From the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources - October 18, 2019

Special hunts to prevent overpopulation of deer will take place this fall at several Minnesota state parks. Access to the parks will vary during these hunts. Some parks will remain open to all visitors, some will have limited access for the general public, and some will be open only to hunters with special permits (closed to the general public).

“We allow occasional deer hunts to protect the natural resources in our state parks,” said Tavis Westbrook, natural resource program coordinator for the DNR’s Parks and Trails Division. “If deer populations become too high in an area, they can harm native plant communities. Deer hunts are an effective tool to maintain a balance between plant and animal life.”

The DNR advises anyone planning to visit a state park between now and the end of December to go online or call ahead to check whether a hunt is planned and whether the park will be open. The DNR also advises wearing blaze orange when visiting parks where hunts are taking place. Visitors should check for hunt-related information at the park office when they arrive, look carefully for hunt-related signage and follow instructions.

For a list of parks that are open, partially open or closed during the 2019 hunting season, visit the state parks hunting page or contact the DNR Information Center at [email protected] or 888-646-6367 (8 a.m.-6 p.m. Monday through Friday, 8 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Saturday). Details on which areas of each park will be affected by the special deer hunts can also be found in the “Visitor Alert” boxes on the individual park webpages .