Iron County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land
Iron County covers 1,211 square miles around Iron River. Hunters reported 1,605 deer here in the 2025 license year, 1,028 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is down 7% from 2024. 35.8% of Iron County is public land open to the public, the largest share national forest (178,913 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 landNational forestState parks and recreation areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Iron CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 775,210 acres (1,211 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 1,605 (1,028 antlered, 577 antlerless) |
| Regular firearm season, 2025 | 1,084 deer |
| Public land | 35.8% (277,674 acres) |
| Wildlife areas and parks | 2 (931 acres inside Iron County) |
| Hunting Access Program land | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Iron River, Crystal Falls, Gaastra, Iron Mountain, Kingsford and Norway |
How many deer are harvested in Iron County?
Hunters reported 1,605 deer in Iron County in 2025: 1,028 antlered and 577 antlerless. By season: 1,084 in the regular firearm season, 361 by archers (early and late segments) and 105 in the muzzleloader season.
| License year | Deer reported | Antlered | Antlerless | Regular firearm | Archery, early | Archery, late | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,605 | 1,028 | 577 | 1,084 | 317 | 44 | 105 |
| 2024 | 1,721 | 1,136 | 585 | 1,184 | 346 | 43 | 103 |
| 2023 | 1,440 | 946 | 494 | 958 | 332 | 31 | 82 |
| 2022 | 2,314 | 1,401 | 913 | 1,587 | 500 | 53 | 121 |
Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), Iron 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 Iron County?
277,674 of Iron County's 775,210 acres are public land open to the public (35.8%). The biggest share is national forest: 178,913 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Iron County |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 178,913 | 23.1% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 89,890 | 11.6% |
| County, city and regional land | 4,907 | 0.6% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 3,605 | 0.5% |
| State parks and recreation areas | 306 | under 0.1% |
| State game and wildlife areas | 53 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 277,674 | 35.8% |
| Commercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law) | 199,566 | 25.7% |
199,566 acres of Iron County (25.7%) 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.
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.
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in Iron County
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in Iron County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Gold Mine Grouse Enhanced Management System (Plum Creek, private cooperator): 878 acres
- Deer River Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 53 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Ottawa National Forest (178,810 acres), Crystal Falls State Forest Area (87,297 acres) and Nicolet National Forest (110 acres).
How do you get to Iron County?
Highways through it: US 2 (about 45 miles inside), US 141 (about 36 miles inside), M 189 (about 8 miles inside) and M 73 (about 8 miles inside). Towns inside: Iron River, Crystal Falls, Gaastra, Caspian, Alpha and Amasa. Nearby: Iron Mountain (7 miles), Kingsford (8 miles) and Norway (13 miles).
Which counties border Iron County?
Iron 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baraga County | 573 | 2025 | 26% | |
| Gogebic County | 444 | 2025 | 51.7% | |
| Houghton County | 830 | 2025 | 31.5% | |
| Dickinson County | 1,964 | 2025 | 46.7% | |
| Marquette County | 1,502 | 2025 | 24.7% | |
| Ontonagon County | 712 | 2025 | 42.8% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Iron County in 2025?
Hunters reported 1,605 deer: 1,028 antlered and 577 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 1,721.
Is there public hunting land in Iron County?
Yes. 277,674 acres, 35.8% 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 national forest (178,913 acres). The DNR's maps show 2 wildlife areas and parks open to hunting here.
Does Iron 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 Baraga County Gogebic County Houghton County Dickinson County Marquette County Ontonagon County