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Isabella County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land

Isabella County covers 578 square miles around Mount Pleasant. Hunters reported 5,455 deer here in the 2025 license year, 2,891 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is up 3% from 2024, and the most in the 4 years shown. 1.5% of Isabella County is public land open to the public, the largest share state forest and other DNR land (2,261 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.

Map of Michigan's Isabella County: public land by manager, Hunting Access Program land, the counties around it, highways US 27, M 20 and US 10; towns: Mount Pleasant, Lake Isabella, Shepherd, Clare and Coleman

State game and wildlife areasState forest and other DNR landCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landHunting Access Program landIsabella CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway

Isabella County at a glance
Size369,738 acres (578 square miles)
Deer reported, 20255,455 (2,891 antlered, 2,564 antlerless)
Regular firearm season, 20252,422 deer
Public land1.5% (5,410 acres)
Wildlife areas and parks1 (768 acres inside Isabella County)
Hunting Access Program land4 sites, 389 acres
Towns in and near itMount Pleasant, Lake Isabella, Shepherd, Clare, Coleman and Farwell

How many deer are harvested in Isabella County?

Hunters reported 5,455 deer in Isabella County in 2025: 2,891 antlered and 2,564 antlerless. By season: 2,422 in the regular firearm season, 1,329 by archers (early and late segments) and 517 in the muzzleloader season.

License yearDeer reportedAntleredAntlerlessRegular firearmArchery, earlyArchery, lateMuzzleloader
20255,4552,8912,5642,4221,27752517
20245,3142,8442,4702,5351,25051458
20235,0652,8952,1702,5471,31539365
20225,3403,0492,2912,7971,42159390

Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), Isabella 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 Isabella County?

5,410 of Isabella County's 369,738 acres are public land open to the public (1.5%). The biggest share is state forest and other DNR land: 2,261 acres.

ManagerAcresShare of Isabella County
State forest and other DNR land2,2610.6%
Land trusts and other open land1,6320.4%
County, city and regional land8280.2%
State game and wildlife areas6890.2%
All public land open to the public5,4101.5%

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 Isabella County

DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in Isabella County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:

Hunting Access Program land in Isabella County

The DNR's 2026 layer shows 4 active Hunting Access Program properties in Isabella County, 389 acres of private land leased for public hunting. Each property's listing says which hunting it allows and how to check in. DNR Hunting Access Program.

How do you get to Isabella County?

Highways through it: US 27 (about 53 miles inside), M 20 (about 25 miles inside) and US 10 (about 14 miles inside). Towns inside: Mount Pleasant, Lake Isabella, Shepherd, Rosebush, Weidman and Beal City. Nearby: Clare (on the line), Coleman (on the line), Farwell (2 miles) and Barryton (3 miles).

Which counties border Isabella County?

Isabella County touches 7 other counties. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:

CountyDeer harvestedYearPublic landHunting Access Program land sites
Clare County4,230202518.7%
Gladwin County4,585202527.6%
Gratiot County6,92520255.5%10
Mecosta County4,35320255.7%
Midland County5,031202514.5%3
Osceola County4,18020258.1%
Montcalm County7,41220256.3%

Questions hunters ask

How many deer were harvested in Isabella County in 2025?

Hunters reported 5,455 deer: 2,891 antlered and 2,564 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 5,314.

Is there public hunting land in Isabella County?

Yes. 5,410 acres, 1.5% 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 state forest and other DNR land (2,261 acres). The DNR's maps show 1 wildlife area or park open to hunting here.

Does Isabella County have Hunting Access Program land?

Yes. 4 active properties, 389 acres, on the DNR's 2026 layer.

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Where these numbers come from

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 Clare County Gladwin County Gratiot County Mecosta County Midland County Osceola County Montcalm County