Special management deer hunts to take place at some MN state parks this fall

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Special resource management deer hunts to take place at some Minnesota state parks this fall
(Released October 14, 2010)


Numerous special resource management deer hunts are scheduled to take place at Minnesota state parks this fall, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR).

The DNR advises anyone visiting a park during these hunts to wear blaze orange or other brightly colored clothing. Visitors should also check for hunt-related information at the park office when they arrive and look carefully for signage related to the hunt. Access to the parks will vary around the state during the special hunts.

Some parks will remain open to all visitors, some will have limited public access, and some will be open only to hunters with special permits. The deadlines for youth and adults to apply for a special permit to participate in the hunts - which include regular firearms, muzzleloader and archery options - have passed.

“The DNR allows these annual resource management hunts as a way to help control the deer population at state parks,” said Ed Quinn, resource management coordinator for the DNR’s Division of Parks and Trails. “When there are too many deer in one area, the native plants and animals can be negatively affected. Our goal is to ensure healthy natural communities.”

The DNR thanks park visitors for their patience and understanding at parks where access will be limited during the hunts.

Parks that will remain open to all visitors during special hunts (hunt dates in parentheses):
Beaver Creek Valley State Park (Nov. 6-7)
Buffalo River State Park (Oct. 23-24 and Oct. 30-31)
Crow Wing State Park (Dec. 3-5)
Forestville/Mystery Cave State Park (Nov. 6-8)
Glacial Lakes State Park (Nov. 6-7)
Greenleaf Lake State Recreation Area (Sept. 18-Dec. 31)
Hayes Lake State Park (Oct. 16-17 and Nov. 6-21)
Itasca State Park (Nov. 6-14 and Nov. 27-Dec. 12)
Judge C.R. Magney State Park (Nov. 6-21)
Lake Bemidji State Park (Oct. 16-17 and Nov. 6-9)
Lake Bronson State Park (Nov. 6-14)
Lake Carlos State Park (Nov. 6-9)
Lake Louise State Park (Nov. 13-14)
Maplewood State Park (Nov. 6-9)
Schoolcraft State Park (Nov. 6-21)
Sibley State Park (Dec. 4-5)
Soudan Underground Mine State Park (Nov. 27-Dec. 12)
Zippel Bay State Park (Nov. 6-21)

Parks where some areas will be open only to hunters with special permits but other areas will remain open to all visitors:
Banning State Park (Oct. 30-31)
Big Stone Lake State Park (Dec. 4-5)
Gooseberry Falls State Park (Nov. 6-21)
Hayes Lake State Park (Oct. 21-24)
Itasca State Park (Oct. 16-17)
Jay Cooke State Park (Dec. 4-8)
Lake Bronson State Park (Oct. 21-24)
Old Mill State Park (Oct. 21-24)
St. Croix State Park (Oct. 30-31)
Savanna Portage State Park (Oct. 30-31 and Nov. 13-17)
Scenic State Park (Nov. 6-21)
Split Rock Lighthouse State Park (Nov. 6-21)
Tettegouche State Park (Oct. 16-17 and Nov. 6-21)
Zippel Bay State Park (Oct. 17-18)

Parks that will be open only to hunters with special permits:
Father Hennepin State Park (Oct. 30-31 and Dec. 4-5)
Frontenac State Park (Nov. 20-22)
Lake Maria State Park (Dec. 4-6)
Lake Shetek State Park (Dec. 4-5)
Lake Vermilion State Park (Nov. 6-14)
Nerstrand Big Woods State Park (Nov. 27-28)
Rice Lake State Park (Nov. 27-28)
St. Croix State Park (Nov. 12-15)
Whitewater State Park (Nov. 20-21)
William O’Brien State Park (Nov. 6-7)

Parks that are not having any special hunts and will remain open to the public:
Afton State Park
Bear Head Lake State Park
Big Bog State Recreation Area
Blue Mounds State Park
Camden State Park
Carley State Park
Cascade River State Park
Charles A. Lindbergh State Park
Cuyuna Country State Recreation Area
Fort Ridgely State Park
Franz Jevne State Park
Garden Island State Recreation Area
Glendalough State Park
Grand Portage State Park
Great River Bluffs State Park
Interstate State Park
John A. Latsch State Park
Kilen Woods State Park
Lac qui Parle State Park
McCarthy Beach State Park
Mille Lacs Kathio State Park
Minneopa State Park
Monson Lake State Park
Moose Lake State Park
Myre-Big Island State Park
Red River State Recreation Area
Sakatah Lake State Park
Split Rock Creek State Park
Temperance River State Park
Upper Sioux Agency State Park
Wild River State Park

Special situations:

Fort Snelling State Park and Minnesota Valley State Recreation Area will not be having a special hunt, but access to these parks is currently limited due to flooding.
George H. Crosby-Manitou State Park is not having a special hunt, but hunting is allowed in a portion of the park during the normal season, Nov. 6-21. The park will remain open to all visitors during this time.
The city of New Ulm is having an archery deer hunt Oct. 9-Dec. 31. Some of the deer stands are located within Flandrau State Park, but nowhere near trails or public use areas. The park will therefore remain open to all visitors during this time.
Although there is no hunt at Hill Annex Mine State Park, the park is only open Memorial Day weekend through Labor Day.
Details on which areas of each park will be affected by the special deer hunts will be included in the “visitor alert” boxes on the individual park web pages on DNR website.

Information is also available by calling the DNR Information Center at 651-296-6157 or toll-free 888-646-6367, between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.