Gladwin State Game Area: hunting and access
Gladwin State Game Area is 1,216 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Clare and Gladwin counties, next to Gladwin, a state game area by the DNR's map. 1,216 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 game and wildlife areasState forest and other DNR landCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Gladwin State Game AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,216 acres in 5 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Clare County and Gladwin County |
| Deer harvest unit | Clare County, Gladwin County |
| Kind (DNR) | state game area |
| DNR region | Northern Lower Peninsula |
| Open to general hunting | 1,216 acres (100%) |
| Nearest towns | Gladwin (next to it), Beaverton (3 mi) and Harrison (5 mi) |
What are the rules on Gladwin State Game Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Gladwin State Game Area: 1,216 acres open to general hunting.
How many deer are taken around Gladwin State Game Area?
Gladwin State Game Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters reported 4,230 deer in Clare County in 2025, against 4,280 in 2024.
| County | Gladwin State Game Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clare County | 668 | 4,230 | 4,280 | 4,051 |
| Gladwin County | 548 | 4,585 | 4,530 | 3,743 |
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 Gladwin State Game Area?
Nearest towns: Gladwin (next to it), Beaverton (3 miles), Harrison (5 miles) and Clare (10 miles). Highways within 5 miles: M 18, M 61 and US 27.
What other public land is near Gladwin State Game Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Gladwin Field Trial Area and Wildlife Unit of State Forest: 4,753 acres, 5.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Gladwin State Game Area
Counting Gladwin State Game Area itself, 5,869 of the 89,274 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 |
|---|---|
| Land trusts and other open land | 3,790 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 1,262 |
| County, city and regional land | 410 |
| State game and wildlife areas | 407 |
Another 40 acres within 3 miles 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.
Questions hunters ask
Where is Gladwin State Game Area?
In Clare and Gladwin counties, next to Gladwin.
How much of Gladwin State Game Area is open to hunting?
1,216 acres are marked general hunting, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Gladwin State Game Area?
5,869 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Gladwin 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 Gladwin Field Trial Area and Wildlife Unit of State Forest (5.6 miles).
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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.