Quota hunts to shut park briefly

Mistletoe State Park on Thurmond Lake will close for three days while quota hunts are conducted for wildlife management purposes.

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All park amenities, trails, boat ramps and accommodations will be closed to public use Dec. 4, 5 and 6. The park will reopen at 7 a.m. Dec. 7. The quota hunts were planned during the week to minimize visitor impact.

"We want to let our neighbors and guests know that this is coming up so they can avoid coming to the park on those three days," said Assistant Park Manager Trevor Bullard. "These hunts are used as a wildlife management tool rather than recreation. The ecosystem within Mistletoe State Park has been damaged by the overabundance of deer, and by reducing the herd, we are helping provide a more healthy ecosystem for all species."

Mistletoe State Park in Appling is operated by the Georgia Department of Natural Resources. For more information, call (706) 541-0321 or go to www.georgiastateparks.org.