Montevideo named host community of
2016 Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener

The city of Montevideo has been selected as the host community for the 2016 Minnesota Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener.

“I want to thank the people of Montevideo for putting together a terrific plan to host next year’s Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener,” said Gov. Mark Dayton. “We will return to the site of our first opener in 2011. I thank our pheasant hunting friends in Montevideo for their willingness to host us again.”

The announcement was made during the community celebration banquet of this year’s pheasant opener event, hosted by the Mankato area community.

Montevideo was selected through an application process that considered hunting land in the area, event facilities and community support. The city lies near the 34,000-acre Lac qui Parle Wildlife Management Area, and actively promotes hunting and outdoor recreation.

The 2016 event in Montevideo will mark the sixth annual Governor’s Pheasant Hunting Opener, initiated by Dayton in 2011. Previous host communities have been Montevideo, Marshall, Madelia, Worthington and Mankato. The event highlights the many hunting, recreational, travel and local opportunities that host communities have to offer visitors.

Explore Minnesota Tourism and Minnesota Department of Natural Resources will assist local partners in planning the event.

Montevideo has a population of 5,500 and is located in southwestern Minnesota, 2.5 hours west of the Twin Cities on state Highway 7.