Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area: hunting and access
Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area is 5,784 acres of land the Michigan DNR manages for wildlife in Jackson and Washtenaw counties, 2 miles from Stockbridge, a state wildlife management area by the DNR's map. 5,782 acres are marked open to general hunting. Hunters reported 6,674 deer in Jackson 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 landNational wildlife refugesState parks and recreation areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landWaterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation AreaCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 5,784 acres in 5 pieces |
|---|---|
| Counties | Jackson County and Washtenaw County |
| Deer harvest unit | Jackson County, Washtenaw County |
| Kind (DNR) | state wildlife management area |
| DNR region | Southeast Lower Peninsula |
| Open to general hunting | 5,782 acres (100%) |
| Nearest towns | Stockbridge (2 mi), Grass Lake (7 mi) and Chelsea (7 mi) |
What are the rules on Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area?
The DNR's map marks each piece of Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area: 5,782 acres open to general hunting, and 2 acres not marked.
How many deer are taken around Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area?
Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area lies in 2 counties. Hunters reported 6,674 deer in Jackson County in 2025, against 7,748 in 2024.
| County | Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 5,713 | 6,674 | 7,748 | 6,967 |
| Washtenaw County | 71 | 4,412 | 5,070 | 4,505 |
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 Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area?
Nearest towns: Stockbridge (2 miles), Grass Lake (7 miles), Chelsea (7 miles) and Michigan Center (10 miles). Highways within 5 miles: I-94, M 106, M 52 and M 36.
What other public land is near Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Waterloo Recreation Area: 20,463 acres, next to it
- Malan Waterfowl Production Area: 142 acres, next to it
- Unadilla State Wildlife Area: 1,190 acres, 1 mile away
- Pinckney Recreation Area: 11,698 acres, 2.1 miles away
- Gregory State Game Area: 2,708 acres, 5.8 miles away
- Goose Lake State Game Area: 203 acres, 6.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area
Counting Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area itself, 12,989 of the 58,479 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (22.2%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State parks and recreation areas | 11,233 |
| State game and wildlife areas | 1,279 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 156 |
| National wildlife refuges | 138 |
| County, city and regional land | 94 |
| State forest and other DNR land | 89 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area?
In Jackson and Washtenaw counties, 2 miles from Stockbridge.
How much of Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area is open to hunting?
5,782 acres are marked general hunting, by the DNR's map.
How much public land is around Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area?
12,989 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo State Recreation Area included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records. The closest other DNR area or park is Waterloo Recreation Area (next to it).
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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.