Jay Cooke State Park is among a select group of Northland state parks that will have limited public access during special hunts.

The Jay Cooke hunt is Dec. 3-7, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources said in a news release this week.

“During special deer hunts to prevent overpopulation of deer and to protect resources several North Shore and Northland state parks will be

partially closed,” the DNR said.

Portions of Jay Cooke Park will remain open to non-hunters during the hunt, and visitors are advised to wear blaze orange or brightly colored clothing if they will be in the park while the hunt is in progress. Visitors also should check for hunt-related information on the park website and at the park office when they arrive.

Gooseberry Falls State Park (Nov. 5-20) and Savanna Portage State Park (Dec. 3-11) are among the parks involved in the special hunts.

“Too many of one animal or plant species in an area can start to throw off the balance of other species in that area,” said Tavis Westbrook, Natural Resource Program coordinator for Minnesota State Parks and Trails. “When there are too many deer in a park, they feed too much on certain trees and native plants, so occasionally we allow deer hunts as a way to protect natural resources and bring the deer population back into better balance.”