Leelanau County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land
Leelanau County covers 376 square miles around Northport. Hunters reported 1,698 deer here in the 2025 license year, 890 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is up 5% from 2024, and the most in the 4 years shown. 23.9% of Leelanau County is public land open to the public, the largest share national park land (45,033 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 areasNational park landCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Leelanau CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 240,690 acres (376 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 1,698 (890 antlered, 808 antlerless) |
| Regular firearm season, 2025 | 846 deer |
| Public land | 23.9% (57,462 acres) |
| Wildlife areas and parks | 2 (3,695 acres inside Leelanau County) |
| Hunting Access Program land | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Northport, Suttons Bay, Empire, Traverse City, Lake Ann and Honor |
How many deer are harvested in Leelanau County?
Hunters reported 1,698 deer in Leelanau County in 2025: 890 antlered and 808 antlerless. By season: 846 in the regular firearm season, 415 by archers (early and late segments) and 174 in the muzzleloader season.
| License year | Deer reported | Antlered | Antlerless | Regular firearm | Archery, early | Archery, late | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,698 | 890 | 808 | 846 | 387 | 28 | 174 |
| 2024 | 1,611 | 892 | 719 | 749 | 443 | 27 | 164 |
| 2023 | 1,252 | 732 | 520 | 662 | 372 | 22 | 39 |
| 2022 | 1,314 | 743 | 571 | 767 | 336 | 25 | 45 |
Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), Leelanau 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 Leelanau County?
57,462 of Leelanau County's 240,690 acres are public land open to the public (23.9%). The biggest share is national park land: 45,033 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Leelanau County |
|---|---|---|
| National park land | 45,033 | 18.7% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 7,173 | 3% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 3,094 | 1.3% |
| State parks and recreation areas | 1,590 | 0.7% |
| County, city and regional land | 572 | 0.2% |
| All public land open to the public | 57,462 | 23.9% |
| Commercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law) | 1,178 | 0.5% |
1,178 acres of Leelanau County (0.5%) 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 Leelanau County
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in Leelanau County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Beaver Islands State Wildlife Research Area: 2,107 acres
- Leelanau State Park: 1,588 acres
How do you get to Leelanau County?
Highways through it: M 22 (about 67 miles inside), M 72 (about 19 miles inside), M 109 (about 7 miles inside) and M 204 (about 7 miles inside). Towns inside: Northport, Suttons Bay, Empire, Greilickville, Omena and Glen Arbor. Nearby: Traverse City (2 miles), Lake Ann (3 miles), Honor (8 miles) and Elk Rapids (10 miles).
Which counties border Leelanau County?
Leelanau County touches 2 other counties. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Hunting Access Program land sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Benzie County | 1,323 | 2025 | 30.5% | |
| Grand Traverse County | 1,837 | 2025 | 22.5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Leelanau County in 2025?
Hunters reported 1,698 deer: 890 antlered and 808 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 1,611.
Is there public hunting land in Leelanau County?
Yes. 57,462 acres, 23.9% 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 (45,033 acres). The DNR's maps show 2 wildlife areas and parks open to hunting here.
Does Leelanau 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.