Access to Minnesota state parks
during the 2018 fall hunting season

Know before you go, and see which parks have special hunts this season.

Numerous hunts are scheduled to take place at Minnesota state parks this fall, as a way to help control the deer population in the parks. Our goal is to ensure healthy natural communities. If too many deer are in one area, the native plants and animals are negatively affected.

Access to the parks varies around the state during these hunts. Some state parks remain open to all visitors, some have limited public access, and some are open only to hunters with special permits.

This site provides information to non-hunters during the hunt season. If you are a hunter, you'll find more information here.

For additional information, please call the facility before you head out.

DNR Facebook site Minnesota State Parks Twitter feed

 

Stay safe during hunting season!

If you will be visiting a state park during hunting season:

  1. Wear blaze orange or other brightly colored clothing, even if you will not be hunting.
  2. Check with the park office when you arrive, to see if there is any additional hunt-related information.
  3. Watch carefully for any hunt-related signage in the park, and follow it!

 

CLOSED

The park is closed to the public and open only to hunters with a valid permit during a particular hunt.

LIMITED

The park is open both to visitors and to hunters OR a portion of the park is open to the public and closed to hunting while another part is open to hunters only.

 

NEW THIS YEAR! See your location with our GeoPDF maps!
The state parks special hunt maps are now readable by the Avenza Maps location app (available on Google Play and the App Store) and are available for use offline. No cell service is needed!

 

State Park

Access

Type of hunt

Dates

Class

Map

AftonCLOSEDYouth11/3 to 11/4Firearmsyouth hunt map
BanningLIMITEDYouth10/27 to 10/28Firearmsyouth hunt map
Beaver Creek ValleyCLOSEDSpecial permit11/3 to 11/4Firearmspark map
Blue MoundsCLOSEDYouth11/17 to 11/18Firearmsyouth hunt map
Buffalo RiverLIMITEDYouth11/3 to 11/4Firearmsyouth hunt map
CamdenCLOSEDYouth10/27 to 10/28Firearmsyouth hunt map
Cascade RiverLIMITEDSpecial permit11/3 to 11/18Firearmshunt map
map detail
Crow WingCLOSEDSpecial permit12/1 to 12/2Muzzleloaderpark map
Forestville/Mystery CaveLIMITED

Special permit

Special permit CWD Dec. hunts

11/3 to 11/4

12/21 to 12/23

12/28 to 12/30

Firearms

Firearms

Firearms

hunt map

CWD hunt map

Franz JevneLIMITEDSpecial permit11/3 to 11/18Firearmshunt map
FrontenacCLOSEDSpecial permit12/1 to 12/3Muzzleloaderhunt map
Glacial LakesLIMITEDSpecial permit11/8 to 11/11Firearmshunt map
Gooseberry FallsLIMITEDSpecial permit11/3 to 11/18Firearmshunt map
Great River BluffsCLOSEDSpecial permit CWD hunt

1/25 to 1/27

2/1 to 2/3

Firearms

Firearms

CWD hunt map
Greenleaf LakeLIMITEDSpecial permit9/15 to 12/31Archeryhunt map
Hayes LakeLIMITEDSpecial permit11/3 to 11/18Firearmshunt map
ItascaLIMITEDYouth
Regular season
Regular season		10/13 to 10/14
11/3 to 11/11
11/24 to 12/9		Firearms
Firearms
Muzzleloader		youth hunt map
hunt map
Jay CookeLIMITEDSpecial permit 12/1 to 12/5Muzzleloaderhunt map
Judge C.R. MagneyLIMITEDSpecial permit 11/3 to 11/18Firearmshunt map
Kilen WoodsCLOSEDYouth10/27 to 10/28Firearmspark map
Lake BemidjiLIMITEDYouth
Special permit
Special permit		10/19 to 10/21
11/3 to 11/6
11/30 to 12/2		Firearms
Firearms
Muzzleloader		youth hunt map
hunt map
 
Lake BronsonLIMITEDSpecial permit11/3 to 11/11Firearmshunt map
Lake CarlosLIMITEDSpecial permit 11/3 to 11/6Firearmshunt map
Lake LouiseLIMITEDSpecial permit 11/10 to 11/11Firearmspark map
Lake MariaCLOSEDSpecial permit11/26 to 11/28Muzzleloaderpark map
Lake ShetekCLOSEDYouth11/17 to 11/18Firearmspark map
Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground MineLIMITEDSpecial permit11/24 to 12/9Muzzleloaderhunt map
MaplewoodLIMITEDSpecial permit11/3 to 11/6Firearmspark map
McCarthy BeachLIMITEDSpecial permit11/24 to 12/2Muzzleloaderhunt map
MinneopaLIMITEDSpecial permit12/1 to 12/3Muzzleloaderhunt map
Myre-Big IslandLIMITEDSpecial permit12/1 to 12/2Muzzleloader

hunt map

Nerstrand Big WoodsCLOSEDSpecial permit12/1 to 12/2Muzzleloaderhunt map
Old MillLIMITEDSpecial permit11/3 to 11/6Firearmshunt map
Rice LakeLIMITEDSpecial permit12/1 to 12/2Muzzleloaderhunt map
St. CroixCLOSEDYouth
Special permit 
Special permit		10/27 to 10/28
11/15 to 11/18
11/29 to 12/2		Firearms
Firearms
Muzzleloader		youth hunt map
Savanna PortageLIMITEDYouth
Special permit		10/27 to 10/28
11/24 to 12/2		Firearms
Muzzleloader		hunt map
ScenicLIMITEDSpecial permit11/3 to 11/18Firearmshunt map
SchoolcraftLIMITEDSpecial permit11/3 to 11/18Firearmshunt map
SibleyLIMITED
CLOSED		Youth
Special permit		10/27 to 10/28
11/24 to 11/25		Firearms
Muzzleloader		youth hunt map
hunt map
Split Rock LighthouseLIMITEDSpecial permit11/3 to 11/18Firearmshunt map
TettegoucheLIMITEDYouth
Special permit		10/27 to 10/28
11/3 to 11/18		Firearms
Firearms		youth hunt map
hunt map
Wild RiverCLOSEDSpecial permit11/10 to 11/11Firearmshunt map
William O'BrienCLOSEDSpecial permit11/3 to 11/4Firearmshunt map
Zippel BayLIMITEDYouth
Special permit		10/20 to 10/21
11/3 to 11/18		Firearms
Firearms		hunt map