Cheboygan County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land
Cheboygan County covers 796 square miles around Cheboygan. Hunters reported 1,874 deer here in the 2025 license year, 1,237 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is down 15% from 2024. 40.1% of Cheboygan County is public land open to the public, the largest share state forest and other DNR land (187,580 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 areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Hunting Access Program landCheboygan CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 509,147 acres (796 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 1,874 (1,237 antlered, 637 antlerless) |
| Regular firearm season, 2025 | 1,173 deer |
| Public land | 40.1% (204,375 acres) |
| Wildlife areas and parks | 6 (11,074 acres inside Cheboygan County) |
| Hunting Access Program land | 3 sites, 126 acres |
| Towns in and near it | Cheboygan, Wolverine, Indian River, Onaway, Mackinaw City and Pellston |
How many deer are harvested in Cheboygan County?
Hunters reported 1,874 deer in Cheboygan County in 2025: 1,237 antlered and 637 antlerless. By season: 1,173 in the regular firearm season, 400 by archers (early and late segments) and 190 in the muzzleloader season.
| License year | Deer reported | Antlered | Antlerless | Regular firearm | Archery, early | Archery, late | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,874 | 1,237 | 637 | 1,173 | 372 | 28 | 190 |
| 2024 | 2,203 | 1,383 | 820 | 1,373 | 464 | 30 | 193 |
| 2023 | 1,790 | 1,170 | 620 | 1,226 | 349 | 26 | 47 |
| 2022 | 2,129 | 1,382 | 747 | 1,461 | 457 | 35 | 48 |
Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), Cheboygan 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 Cheboygan County?
204,375 of Cheboygan County's 509,147 acres are public land open to the public (40.1%). The biggest share is state forest and other DNR land: 187,580 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Cheboygan County |
|---|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 187,580 | 36.8% |
| State game and wildlife areas | 7,591 | 1.5% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 7,591 | 1.5% |
| State parks and recreation areas | 1,453 | 0.3% |
| County, city and regional land | 129 | under 0.1% |
| National forest | 29 | under 0.1% |
| National wildlife refuges | 2 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 204,375 | 40.1% |
| Commercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law) | 659 | 0.1% |
659 acres of Cheboygan 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 Cheboygan County
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in Cheboygan County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Dingman Marsh Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 4,866 acres
- Lee Grande Ranch Grouse Enhanced Management System: 2,401 acres
- Dog Lake Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 1,665 acres
- Stoney Creek Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 1,110 acres
- Cheboygan State Park: 1,014 acres
- Mud Creek Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 18 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Pigeon River Country State Forest Area (53,329 acres), Atlanta State Forest Area (20,300 acres), University of Michigan Biological Station (6,810 acres), Old Mill Historic Park (565 acres), Natural Area Duck Lake-Mud Lake (235 acres), Pine Tract Natural Area (180 acres) and Natural Area Grindstone Creek Wild Area (160 acres).
Hunting Access Program land in Cheboygan County
The DNR's 2026 layer shows 3 active Hunting Access Program properties in Cheboygan County, 126 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 Cheboygan County?
Highways through it: I-75 (about 86 miles inside), M 33 (about 26 miles inside), M 27 (about 16 miles inside) and M 68 (about 13 miles inside). Towns inside: Cheboygan, Wolverine, Indian River and Tower. Nearby: Onaway (on the line), Mackinaw City (on the line), Pellston (3 miles) and Alanson (3 miles).
Which counties border Cheboygan County?
Cheboygan 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emmet County | 1,158 | 2025 | 27% | |
| Otsego County | 1,200 | 2025 | 30.8% | |
| Charlevoix County | 1,380 | 2025 | 21.9% | |
| Montmorency County | 2,465 | 2025 | 40.4% | 4 |
| Presque Isle County | 3,630 | 2025 | 20.9% | 4 |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Cheboygan County in 2025?
Hunters reported 1,874 deer: 1,237 antlered and 637 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 2,203.
Is there public hunting land in Cheboygan County?
Yes. 204,375 acres, 40.1% 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 (187,580 acres). The DNR's maps show 6 wildlife areas and parks open to hunting here.
Does Cheboygan County have Hunting Access Program land?
Yes. 3 active properties, 126 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 Emmet County Otsego County Charlevoix County Montmorency County Presque Isle County