.
With the split for the week, the Cardinals’ record now stands at 10-2 on the season.
The LHS match scheduled for Thursday, Sept. 15, against Pipestone was postponed due to rain and will be made up on Tuesday, Sept. 27.
The Cardinals will host St. James Area and Redwood Valley on Sept. 20 and 22 respectively.
“This next week will be a tough one,” said Beers. “St. James is a very strong team every year and will be a great test for us.”
 
Luverne 5,
Worthington 2
LHS won two of the four singles matches and all three doubles matches for the 5-2 win against Worthington.
In singles action, Roselynn Hartshorn won her match 6-0, 6-0 over Taylor Nordseth at No. 2 singles.
At No. 4 singles, Cassi Chesley also took every game of her match against Chloe Martinez 6-0, 6-0.
Rayann Remme lost to Brooke Nordseth in a very close match, 6-2, 4-6, 10-6 at No. 1 singles, and Morgan Hadler also came up short in a close match against Taya Oberloh, 3-6, 6-2, 10-4 at No. 3 singles.
“All the singles players did an outstanding job,” said LHS coach Jon Beers. “Roselynn and Cassi both won without losing a game in either match. Rayann and Morgan both split the first two sets to force a third set tie-breaker.”
In doubles play Sarah Stegenga and Katharine Kelm defeated Hannah McNab and Riely Nickel 6-1, 6-0 in No. 1 doubles.
At No. 2 doubles, Tori Hemme and Priscilla Muehr won 6-4, 6-0 over Bryn Donkersloot and Savannah Rodriquez, and Augusta Papik and Caitlin Kindt defeated Sadie Nickel and Taylor Michelson 6-0, 6-0.
“All three doubles teams continue to play really well together,” Beers said. “They are so much fun to watch right now.”
 
Sioux Falls Lincoln JV 4, Luverne 3
In the match against Sioux Falls Lincoln JV, Luverne won all three doubles matches but was defeated in all four singles matches for the 4-3 loss.
Stegenga and Kelm defeated Lily Statema and Kathryn Jerstad 6-3, 6-0 at No. 1 doubles. At No. 2 doubles, Hemme and Muehr topped Emma Southwick and Lily Jones 6-4, 4-6, 10-8, and Papik and Kindt finished 3-0, injury default over Kienia Halvorson and Olivia Chedester.
In singles play, LHS had to change their lineup due to an injury to No. 1 singles player Rayann Remme. Hartshorn lost 5-7, 7-5, 10-7 to Angela Ge at No. 1 singles.
At No. 2 singles, Hadler was beaten by Akino Naoe 6-2, 6-0.
Chesley lost to Maddy Reents 3-6, 6-4, 10-1 at No. 3 singles, and Emma Nath lost 6-2, 6-1 to Laura Ge at No. 4 singles. 
    “Roselyn and Cassi both played great matches, both losing third set tie-breakers. I feel that these matches will help them when we get to our sectional tournament,” said Beers. “All the doubles teams played great once again.”

The girls’ and boys’ Luverne cross country teams participated in the Mayo Invitational in Rochester Thursday, Sept. 15.
The Luverne girls’ varsity ran to a remarkable fifth place finish. Teams placing ahead of Luverne include Stillwater Area in first, Eastview placing second, Rochester Century coming in third, and Owatonna earning fourth.
Jenna DeBates placed highest for Luverne at the meet with a second-place finish in 18:31.47 on the 2.95-mile course. The course is one of the more challenging courses the team will run, according to coach Pete Janiszeski.
“If we run good times on that course, we know we will be able to run much faster on different courses and at the end of the season,” Janiszeski said.
“We go to Rochester to get the kids in a big meet atmosphere prior to our post season meets,” he said. “It gives us a chance to go against some bigger schools and pretty talented individuals.”
 
