Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area is 1,887 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Clare County, next to Farwell, a state wildlife management area by the DNR's map. 1,887 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 4,230 deer in Clare 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 forest and other DNR landCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landDeadman Swamp State Wildlife Management AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,887 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Clare County |
| Deer harvest unit | Clare County |
| Kind (DNR) | state wildlife management area |
| DNR region | Northern Lower Peninsula |
| Open to general hunting | 1,887 acres (100%) |
| Nearest towns | Farwell (next to it), Clare (6 mi) and Weidman (8 mi) |
What is Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area like?
The DNR's map names 2 units within Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area: NW portion and NE portion.
Counted by FilledTag from the unit names on the DNR's wildlife property map.
What are the rules on Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area: 1,887 acres open to general hunting.
How many deer are taken around Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area?
Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area lies in Clare County. Hunters reported 4,230 deer in Clare County in 2025, against 4,280 in 2024.
| County | Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clare County | 1,887 | 4,230 | 4,280 | 4,051 |
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 Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area?
Nearest towns: Farwell (next to it), Clare (6 miles), Weidman (8 miles) and Beal City (10 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 10 and M 115.
What other public land is near Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area?
Public land within 3 miles of Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area
Counting Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area itself, 2,510 of the 37,838 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (6.6%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 2,103 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 372 |
| County, city and regional land | 35 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area?
In Clare County, next to Farwell.
How much of Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area is open to hunting?
1,887 acres are marked general hunting, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area?
2,510 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
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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.