Haymarsh Lake State Game Area: hunting and access
Haymarsh Lake State Game Area is 6,787 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Mecosta County, next to Paris, a state game area by the DNR's map. 6,787 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 4,353 deer in Mecosta 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 landNational forestCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landHaymarsh Lake State Game AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 6,787 acres in 6 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Mecosta County |
| Deer harvest unit | Mecosta County |
| Kind (DNR) | state game area |
| DNR region | Southwest Lower Peninsula |
| Open to general hunting | 6,787 acres (100%) |
| Nearest towns | Paris (next to it), Big Rapids (4 mi) and Hersey (5 mi) |
What is Haymarsh Lake State Game Area like?
The DNR's map names 8 units within Haymarsh Lake State Game Area: South, Paris, Southwest, Featherbed, Southeast, Central, East and Northeast.
Counted by FilledTag from the unit names on the DNR's wildlife property map.
What are the rules on Haymarsh Lake State Game Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Haymarsh Lake State Game Area: 6,787 acres open to general hunting.
How many deer are taken around Haymarsh Lake State Game Area?
Haymarsh Lake State Game Area lies in Mecosta County. Hunters reported 4,353 deer in Mecosta County in 2025, against 4,747 in 2024.
| County | Haymarsh Lake State Game Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mecosta County | 6,787 | 4,353 | 4,747 | 4,674 |
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 Haymarsh Lake State Game Area?
Nearest towns: Paris (next to it), Big Rapids (4 miles), Hersey (5 miles) and Reed City (5 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 131 and M 20.
What other public land is near Haymarsh Lake State Game Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Martiny Lake State Game Area: 7,788 acres, 3.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Haymarsh Lake State Game Area
Counting Haymarsh Lake State Game Area itself, 7,588 of the 79,517 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State game and wildlife areas | 6,765 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 543 |
| County, city and regional land | 257 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 23 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Haymarsh Lake State Game Area?
In Mecosta County, next to Paris.
How much of Haymarsh Lake State Game Area is open to hunting?
6,787 acres are marked general hunting, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Haymarsh Lake State Game Area?
7,588 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Haymarsh Lake 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 Martiny Lake State Game Area (3.5 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.