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Three State Parks to Close For Managed Deer Hunts

Three Missouri state parks will be closed for managed deer hunts in December and January.

Knob Noster and Mark Twain state parks will be closed Dec. 9-10, and Current River State Park will close Dec. 23-27 and Dec. 29 to Jan. 2.

The Missouri Department of Natural Resources said in a news release Monday that Knob Noster will only have hunters who were drawn for this hunt in the park for those two days. Camping at the park will be for the hunters on a first-come, first-served basis. 

On Dec. 8, Mark Twain's campground and camper cabins will be closed until Dec. 11, according to the release. There will also be no hunting allowed by the Mark Twain Birthplace State Historic Site. On Dec. 9-10, the boat ramps, Buzzard's Roost picnic area and other shelters will be closed to the public. The museum on site will still be open under their normal hours, 10 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.

Hunters with managed hunting permits will be the only ones allowed in Current River State Park, according to the release. The Current River Trail from Echo Bluff State Park to Current River State Park will not be open during these days. Current River will be closed for camping, but Echo Bluff will remain open for camping and lodging.

Missouri State Parks is also seeking public comment on the future of three state parks from Dec. 4 through Jan. 5. The three properties, Ozark Mountain, Bryant Creek and Jay Nixon State parks, have not been developed and are currently closed.

There will be three public meetings that Representatives from Missouri State Parks will hold three public meetings to gather input.

The Ozark Mountain State Park meeting will be from 6-8 p.m. Monday at the Dewey Short Visitor Center, 4500 State Highway 165 in Branson.

The Bryant Creek State Park meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 5 at the Ava Community Building, 109 NE Second St. in Ava.

The Jay Nixon State Park meeting will be held from 6-8 p.m. Dec. 7 at Johnson's Shut-Ins State Park, 148 Taum Sauk Trail in Lesterville.

People can submit comments on the three state parks at mostateparks.com.

Supervising editor is Tyler Wornell.