Watkins Lake State Park: hunting and access
Watkins Lake State Park is 373 acres in Jackson County, 5 miles from Vineyard Lake, listed by the DNR as "Open" for hunting and trapping. Hunters reported 6,674 deer in Jackson County in 2025.
Data updated October 2026. Area facts: the DNR's state parks hunting data, read 2026-10. Harvest: DNR reported deer harvest, 2022 to 2025.
State game and wildlife areasState parks and recreation areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landWatkins Lake State ParkCounty lineLakeHighway
| Size | 373 acres |
|---|---|
| County | Jackson County |
| Deer harvest unit | Jackson County |
| Hunting and trapping (DNR) | Open |
| Early goose season (DNR) | Open, 9/1 - 9/15 |
| DNR parks district | Rose Lake |
| Nearest towns | Vineyard Lake (5 mi), Manchester (5 mi) and Napoleon (5 mi) |
What are the rules on Watkins Lake State Park?
The DNR's map of state parks open to hunting lists Watkins Lake State Park as "Open" for hunting and trapping.
Open for the early goose season (9/1 - 9/15), by the DNR's map.
How many deer are taken around Watkins Lake State Park?
Watkins Lake State Park lies in Jackson County. Hunters reported 6,674 deer in Jackson County in 2025, against 7,748 in 2024.
| County | Watkins Lake State Park acres in it | Deer, 2025 | Deer, 2024 | Deer, 2023 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Jackson County | 372 | 6,674 | 7,748 | 6,967 |
Harvest for the whole county, not the park alone: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025).
How do you get to Watkins Lake State Park?
Nearest towns: Vineyard Lake (5 miles), Manchester (5 miles), Napoleon (5 miles) and Brooklyn (5 miles). Highways within 5 miles: M 124 and US 12.
What other public land is near Watkins Lake State Park?
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting within 10 miles:
- Sharonville State Game Area: 4,392 acres, 0.7 miles away
- Onsted State Game Area: 893 acres, 6.4 miles away
- Goose Lake State Game Area: 203 acres, 7.2 miles away
- Schlee Waterfowl Production Area: 159 acres, 7.5 miles away
- Grass Lake State Game Area: 124 acres, 7.8 miles away
Public land within 3 miles of Watkins Lake State Park
Counting Watkins Lake State Park itself, 2,994 of the 24,703 acres within 3 miles of its boundary are public land open to the public (12.1%), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
| Manager | Acres within 3 miles |
|---|---|
| State game and wildlife areas | 2,670 |
| Land trusts and other open land | 324 |
Questions hunters ask
Where is Watkins Lake State Park?
In Jackson County, 5 miles from Vineyard Lake.
Can you hunt in Watkins Lake State Park?
The DNR's map lists it as "Open" for hunting and trapping.
How much public land is around Watkins Lake State Park?
2,994 acres within 3 miles of its boundary, Watkins Lake State Park included, by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records. The closest other DNR area or park is Sharonville State Game Area (0.7 miles).
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.