Ortonville Recreation Area: hunting and access
Ortonville Recreation Area is 4,783 acres in Lapeer and Oakland counties, next to Ortonville, listed by the DNR as "Open" for hunting and trapping. Hunters reported 7,241 deer in Lapeer 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 forest and other DNR landState parks and recreation areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landOrtonville Recreation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 4,783 acres in 11 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Lapeer County and Oakland County |
| Deer harvest unit | Lapeer County, Oakland County |
| Hunting and trapping (DNR) | Open |
| Early goose season (DNR) | Open, 9/1 - 9/15 |
| DNR parks district | Metro Detroit |
| Nearest towns | Ortonville (next to it), Goodrich (3 mi) and Metamora (5 mi) |
What are the rules on Ortonville Recreation Area?
The DNR's map of state parks open to hunting lists Ortonville Recreation Area 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). No trapping within 50' of mowed portions of developed areas.
How many deer are taken around Ortonville Recreation Area?
Ortonville Recreation Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters reported 7,241 deer in Lapeer County in 2025, against 6,981 in 2024.
| County | Ortonville Recreation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lapeer County | 3,633 | 7,241 | 6,981 | 6,304 |
| Oakland County | 1,150 | 3,783 | 2,973 | 3,222 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the park alone: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025).
How do you get to Ortonville Recreation Area?
Nearest towns: Ortonville (next to it), Goodrich (3 miles), Metamora (5 miles) and Oxford (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: M 15 and M 24.
What other public land is near Ortonville Recreation Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Holly Recreation Area: 8,091 acres, 1.3 miles away
- Holly Wildlife Unit of Holly State Recreation Area: 3,226 acres, 1.3 miles away
- Metamora-Hadley Recreation Area: 719 acres, 1.9 miles away
- Horseshoe Lake State Game Area: 420 acres, 4.8 miles away
- Davisburg State Game Area: 110 acres, 8.6 miles away
- Bald Mountain Recreation Area: 4,520 acres, 9.7 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Ortonville Recreation Area
Counting Ortonville Recreation Area itself, 6,913 of the 52,427 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (13.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State parks and recreation areas | 5,264 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,565 |
| County, city and regional land | 57 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 27 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Ortonville Recreation Area?
In Lapeer and Oakland counties, next to Ortonville.
Can you hunt in Ortonville Recreation Area?
The DNR's map lists it as "Open" for hunting and trapping.
How much public land is around Ortonville Recreation Area?
6,913 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Ortonville Recreation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records. The closest other DNR area or park is Holly Recreation Area (1.3 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.