I am going to be stuck at the inlaws from the 19th through the 26th. What hunting options do I have? I have made the treck to SD for pheasant but that is a long day trip. Any wild bird hunting - I know there are the released bird places?? Deer? I will have my 2 boys and lab with me. Any thing fun to get us out of the house. Please help rescue me from Beelzebub.....

while i'm not yet technically an ag (applied, will likely be attending next year), i do live in the twin cities metro.

the MN DNR is among the best places for comprehensive info and maps and is one of the few i'd trust (although i'm not a big hunter). here's their deer hunting page:
http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/hunting/deer/index.html
from what i've heard from friends, the hunting's been okay this year.

you mentioned other fun things too... your boys may like going to the mall of america and/or a minnesota wild hockey game (play at home on the 21st and 23rd) if they haven't already.

i'd be happy to answer any other specific questions too.

Hit up the Summit Brewery; kinda like a St Arnold tour but with an actual tour