Grand Haven State Game Area: hunting and access
Grand Haven State Game Area is 1,450 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Ottawa County, next to Spring Lake, a state game area by the DNR's map. 1,199 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 3,610 deer in Ottawa 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 parks and recreation areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landGrand Haven State Game AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,450 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Ottawa County |
| Deer harvest unit | Ottawa County |
| Kind (DNR) | state game area |
| DNR region | Southwest Lower Peninsula |
| Wildlife refuge (closed in season) | 251 acres (17.3%) |
| Open to general hunting | 1,199 acres (82.7%) |
| Nearest towns | Spring Lake (next to it), Grand Haven (2 mi) and Ferrysburg (3 mi) |
What is Grand Haven State Game Area like?
The DNR's map names 7 units within Grand Haven State Game Area: Bruce Bayou, Dermo Bayou, No Hunt! No Enter! wildlife refuge, Dermo Island, SE Bayou, Grand River and Southeast.
Counted by FilledTag from the unit names on the DNR's wildlife property map.
What are the rules on Grand Haven State Game Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Grand Haven State Game Area: 251 acres wildlife refuge (closed in season) and 1,199 acres open to general hunting.
Wildlife refuge pieces are closed to entry during the seasons the DNR posts for them.
How many deer are taken around Grand Haven State Game Area?
Grand Haven State Game Area lies in Ottawa County. Hunters reported 3,610 deer in Ottawa County in 2025, against 3,263 in 2024.
| County | Grand Haven State Game Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ottawa County | 1,450 | 3,610 | 3,263 | 3,443 |
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 Grand Haven State Game Area?
Nearest towns: Spring Lake (next to it), Grand Haven (2 miles), Ferrysburg (3 miles) and Nunica (3 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 31, I-96, M 231, M 104 and M 45.
What other public land is near Grand Haven State Game Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Bass River Recreation Area: 1,663 acres, 3.6 miles away
- Bakale Wildlife Unit of Bass River State Recreation Area: 653 acres, 5.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Grand Haven State Game Area
Counting Grand Haven State Game Area itself, 2,957 of the 39,313 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (7.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| County, city and regional land | 1,518 |
| State parks and recreation areas | 939 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 500 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Grand Haven State Game Area?
In Ottawa County, next to Spring Lake.
How much of Grand Haven State Game Area is open to hunting?
1,199 acres are marked general hunting, 251 acres are wildlife refuge, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Grand Haven State Game Area?
2,957 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Grand Haven 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 Bass River Recreation Area (3.6 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.