Lapeer State Game Area: hunting and access
Lapeer State Game Area is 8,603 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Lapeer County, next to Columbiaville, a state game area by the DNR's map. 7,287 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 7,241 deer in Lapeer 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 landCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landLapeer State Game AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 8,603 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Lapeer County |
| Deer harvest unit | Lapeer County |
| Kind (DNR) | state game area |
| DNR region | Southeast Lower Peninsula |
| Wildlife refuge (closed in season) | 843 acres (9.8%) |
| Open to general hunting | 7,287 acres (84.7%) |
| Nearest towns | Columbiaville (next to it), Millers Lake (2 mi) and Barnes Lake (2 mi) |
What is Lapeer State Game Area like?
The DNR's map names 6 units within Lapeer State Game Area: Northwest, Field Trial, SE-, East, Sawdel and Central.
Counted by FilledTag from the unit names on the DNR's wildlife property map.
What are the rules on Lapeer State Game Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Lapeer State Game Area: 843 acres wildlife refuge (closed in season) and 7,287 acres open to general hunting, and 473 acres not marked.
Wildlife refuge pieces are closed to entry during the seasons the DNR posts for them.
How many deer are taken around Lapeer State Game Area?
Lapeer State Game Area lies in Lapeer County. Hunters reported 7,241 deer in Lapeer County in 2025, against 6,981 in 2024.
| County | Lapeer State Game Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lapeer County | 8,603 | 7,241 | 6,981 | 6,304 |
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 Lapeer State Game Area?
Nearest towns: Columbiaville (next to it), Millers Lake (2 miles), Barnes Lake (2 miles) and Otter Lake (4 miles). Highways within 5 miles: M 24 and M 90.
What other public land is near Lapeer State Game Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Murphy Lake State Game Area: 2,717 acres, 4.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Lapeer State Game Area
Counting Lapeer State Game Area itself, 11,792 of the 85,670 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (13.8%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State game and wildlife areas | 8,557 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 2,167 |
| County, city and regional land | 830 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 238 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Lapeer State Game Area?
In Lapeer County, next to Columbiaville.
How much of Lapeer State Game Area is open to hunting?
7,287 acres are marked general hunting, 843 acres are wildlife refuge, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Lapeer State Game Area?
11,792 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Lapeer 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 Murphy Lake State Game Area (4.4 miles).
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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.