Antrim County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land
Antrim County covers 525 square miles around Bellaire. Hunters reported 2,153 deer here in the 2025 license year, 1,020 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is down 17% from 2024. 14.1% of Antrim County is public land open to the public, the largest share state forest and other DNR land (43,912 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 wildlife refugesState parks and recreation areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Antrim CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 336,047 acres (525 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 2,153 (1,020 antlered, 1,133 antlerless) |
| Regular firearm season, 2025 | 1,003 deer |
| Public land | 14.1% (47,387 acres) |
| Wildlife areas and parks | 2 (164 acres inside Antrim County) |
| Hunting Access Program land | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Bellaire, Elk Rapids, Mancelona, East Jordan, Boyne Falls and Boyne City |
How many deer are harvested in Antrim County?
Hunters reported 2,153 deer in Antrim County in 2025: 1,020 antlered and 1,133 antlerless. By season: 1,003 in the regular firearm season, 535 by archers (early and late segments) and 229 in the muzzleloader season.
| License year | Deer reported | Antlered | Antlerless | Regular firearm | Archery, early | Archery, late | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,153 | 1,020 | 1,133 | 1,003 | 505 | 30 | 229 |
| 2024 | 2,588 | 1,178 | 1,410 | 1,240 | 554 | 39 | 232 |
| 2023 | 2,004 | 1,114 | 890 | 1,128 | 511 | 21 | 71 |
| 2022 | 2,271 | 1,248 | 1,023 | 1,356 | 557 | 25 | 87 |
Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), Antrim 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 Antrim County?
47,387 of Antrim County's 336,047 acres are public land open to the public (14.1%). The biggest share is state forest and other DNR land: 43,912 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Antrim County |
|---|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 43,912 | 13.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 2,153 | 0.6% |
| County, city and regional land | 1,177 | 0.4% |
| National wildlife refuges | 97 | under 0.1% |
| State game and wildlife areas | 48 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 47,387 | 14.1% |
| Commercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law) | 3,981 | 1.2% |
3,981 acres of Antrim County (1.2%) 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 Antrim County
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in Antrim County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Skegemog Lake State Wildlife Management Area: 103 acres
- Petobego State Game Area: 61 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Jordan River Natural Area (1,569 acres) and Jordan River National Fish Hatchery (102 acres).
How do you get to Antrim County?
Highways through it: US 31 (about 25 miles inside), M 88 (about 23 miles inside), M 66 (about 20 miles inside) and M 32 (about 12 miles inside). Towns inside: Bellaire, Elk Rapids, Mancelona, Central Lake, Ellsworth and Lakes of the North. Nearby: East Jordan (2 miles), Boyne Falls (4 miles), Boyne City (7 miles) and Charlevoix (7 miles).
Which counties border Antrim County?
Antrim County touches 5 other counties. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Hunting Access Program land sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otsego County | 1,200 | 2025 | 30.8% | |
| Crawford County | 1,535 | 2025 | 59.8% | |
| Kalkaska County | 1,298 | 2025 | 44.7% | |
| Charlevoix County | 1,380 | 2025 | 21.9% | |
| Grand Traverse County | 1,837 | 2025 | 22.5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Antrim County in 2025?
Hunters reported 2,153 deer: 1,020 antlered and 1,133 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 2,588.
Is there public hunting land in Antrim County?
Yes. 47,387 acres, 14.1% 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 state forest and other DNR land (43,912 acres). The DNR's maps show 2 wildlife areas and parks open to hunting here.
Does Antrim 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 Otsego County Crawford County Kalkaska County Charlevoix County Grand Traverse County