Other girls’ varsity results:
Ella Schmuck, 22nd, 19:59.70
Khloe Visker, 38th, 20:35.16
Grace Ingebretsen, 70th, 21:30.43
Kayla Bloemendaal, 78th, 21:50.44
Tiana Lais, 102nd, 23:04.44
 
Luverne boys’ varsity, eighth place, 2.95 mile
Camden Janiszeski, 9th, 15:55.16
Owen Janiszeski, 10th, 15:55.88
Carsen Tofteland, 63rd, 17:38.41
Leif Ingebretson, 64th, 17:42.42
 
Girls’ Junior Varsity 2.95 mile
Olivia Lund, 31st, 23:38.25
Grace Kempema, 36th, 23:55.78  
Reinha John, 67th, 25:11.93
 
Boys’ Junior Varsity, 2.95 mile, 11th place
Dylan Ommen, 52nd, 19:41.53
Isaac DeBates, 105th, 20:39.52     
Riley Ripka, 192nd, 23:53.87
 
Girls’ Junior High 2,500 meters, fifth place
Mariah Knorr, 5th, 11:44.04
Jaina Fountain, 35th, 13:48.97     
Andrea Luitjens, 43rd, 14:26.92
Maddy Schepel, 50th, 16:57.92
 
Boys’ Junior High, 2,500 meters
Marcus Papik, 5th, 9:55.44
Zander Fountain, 63rd, 13:20.12

The Luverne girls’ volleyball team improved their record to 10 wins and three losses this week with a win over Windom on Thursday and two wins and one loss at the Jackson Invitational on Saturday.
The Cardinals will travel to Redwood Falls on Tuesday, Sept. 20, and meet the Pipestone Arrows in Pipestone on Thursday, Sept. 22.
 
Luverne 3, Windom 2
The Luverne girls’ volleyball team hosted Windom on Thursday, Sept 15.
Windom came out strong in the first game and outscored Luverne 25-15.
Luverne made adjustments and took Game 2 from the Eagles 25-22.
The Cardinals also took the third game with a score of 25-17 but fell to Windom 20-25 in Game 4.
Facing a Game 5 playoff, the Cardinals rose to the challenge with a win, 15-12, to improve their record to 7-2 on the season.
Leading at the service line were Christina Wagner with 18 of 19 completed serves and two aces and Emma Beyer with 18 of 18 serves completed and two aces.
Anja Jarchow and Kamyrn Van Batavia had a big night at the net with 11 and 10 kills respectively.
Tori Serie also helped at the net with six block assists and one solo block.
Elizabeth Wagner contributed to the win with four block assists and one solo block.
Beyer recorded 26 set assists, and Averill Sehr also charted 17 set assists on the night.
Carly Olson led the Cardinals with 23 digs, and Jarchow contributed 16 digs.
 
 Jackson tournament
The Cardinals traveled to Jackson on Saturday, Sept. 17, and won the silver bracket.
Luverne played three games against Red Rock Central. The Cardinals won the first game 25-22, dropped Game 2, 15-25, and took Game 3, 15-10.
Luverne faced Worthington in the next match and lost the first game 21-25. The Cardinals came back to win Game 2, 25-21, but dropped Game 3, 13-15.
In the third match, Luverne faced Triton. The Cardinals won the first game, 25-18, dropped a close Game 2 with a score of 27-29 and came back with a win, 15-9.
Luverne faced New Ulm in the last match, sweeping them in two games with scores of 25-20 and 25-19.
No stats were taken during the tournament.

