Crow Island State Game Area: hunting and access
Crow Island State Game Area is 4,132 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Saginaw and Bay counties, next to Zilwaukee, a state game area by the DNR's map. 3,045 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 9,369 deer in Saginaw County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's state game area data, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR reported deer harvest, 2022 to 2025.
State game and wildlife areasState forest and other DNR landCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landCrow Island State Game AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 4,132 acres in 13 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Saginaw County and Bay County |
| Deer harvest unit | Saginaw County, Bay County |
| Kind (DNR) | state game area |
| DNR region | Southeast Lower Peninsula |
| Wildlife refuge (closed in season) | 977 acres (23.7%) |
| No hunting or safety zone | 12 acres (0.3%) |
| Open to general hunting | 3,045 acres (73.7%) |
| Nearest towns | Zilwaukee (next to it), Robin Glen-Indiantown (3 mi) and Bay City (3 mi) |
What is Crow Island State Game Area like?
The DNR's map names 9 units within Crow Island State Game Area: Davis main, Main / Stork, Plowdry main, Greenhead, East main, North Main, road, road shoulder in easement and land (road shoulder).
Counted by FilledTag from the unit names on the DNR's wildlife property map.
What are the rules on Crow Island State Game Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Crow Island State Game Area: 977 acres wildlife refuge (closed in season), 12 acres no hunting or safety zone and 3,045 acres open to general hunting, and 97 acres not marked.
Wildlife refuge pieces are closed to entry during the seasons the DNR posts for them.
No-hunting and safety-zone pieces are posted; Michigan's 450-foot safety zone around occupied buildings applies everywhere.
How many deer are taken around Crow Island State Game Area?
Crow Island State Game Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters reported 9,369 deer in Saginaw County in 2025, against 7,932 in 2024.
| County | Crow Island State Game Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Saginaw County | 3,201 | 9,369 | 7,932 | 6,232 |
| Bay County | 931 | 2,573 | 2,321 | 1,844 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the game area alone: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025).
How do you get to Crow Island State Game Area?
Nearest towns: Zilwaukee (next to it), Robin Glen-Indiantown (3 miles), Bay City (3 miles) and Buena Vista (4 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-75, US 23, M 13, M 84 and M 15.
What other public land is near Crow Island State Game Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge (cooperator): 10,256 acres, 6.5 miles away
- Quanicassee State Wildlife Area: 5,209 acres, 7.4 miles away
- Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park: 2,089 acres, 8.3 miles away
- Bay City State Park: 1,044 acres, 8.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Crow Island State Game Area
Counting Crow Island State Game Area itself, 5,822 of the 49,238 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (11.8%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State game and wildlife areas | 3,644 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,367 |
| County, city and regional land | 488 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 323 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Crow Island State Game Area?
In Saginaw and Bay counties, next to Zilwaukee.
How much of Crow Island State Game Area is open to hunting?
3,045 acres are marked general hunting, 977 acres are wildlife refuge, and 12 acres are no-hunting or safety zones, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Crow Island State Game Area?
5,822 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Crow Island State Game Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records. The closest other DNR area or park is Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge (cooperator) (6.5 miles).
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 facts come from
- Area description, species, rules and directions: Michigan DNR wildlife property project areas.
- Boundary and acres: the DNR's map layer above. Surrounding public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and the DNR's land ownership records (state forest).
- Deer harvest: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025).
FilledTag is not part of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Check the DNR's rules and posted signs before you go.