Berrien County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land
Berrien County covers 580 square miles around Niles. Hunters reported 2,546 deer here in the 2025 license year, 1,269 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is down 8% from 2024, and the fewest in the 4 years shown. 2.9% of Berrien County is public land open to the public, the largest share county, city and regional land (4,512 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 parks and recreation areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Hunting Access Program landBerrien CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 371,513 acres (580 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 2,546 (1,269 antlered, 1,277 antlerless) |
| Regular firearm season, 2025 | 1,036 deer |
| Public land | 2.9% (10,911 acres) |
| Wildlife areas and parks | 4 (1,913 acres inside Berrien County) |
| Hunting Access Program land | 6 sites, 1,495 acres |
| Towns in and near it | Niles, Benton Harbor, St. Joseph, Hartford, Dowagiac and Edwardsburg |
How many deer are harvested in Berrien County?
Hunters reported 2,546 deer in Berrien County in 2025: 1,269 antlered and 1,277 antlerless. By season: 1,036 in the regular firearm season, 808 by archers (early and late segments) and 244 in the muzzleloader season.
| License year | Deer reported | Antlered | Antlerless | Regular firearm | Archery, early | Archery, late | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,546 | 1,269 | 1,277 | 1,036 | 757 | 51 | 244 |
| 2024 | 2,766 | 1,426 | 1,340 | 1,145 | 795 | 55 | 279 |
| 2023 | 2,753 | 1,550 | 1,203 | 1,204 | 997 | 47 | 170 |
| 2022 | 2,835 | 1,600 | 1,235 | 1,241 | 995 | 60 | 246 |
Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), Berrien 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 Berrien County?
10,911 of Berrien County's 371,513 acres are public land open to the public (2.9%). The biggest share is county, city and regional land: 4,512 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Berrien County |
|---|---|---|
| County, city and regional land | 4,512 | 1.2% |
| State parks and recreation areas | 2,974 | 0.8% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 2,965 | 0.8% |
| State game and wildlife areas | 449 | 0.1% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 11 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 10,911 | 2.9% |
| Commercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law) | 225 | 0.1% |
225 acres of Berrien County (0.1%) 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 Berrien County
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in Berrien County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Warren Dunes State Park: 750 acres
- Grand Mere State Park: 692 acres
- Boyle Lake State Wildlife Area: 428 acres
- Webster Lake (Berrien Township No.1) State Game Area: 43 acres
Hunting Access Program land in Berrien County
The DNR's 2026 layer shows 6 active Hunting Access Program properties in Berrien County, 1,495 acres of private land leased for public hunting. Each property's listing says which hunting it allows and how to check in. DNR Hunting Access Program.
How do you get to Berrien County?
Highways through it: I-94 (about 86 miles inside), US 31 (about 77 miles inside), US 12 (about 37 miles inside), I-196 (about 17 miles inside) and M 139 (about 11 miles inside). Towns inside: Niles, Benton Harbor, St. Joseph, Bridgman, Buchanan and New Buffalo. Nearby: Hartford (3 miles), Dowagiac (6 miles), Edwardsburg (7 miles) and Bangor (7 miles).
Which counties border Berrien County?
Berrien County touches 2 other counties. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Hunting Access Program land sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cass County | 1,713 | 2025 | 2.6% | |
| Van Buren County | 3,648 | 2025 | 1.6% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Berrien County in 2025?
Hunters reported 2,546 deer: 1,269 antlered and 1,277 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 2,766.
Is there public hunting land in Berrien County?
Yes. 10,911 acres, 2.9% 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 county, city and regional land (4,512 acres). The DNR's maps show 4 wildlife areas and parks open to hunting here.
Does Berrien County have Hunting Access Program land?
Yes. 6 active properties, 1,495 acres, on the DNR's 2026 layer.
Get a Michigan hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Michigan are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
Until then, the free FilledTag app for iPhone has a map that works in every state, Michigan included.
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.