Minnesota’s archery deer season opened Sept. 17, and the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is encouraging hunters to make a plan for the season by considering safety, hunting regulations, chronic wasting disease and steps they need to take to process their deer.
“The start of fall is an exciting time for hunters who are looking forward to deer season,” said Barbara Keller, DNR big game program leader.
“Because regulations and CWD testing requirements can change year to year, it’s critical for hunters to think ahead and make a plan for a safe, successful and enjoyable season,” she said.
Hunters may notice their deer permit area bag limit has changed. The DNR increased the bag limits or lottery permits in 28 deer permit areas this year and reduced limits in 12 DPAs.
Bag limit changes are made based on deer populations in each DPA relative to the population goal for that permit area. Population goals are reviewed every 10 years through a process that includes public input.
Hunters should know the DPA number of the area they plan to hunt prior to buying a license and ensure they understand CWD regulations and sampling requirements for that particular area.
Hunters can use the DPA lookup tool on the DNR’s make a plan for deer season webpage (mndnr.gov/DeerHunt) to check if the DPA they plan to hunt requires CWD sampling during the opening weekend of firearms A season, has carcass movement restrictions, or has deer feeding or attractant bans in place.
As a result of CWD’s larger footprint in Minnesota, the DNR has changed the availability of self-service sampling stations. These stations will be available during firearms deer season, and the most up-to-date locations and available times will be posted on the DNR website (mndnr.gov/CWD).
For archery season, self-service stations will only be available in DPAs 213, 256, 257, 262, 265 and 273. Archery hunters in DPAs located within CWD zones will have other options for submitting voluntary samples, including by appointment with DNR in some locations, through participating taxidermists and processors, and via mail-in kits.
“Many hunters are accustomed to using self-service stations during archery season, and this year we’re asking them to instead consider using one of the other voluntary sampling methods available,” said Erik Hildebrand, DNR wildlife health program supervisor.
“Submitting samples for CWD testing is voluntary for all archery hunters unless they’re hunting during the firearms opening weekend when it is mandatory for all deer harvested Nov. 5 or 6,” he said.
To provide more locations statewide for hunters to submit samples for CWD testing, the DNR has expanded the network of taxidermists and processors participating in the partner sampling program (mndnr.gov/CWD/CWD-Partners.html).
Additionally, the DNR is piloting hunter mail-in sampling kits (mndnr.gov/CWD/CWD-Kits.html), which allow a hunter to submit a lymph node sample from their deer.
Finally, hunters within CWD zones can make appointments with DNR area wildlife offices (mndnr.gov/Areas/Wildlife) to get their deer sampled by appointment.
Hunters will be required to have their deer sampled for CWD during the opening weekend of firearms season Nov. 5-6 in most CWD zones, including hunters using archery equipment during the firearms season.
Deer hunting regulations are available on the DNR’s deer hunting page(mndnr.gov/Hunting/Deer) and in the hunting and trapping regulations booklet.

I promised a while back to share with you my four-part series on dog training obedience and some more advanced training that you can accomplish on your own if you choose to do so.
I will start this conversation with a variety of quotes I have coined over my 25 years of training experience:
•If you don’t mind a dog that barks a little bit, you’ll have a dog that barks a little bit.
•The dog will perform to exactly the owner’s level of expectation of the dog.
•In order to have an obedient and compliant dog, the dog must actually know it is a dog and not a child.
•Anyone can train their own dog successfully if they want to.
I cannot count the number of dogs that I have trained to complete a calm and easy walk with their owners. This is the most rudimentary training and can be done with very little effort. It amazes me the number of owners who will tolerate just about any behavior in their dog and then think that this is just the way it has to be. Not true!
Let’s start with my definition of obedience. In my world there are two distinct kinds of obedience. The first one I refer to as the Scotch Post-it Note obedience. This is where the dog can perform low level routine tasks with some level of success as long as there are absolutely no other distractions. You can interact with the dog in the backyard by yourself and they seem to do OK. Imagine writing the word obedience on a Scotch Post-it Note and then sticking it to your dog’s fur. It might stay there as long as the wind does not blow or a few drops of rain don’t fall. If there is no physical exertion by the dog, the obedience note will stay attached. No other dogs can be seen or heard.
The second form of obedience is the “soak a sponge in a bucket” obedience. Take a bucket and fill it with imaginary liquid obedience. Then take the dog, in this case the sponge, and submerge it in the bucket. Obedience soaks into every crack and crevice of the object, that being the dog, and it would take a very long time for the liquid to evaporate and lose the obedience it once contained.
Obedience is a skill the dog learns, and that needs to be refreshed on a regular basis. My four dogs each get a planned and scheduled obedience refresher about every three weeks or so. These planned training efforts, special time set aside just for the distinct purpose, happen less often in the fall when we are hunting almost every day, and the opportunity to refresh obedience happens on a very regular basis.
So, what does it take to train your own dog? There are only two requirements and they are No. 1, a little time, and No. 2, lots of commitment. It does not take two hours a day to train a dog. For basic obedience and intro level hunting, it takes about 15 minutes per day.
When you start a formal obedience program, you need to make a commitment for these 15 minutes a day for about 30-45 days. This done correctly is not one day this week and one day next week for 45 weeks. It is 15 minutes per day for 90 percent of a continuous 30-45 days.
A puppy, or any dog for that matter, builds on what it has learned each day, and multiply this education and experience with repetition over time. If you start on a Lego project and add a brick, it still looks small, but over time you can build the Star Ship Enterprise. Training a dog is no different. It is my belief that if you are making progress and then take five days off, the animal will actually lose a little of what it had learned and then you need to put those building blocks back in place before you can advance further.
There is one last thing I feel is important for you to know before you start any formal obedience program. A dog is not a radio or other electronic device. They do not turn on and off in an instant. When you are playing, then play. When you are training, you are training and not playing.
It is not playing fair with the dog to have it all wound up playing fetch, (the radio on at full volume) and then think you can shut that dog down to rock-solid statue status (radio turned off, no volume) in two seconds.
When I am playing with the dog, I use a voice that is high and upbeat. When I am training, I use a voice tone that is much lower and has no excitement in it. I will attach the leash and say something like, OK Ghost, it is time to go training.  The dog will immediately sense your seriousness by the tone of your voice.
When the training is over, I release the dog with an exuberant “OK,” and this tells the dog that training is over and it’s back to playing fetch.
(Parts 2-4 in coming weeks.)
Scott Rall, Worthington, is a habitat conservationist, avid hunting and fishing enthusiast and is president of Nobles County Pheasants Forever. He can be reached at scottarall@gmail.com. or on Twitter @habitat champion.

