Chester Woods Park to Close for Deer Hunts
Olmsted County closes the Rochester park to the public during two controlled deer hunts in November 2026 to manage the herd.
Updated on Nov. 7, 2026 in Hunting
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Olmsted County Parks and Trails will close Chester Woods Park for two controlled deer hunts in November 2026, starting with the Disabled American Veterans Hunt on November 12. The park reopens at 5 a.m. on November 30, 2026.
Why it matters
The hunts are intended to harvest enough deer to keep the herd healthy and manageable within the park. Residents and visitors planning to use the park during November should plan around the closure dates.
The lottery hunt included 80 hunters chosen through a drawing, and each was required to obtain at least one disease management harvest tag. The number of deer the hunts aim to take was not reported.
The players
Olmsted County Parks and Trails
The county department that manages Chester Woods Park and is closing it for the controlled deer hunts.
The details
The Disabled American Veterans Hunt runs November 12 through 15 and the Lottery Deer Hunt runs November 21 through 29, with hunters who preregistered for the DAV hunt. Disease management harvest tags allow lottery hunters to take additional antlerless deer.
Timeline
November 12-15, 2026: Disabled American Veterans Hunt at Chester Woods Park.
November 21-29, 2026: Lottery Deer Hunt at Chester Woods Park.
November 30, 2026: Chester Woods Park reopens at 5 a.m.
Culture Shift
Controlled deer hunts in parks like Chester Woods reflect a wider use of managed hunting to hold local herd sizes steady where natural predators are scarce. The approach trades a temporary park closure for a healthier, more manageable deer population.
Visitors who normally walk or ride at Chester Woods should avoid the park from November 12 through November 29 and resume plans on November 30. Hunters outside the DAV and lottery groups cannot enter during the closures.
The takeaway
Plan around the park closure dates if you use Chester Woods this month. The park reopens on November 30, 2026, at 5 a.m.
What happens next
Chester Woods Park reopens to the public at 5 a.m. on November 30, 2026, after the lottery hunt concludes on November 29.
Further reading
Explore more on Hunting to see how controlled hunts like this one fit into wider wildlife management.
Source note: This article includes information reported by KIMT-TV 3 Mason City.
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