Sandusky State Game Area: hunting and access
Sandusky State Game Area is 1,480 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Sanilac County, 2 miles from Sandusky, a state game area by the DNR's map. 1,480 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 8,784 deer in Sanilac 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 landCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landHunting Access Program landSandusky State Game AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 1,480 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Sanilac County |
| Deer harvest unit | Sanilac County |
| Kind (DNR) | state game area |
| DNR region | Southeast Lower Peninsula |
| Open to general hunting | 1,480 acres (100%) |
| Nearest towns | Sandusky (2 mi), Carsonville (5 mi) and Applegate (7 mi) |
What are the rules on Sandusky State Game Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Sandusky State Game Area: 1,480 acres open to general hunting.
How many deer are taken around Sandusky State Game Area?
Sandusky State Game Area lies in Sanilac County. Hunters reported 8,784 deer in Sanilac County in 2025, against 9,544 in 2024.
| County | Sandusky State Game Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sanilac County | 1,480 | 8,784 | 9,544 | 8,311 |
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 Sandusky State Game Area?
Nearest towns: Sandusky (2 miles), Carsonville (5 miles), Applegate (7 miles) and Deckerville (8 miles). Highways within 5 miles: M 19 and M 46. 2 HAP propertys within 3 miles.
What other public land is near Sandusky State Game Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Flynn Township State Game Area: 265 acres, 8.9 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Sandusky State Game Area
Counting Sandusky State Game Area itself, 1,941 of the 32,843 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (5.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State game and wildlife areas | 1,696 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 143 |
| County, city and regional land | 101 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 1 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Sandusky State Game Area?
In Sanilac County, 2 miles from Sandusky.
How much of Sandusky State Game Area is open to hunting?
1,480 acres are marked general hunting, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Sandusky State Game Area?
1,941 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Sandusky 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 Flynn Township State Game Area (8.9 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.