Sleepy Eyes, Minnesota – Using a Beretta rifle, Minnesota Governor Tim Walz trekked through the tall straw-like grass for three hours there for the opening day of the country’s pheasant hunting season, but did not get one shot off despite his efforts.
“There are good days and there are good days for pheasant hunting,” Walz said as the day came to a close.
Scott Rall, a friend of the governor who often hunts with, made the only kill there. Recovering the bird’s body was the top priority in the guide given to the hunting party, but no one was able to find the carcass in the thick brush that at some points rose as high as Walz.
Many pheasants and animals emerged from the tall grass and hay and flew back to the press. At one point, who asked Walz to seem to allude to 2006 hunting accident involving former Vice President Dick Cheney, which Cheney accidentally shot a fellow hunter in the face.
“Every vice presidential joke that’s ever been done is going to be done there. And I’m like that,” Walz said as he brandished his gun.
“Too far away,” Walz said of one of the birds in front of him.
The governor wore Carhartt hunting chaps and an orange vest commemorating the annual season opener, participating in the hunt in his official capacity as governor. Still, this is followed by campaign involvement and comes on the heels of a new campaign announcement revealing a new voting coalition of hunters, anglers, and gun owners.
CBS News
The new coalition will seek to emphasize Harris’ support for “traditional activities.”
Vice President Kamala Harris and Walz have leaned towards the fact that they own a gun recently – all the while continuing to advocate for rules like universal background checks. In an interview with “60 Minutes,” Harris revealed that there was a Glock, and during the event with Oprah Winfrey, the former prosecutor declared, “If someone breaks into my house, they’re getting shot.”
Walz told CBS News that the Beretta A400 he carries on the hunt is one he bought when he shot a lot of traps. He notes that the gun features a “kickoff.”
“So, getting old doesn’t hurt so much,” he said.
In the break to switch out hunting dogs, Walz has locally sourced venison and Diet Mountain Dew. He was referring to Sarge, one of three black labradors who led the majority of the hunt.
“The sarge has been here saying I’ve only worked two hours and these guys can’t get one shot,” he joked.
Walz, who grew up in rural Nebraska and frequented farms and football games on the campaign trail, sought to appeal to male and rural voters. A CBS News poll conducted in August showed that gender gap between likely voters approaching the 2020 level.
In the poll, 45% of likely male voters said they would vote for Harris, compared to 54% who said they would support former President Donald Trump.
In the poll, women were also more likely than men to see Harris as someone who would “fight for people like you.”
Walz previously boasted about being the best shot in Congress while serving in the House.
Recalling Saturday about a previous shoot with his fellow Minnesota congressional delegation, Walz said, “I used to love shooting the congress, but it was dangerous because of all the Second Amendment guys who don’t know” how to shoot.
When the person in the hunting party was Sen. JD Vance of Ohio, the Republican vice presidential candidate, Walz asked, “Are they shooting?”
Trump is not hunting. CBS News has reached out to Vance’s team.
In a statement, the Trump campaign called Saturday’s hunt “staged,” and Trump campaign chairman Chris LaCivita said Walz was “bumbling about trying to load the gun.”
