Deer Management Plan
Three Rivers Park District actively works to keep white-tailed deer herds in balance with the available habitat. As part of our deer management plan, scheduled hunts are offered at several parks. Upcoming hunt information is listed below when available.
Sharpshooting with trained staff is also used to remove deer from areas not suitable for hunting. Each year, aerial deer surveys are conducted in January or February to help determine where deer hunts should take place.
Hunt Safety
Three Rivers takes several precautions to ensure the safety of hunters, park guests and nearby residents.
For Park Users and Nearby Residents
Park users and nearby residents are informed of hunts through posted signage at park and trail entrances, and notices on the website, social media and in local newspapers.
For Hunters
All hunters are required to attend a mandatory Three Rivers Park District pre-hunt orientation.
Hunters hunt from elevated stands in pre-approved locations and must limit shots to 20 yards or less while hunting in a Three Rivers Park District park.
All archers must have passed the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Bowhunter Certification Class and a shooting proficiency test.
Archery Hunt Safety
Because of these safety precautions, parks remain open to the public during archery hunts, with most areas still open:
- Open Areas
- Paved and turf trails for hiking, biking and horseback riding
- Dog off-leash areas
- Picnic areas
- Golf courses
- Visitor centers
- Closed Areas
- Group campsites
Shotgun Hunt Safety
During shotgun hunts, parks are closed completely, including all trails and facilities.
2026 Hunt Information
Shotgun hunt
A shotgun hunt is scheduled for Saturday & Sunday, November 14 & 15 at Lake Rebecca Park Reserve.
Scouting dates will run from Oct. 13–24 and Nov. 2–Nov. 6
The orientation will be held on October 22 at 7 PM at the Baker National Clubhouse.
- How to Apply for a Shotgun Hunt
A limited number of hunters are selected by the Minnesota DNR through their special hunt application process.
Archery hunts
Three Rivers Park District conducts special permit archery hunts in a number of its parks on select weekends from September through November.
- General archery hunt information
Hunt locations
Hunts currently take place in:
- Park Reserves
- Regional Parks
- Gale Woods Farm
Hunt period dates
The hunts are two three-day hunts, one early in the season and the other later. All parks have two hunt periods and two scouting periods, except for Mississippi Gateway which only has one scouting period.
The hunts run Monday to Wednesday or Friday to Sunday, depending on the park. Applicants are expected to hunt both hunt periods and are required to attend the corresponding orientation.
- 2026 archery hunt schedule
First Hunt Period First Scouting Dates Second Hunt Period Second Scouting Dates Hunt Location Orientation Date & Location Sept. 21–23 Sept. 1–16 Nov. 2–4 Oct. 5–15 Gale Woods Sept. 9 (Cleary Lake Golf Course) Sept. 25–27 Sept. 1–16 Oct. 30–Nov. 1 Oct. 5–15 Lake Rebecca Sept. 8 (Baker National Clubhouse) Sept. 25–27 Sept. 1–16 Oct. 30–Nov. 1 Oct. 5–15 Cleary Lake Sept. 9 (Cleary Lake Golf Course) Sept. 28–30 Sept. 1–16 Nov. 2–4 Oct. 5–15 Spring Lake Sept. 9 (Cleary Lake Golf Course) Oct. 2–4 Sept. 8–23 Nov. 13–15 Oct. 26–Nov. 5 Baker Sept. 16 (Baker National Clubhouse) Oct. 5–7 Sept. 8–23 Nov. 2–4 Oct. 12–22 Fish Lake Sept. 15 (Field Operations Center) Oct. 5–7 Sept. 8–23 Nov. 2–4 Oct. 12–22 French Sept. 15 (Field Operations Center) Oct. 5–7 Sept. 8–23 Nov. 16–18 Oct. 26–Nov. 5 Eagle Lake Sept. 16 (Baker National Clubhouse) Oct. 9–11 Sept. 15–30 Nov. 13–15 Oct. 26–Nov. 5 Crow-Hassan Sept. 22 (Baker National Clubhouse) Oct. 9–11 Sept. 15–30 Nov. 13–15 Oct. 26–Nov. 5 Murphy-Hanrehan Sept. 23 (Richardson Nature Center) Oct. 16–18 Sept. 22–Oct. 8 Nov. 20–22 Nov. 2–12 Elm Creek Sept. 29 (Elm Creek Chalet) Oct. 19–21 Sept. 22–Oct. 7 Nov. 2–4 N/A Mississippi Gateway Sept. 22 (Brooklyn Park Community Center) - How to apply for an archery hunt
Three Rivers selects archery hunters through a preference lottery through the Metro Bowhunters Resource Base (MBRB). Refer to the MBRB website for additional information.
Learn More About Deer Management at Three Rivers
Learn more about deer management at Three Rivers Park District by reading a blog about our deer management plan or by listening to the November 2019 episodes of The Wandering Naturalist.
- Episode 32: Buck-ing the Trend — Deer 101
Hear about the history of deer management, why it's necessary, and how Disney has impacted deer populations. Learn about deer habits and why controlled hunts in our parks are important.
- Episode 33: Buck-ing the Trend — Managing Our Deer
Listen as Wildlife Supervisor Steven Hogg and Nursery Supervisor Shawn Howard discuss what steps we take to keep our parks healthy with a large deer population. Learn about the ups and downs of deer-management techniques, including hunting, exclusion fences and smells.
- Episode 34: Buck-ing the Trend — Hunters, The Next Generation
Ryan Barth, Outdoor Education Supervisor at Baker Outdoor Learning Center, and Bill Vollbrecht, Golf Maintenance Supervisor at Eagle Lake Golf Course, discuss how they are mentoring children by teaching them about deer hunting. We discuss why it is important, the ethics of hunting amidst a growing human population, and youth-mentored deer hunts help promote a new generation of environmental stewards.
Contact Us
For questions, please contact the Three Rivers Park District Wildlife section at 763-694-7840 or wildlife@ThreeRiversParks.org.
