Several years back, a group of friends and I spent a lot of time hunting ring-necked pheasants in southern Minnesota. While shimmering fields of grass are what pheasant hunters tend to think about when they picture a hunt, there were few available where we hunted. No matter. By talking to landowners and obtaining permission to walk the vegetated buffer strips that separated their crop fields from ditches, we flushed and shot plenty of birds. And since the available habitat was relatively narrow, having a dog wasn’t a requirement (though watching good dogs work is about the most enjoyable part of upland bird hunting).
Joe Albert
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More from Star Tribune
More From Star Tribune
More From Sports
Loons

Lod's goal in 87th minute earns Loons 1-1 draw with LA Galaxy
After 81 minutes in which the Loons owned the scoring chances if not ball possession, each team scored once in the next six minutes to end up right where they started — tied.
Nation

US Soccer equalizes pay in milestone with women, men
The U.S. Soccer Federation reached milestone agreements to pay its men's and women's teams equally, making the American national governing body the first in the sport to promise both sexes matching money.
Sports
Wheeler K's 9 in 7 shutout innings, Phillies top Padres 3-0
Zack Wheeler watched Eric Hosmer give a 96 mph fastball a ride to about the warning track at Citizens Bank Park and thought for sure the ball was gone.
Sports
Mets ace Max Scherzer exits start with injury to left side
Mets ace Max Scherzer removed himself from a start Wednesday night against the St. Louis Cardinals with discomfort in his left side.
Sports
Lod sparks Minnesota United to 1-1 draw with Galaxy
Robin Lod scored in the 87th minute to help Minnesota United earn a 1-1 draw with the LA Galaxy on Wednesday.