John 12:44-46: “Then Jesus cried aloud: ‘Whoever believes in me believes not in me but in him who sent me. And whoever sees me sees him who sent me. I have come as light into the world, so that everyone who believes in me should not remain in the darkness.”
Greetings! As I read this text, I was thinking of all the people who have been baptized, confirmed and learned about Jesus in our area. Where are they all? Why are our small towns getting smaller and our large cities getting bigger? Where are our children, and what are they doing?
Being a baptized member of the body of Christ does not end at the walls of our churches. Being a baptized member of the family of God means we take what we learn within the confines of a building and live it out in the world.
Living out our faith is what Jesus is asking each of us to do. Whoever believes in Jesus must believe in the God of life!
This past week we celebrated 150 years as a worshiping community of faith at Bethlehem. We marked that celebration with some impressive decorations that had real meaning.
One was the beautiful flock of doves that hang from the rafters of our church. Each dove is inscribed with the individual name of a person who was baptized in one of the three churches that make up Bethlehem Lutheran Church and the date on which that person was baptized.
Though many of the people have passed on to heaven, when they were alive, they lived out their faith sharing the love and the light of Jesus to many others in many other places.
Jesus is the light that illuminates the world with his love and moves us all from darkness to light.
Kathy Troccoli sings a beautiful song called, “Take your Candle, Go Light Your World.”
“There is a candle in every soul,
Some brightly burning, some dark and cold;
There is a spirit who brings a fire,
Ignites a candle and makes His home.
So carry your candle, run to the darkness,
Seek out the helpless, confused and torn
Hold out your candle for all to see it
Take your candle, and go light your world;
As I listen to this song, it reminds me that all we do is blessed by the Savior. All that we are is a gift from God. When we baptize babies, it is to help them grow into adulthood, full of life and love, full of the Holy Spirit. When we do our job, when we teach and encourage and are blessed by the little ones, we need to be happy when they take their light and go out into the world to share that light with others!
That is the plan, that is the hope! That is God’s goal – sharing the life of Christ with everyone we meet!

St. Catherine Catholic Church
203 E. Brown St., Luverne
St. Catherine Ph. 283-8502; www.stscl.org
Monsignor Gerald Kosse, Pastor
Sundays 8:30 a.m. Mass. Public Mass will be celebrated at FULL capacity in the church. Masses: 9 a.m. Wednesdays, 10 a.m. Friday at the nursing homes – check the bulletin. All Sunday masses will be live streamed on Facebook at https://www.facebook.com/pg/stccluverne/videos/. Visit www.stscl.org for more information.
 
