Middleville State Game Area: hunting and access
Middleville State Game Area is 4,587 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Barry and Kent counties, next to Middleville, a state game area by the DNR's map. 4,587 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 3,695 deer in Barry 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 parks and recreation areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Middleville State Game AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 4,587 acres in 5 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Barry County and Kent County |
| Deer harvest unit | Barry County, Kent County |
| Kind (DNR) | state game area |
| DNR region | Southwest Lower Peninsula |
| Open to general hunting | 4,587 acres (100%) |
| Nearest towns | Middleville (next to it), Freeport (2 mi) and Hastings (5 mi) |
What are the rules on Middleville State Game Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Middleville State Game Area: 4,587 acres open to general hunting.
How many deer are taken around Middleville State Game Area?
Middleville State Game Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters reported 3,695 deer in Barry County in 2025, against 4,402 in 2024.
| County | Middleville State Game Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Barry County | 4,585 | 3,695 | 4,402 | 4,796 |
| Kent County | 1 | 4,222 | 4,140 | 4,868 |
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 Middleville State Game Area?
Nearest towns: Middleville (next to it), Freeport (2 miles), Hastings (5 miles) and Caledonia (5 miles). Highways within 5 miles: M 37, M 50 and M 43.
What other public land is near Middleville State Game Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Barry State Game Area: 17,393 acres, 2.8 miles away
- Edger Waterfowl Production Area: 158 acres, 3.5 miles away
- Yankee Springs Recreation Area: 3,524 acres, 5.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Middleville State Game Area
Counting Middleville State Game Area itself, 5,399 of the 56,787 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 | 4,443 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 719 |
| County, city and regional land | 232 |
| State parks and recreation areas | 5 |
Another 66 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 Middleville State Game Area?
In Barry and Kent counties, next to Middleville.
How much of Middleville State Game Area is open to hunting?
4,587 acres are marked general hunting, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Middleville State Game Area?
5,399 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Middleville 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 Barry State Game Area (2.8 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.