Michigan deer hunting: harvest by county, game areas and public land

Michigan hunters reported 295,847 deer in 2025, 153,697 of them antlered, through the DNR's mandatory harvest reporting. For 2026 the Natural Resources Commission shortened the December season to three days (December 4 to 6), moved the early antlerless hunt to September 12 to 13 with the Liberty Hunt, and ended all deer seasons on January 1 (DNR bulletins).

Data updated October 2026. Season changes: DNR bulletins of May 15 and August 19, 2026. Harvest: the DNR's reported deer totals. Land: PAD-US 4.1, the DNR's land ownership records and its wildlife, parks, Commercial Forest and HAP layers.

When are Michigan's 2026 hunting seasons?

What changed for 2026, in the DNR's words. The full calendar, including archery and the regular firearm season, is in the DNR's 2026 Deer Hunting Regulations Summary.

Sources: DNR: Natural Resources Commission approves deer regulation changes for 2026 and 2027 (May 15, 2026); DNR: 2026 deer hunting regulations, what's new (August 19, 2026). Starting in 2027 the Lower Peninsula moves to one buck per hunter, by the same commission order.

How many deer do Michigan hunters take?

Deer reported by hunters, statewide, by license year. Michigan requires every harvested deer to be reported within 72 hours; the DNR's survey estimates, which add deer that were not reported, run higher.

Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), every county added together.

How many deer are reported in each Michigan county?

All 83 counties, with the DNR's reported harvest for 2025 and the public land in each.

Harvest: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025). Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and the DNR's land ownership records (state forest).

How much of Michigan is public hunting land?

8,539,846 acres of Michigan, 22.9% of the state, are public land open to the public, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records: state forest and other DNR land 3,870,212 acres, national forest 2,878,370 acres, state game and wildlife areas 481,841 acres, land trusts and other open land 418,976 acres, state parks and recreation areas 285,687 acres and county, city and regional land 245,268 acres.

Another 2,100,568 acres (5.6% of the state) are Commercial Forest land: privately owned, but under state law (MCL 324.51113) the owner may not deny the public hunting and fishing unless the DNR or the legislature closes it. They are not counted as public land here.

Michigan's public hunting ground is mostly in the north: about four million acres of state forest and the Huron-Manistee, Hiawatha and Ottawa national forests. In the southern Lower Peninsula, state game areas carry most of the public hunting, and some state parks and recreation areas are open in season.

Which state game and wildlife areas are the largest?

DNR wildlife areas and state parks open to hunting with a page of their own, largest first:

• Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park: 59,550 acres
• Allegan State Game Area: 51,518 acres
• Tahquamenon Falls State Park: 47,041 acres
• Beaver Islands State Wildlife Research Area: 43,450 acres
• St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area: 30,160 acres
• Waterloo Recreation Area: 20,463 acres
• Munuscong State Wildlife Management Area: 19,288 acres
• Barry State Game Area: 17,393 acres
• Gratiot-Saginaw State Game Area: 16,742 acres
• Wildfowl Bay State Wildlife Area: 15,814 acres
• Muskegon State Game Area: 15,735 acres
• Baraga Plains State Wildlife Management Area: 13,365 acres
• Bullock Ranch State Wildlife Management Area: 12,688 acres
• Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area: 12,141 acres
• Flat River State Game Area: 11,822 acres
• Pinckney Recreation Area: 11,698 acres
• Wilderness State Park: 11,165 acres
• Craig Lake State Park: 10,808 acres
• Shiawassee River State Game Area: 10,153 acres
• Deford State Game Area: 10,026 acres
• Maple River State Game Area: 9,966 acres
• Fish Point State Wildlife Area: 9,519 acres
• Minden City State Game Area: 9,200 acres
• Tuscola State Game Area: 9,097 acres
• Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area: 8,968 acres

176 DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting have a page of their own; each county page lists the rest.

What is Michigan's Hunting Access Program?

The DNR leases private land for public hunting through the Hunting Access Program (HAP). Its 2026 layer shows 114 active properties covering about 15,100 acres, each with the hunting it allows. Hunting Access Program land by county.

Questions hunters ask

What changed in Michigan's 2026 deer seasons?

The December season is now three days, December 4 to 6 (the Lower Peninsula December firearm season and the U.P. muzzleloader season). The early antlerless hunt moved to September 12 to 13 with the Liberty Hunt. The late antlerless season starts December 7 and runs through January 1, and the January archery and extended late antlerless seasons are gone (DNR bulletins).

How many deer were harvested in Michigan last year?

Hunters reported 295,847 deer in the 2025 license year: 153,697 antlered and 142,150 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals).

Do you have to report a deer in Michigan?

Yes. Every harvested deer must be reported within 72 hours or before the deer changes hands, whichever comes first, on paper or through the DNR's digital tag (DNR, August 2026).

Can you hunt in Michigan state parks?

In some. The DNR's map lists each park or recreation area as open, open with restrictions, or closed to hunting and trapping; the park pages here quote it. A 450-foot safety zone around occupied buildings applies.

Where these numbers come from

• Season changes: DNR bulletin, May 15, 2026; DNR bulletin, August 19, 2026.
• Deer harvest: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025).
• Wildlife areas: Michigan DNR wildlife property project areas. Parks: Michigan DNR state parks and recreation areas open to hunting. HAP: Michigan DNR Hunting Access Program properties.
• Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and the DNR's land ownership records (state forest).

FilledTag is not part of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. The DNR's hunting pages are the final word on every rule.

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