Annual Bow Deer Hunt in Area Parks

Ramsey County Parks and Recreation, in partnership with the Metro Bowhunters Resource Base (MBRB), will again conduct controlled archery deer hunts this fall throughout the Ramsey County parks system. Daylong hunts will be conducted in 10 park locations on select dates in October, November and December.

During the hunts, entire parks or portions of a park may be closed. Efforts will be made to keep most major paved hiking and biking trails open while the hunts are being conducted. Signs will be posted at common entry points to parks where hunts are being conducted, and park visitors are requested to stay out of these areas during the hunts.

The 2013 hunt for District 1 area and dates are:

• Fish Creek Open Space (Maplewood/St. Paul): Oct. 11-13, Nov. 8-10
• Pig’s Eye (Battle Creek Regional Park, St. Paul): Oct. 11-13, Nov. 8-10
• Battle Creek Regional Park (St. Paul/Maplewood): Oct. 14-16, Nov. 11-13

Most hunts will be held Friday through Sunday, with select hunts being held Monday through Wednesday to help minimize the impact on weekend park and trail users. Each hunt period is three days long, with two to three weeks between the first and second hunts. Any changes to the schedule will be announced on the Parks and Recreation website.

The annual fall deer hunts are held as part of the Ramsey County Cooperative Deer Management Plan, which was passed by the Ramsey County Board of Commissioners and is a joint effort between the county and municipalities where parkland is located, including Maplewood, St. Paul, Shoreview, Vadnais Heights and White Bear Township. The plan addresses the high deer population in Ramsey County, which exceeds the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources recommendations for a healthy deer herd. High deer populations impact park vegetation and public safety due to increased car collisions.

This will be the 14th year the Parks and Recreation department has held the special permit hunts. All participating hunters have passed a DNR archery safety class, a shooting proficiency test and have agreed to special hunt rules. Archers for the 2013 hunts have already been selected. Archers interested in participating in future hunts should contact MBRB and visit the organization’s website at www.mbrb.org. 

Click here for more information on Ramsey County's deer management plan.