Before you head out, check an upcoming park closure for Michigan deer management, the application schedule for 2027 Pacific halibut permits and trail repairs at North Carolina’s Elk Falls. Use the topic links below to find the updates that affect your plans.

In this briefing: Hunting and Seasons | Fishing and Regulations | Trail and Access Closures

Hunting and Seasons

• Hoffmaster State Park will close for a managed deer hunt: If you plan to visit Michigan’s P.J. Hoffmaster State Park, choose another destination November 20 through 23, when the entire park, including its day-use area and trails, will close for a managed deer hunt (Michigan Department of Natural Resources). The DNR’s November 12 announcement says the hunt aims to reduce deer numbers and their impact on natural resources, with participants already selected through a lottery (Michigan Department of Natural Resources). The campground is already closed for the season, so do not treat the four-day hunt closure as applying only to camping (Michigan Department of Natural Resources).

As you plan your next outing around local access rules, browse the Hunting collection.

Fishing and Regulations

• NOAA announces the 2027 Area 2A halibut permit application schedule: If you need an International Pacific Halibut Commission Area 2A permit for 2027, NOAA’s November 12 bulletin says applications will become available through its Pacific Coast Groundfish and Halibut Portal on December 16, 2026 (NOAA Fisheries). The listed commercial categories have a March 15, 2027 deadline, while the recreational charter category has no application deadline (NOAA Fisheries). Submit the required information, vessel documentation and fee, because NOAA says incomplete applications may be declined and late applications will not be accepted (NOAA Fisheries). This notice announces permit timing, not 2027 catch limits or fishing-season dates (NOAA Fisheries).

Trail and Access Closures

• Elk Falls Trail will close for wooden-structure replacement: If you are planning a visit to Elk Falls in North Carolina’s Pisgah National Forest, the Forest Service’s November 12 alert lists a trail closure from November 15, 2026 through March 15, 2027 for replacement of rotten wooden trail structures (National Forests in North Carolina). The parking area will remain open, and you may walk National Forest System Road 190, Elk River Road, including its gated portion, for river access (National Forests in North Carolina). Access to Elk Falls itself will remain closed throughout the project, so the open parking area and road are not an alternative way to reach the falls (National Forests in North Carolina).

When planning an alternative route, explore the Hiking collection.

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Photo: National Park Service / Chad Allmendinger. NPS white-tailed deer photo. Illustrative wildlife photograph from Theodore Roosevelt National Park, North Dakota, not Hoffmaster State Park or the current managed hunt. No claim to original U.S. Government works.