Luverne Christian Reformed Church
605 N. Estey St., Luverne
Office Ph. 283-8482; Prayer Line Ph. 449-5982
www.luvernecrc.com — office@luvernecrc.com
Sundays 9:30 a.m. Worship service. 6:30 p.m. Evening worship service. We are streaming Sunday services live on YouTube at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. Send him a friend request if you’re not connected. You may also visit our website for delayed broadcasts. Also our services are on local cable TV at 5:30 p.m. on Wednesdays and at 6:30 p.m. on Thursdays. In all circumstances, may we joyfully declare: “Our help is in the name of the Lord, the Maker of heaven and earth.” Psalm 124:8.
 
First Baptist Church
103 N. Jackson St., P.O. Box 975, Luverne
Ph. 283-4091; email: fbcluv@iw.net — www.fbcluverne.org
Walt Moser, Pastor
Sundays, 10:30 a.m. In-person worship service. Service is also on Facebook Live at 10:30 a.m.
 
Grace Lutheran Church
500 N. Kniss Ave., Luverne
Ph. 507-283-4431; www.graceluverne.org — graceluverne@iw.net
Dave Christenson, Interim Pastor
Thursday, Sept. 22: 8:30 a.m. Missions in Action. Sunday, Sept. 25: 9 a.m. Worship Service. 10 a.m. Sunday School. 10:15 a.m. Tenth Grade Confirmation class. 1 p.m. Youth Corn Maze and Cherry Berry. Tuesday, Sept. 27: 8:30 a.m. Grace Notes assembly. 9 a.m. Staff meeting. 6:30 p.m. Transitional Task Force meeting. Wednesday, Sept. 28: 7 a.m. Men’s Bible Study. 6:15-7:25 p.m. Confirmation class for 8th grade. 7:30-8:40 p.m. Confirmation class for 9th grade. Online, TV and Radio Worship options are available. Online worship: Sundays 9 a.m. at www.graceluverne.org, click Worship tab; or Facebook page at Grace Lutheran ELCA, Luverne. TV: Vast Channel 3 Mondays at 4:30 p.m. and Fridays at 10 a.m. Radio: KQAD-AM Radio Sundays at 8:15 a.m.
 
Bethany Lutheran Church
720 N. Kniss Ave., Luverne
Ph. 507-283-4571 or 605-215-9834
Andrew Palmquist, Pastor
Sundays, 10:15 a.m. Worship service; worship online as well (at els.org). Tuesdays, 6:30 p.m. Zoom Bible study. See our Facebook page, Bethany Lutheran Church (Luverne) for other classes and events.
 
American Reformed Church
304 N. Fairview Dr., Luverne
Ph. 507-283-8600; email: office@arcluverne.org
Thursday, Sept. 22: 9 a.m. Cookie Crew. Friday, Sept. 23: 6:30 a.m. Community Men’s Bible study. Sunday, Sept. 25: 9:30 a.m. Worship Service. 10:50 a.m. Sunday School. Tuesday, Sept. 27: 12 p.m. Staff Meeting. Wednesday, Sept. 28: 5:30 p.m. Midweek Meal. 6:30 p.m. Pioneer Clubs and youth groups. Services are also broadcast on Vast Channel 3 on Mondays at 6 p.m. and Wednesdays at 4 p.m. DVD’s available upon request. To stay up to date on announcements, follow us on Facebook and Instagram @arcluverne.
 
Rock River Community Church
1075 110th Ave., Luverne
Ph. 507-283-9070; email: info@rockrivercommunity.church
Bob Junak, Pastor
Come as you are—Sundays @ 10 a.m.: Main Service. Kids church age 3-6th grade—Nursery. Wednesdays @ 6:30 p.m. Midweek Service—Kids age 3-6th grade.
 
