St. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area: hunting and access
St. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area is 3,058 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. 2,143 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. Johns Marsh State Wildlife AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 3,058 acres |
|---|---|
| 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) | 800 acres (26.2%) |
| No hunting or safety zone | 115 acres (3.8%) |
| Open to general hunting | 2,143 acres (70.1%) |
| Nearest towns | Pearl Beach (next to it), Algonac (3 mi) and Marine City (6 mi) |
What is St. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area like?
The DNR's map names 4 units within St. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area: St.Johns Marsh SWA, ditch/dike, water/chan and road.
Counted by FilledTag from the unit names on the DNR's wildlife property map.
What are the rules on St. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of St. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area: 800 acres wildlife refuge (closed in season), 115 acres no hunting or safety zone and 2,143 acres open to general hunting.
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. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area?
St. Johns Marsh 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. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Clair County | 3,058 | 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. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area?
Nearest towns: Pearl Beach (next to it), Algonac (3 miles), Marine City (6 miles) and New Baltimore (6 miles). Highways within 5 miles: M 29 and M 154.
What other public land is near St. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area: 30,160 acres, next to it
- Algonac State Park: 1,376 acres, 2 miles away
- Salt River Marsh State Wildlife Area: 60 acres, 7.1 miles away
- Chesterfield Township State Game Area: 143 acres, 8.6 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of St. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area
Counting St. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area itself, 14,891 of the 41,083 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (36.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State game and wildlife areas | 13,724 |
| State parks and recreation areas | 827 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 235 |
| County, city and regional land | 94 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 11 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is St. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area?
In St. Clair County, next to Pearl Beach.
How much of St. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area is open to hunting?
2,143 acres are marked general hunting, 800 acres are wildlife refuge, and 115 acres are no-hunting or safety zones, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around St. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area?
14,891 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, St. Johns Marsh 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. Clair Flats 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.