Kalkaska County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land
Kalkaska County covers 571 square miles around Kalkaska. Hunters reported 1,298 deer here in the 2025 license year, 666 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is down 29% from 2024, and the fewest in the 4 years shown. 44.7% of Kalkaska County is public land open to the public, the largest share state forest and other DNR land (156,866 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 wildlife refugesOther federal landCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Kalkaska CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 365,144 acres (571 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 1,298 (666 antlered, 632 antlerless) |
| Regular firearm season, 2025 | 706 deer |
| Public land | 44.7% (163,094 acres) |
| Wildlife areas and parks | 4 (3,915 acres inside Kalkaska County) |
| Hunting Access Program land | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Kalkaska, Bear Lake, Rapid City, Fife Lake, Mancelona and Elk Rapids |
How many deer are harvested in Kalkaska County?
Hunters reported 1,298 deer in Kalkaska County in 2025: 666 antlered and 632 antlerless. By season: 706 in the regular firearm season, 374 by archers (early and late segments) and 124 in the muzzleloader season.
| License year | Deer reported | Antlered | Antlerless | Regular firearm | Archery, early | Archery, late | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,298 | 666 | 632 | 706 | 357 | 17 | 124 |
| 2024 | 1,835 | 915 | 920 | 995 | 491 | 39 | 156 |
| 2023 | 1,624 | 862 | 762 | 972 | 410 | 38 | 77 |
| 2022 | 1,941 | 959 | 982 | 1,190 | 531 | 48 | 70 |
Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), Kalkaska 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 Kalkaska County?
163,094 of Kalkaska County's 365,144 acres are public land open to the public (44.7%). The biggest share is state forest and other DNR land: 156,866 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Kalkaska County |
|---|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 156,866 | 43% |
| State game and wildlife areas | 2,219 | 0.6% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 2,141 | 0.6% |
| Other federal land | 1,544 | 0.4% |
| County, city and regional land | 244 | 0.1% |
| National wildlife refuges | 80 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 163,094 | 44.7% |
| Commercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law) | 3,689 | 1% |
3,689 acres of Kalkaska County (1%) 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 Kalkaska County
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in Kalkaska County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Skegemog Lake State Wildlife Management Area: 3,514 acres
- Grass Lake Marsh Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 199 acres
- Goose Creek State Wildlife Management Area: 161 acres
- Addis Creek Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 41 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Kirtland Warbler Unit Manistee (1,613 acres).
How do you get to Kalkaska County?
Highways through it: M 72 (about 28 miles inside) and M 66 (about 26 miles inside). Towns inside: Kalkaska, Bear Lake, Rapid City, Manistee Lake and South Boardman. Nearby: Fife Lake (on the line), Mancelona (3 miles), Elk Rapids (5 miles) and Grayling (7 miles).
Which counties border Kalkaska County?
Kalkaska County touches 7 other counties. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Hunting Access Program land sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Antrim County | 2,153 | 2025 | 14.1% | |
| Otsego County | 1,200 | 2025 | 30.8% | |
| Wexford County | 1,658 | 2025 | 41.8% | |
| Crawford County | 1,535 | 2025 | 59.8% | |
| Missaukee County | 2,503 | 2025 | 29.3% | |
| Roscommon County | 1,993 | 2025 | 63.1% | |
| Grand Traverse County | 1,837 | 2025 | 22.5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Kalkaska County in 2025?
Hunters reported 1,298 deer: 666 antlered and 632 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 1,835.
Is there public hunting land in Kalkaska County?
Yes. 163,094 acres, 44.7% 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 (156,866 acres). The DNR's maps show 4 wildlife areas and parks open to hunting here.
Does Kalkaska 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 Antrim County Otsego County Wexford County Crawford County Missaukee County Roscommon County Grand Traverse County