Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area: hunting and access
Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area is 8,968 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Houghton and Baraga counties, next to Chassell, a state wildlife management area by the DNR's map. 8,840 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 830 deer in Houghton 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 landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 8,968 acres in 5 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Houghton County and Baraga County |
| Deer harvest unit | Houghton County, Baraga County |
| Kind (DNR) | state wildlife management area |
| DNR region | Upper Peninsula |
| Wildlife refuge (closed in season) | 115 acres (1.3%) |
| No hunting or safety zone | 13 acres (0.1%) |
| Open to general hunting | 8,840 acres (98.6%) |
| Nearest towns | Chassell (next to it), Dodgeville (5 mi) and Houghton (5 mi) |
What is Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area like?
The DNR's map names 8 units within Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area: North, wildlife refuge (1S), Keweenaw Bay, West, South, Southwest, road and wildlife refuge (1N).
Counted by FilledTag from the unit names on the DNR's wildlife property map.
What are the rules on Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area: 115 acres wildlife refuge (closed in season), 13 acres no hunting or safety zone and 8,840 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 Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area?
Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters reported 830 deer in Houghton County in 2025, against 942 in 2024.
| County | Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton County | 5,756 | 830 | 942 | 697 |
| Baraga County | 3,178 | 573 | 552 | 474 |
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 Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area?
Nearest towns: Chassell (next to it), Dodgeville (5 miles), Houghton (5 miles) and Hurontown (5 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 41.
What other public land is near Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Hazel Swamp Grouse Enhanced Management System: 2,384 acres, 8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area
Counting Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area itself, 8,973 of the 94,407 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (9.5%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State game and wildlife areas | 6,661 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 1,730 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 369 |
| County, city and regional land | 213 |
Another 13,127 acres within 3 miles are Commercial Forest land: privately owned, but under state law (MCL 324.51113) the owner may not deny the public hunting and fishing unless the DNR or the legislature closes it.
Questions hunters ask
Where is Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area?
In Houghton and Baraga counties, next to Chassell.
How much of Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area is open to hunting?
8,840 acres are marked general hunting, 115 acres are wildlife refuge, and 13 acres are no-hunting or safety zones, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area?
8,973 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Sturgeon River Sloughs State Wildlife Management Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records. The closest other DNR area or park is Hazel Swamp Grouse Enhanced Management System (8 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.