Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park: hunting and access
Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park is 970 acres in Alger County, 7 miles from Chatham, listed by the DNR as "Open" for hunting and trapping. Hunters reported 521 deer in Alger County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's state parks hunting data, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR reported deer harvest, 2022 to 2025.
State game and wildlife areasState forest and other DNR landNational forestState parks and recreation areasLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Laughing Whitefish Falls State ParkCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 970 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Alger County |
| Deer harvest unit | Alger County |
| Hunting and trapping (DNR) | Open |
| Early goose season (DNR) | Open, 9/1 - 9/15 |
| DNR parks district | Eastern UP |
| Nearest towns | Chatham (7 mi), K. I. Sawyer (14 mi) and Harvey (14 mi) |
What are the rules on Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park?
The DNR's map of state parks open to hunting lists Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park as "Open" for hunting and trapping.
Open for the early goose season (9/1 - 9/15), by the DNR's map.
The DNR's note: Standard 450' Safety Zones apply around occupied buildings (not shown).
How many deer are taken around Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park?
Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park lies in Alger County. Hunters reported 521 deer in Alger County in 2025, against 546 in 2024.
| County | Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alger County | 970 | 521 | 546 | 482 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the park alone: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025).
How do you get to Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park?
Nearest towns: Chatham (7 miles), K. I. Sawyer (14 miles), Harvey (14 miles) and Gwinn (18 miles). Highways within 5 miles: M 94.
What other public land is near Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Sand River / Jeske Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 850 acres, 5.5 miles away
- Lake LaVasseur Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 403 acres, 7.7 miles away
- Au Train Basin State Wildlife Management Area: 5,902 acres, 8.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park
Counting Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park itself, 5,787 of the 32,129 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (18%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| National forest | 2,788 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,963 |
| State parks and recreation areas | 971 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 65 |
Another 11,595 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 Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park?
In Alger County, 7 miles from Chatham.
Can you hunt in Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park?
The DNR's map lists it as "Open" for hunting and trapping.
How much public land is around Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park?
5,787 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records. The closest other DNR area or park is Sand River / Jeske Flooding State Wildlife Management Area (5.5 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.