Fourteen state parks temporarily closed for managed deer hunts…

JEFFERSON CITY, MO, OCT. 27, 2025 - Fourteen state parks will be temporarily closed to the public for managed deer hunts to safely and effectively manage the parks' deer population. The hunts are a coordinated effort between the Missouri Department of Natural Resources' Division of State Parks and the Missouri Department of Conservation.

The following state parks will be closed on these dates:

• Edmund A. Babler Memorial State Park, 800 Guy Park Drive in Wildwood - Nov. 7-9.
• Bennett Spring State Park, 26250 Highway 64A in Lebanon - Nov. 7-9.
• Crowder State Park, 76 NW Highway 128 in Trenton - Nov. 7-9.
• Cuivre River State Park, 678 State Route 147 in Troy - Nov. 1-5.
• Ha Ha Tonka State Park, 1491 State Road D in Camdenton - Nov. 7-9.
• Harry S Truman State Park, 28761 State Park Road West in Warsaw - Dec. 1-4.
• Long Branch State Park, 28615 Visitor Center Road in Macon - Nov. 8-11.
• Mark Twain State Park, 37352 Shrine Road in Florida - Nov. 8-9 and Dec. 6-7.
• Montauk State Park, 345 County Road 6670 in Salem - Dec. 2-4.
• Robertsville State Park, 902 State Park Drive in Robertsville - Nov. 8-9.
• Rock Bridge Memorial State Park, 5901 South Highway 163 in Columbia - Nov. 3-4.
• St. Francois State Park, 8920 U.S. Highway 67 North in Bonne Terre - Dec. 5-8.
• St. Joe State Park, 2800 Pimville Road in Park Hills - Nov. 15-16.
• Watkins Mill State Park, 26600 Park Road North in Lawson - Nov. 1-2.

Guests are encouraged to not visit the parks on those days, as they will be turned away for their safety.

Missouri state parks are usually wildlife refuges where hunting is not permitted. However, when an overpopulation of deer develops, the Department of Natural Resources and the Department of Conservation hold special managed hunts to prevent harm to the ecosystem. This year, studies at the parks determined the deer population showed an overcrowded number of deer per acre. The managed hunt will help other wildlife and the ecosystem by reducing the number of deer in the area.

The Missouri Department of Conservation has already selected hunters for these hunts.

Before heading to a Missouri state park or historic site, guests should check the Park and Site Status Map at modnr.maps.arcgis.com/apps/webappviewer/index.html?id=0cc1b6513d6e407694aede7b7bdbde93 for any closures that may impact their visit.

For more information on state parks and historic sites, visit mostateparks.com. Missouri State Parks is a division of the Missouri Department of Natural Resources.