Afton State Park will be closed Tuesday-Thursday next week for a special deer hunt, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources announced.
The park will close to all visitors beginning 6 p.m. Monday.
The controlled hunt will be done with muzzleloader firearms and only antlerless deer will be targeted. The hunt is intended to prevent deer overpopulation.
“When deer populations grow too large, they over browse on native plants and young trees, making it harder for forests to regenerate,” said Mark Cleveland, Parks and Trails natural resource policy and program coordinator. “Dense deer herds also create conditions where diseases spread more easily. Special deer hunts in state parks and recreation areas are one of the tools we use to protect natural resources and keep ecosystems healthy.”
Nontoxic ammunition has been required for special hunts in state parks and recreation areas since 2023. Nontoxic ammunition protects other animals from ingesting lead when feeding on dead deer.
Other state parks that will be closed for upcoming hunts include Lake Maria State Park, Friday-Sunday, Dec. 5-7; St. Croix, Sibley, Sakatah Lake and Rice Lake, Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 6-7; and Nerstrand Big Woods, Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 6-7 and Friday-Sunday, Dec. 19-21.
Several Minnesota state parks will have limited access in the coming weeks. Under the limited access, parks remain open to visitors but certain areas may be restricted or designated for hunters only. In some cases, sections of the park will remain open to the public while other sections are open exclusively for hunting.
Crow Wing State Park and Jay Cooke have limited access Saturday-Wednesday, Dec. 6-10. Lake Bemidji has limited access Friday-Sunday, Dec. 5-7. Myre-Big Island has limited access Saturday-Sunday, Dec. 6-7. And Kilen Wood has limited access Dec. 27-Jan. 4.
The DNR encourages anyone planning a trip to check out park alerts and notices at mndnr.gov/park-list.
Permit deadlines to participate in special hunts have passed. For more information about specific park hunts, visit mndnr.gov/parkhunts.
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