Access to Minnesota state parks
during the 2020 fall hunting season

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

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

Minnesota State Parks and Trails Facebook site  Minnesota State Parks Twitter feed  Minnesota State Parks and Trails Instagram site

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.

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!

Don't get lost - use a geoPDF map!
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!

 

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.

 

State ParkAccessType of huntDatesClassMap
AftonCLOSEDYouth11/7 to 11/8Firearmsyouth hunt map
BanningLIMITEDYouth10/31 to 11/1Firearmsyouth hunt map
Beaver Creek ValleyCLOSEDSpecial permit11/7 to 11/8Firearmshunt map
Blue MoundsCLOSEDYouth
Special permit		11/21 to 11/22
11/21 to 11/22		Firearms
Firearms		youth hunt map
Buffalo RiverLIMITEDYouth11/7 to 11/8Firearmsyouth hunt map
CamdenCLOSEDYouth
Special permit		10/24 to 10/25
10/24 to 10/25		Firearms
Firearms		hunt map
Cascade RiverLIMITEDSpecial permit11/7 to 11/22Firearmshunt map
Crow WingCLOSEDSpecial permit12/5 to 12/9Muzzleloaderhunt map
Cuyuna CountryCLOSED 11/6 to 11/23Firearmspark map
Forestville/Mystery CaveLIMITEDSpecial permit11/7 to 11/8Firearmshunt map
Franz JevneLIMITEDSpecial permit11/7 to 11/22Firearmshunt map
FrontenacCLOSEDSpecial permit11/21 to 11/22Firearmshunt map
Glacial LakesLIMITEDSpecial permit11/12 to 11/15Firearmshunt map
Gooseberry FallsLIMITEDSpecial permit11/7 to 11/22Firearmshunt map
Great River BluffsCLOSEDSpecial permit11/21 to 11/22Firearmshunt map
Hayes LakeLIMITEDSpecial permit11/7 to 11/22Firearmshunt map
ItascaLIMITED

LIMITED
LIMITED		Youth
Adult mentored
Special permit
Special permit		10/10 to 10/11
10/10 to 10/11
11/7 to 11/15
11/28 to 12/13		Firearms
Firearms
Firearms
Muzzleloader

youth & mentored hunt map

hunt map

Jay CookeLIMITEDSpecial permit12/5 to 12/9Muzzleloaderhunt map
Judge C.R. MagneyLIMITEDSpecial permit11/7 to 11/22Firearmshunt map
Kilen WoodsCLOSED
 		Youth
Special permit		10/24 to 10/25
10/24 to 10/25		Firearms
Firearms		park map
Lake BemidjiLIMITED
LIMITED
LIMITED		Youth
Special permit
Special permit		10/16 to 10/18
11/7 to 11/10
12/4 to 12/6		Firearms
Firearms
Muzzleloader		youth hunt map
hunt map
 
Lake BronsonLIMITED
LIMITED		Youth
Special permit		10/24 to 10/25
11/7 to 11/15		Firearms
Firearms		hunt map
Lake CarlosLIMITEDSpecial permit11/7 to 11/10Firearmshunt map
Lake LouiseCLOSED Special permit11/14 to 11/15Firearmshunt map
Lake MariaCLOSEDSpecial permit12/8 to 12/10Muzzleloaderhunt map
Lake ShetekCLOSEDYouth
Special permit		11/21 to 11/22
11/21 to 11/22		Firearms
Firearms		park map
Lake Vermilion-Soudan Underground MineLIMITEDSpecial permit
Special permit		11/28 to 12/13
11/28 to 12/31		Muzzleloader
Archery		hunt map
MaplewoodLIMITEDSpecial permit11/7 to 11/10Firearmspark map
McCarthy BeachLIMITED

LIMITED		Special permit
Special permit
Special permit		10/23 to 10/24
10/23 to 10/24
11/28 to 12/6		Firearms
Archery
Muzzleloader		hunt map
MinneopaLIMITEDYouth11/21 to 11/22Firearmsyouth hunt map
Myre-Big IslandLIMITEDSpecial permit12/5 to 12/6Muzzleloaderhunt map
Nerstrand Big WoodsCLOSEDSpecial permit12/5 to 12/6Muzzleloaderhunt map
Old MillLIMITEDSpecial permit11/7 to 11/10Firearmshunt map
Rice LakeLIMITEDSpecial permit12/5 to 12/6Muzzleloaderhunt map
St. CroixCLOSED
CLOSED
CLOSED		Youth
Special permit
Special permit		10/31 to 11/1
11/19 to 11/22
12/2 to 12/6		Firearms
Firearms
Muzzleloader		youth hunt map
hunt map
Sakatah LakeLIMITEDSpecial permit12/5 to 12/6Muzzleloaderhunt map
Savanna PortageLIMITED
LIMITED		Youth
Special permit		10/24 to 10/25
11/28 to 12/4		Firearms
Muzzleloader		hunt map
ScenicLIMITEDSpecial permit11/7 to 11/22Firearmshunt map
SchoolcraftLIMITED
LIMITED		Special permit
Special permit		11/7 to 11/22
11/28 to 12/13		Firearms
Muzzleloader		hunt map
SibleyLIMITED
CLOSED		Youth
Special permit		10/31 to 11/1
11/28 to 11/29		Firearms
Muzzleloader		youth hunt map
hunt map
Split Rock LighthouseLIMITEDSpecial permit11/7 to 11/22Firearmshunt map
TettegoucheLIMITEDSpecial permit11/7 to 11/22Firearmshunt map
WhitewaterCLOSEDSpecial permit11/21 to 11/22Firearmshunt map
Wild RiverCLOSEDSpecial permit11/7 to 11/8Firearmshunt map
William O'BrienCLOSEDSpecial permit11/14 to 11/15Firearmshunt map
Zippel BayLIMITED
LIMITED		Youth
Special permit		10/17 to 10/18
11/7 to 11/22		Firearms
Firearms		hunt map