Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park: hunting and access
Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park is 2,089 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Bay County, 6 miles from Essexville, a state wildlife management area by the DNR's map. 1,099 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 2,573 deer in Bay 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 landTobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State ParkCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 2,089 acres in 2 pieces |
|---|---|
| County | Bay County |
| Deer harvest unit | Bay County |
| Kind (DNR) | state wildlife management area |
| DNR region | Southeast Lower Peninsula |
| Wildlife refuge (closed in season) | 270 acres (12.9%) |
| No hunting or safety zone | 373 acres (17.8%) |
| Open to general hunting | 1,099 acres (52.6%) |
| Nearest towns | Essexville (6 mi), Bay City (6 mi) and Auburn (8 mi) |
What is Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park like?
The DNR's map names one unit within Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park: Tobico marsh.
Counted by FilledTag from the unit names on the DNR's wildlife property map.
What are the rules on Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park: 270 acres wildlife refuge (closed in season), 373 acres no hunting or safety zone and 1,099 acres open to general hunting, and 348 acres not marked.
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 Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park?
Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park lies in Bay County. Hunters reported 2,573 deer in Bay County in 2025, against 2,321 in 2024.
| County | Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay County | 2,089 | 2,573 | 2,321 | 1,844 |
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 Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park?
Nearest towns: Essexville (6 miles), Bay City (6 miles), Auburn (8 miles) and Pinconning (10 miles). Highways within 5 miles: US 23, I-75, M 13, M 25 and M 247.
What other public land is near Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Bay City State Park: 1,044 acres, next to it
- Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area: 4,310 acres, 1.9 miles away
- Quanicassee State Wildlife Area: 5,209 acres, 5.3 miles away
- Fraser Township No. 2 State Game Area: 33 acres, 5.4 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park
Counting Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park itself, 2,961 of the 37,452 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (7.9%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State parks and recreation areas | 2,390 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 405 |
| County, city and regional land | 148 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 18 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park?
In Bay County, 6 miles from Essexville.
How much of Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park is open to hunting?
1,099 acres are marked general hunting, 270 acres are wildlife refuge, and 373 acres are no-hunting or safety zones, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park?
2,961 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Tobico Marsh Unit of Bay City State Park included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records. The closest other DNR area or park is Bay City State Park (next to it).
Get a Michigan hunt plan when they open
Hunt plans for Michigan are coming. Join the list and you'll hear first. The first 50 hunters in each new state get their plan free.
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.