Calhoun County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land
Calhoun County covers 718 square miles around Battle Creek. Hunters reported 5,784 deer here in the 2025 license year, 2,867 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is up 5% from 2024. 1.1% of Calhoun County is public land open to the public, the largest share land trusts and other open land (2,918 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 park landCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landHunting Access Program landCalhoun CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 459,768 acres (718 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 5,784 (2,867 antlered, 2,917 antlerless) |
| Regular firearm season, 2025 | 2,435 deer |
| Public land | 1.1% (5,032 acres) |
| Wildlife areas and parks | None mapped |
| Hunting Access Program land | 2 sites, 107 acres |
| Towns in and near it | Battle Creek, Marshall, Albion, Union City, Springport and Olivet |
How many deer are harvested in Calhoun County?
Hunters reported 5,784 deer in Calhoun County in 2025: 2,867 antlered and 2,917 antlerless. By season: 2,435 in the regular firearm season, 1,501 by archers (early and late segments) and 575 in the muzzleloader season.
| License year | Deer reported | Antlered | Antlerless | Regular firearm | Archery, early | Archery, late | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 5,784 | 2,867 | 2,917 | 2,435 | 1,451 | 50 | 575 |
| 2024 | 5,513 | 2,746 | 2,767 | 2,271 | 1,333 | 58 | 623 |
| 2023 | 6,048 | 3,366 | 2,682 | 2,663 | 1,846 | 54 | 438 |
| 2022 | 6,057 | 3,462 | 2,595 | 2,781 | 1,862 | 56 | 556 |
Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), Calhoun 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 Calhoun County?
5,032 of Calhoun County's 459,768 acres are public land open to the public (1.1%). The biggest share is land trusts and other open land: 2,918 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Calhoun County |
|---|---|---|
| Land trusts and other open land | 2,918 | 0.6% |
| County, city and regional land | 1,967 | 0.4% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 147 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 5,032 | 1.1% |
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.
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Whitehouse Nature Center (147 acres).
Hunting Access Program land in Calhoun County
The DNR's 2026 layer shows 2 active Hunting Access Program properties in Calhoun County, 107 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 Calhoun County?
Highways through it: I-94 (about 62 miles inside), US 27 (about 51 miles inside), I-69 (about 51 miles inside), M 66 (about 31 miles inside) and M 60 (about 26 miles inside). Towns inside: Battle Creek, Marshall, Albion, Springfield, Homer and Athens. Nearby: Union City (on the line), Springport (on the line), Olivet (on the line) and Bellevue (2 miles).
Which counties border Calhoun County?
Calhoun County touches 7 other counties. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Hunting Access Program land sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barry County | 3,695 | 2025 | 8.4% | |
| Eaton County | 5,870 | 2025 | 1% | |
| Branch County | 5,674 | 2025 | 0.3% | |
| Jackson County | 6,674 | 2025 | 4.5% | 1 |
| Hillsdale County | 6,767 | 2025 | 1.1% | 4 |
| Kalamazoo County | 3,329 | 2025 | 3.9% | |
| St. Joseph County | 2,370 | 2025 | 1.3% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Calhoun County in 2025?
Hunters reported 5,784 deer: 2,867 antlered and 2,917 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 5,513.
Is there public hunting land in Calhoun County?
Yes. 5,032 acres, 1.1% 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 land trusts and other open land (2,918 acres).
Does Calhoun County have Hunting Access Program land?
Yes. 2 active properties, 107 acres, on the DNR's 2026 layer.
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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 Barry County Eaton County Branch County Jackson County Hillsdale County Kalamazoo County St. Joseph County