Fourteen Missouri parks will temporarily close to the public for managed deer hunts.
The parks will close for various periods over the next two months. During these periods, all visitors will be turned away.
According to a news release from the Missouri Department of Natural Resources, these deer hunts help safely manage the parks' deer population and are specially managed to prevent harm to the ecosystem.
"This year, studies at the parks determined the deer population showed an overcrowded number of deer per acre," DNR said in the release.
Mid-Missouri parks that will temporarily close include:
- Rock Bridge Memorial State Park in Columbia: Nov. 3-4
- Ha Ha Tonka State Park in Camdenton: Nov. 7-9
- Long Branch State Park in Macon: Nov. 8-11
Other parks that will temporarily close across the state include:
- Watkins Mill State Park, 26600 Park Road North in Lawson – Nov. 1-2
- Cuivre River State Park in Troy – Nov. 1-5
- Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park in Wildwood – Nov. 7-9
- Crowder State Park in Trenton – Nov. 7-9
- Robertsville State Park in Robertsville – Nov. 8-9
- Mark Twain State Park in Florida – Nov. 8-9 and Dec. 6-7
- St. Joe State Park in Park Hills – Nov. 15-16
- Harry S Truman State Park in Warsaw – Dec. 1-4
- Montauk State Park in Salem – Dec. 2-4
- St. Francois State Park, 8920 U.S. 67 North in Bonne Terre – Dec. 5-8
The Missouri Department of Conservation has reportedly already selected hunters for these hunts.
Before heading to a Missouri state park, guests are encouraged to check for closures at the Park and Site Status Map.
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