Keweenaw County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land
Keweenaw County covers 586 square miles around Ahmeek. Hunters reported 118 deer here in the 2025 license year, 113 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is down 27% from 2024. 54.1% of Keweenaw County is public land open to the public, the largest share national park land (147,292 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 forest and other DNR landOther federal landState parks and recreation areasNational park landCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Keweenaw CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 375,261 acres (586 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 118 (113 antlered, 5 antlerless) |
| Regular firearm season, 2025 | 95 deer |
| Public land | 54.1% (202,845 acres) |
| Wildlife areas and parks | 1 (788 acres inside Keweenaw County) |
| Hunting Access Program land | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Ahmeek, Eagle River, Eagle Harbor, Copper City, Calumet and Laurium |
How many deer are harvested in Keweenaw County?
Hunters reported 118 deer in Keweenaw County in 2025: 113 antlered and 5 antlerless. By season: 95 in the regular firearm season, 21 by archers (early and late segments) and 1 in the muzzleloader season.
| License year | Deer reported | Antlered | Antlerless | Regular firearm | Archery, early | Archery, late | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 118 | 113 | 5 | 95 | 17 | 4 | 1 |
| 2024 | 161 | 157 | 4 | 129 | 21 | 2 | 8 |
| 2023 | 93 | 90 | 3 | 73 | 10 | 1 | 8 |
| 2022 | 158 | 155 | 3 | 138 | 13 | 1 | 4 |
Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), Keweenaw 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 Keweenaw County?
202,845 of Keweenaw County's 375,261 acres are public land open to the public (54.1%). The biggest share is national park land: 147,292 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Keweenaw County |
|---|---|---|
| National park land | 147,292 | 39.3% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 40,551 | 10.8% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 11,662 | 3.1% |
| County, city and regional land | 1,982 | 0.5% |
| State parks and recreation areas | 819 | 0.2% |
| Other federal land | 539 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 202,845 | 54.1% |
| Commercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law) | 107,188 | 28.6% |
107,188 acres of Keweenaw County (28.6%) 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 Keweenaw County
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in Keweenaw County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Fort Wilkins State Historic Park: 788 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Baraga State Forest Area (10,976 acres).
How do you get to Keweenaw County?
Highways through it: M 26 (about 34 miles inside) and US 41 (about 33 miles inside). Towns inside: Ahmeek, Eagle River, Eagle Harbor, Copper Harbor, Mohawk and Fulton. Nearby: Copper City (on the line), Calumet (3 miles), Laurium (4 miles) and Lake Linden (5 miles).
Which counties border Keweenaw County?
Keweenaw County touches one other county. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Hunting Access Program land sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Houghton County | 830 | 2025 | 31.5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Keweenaw County in 2025?
Hunters reported 118 deer: 113 antlered and 5 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 161.
Is there public hunting land in Keweenaw County?
Yes. 202,845 acres, 54.1% 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 national park land (147,292 acres). The DNR's maps show 1 wildlife area or park open to hunting here.
Does Keweenaw 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.