Genesee County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land
Genesee County covers 650 square miles around Flint. Hunters reported 4,957 deer here in the 2025 license year, 2,862 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is up 17% from 2024, and the most in the 4 years shown. 5.1% of Genesee County is public land open to the public, the largest share land trusts and other open land (10,057 acres), by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records.
Data updated October 2026. Harvest: the DNR's reported deer totals, 2022 to 2025. Land: PAD-US 4.1, the DNR's land ownership records and its wildlife, parks, Commercial Forest and HAP layers.
State game and wildlife areasState forest and other DNR landState parks and recreation areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Hunting Access Program landGenesee CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 415,744 acres (650 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 4,957 (2,862 antlered, 2,095 antlerless) |
| Regular firearm season, 2025 | 1,758 deer |
| Public land | 5.1% (21,266 acres) |
| Wildlife areas and parks | None mapped |
| Hunting Access Program land | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Flint, Burton, Fenton, Otter Lake, Lennon and Byron |
How many deer are harvested in Genesee County?
Hunters reported 4,957 deer in Genesee County in 2025: 2,862 antlered and 2,095 antlerless. By season: 1,758 in the regular firearm season, 1,968 by archers (early and late segments) and 512 in the muzzleloader season.
| License year | Deer reported | Antlered | Antlerless | Regular firearm | Archery, early | Archery, late | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 4,957 | 2,862 | 2,095 | 1,758 | 1,811 | 157 | 512 |
| 2024 | 4,231 | 2,444 | 1,787 | 1,495 | 1,596 | 115 | 398 |
| 2023 | 4,059 | 2,480 | 1,579 | 1,540 | 1,622 | 96 | 272 |
| 2022 | 4,400 | 2,700 | 1,700 | 1,675 | 1,851 | 141 | 287 |
Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), Genesee County. These are deer hunters reported; seasons not shown (youth, Liberty, antlerless and others) are in the total. The DNR's survey estimates, which count deer that were not reported, are higher.
How much public land is in Genesee County?
21,266 of Genesee County's 415,744 acres are public land open to the public (5.1%). The biggest share is land trusts and other open land: 10,057 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Genesee County |
|---|---|---|
| Land trusts and other open land | 10,057 | 2.4% |
| County, city and regional land | 9,493 | 2.3% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 1,708 | 0.4% |
| National forest | 8 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 21,266 | 5.1% |
Measured by FilledTag inside the county line from USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and the DNR's land ownership records (state forest). Hunting rules differ by manager: state game areas and state forest land are open to hunting in season unless posted; national forests are open; refuges follow U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service rules; state parks and recreation areas are open, open with restrictions or closed by the DNR's map; national park land is closed to most hunting; city and county land sets its own rules.
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Forest Reserve (980 acres).
How do you get to Genesee County?
Highways through it: US 23 (about 63 miles inside), I-75 (about 56 miles inside), I-69 (about 50 miles inside), I-475 (about 33 miles inside) and M 54 (about 27 miles inside). Towns inside: Flint, Burton, Fenton, Swartz Creek, Grand Blanc and Flushing. Nearby: Otter Lake (on the line), Lennon (on the line), Byron (on the line) and New Lothrop (2 miles).
Which counties border Genesee County?
Genesee County touches 6 other counties. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Hunting Access Program land sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lapeer County | 7,241 | 2025 | 5.9% | |
| Oakland County | 3,783 | 2025 | 10.4% | |
| Saginaw County | 9,369 | 2025 | 7.1% | 4 |
| Tuscola County | 7,100 | 2025 | 6.9% | |
| Livingston County | 5,472 | 2025 | 9.3% | |
| Shiawassee County | 6,577 | 2025 | 1.8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Genesee County in 2025?
Hunters reported 4,957 deer: 2,862 antlered and 2,095 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 4,231.
Is there public hunting land in Genesee County?
Yes. 21,266 acres, 5.1% of the county, are public land open to the public by USGS PAD-US 4.1 and the DNR's state forest records, the largest share land trusts and other open land (10,057 acres).
Does Genesee County have Hunting Access Program land?
Not on the DNR's 2026 layer of active HAP properties.
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Where these numbers come from
- Deer harvest: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025).
- Public land: USGS PAD-US 4.1 (fee land open to the public) and the DNR's land ownership records (state forest). state game areas: Michigan DNR wildlife property project areas. Hunting Access Program land: Michigan DNR Hunting Access Program properties.
- Boundaries: U.S. Census Bureau 2024 cartographic county boundaries. Highways and towns: U.S. Census Bureau TIGER/Line 2024 primary and secondary roads; U.S. Census Bureau 2024 Gazetteer, places.
FilledTag is not part of the Michigan Department of Natural Resources. Numbers are copied from the DNR and the federal sources above, or measured from their maps; nothing on this page is estimated by FilledTag.
Michigan hunting Lapeer County Oakland County Saginaw County Tuscola County Livingston County Shiawassee County