Minnesota’s 2023 roadside survey: Pheasant numbers up big in the southwest

Index eclipses 100% increase in bird numbers in the southwest, but it’s not all good news for Minnesota hunters.
“Pheasant hunters certainly have reason to cheer in the southwest region this year, and we also saw increases in the west-central portions of the state,” said Tim Lyons, DNR upland game research scientist. “Other regions saw declines in pheasant numbers, possibly because of more severe winter weather and more severe drought during the breeding season.”
Statewide, pheasants averaged a 10% increase from 2022 and are 26% above the 10-year average. This year’s statewide pheasant index was 53 birds per 100 miles of roads driven, compared with 48 per 100 miles in 2022. 

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