Archery deer management hunt at the Arboretum

The active management of the Arboretum’s deer herd is a response to a very high population both locally and throughout the region.  Deer browse on trees, shrubs, and flowers, and damage the natural plant communities we are working to maintain and enhance in the Arboretum. We have worked closely with the wildlife personnel from the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources and they have estimated that the Arb’s deer population is approximately ten times the optimum for this sort of habitat. The Archery hunt both reduces the local population and helps discourage deer from entering the Arboretum from the surrounding area to establish winter yarding (concentrated groups) areas.

Archery hunting of white-tailed deer is currently allowed in portions of the Lower Arboretum from Thanksgiving day until the end of the calendar year.  Archers must apply to the Arboretum staff for written permission, which is limited to approximately 30 hunters each year.  The hunt is closely monitored to ensure safety of visitors and careful use of the Arboretum.   A map of the area open to the archery program is found here.

Permit applications are available on October 1 of each year. The period for accepting applications is typically only two weeks.  All permits have been issued for the 2012 season. 

We do not maintain a waiting list from year to year so you must re-apply each year in order to express your interest in participating in our management hunt.