Duck Lake State Park: hunting and access
Duck Lake State Park is 739 acres in Muskegon County, 4 miles from Whitehall, listed by the DNR as "Open" for hunting and trapping. Hunters reported 2,819 deer in Muskegon County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's state parks hunting data, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR reported deer harvest, 2022 to 2025.
State forest and other DNR landState parks and recreation areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landDuck Lake State ParkCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 739 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Muskegon County |
| Deer harvest unit | Muskegon County |
| Hunting and trapping (DNR) | Open |
| Early goose season (DNR) | Closed |
| DNR parks district | Plainwell |
| Nearest towns | Whitehall (4 mi), Montague (4 mi) and Lakewood Club (6 mi) |
What are the rules on Duck Lake State Park?
The DNR's map of state parks open to hunting lists Duck Lake State Park as "Open" for hunting and trapping.
The DNR's note: Standard 450' Safety Zones apply around occupied buildings (not shown).
How many deer are taken around Duck Lake State Park?
Duck Lake State Park lies in Muskegon County. Hunters reported 2,819 deer in Muskegon County in 2025, against 2,936 in 2024.
| County | Duck Lake State Park acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Muskegon County | 727 | 2,819 | 2,936 | 2,985 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the park alone: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025).
How do you get to Duck Lake State Park?
Nearest towns: Whitehall (4 miles), Montague (4 miles), Lakewood Club (6 miles) and North Muskegon (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 31.
What other public land is near Duck Lake State Park?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Muskegon State Game Area: 15,735 acres, 9.3 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Duck Lake State Park
Counting Duck Lake State Park itself, 976 of the 28,173 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (3.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State parks and recreation areas | 766 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 145 |
| County, city and regional land | 65 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Duck Lake State Park?
In Muskegon County, 4 miles from Whitehall.
Can you hunt in Duck Lake State Park?
The DNR's map lists it as "Open" for hunting and trapping.
How much public land is around Duck Lake State Park?
976 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Duck Lake State Park included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records. The closest other DNR area or park is Muskegon State Game Area (9.3 miles).
Get a Michigan hunt plan when they open
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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.