Rush Lake State Game Area: hunting and access
Rush Lake State Game Area is 2,276 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Huron County, 4 miles from Caseville, a state game area by the DNR's map. 2,275 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 5,455 deer in Huron 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 landRush Lake State Game AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,276 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Huron County |
| Deer harvest unit | Huron County |
| Kind (DNR) | state game area |
| DNR region | Southeast Lower Peninsula |
| No hunting or safety zone | 1 acres (under 0.1%) |
| Open to general hunting | 2,275 acres (100%) |
| Nearest towns | Caseville (4 mi), Kinde (8 mi) and Port Austin (9 mi) |
What are the rules on Rush Lake State Game Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Rush Lake State Game Area: 1 acres no hunting or safety zone and 2,275 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 Rush Lake State Game Area?
Rush Lake State Game Area lies in Huron County. Hunters reported 5,455 deer in Huron County in 2025, against 5,362 in 2024.
| County | Rush Lake State Game Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Huron County | 2,276 | 5,455 | 5,362 | 4,794 |
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 Rush Lake State Game Area?
Nearest towns: Caseville (4 miles), Kinde (8 miles), Port Austin (9 miles) and Elkton (9 miles). Highways within 5 miles: M 25.
What other public land is near Rush Lake State Game Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Albert E. Sleeper State Park: 438 acres, 0.5 miles away
- Port Crescent State Park: 645 acres, 3.1 miles away
- Oliver Township State Game Area: 130 acres, 9.1 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Rush Lake State Game Area
Counting Rush Lake State Game Area itself, 3,387 of the 37,386 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.1%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State game and wildlife areas | 2,164 |
| State parks and recreation areas | 834 |
| County, city and regional land | 339 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 50 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Rush Lake State Game Area?
In Huron County, 4 miles from Caseville.
How much of Rush Lake State Game Area is open to hunting?
2,275 acres are marked general hunting, and 1 acres are no-hunting or safety zones, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Rush Lake State Game Area?
3,387 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Rush Lake 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 Albert E. Sleeper State Park (0.5 miles).
Get a Michigan hunt plan when they open
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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.