Governor’s Pheasant Opener Marks New Wildlife Area Dedication

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources is inviting the public to attend a dedication of a new public hunting land area in Big Stone County. The ceremony will take place at the Minnesota Governor's Pheasant Hunting Opener.

158 additional acres have been added to the Big Stone Wildlife Management Area in the last year. The Big Stone Wildlife Management Area is just north of Orton, Minnesota.

The acquisition of the land was led by Pheasants Forever in 2022. The land owner, Patrick Greuel, passed away in 2021 and willed the land to Pheasants Forever. They then removed the building site and sold the property to the DNR to be a part of the Big Stone Wildlife Management Area. The profits from the sale will go to Pheasants Forever conservation efforts.

Related: The Minnesota DNR Will Stop Issuing Harvest Tags For Hunting

The DNR worked to install parking areas and has plans for reconstructing wetlands, planting trees, and restoring prairies. They hope that within the next 5 years, this area will become "an oasis for many game animals, birds, and other wildlife."

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Anyone who would like to attend is welcome. There will be no parking available at the WMA, but shuttle buses will transport participants from the Ortonville Armory starting at 3:30 pm.