Alger County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land
Alger County covers 937 square miles around Munising. Hunters reported 521 deer here in the 2025 license year, 457 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is down 5% from 2024. 43.8% of Alger County is public land open to the public, the largest share national forest (129,035 acres), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: the DNR's reported deer totals, 2022 to 2025. Land: PAD-US 4.1, the DNR's land ownership records and its wildlife, parks, Commercial Forest and HAP layers.
State game and wildlife areasState forest and other DNR landNational forestNational wildlife refugesState parks and recreation areasNational park landLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Alger CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 599,873 acres (937 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 521 (457 antlered, 64 antlerless) |
| Regular firearm season, 2025 | 373 deer |
| Public land | 43.8% (262,497 acres) |
| Wildlife areas and parks | 6 (10,614 acres inside Alger County) |
| Hunting Access Program land | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Munising, Chatham, Marquette and Newberry |
How many deer are harvested in Alger County?
Hunters reported 521 deer in Alger County in 2025: 457 antlered and 64 antlerless. By season: 373 in the regular firearm season, 103 by archers (early and late segments) and 17 in the muzzleloader season.
| License year | Deer reported | Antlered | Antlerless | Regular firearm | Archery, early | Archery, late | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 521 | 457 | 64 | 373 | 94 | 9 | 17 |
| 2024 | 546 | 498 | 48 | 411 | 78 | 4 | 31 |
| 2023 | 482 | 432 | 50 | 364 | 69 | 6 | 30 |
| 2022 | 626 | 537 | 89 | 455 | 123 | 5 | 30 |
Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), Alger County. These are deer hunters reported; seasons not shown (youth, Liberty, antlerless and others) are in the total. The DNR's survey estimates, which count deer that were not reported, are higher.
How much public land is in Alger County?
262,497 of Alger County's 599,873 acres are public land open to the public (43.8%). The biggest share is national forest: 129,035 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Alger County |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 129,035 | 21.5% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 91,053 | 15.2% |
| National park land | 30,038 | 5% |
| State game and wildlife areas | 7,114 | 1.2% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 4,149 | 0.7% |
| State parks and recreation areas | 976 | 0.2% |
| County, city and regional land | 132 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 262,497 | 43.8% |
| Commercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law) | 172,105 | 28.7% |
172,105 acres of Alger County (28.7%) 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.
Measured by FilledTag inside the county line from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and the DNR's land ownership records (state forest). Hunting rules differ by manager: state game areas and state forest land are open to hunting in season unless posted; national forests are open; refuges follow U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rules; state parks and recreation areas are open, open with restrictions or closed by the DNR's map; national park land is closed to most hunting; city and county land sets its own rules.
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in Alger County
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in Alger County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Au Train Basin State Wildlife Management Area: 5,902 acres
- Cusino State Wildlife Research Area: 1,538 acres
- Melstrand Grouse Enhanced Management System: 1,226 acres
- Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park: 970 acres
- Au Train Basin SWMA, Upper Peninsula Power Co. cooperative land: 940 acres
- Wagner Falls Scenic Site: 38 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Hiawatha National Forest (129,134 acres), Shingleton State Forest Area (69,593 acres), Michigan State University (988 acres) and Au Train Basin State Wildlife Research Area (283 acres).
How do you get to Alger County?
Highways through it: M 94 (about 36 miles inside), M 77 (about 13 miles inside), US 41 (about 11 miles inside), M 28 (about 10 miles inside) and M 67 (about 8 miles inside). Towns inside: Munising and Chatham. Nearby: Marquette (14 miles) and Newberry (20 miles).
Which counties border Alger County?
Alger County touches 4 other counties. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Hunting Access Program land sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Luce County | 260 | 2025 | 56.5% | |
| Delta County | 3,565 | 2025 | 42% | |
| Marquette County | 1,502 | 2025 | 24.7% | |
| Schoolcraft County | 790 | 2025 | 66% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Alger County in 2025?
Hunters reported 521 deer: 457 antlered and 64 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 546.
Is there public hunting land in Alger County?
Yes. 262,497 acres, 43.8% of the county, are public land open to the public by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records, the largest share national forest (129,035 acres). The DNR's maps show 6 wildlife areas and parks open to hunting here.
Does Alger County have Hunting Access Program land?
Not on the DNR's 2026 layer of active HAP properties.
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer 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). state game areas: Michigan DNR wildlife property project areas. Hunting Access Program land: Michigan DNR Hunting Access Program properties.
- Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 cartographic county boundaries. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Numbers are copied from the DNR and the federal sources above, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
Michigan hunting Luce County Delta County Marquette County Schoolcraft County