Rose Lake State Wildlife Area: hunting and access
Rose Lake State Wildlife Area is 4,092 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Clinton and Shiawassee counties, 2 miles from Shaftsburg, a state wildlife management area by the DNR's map. 3,967 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 6,947 deer in Clinton 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 areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landHunting Access Program landRose Lake State Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 4,092 acres in 4 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Clinton County and Shiawassee County |
| Deer harvest unit | Clinton County, Shiawassee County |
| Kind (DNR) | state wildlife management area |
| DNR region | Southwest Lower Peninsula |
| No hunting or safety zone | 125 acres (3.1%) |
| Open to general hunting | 3,967 acres (96.9%) |
| Nearest towns | Shaftsburg (2 mi), Haslett (2 mi) and Bath (2 mi) |
What is Rose Lake State Wildlife Area like?
The DNR's map names 10 units within Rose Lake State Wildlife Area: Orange, Green, Red, Brown, Blue, Yellow, White, parking, parkg and park.
Counted by FilledTag from the unit names on the DNR's wildlife property map.
What are the rules on Rose Lake State Wildlife Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Rose Lake State Wildlife Area: 125 acres no hunting or safety zone and 3,967 acres open to general hunting.
No-hunting and safety-zone pieces are posted; Michigan's 450-foot safety zone around occupied buildings applies everywhere.
How many deer are taken around Rose Lake State Wildlife Area?
Rose Lake State Wildlife Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters reported 6,947 deer in Clinton County in 2025, against 6,613 in 2024.
| County | Rose Lake State Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Clinton County | 3,157 | 6,947 | 6,613 | 5,935 |
| Shiawassee County | 935 | 6,577 | 6,170 | 5,386 |
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 Rose Lake State Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Shaftsburg (2 miles), Haslett (2 miles), Bath (2 miles) and East Lansing (4 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-69, US 127 and M 43.
What other public land is near Rose Lake State Wildlife Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Sleepy Hollow State Park: 2,398 acres, 6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Rose Lake State Wildlife Area
Counting Rose Lake State Wildlife Area itself, 6,027 of the 46,934 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (12.8%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State game and wildlife areas | 4,074 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,028 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 474 |
| County, city and regional land | 451 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Rose Lake State Wildlife Area?
In Clinton and Shiawassee counties, 2 miles from Shaftsburg.
How much of Rose Lake State Wildlife Area is open to hunting?
3,967 acres are marked general hunting, and 125 acres are no-hunting or safety zones, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Rose Lake State Wildlife Area?
6,027 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Rose Lake State Wildlife Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records. The closest other DNR area or park is Sleepy Hollow State Park (6 miles).
Get a Michigan hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Michigan are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
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.