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State park · 2026-27
Buffalo River State Park hunting guide and rules
1,329 acres of state park ground in Clay County, deer permit area 269.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Buffalo River State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Buffalo River State Park
- Parking areaParking · 0.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- GateGate · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
Buffalo River State Park: acres, owner and deer area
Buffalo River State Park spreads over 1,329 acres of Clay County. Within Clay County it stands alone among state parks. Hunters on Buffalo River State Park follow DPA 269, which DNR made either-sex for 2026.
Minnesota Department of Natural Resources runs this land. Hunting is limited to the DNR special hunt dates and hunt-map areas; the rest of the year the park is closed to hunting.
Game species: deer.
From the agency record (Minnesota Department of Natural Resources); checked October 28, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Buffalo River State Park
Map: Buffalo River State Park and its neighbors
8 public areas lie within 45 miles of Buffalo River State Park, adding 1,964 acres; Gruhl WMA is closest.
| Public land | Type | Acres | DPA | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gruhl WMA | WMA | 465 | 666 | 4.0 mi | northeast |
| Hay Creek WPA | WPA | 448 | 269 | 5.6 mi | south |
| Magnusson WMA | WMA | 267 | 269 | 5.7 mi | southeast |
| Downer Prairie WPA | WPA | 263 | 269 | 5.8 mi | south |
| Kasin WPA | WPA | 195 | 269 | 6.8 mi | southeast |
| Bjornson WPA | WPA | 116 | 269 | 7.1 mi | southeast |
| Silver Lake AMA | AMA | 54 | 269 | 7.1 mi | east |
| Kronbeck WPA | WPA | 157 | 666 | 7.2 mi | northeast |
Points: DNR state parks management units layer (polygon centroid). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Buffalo River State Park: the use rules
These are the use rules the agency lists for Buffalo River State Park; posted signs on site still govern.
| Rule | What applies |
|---|---|
| Hunting | Hunt dates only |
| Hunt areas | Hunt map only |
| Ammunition | Lead-free required |
| LIMITED hunts | Visitors share the park |
Sources: record; booklet: 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
Buffalo River State Park hunt calendar
The 2026-27 hunt list for Buffalo River State Park, with permits and bag limits as published.
| Number | Hunt | Permits | Dates | Bag | Antlers |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 959 | Youth firearm, permit required | 12 | Oct. 24-25 | 2 | Earn-a-buck |
- Hunt 959 (Buffalo River State Park): Oct. 23
| Season | Opens | Closes | Park status | Map |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Firearms (Youth) | Oct 24, 2026 | Oct 25, 2026 | LIMITED | Map |
DNR special deer hunts and DNR state park hunts; checked October 28, 2026. Special hunts and lotteries.
Buffalo River State Park deer calendar and limits
DPA 269 (200 series) is either-sex in 2026. Either-sex rules let you take a doe in DPA 269 without a permit.
| Season | Begins | Through | Today |
|---|---|---|---|
| Archery | Sep 19, 2026 | Dec 31, 2026 | |
| Youth deer | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| Firearms, 200 series | Nov 7, 2026 | Nov 15, 2026 | |
| Muzzleloader | Nov 28, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 |
Testing for CWD is optional in DPA 269. Area of DPA 269: 652 sq mi. Counties in DPA 269: Clay and Wilkin.
From the DNR 2026 deer season map and the 2026-2027 regulations booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
How many deer DPA 269 gives up around Buffalo River State Park
DNR reports harvest by deer permit area, not by WMA or county; DPA 269 registered 464 deer in 2025, 11% up on 2024.
| Year | Adult bucks | Other deer | Total | Per sq mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 367 | 97 | 464 | 0.71 |
| 2024 | 338 | 80 | 418 | 0.64 |
| 2023 | 294 | 101 | 395 | 0.61 |
| 2022 | 308 | 122 | 430 | 0.66 |
| 2021 | 347 | 111 | 458 | 0.70 |
| 2020 | 372 | 107 | 479 | 0.74 |
| 2019 | 334 | 107 | 441 | 0.68 |
| 2018 | 329 | 140 | 469 | 0.72 |
| 2017 | 321 | 99 | 420 | 0.65 |
DNR 2025 deer harvest report; earlier years from the DNR yearly reports. Checked October 28, 2026.
