Gourdneck State Game Area: hunting and access
Gourdneck State Game Area is 2,297 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Kalamazoo County, next to Portage, a state game area by the DNR's map. 1,912 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 3,329 deer in Kalamazoo 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 areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landGourdneck State Game AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,297 acres in 4 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Kalamazoo County |
| Deer harvest unit | Kalamazoo County |
| Kind (DNR) | state game area |
| DNR region | Southwest Lower Peninsula |
| No hunting or safety zone | 385 acres (16.8%) |
| Open to general hunting | 1,912 acres (83.2%) |
| Nearest towns | Portage (next to it), Schoolcraft (2 mi) and Vicksburg (3 mi) |
What is Gourdneck State Game Area like?
The DNR's map names 3 units within Gourdneck State Game Area: North, Central and Gourdneck Lk.
Counted by FilledTag from the unit names on the DNR's wildlife property map.
What are the rules on Gourdneck State Game Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Gourdneck State Game Area: 385 acres no hunting or safety zone and 1,912 acres open to general hunting.
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 Gourdneck State Game Area?
Gourdneck State Game Area lies in Kalamazoo County. Hunters reported 3,329 deer in Kalamazoo County in 2025, against 3,230 in 2024.
| County | Gourdneck State Game Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kalamazoo County | 2,297 | 3,329 | 3,230 | 3,689 |
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 Gourdneck State Game Area?
Nearest towns: Portage (next to it), Schoolcraft (2 miles), Vicksburg (3 miles) and Kalamazoo (5 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 131 and I-94.
What other public land is near Gourdneck State Game Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Cornish State Game Area: 490 acres, 9.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Gourdneck State Game Area
Counting Gourdneck State Game Area itself, 3,622 of the 45,726 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (7.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State game and wildlife areas | 2,158 |
| County, city and regional land | 1,041 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 423 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Gourdneck State Game Area?
In Kalamazoo County, next to Portage.
How much of Gourdneck State Game Area is open to hunting?
1,912 acres are marked general hunting, and 385 acres are no-hunting or safety zones, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Gourdneck State Game Area?
3,622 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Gourdneck 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 Cornish State Game Area (9.6 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.