Dansville State Game Area: hunting and access
Dansville State Game Area is 5,006 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Ingham County, 2 miles from Dansville, a state game area by the DNR's map. 5,006 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 5,420 deer in Ingham 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 landDansville State Game AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 5,006 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Ingham County |
| Deer harvest unit | Ingham County |
| Kind (DNR) | state game area |
| DNR region | Southwest Lower Peninsula |
| Open to general hunting | 5,006 acres (100%) |
| Nearest towns | Dansville (2 mi), Mason (5 mi) and Leslie (6 mi) |
What are the rules on Dansville State Game Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Dansville State Game Area: 5,006 acres open to general hunting.
How many deer are taken around Dansville State Game Area?
Dansville State Game Area lies in Ingham County. Hunters reported 5,420 deer in Ingham County in 2025, against 5,502 in 2024.
| County | Dansville State Game Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ingham County | 5,006 | 5,420 | 5,502 | 4,709 |
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 Dansville State Game Area?
Nearest towns: Dansville (2 miles), Mason (5 miles), Leslie (6 miles) and Stockbridge (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: M 36, US 127 and M 52.
What other public land is near Dansville State Game Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Waterloo Recreation Area: 20,463 acres, 7.6 miles away
- Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area: 5,784 acres, 7.6 miles away
- Unadilla State Wildlife Area: 1,190 acres, 8.3 miles away
- Malan Waterfowl Production Area: 142 acres, 8.5 miles away
- Gregory State Game Area: 2,708 acres, 9.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Dansville State Game Area
Counting Dansville State Game Area itself, 5,079 of the 49,875 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (10.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State game and wildlife areas | 4,755 |
| County, city and regional land | 284 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 40 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Dansville State Game Area?
In Ingham County, 2 miles from Dansville.
How much of Dansville State Game Area is open to hunting?
5,006 acres are marked general hunting, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Dansville State Game Area?
5,079 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Dansville 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 Waterloo Recreation Area (7.6 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.