United Methodist Church
109 N. Freeman Ave., Luverne
Ph. 283-4529
Saturday, Sept. 24: 9 a.m. Band Festival coffee/donuts.  8 p.m. AA meeting. Sunday, Sept. 25: 9 a.m. Adult Sunday school; coffee hour. 10:30 a.m. Worship Service. 4:30 p.m. Genesis/Revelation Bible Study. Annual Bonfire at Vogt’s Farm. Tuesday, Sept. 27: 9:30 a.m. Folding Team. 1:30 p.m. Sewn in Faith. 7 p.m. Scouts. Wednesday, Sept. 28: 5:30 p.m. Community Meal. 6:15 p.m. FUEL. 6:30 p.m. Confirmation. 8 p.m. AA meeting. Live streamed on Facebook and radio.
 
First Presbyterian Church
302 Central Lane, Luverne
Ph. 283-4787; email: Firstpc@iw.net
Sunday, Sept. 25: 9:30 a.m. Worship service. In-person Worship service and live on Facebook. Our Facebook page can be found under First Presbyterian Church of Luverne. We are also on the local Luverne cable station at 10 a.m. and 6 p.m. on Tuesdays and 10 a.m. on Thursdays.
 
St. John Lutheran Church
803 N. Cedar St., Luverne
Ph. 283-2316; email: stjohn@iw.net
www.stjohnlutheranluverne.org
Saturday, Sept. 24: 5:30 p.m. Worship Service. Sunday, Sept. 25: 9 a.m. Worship Service. 10:15 a.m. Sunday School; Adult Bible Study. Wednesday, Sept. 28: 9:30 a.m. Bible Study. 6:30 p.m. Catechesis; Kids for Christ. 7:30 p.m. Youth Group. Services will be available on the Vast Channel 3 Sunday and online at the city website, cityofluverne.org.
 
Living Rock Church
500 E. Main St., Luverne
Ph. 449-0057; www.livingrockswmn.org
Josh Hayden, Pastor
 
New Life Celebration Church
101 W. Maple, Luverne
Ph. (605) 368-1924; email: newlifecelebration@gmail.com
Food mission every third Thursday.
 
Zion Evangelical Lutheran Church
305 E. 2nd St., P.O. Box 36, Hardwick
Ph. (507) 669-2855; zionoffice@alliancecom.net
Jesse Baker, Pastor
Sunday, Sept. 25: 9 a.m. Worship service. 10:15 a.m. Sunday School. 10:30 a.m. Bible study. Worship service on Luverne cable at 3:30 p.m. every Thursday and Friday.
 
Ben Clare United Methodist Church
26762 Ben Clare Ave., Valley Springs, S.D.
igtwlb@WOW.net
Bill Bates, Pastor
 
First Lutheran Church
300 Maple St., Valley Springs, S.D.
Ph. (605) 757-6662 – firstpalisade@alliancecom.net
Mark Eliason, Pastor
Sunday, Sept. 25: 9:30 a.m. Sunday School. 10:30 a.m. Worship Service. We Are ONLINE! Facebook: @FirstLutheranValley Springs; YouTube: FirstPalisadeLutheranParish.     
 
Palisade Lutheran Church
211 121st St., Garretson, S.D.
Ph. (507) 597-6257 — palisadechurch@alliancecom.net
www.palisadelutheran.org
Mark Eliason, Pastor
Sunday, Sept. 25: 9 a.m. Worship Service. 10 a.m. Sunday School. We Are ONLINE! Facebook: @PalisadeLC; YouTube: FirstPalisadeLutheranParish. Anyone interested in quilting can join the ladies weekly (day to be determined) in October at Palisade Lutheran Church. Everyone is welcome! No experience necessary! 
 
 
First Presbyterian Church
201 S. 3rd St., P.O Box 73, Beaver Creek
Ph. 507-935-5025
email: lori.firstpres@gmail.com
Sundays, 9:30 a.m. Worship Service. Second Tuesday of each month, 7 p.m. Session meeting.
 
Magnolia United Methodist Church
501 E. Luverne St., Magnolia
Ph. 605-215-3429
email: magnoliamnumc@gmail.com
Nancy Manning, Pastor
Sunday, 9 a.m., in-person with livestream available on the church’s Facebook site.
 
Steen Reformed Church
112 W. Church Ave., Steen
Ph. 855-2336
Jeremy Wiersema, Pastor
Sunday, 9:30 a.m. and 6 p.m. Worship service in-person with livestream available on Facebook and YouTube. Radio worship on KQAD Sundays at 9:30 a.m.
 
