Grand River State Game Area: hunting and access
Grand River State Game Area is 1,023 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Ionia County, 2 miles from Saranac, a state game area by the DNR's map. 1,023 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 6,145 deer in Ionia 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 landState parks and recreation areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landHunting Access Program landGrand River State Game AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,023 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Ionia County |
| Deer harvest unit | Ionia County |
| Kind (DNR) | state game area |
| DNR region | Southwest Lower Peninsula |
| Open to general hunting | 1,023 acres (100%) |
| Nearest towns | Saranac (2 mi), Lyons (2 mi) and Ionia (2 mi) |
What is Grand River State Game Area like?
The DNR's map names one unit within Grand River State Game Area: West.
Counted by FilledTag from the unit names on the DNR's wildlife property map.
What are the rules on Grand River State Game Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Grand River State Game Area: 1,023 acres open to general hunting.
How many deer are taken around Grand River State Game Area?
Grand River State Game Area lies in Ionia County. Hunters reported 6,145 deer in Ionia County in 2025, against 6,171 in 2024.
| County | Grand River State Game Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ionia County | 1,023 | 6,145 | 6,171 | 5,541 |
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 River State Game Area?
Nearest towns: Saranac (2 miles), Lyons (2 miles), Ionia (2 miles) and Muir (3 miles). Highways within 5 miles: M 21, I-96 and M 66. 1 HAP property within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Grand River State Game Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Saranac-Lowell State Game Area: 2,154 acres, 1.9 miles away
- Ionia Recreation Area: 4,238 acres, 3.1 miles away
- Portland State Game Area: 2,701 acres, 4 miles away
- Maple River State Game Area: 9,966 acres, 6.1 miles away
- Flat River State Game Area: 11,822 acres, 9.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Grand River State Game Area
Counting Grand River State Game Area itself, 1,577 of the 52,344 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (3%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State game and wildlife areas | 1,202 |
| County, city and regional land | 190 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 143 |
| State parks and recreation areas | 42 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Grand River State Game Area?
In Ionia County, 2 miles from Saranac.
How much of Grand River State Game Area is open to hunting?
1,023 acres are marked general hunting, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Grand River State Game Area?
1,577 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Grand River 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 Saranac-Lowell State Game Area (1.9 miles).
Get a Michigan hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Michigan are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
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.