St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area: hunting and access
St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area is 30,160 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in St. Clair County, next to Pearl Beach, a state wildlife management area by the DNR's map. 27,104 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 6,128 deer in St. Clair 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 landSt. Clair Flats State Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 30,160 acres in 3 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | St. Clair County |
| Deer harvest unit | St. Clair County |
| Kind (DNR) | state wildlife management area |
| DNR region | Southeast Lower Peninsula |
| Wildlife refuge (closed in season) | 476 acres (1.6%) |
| No hunting or safety zone | 255 acres (0.8%) |
| Managed waterfowl hunt area | 2,325 acres (7.7%) |
| Open to general hunting | 27,104 acres (89.9%) |
| Nearest towns | Pearl Beach (next to it), New Baltimore (2 mi) and Algonac (2 mi) |
What is St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area like?
The DNR's map names 5 units within St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area: bay units, parking, Harsen's Is, water/chan and road.
Counted by FilledTag from the unit names on the DNR's wildlife property map.
What are the rules on St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area: 476 acres wildlife refuge (closed in season), 255 acres no hunting or safety zone, 2,325 acres managed waterfowl hunt area and 27,104 acres open to general hunting.
Managed waterfowl hunt areas are hunted under the DNR's managed-area rules (drawings and check stations for the waterfowl season); outside the waterfowl season they are open like the rest of the area unless posted.
Wildlife refuge pieces are closed to entry during the seasons the DNR posts for them.
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 St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area?
St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area lies in St. Clair County. Hunters reported 6,128 deer in St. Clair County in 2025, against 6,346 in 2024.
| County | St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Clair County | 15,543 | 6,128 | 6,346 | 5,670 |
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 St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Pearl Beach (next to it), New Baltimore (2 miles), Algonac (2 miles) and New Haven (7 miles). Highways within 5 miles: M 29, I-94 and M 154.
What other public land is near St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- St. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area: 3,058 acres, next to it
- Algonac State Park: 1,376 acres, 2.7 miles away
- Salt River Marsh State Wildlife Area: 60 acres, 3.1 miles away
- Chesterfield Township State Game Area: 143 acres, 4.7 miles away
- W.C. Wetzel Recreation Area: 911 acres, 8.2 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area
Counting St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area itself, 28,651 of the 110,300 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (26%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State game and wildlife areas | 27,952 |
| County, city and regional land | 306 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 282 |
| State parks and recreation areas | 100 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 11 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area?
In St. Clair County, next to Pearl Beach.
How much of St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area is open to hunting?
27,104 acres are marked general hunting, 2,325 acres are a managed waterfowl hunt area, 476 acres are wildlife refuge, and 255 acres are no-hunting or safety zones, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area?
28,651 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, St. Clair Flats 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 St. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area (next to it).
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.