Bethlehem Lutheran Church
112 N. Main St., Hills
Ph. 962-3270 / bethlehemofhills@gmail.com
Nita Parker, Pastor
Sunday, Sept. 25: 9 a.m. Worship at Tuff Chapel. 9 a.m. Sunday school. 10 a.m. Worship Service. Worship will be streamed live to Facebook at Bethlehem of Hills. You can find more info on our website blchills.org.
 
Hills United Reformed Church
410 S. Central Ave., Hills
Office Ph. 962-3254
hillsurc@alliancecom.net
Alan Camarigg, Pastor

Pheasant numbers in Minnesota increased 18 percent from 2021 and exceeded the 10-year average by a similar amount, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources’ annual roadside pheasant survey.
When the pheasant hunting season opens on Saturday, Oct. 15, bird numbers are expected to be strong.
“The weather really cooperated this year in terms of producing favorable nesting conditions for pheasants,” said Tim Lyons, DNR upland game research scientist.
“Pheasant numbers are generally as good as, or better than last year.”
This year’s statewide pheasant index was 48 birds per 100 miles of roads driven. Compared to 2021, all regions saw an increase in pheasant numbers except the southwest, which saw a decrease of 8 percent.
Weather and habitat are the main influences on Minnesota’s pheasant population trends. Weather causes annual fluctuations in pheasant numbers, while habitat drives long-term population trends.
 
Habitat factors
Conservation Reserve Program acres in particular play a large role in providing habitat for pheasants in Minnesota. The program, authorized under the federal Farm Bill, pays farmers to remove environmentally sensitive land from agricultural production and restore vegetation that will reduce soil erosion, improve water quality, and provide habitat for wildlife and pollinators.
Despite a long-term downward trend in CRP enrollment, there was a net increase in CRP acres in 2022 as approximately 5,000 additional acres were enrolled.
In addition to CRP acres, there were more than 7,000 acres protected through easement programs like the Conservation Reserve Enhancement Program and Reinvest in Minnesota.
An additional 9,000 acres of habitat were permanently protected through U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service acquisitions and by the DNR as wildlife management areas.
 
How the DNR conducts the survey
Monitoring pheasant population trends is part of the DNR’s annual roadside wildlife survey, which began in 1955.
Wildlife managers and conservation officers in the farmland regions conduct the survey during the first half of August. This year’s survey consisted of 166 routes that were 25 miles in length, with 147 routes located in the pheasant range.
Observers drive each route early in the morning and record the number of farmland wildlife game species they see. The data provide an index of species abundance and are used to monitor annual fluctuations and long-term population trends of pheasants, gray (Hungarian) partridge, eastern cottontail rabbits, white-tailed jackrabbits, mourning doves, Sandhill cranes, and white-tailed deer.
 
Pheasant hunting areas
Many publicly owned lands are open to hunting, as are private lands enrolled in the Walk-in-Access program (mndnr.gov/WalkIn).
Hunters can use the DNR’s online mapping tools to find WMAs by accessing the WMA finder at mndnr.gov/WMAs), and the DNR Recreation Compass (mndnr.gov/Maps/Compass) to help locate state hunting grounds and private lands enrolled in the WIA program, including updates on the condition of specific properties.
 
Additional resources
The 2022 August Roadside Survey report, a map of pheasant hunting prospects, data for other surveyed species, and information on hunting regulations and bag limits are available on the DNR pheasant hunting page (mndnr.gov/Hunting/Pheasant).

Carson W. Ehde, age 21, died Tuesday, September 13, 2022 at his home west of Luverne, Minnesota. Memorial visitation will be Friday, September 16, from 4:00 – 8:00 PM, with a prayer service at 7:30 PM, at Grace Lutheran Church in Luverne. Memorial service will be Saturday, September 17, at 2:00 PM at the church. Burial will be held at Maplewood Cemetery in Luverne. Arrangements are under the care of Hartquist Funeral Home in Luverne. To view Carson’s life tribute video or sign an online registry, please visit www.hartquistfuneral.com.