Buffalo River State Park: towns, DNR office and shops
Buffalo River State Park is 5.3 mi from Glyndon, the nearest community. Dilworth is the bigger town nearby at 4,811 people. Detroit Lakes has the nearest DNR office to Buffalo River State Park, 28 mi away.
| Nearest towns | County | Population | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Glyndon | Clay | 1,369 | 5.3 mi | west |
| Hawley | Clay | 2,274 | 7.0 mi | east |
| Sabin | Clay | 601 | 11 mi | southwest |
| Dilworth | Clay | 4,811 | 11 mi | west |
| Baker | Clay | – | 11 mi | southwest |
Towns from the 2024 Census gazetteer and population estimates; offices and businesses from services.json (DNR and business listings, chain stores and license agents left out); straight-line miles. Checked October 28, 2026.
County rules that reach Buffalo River State Park
Our Clay County list runs to 82 public areas, including Buffalo River State Park. Deer feeding and attractants are banned in Clay County. Clay County keeps a shotgun-only ordinance (partial shotgun-only ordinance) after the 2025 repeal of the state shotgun zone. No bear lottery in Clay County: it is no-quota ground. Turkey permit area here: 509 and 506. The county's nearest wildlife office is Detroit Lakes Area Wildlife Office in Detroit Lakes. Clay County also has 4 closed places, Beva Paulson Memorial Hardwood Forest Scientific and Natural Area among them.
County acres from DNR and federal GIS layers (counties.json); zones from the 2026-2027 booklet; checked October 28, 2026.
Shooting lines in reach of Buffalo River State Park
Pelican River Gun Club sits 27 miles from Buffalo River State Park, closer than any public range on file.
From the operators’ pages and directory listings, checked October 28, 2026.
Buffalo River State Park country, seen through a lens
Buffalo River State Park: sunrise, sunset and legal hours
These Buffalo River State Park hours use the NOAA solar formula for the unit's coordinates.
| When | Event | Rise | Set | Opens | Deer, bear end | Birds end |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sep 19, 2026 | Archery and grouse opener | 7:07 a.m. | 7:32 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. | 8:02 p.m. | 7:32 p.m. |
| Sep 26, 2026 | Duck opener | 7:16 a.m. | 7:18 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. | 7:48 p.m. | 7:18 p.m. |
| Oct 10, 2026 | Pheasant opener | 7:35 a.m. | 6:50 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. | 7:20 p.m. | 6:50 p.m. |
| Nov 7, 2026 | Firearms deer opener | 7:16 a.m. | 5:03 p.m. | 6:46 a.m. | 5:33 p.m. | 5:03 p.m. |
| Nov 28, 2026 | Muzzleloader opener | 7:46 a.m. | 4:42 p.m. | 7:16 a.m. | 5:12 p.m. | 4:42 p.m. |
| Dec 31, 2026 | Archery close | 8:11 a.m. | 4:46 p.m. | 7:41 a.m. | 5:16 p.m. | 4:46 p.m. |
| Apr 14, 2027 | Spring turkey opener | 6:42 a.m. | 8:11 p.m. | 6:12 a.m. | 8:41 p.m. | 8:11 p.m. |
Clock times include Daylight Saving Time until Nov. 1.
Hours rule from the DNR booklet shooting hours page; sun times calculated for the unit point (NOAA method, Central Time); checked October 28, 2026. Legal hours for every county.
Buffalo River State Park: what hunters usually ask
Is Buffalo River State Park inside a CWD zone?
Buffalo River State Park sits in DPA 269, which is outside the CWD zones, with optional testing.
What time can you shoot deer at Buffalo River State Park on Nov. 7?
Nov. 7: 6:46 a.m. to 5:33 p.m. for deer, sunrise 7:16 a.m..
What other public tracts sit near Buffalo River State Park?
Buffalo River State Park neighbors on our list: Gruhl WMA (4.0 mi), Hay Creek WPA (5.6 mi) and Magnusson WMA (5.7 mi).
Is Buffalo River State Park public ground you can hunt?
Not in general. Buffalo River State Park opens to hunting for its listed hunts and hunt-map areas only.
What size is the Buffalo River State Park unit?
Agency maps put it at 1,329 acres.
Buffalo River State Park: which DPA sets the deer rules?
DPA 269, either-sex for 2026. The rifle and shotgun season goes Nov 7 to Nov 15, 2026.
What is there to hunt on Buffalo River State Park?
On the Buffalo River State Park record the game list reads deer.
Where do you park at Buffalo River State Park?
Glyndon is 5.3 mi away; the map shows the point.
Who should I contact about Buffalo River State Park?
Buffalo River State Park belongs to Minnesota Department of Natural Resources.
Buffalo River State Park trip checklist from this page
No paper tags in Minnesota: validate the electronic license where the animal falls, then register it on time.
Sources: source · source · source · source; regulations from the 2026-2027 Minnesota Hunting and Trapping Regulations. Checked October 28, 2026.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain).