William O’Brien State Park will be closed to all visitors on November 15^th & 16^th for a special deer hunt, according to the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. The purpose for the hunt is to prevent overpopulation of deer and to protect other resources. 

Special hunts will take place at other Minnesota state parks and recreation areas this fall, and access to the parks will vary. Park visitors are advised to check the alerts and notices on state park and recreation area websites (mndnr.gov/park-list) to find details about any upcoming special hunts as they make their plans. 

“Too many individuals of one species can throw an ecosystem out of balance,” said Mark Cleveland, Parks and Trails natural resource policy and program coordinator. “When deer populations grow too large, they over browse on native plants and young trees, making it harder for forests to regenerate. 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.”

The deadlines have passed for youth and adults to apply for the permits to participate in these special hunts, which include regular firearms, muzzleloader and archery options. Selected participants will be notified. Hunt participants are required to have a deer hunting license. 

As of 2023, state park and state recreation area special hunts require use of nontoxic (nonlead) ammunition. An exception is for youth hunts in the shotgun-only use area of Minnesota, where hunters are not required to use nontoxic ammunition. However, those not using nontoxic ammunition for special hunts in the shotgun zone must remove all parts of harvested deer from the state park or state recreation area, including the entrails. For details, visit the DNR hunting regulations webpage (mndnr.gov/regulations/hunting). 

Nontoxic ammunition protects animals such as bald eagles, ravens and bobcats from ingesting lead while feeding on deer gut piles. It takes only a very small amount of lead to cause lead poisoning in wildlife.For a list of parks that are hosting special hunts during the 2025 hunting season, visit the state park hunts webpage (mndnr.gov/parkhunts).