Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area: hunting and access
Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area is 12,141 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Missaukee and Roscommon counties, 2 miles from Houghton Lake, a state wildlife research area by the DNR's map. 12,141 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 2,503 deer in Missaukee 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 areasLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 12,141 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Missaukee County and Roscommon County |
| Deer harvest unit | Missaukee County, Roscommon County |
| Kind (DNR) | state wildlife research area |
| DNR region | Northern Lower Peninsula |
| Open to general hunting | 12,141 acres (100%) |
| Nearest towns | Houghton Lake (2 mi), Prudenville (6 mi) and Falmouth (9 mi) |
What are the rules on Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area: 12,141 acres open to general hunting.
How many deer are taken around Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area?
Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters reported 2,503 deer in Missaukee County in 2025, against 2,967 in 2024.
| County | Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Missaukee County | 6,794 | 2,503 | 2,967 | 2,641 |
| Roscommon County | 5,347 | 1,993 | 2,201 | 2,013 |
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 Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area?
Nearest towns: Houghton Lake (2 miles), Prudenville (6 miles), Falmouth (9 miles) and Lake City (15 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 27 and M 55.
What other public land is near Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Houghton Lake Flats South Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 992 acres, 0.6 miles away
- Bear Creek Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 943 acres, 1 mile away
- Dead Stream Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 1,024 acres, 1.4 miles away
- Osceola-Missaukee Grasslands State Game Area: 1,260 acres, 1.6 miles away
- Wraco Lodge Lake Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 2,019 acres, 2.3 miles away
- Houghton Lake Flats North Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 839 acres, 2.5 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area
Counting Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area itself, 28,065 of the 66,785 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (42%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State game and wildlife areas | 14,728 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 13,159 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 177 |
| State parks and recreation areas | 1 |
Another 39 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 Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area?
In Missaukee and Roscommon counties, 2 miles from Houghton Lake.
How much of Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area is open to hunting?
12,141 acres are marked general hunting, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area?
28,065 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records. The closest other DNR area or park is Houghton Lake Flats South Flooding State Wildlife Management Area (0.6 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.