Manistee County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land
Manistee County covers 558 square miles around Manistee. Hunters reported 2,439 deer here in the 2025 license year, 1,332 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is down 12% from 2024, and the fewest in the 4 years shown. 31.5% of Manistee County is public land open to the public, the largest share national forest (87,318 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)Manistee CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 356,939 acres (558 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 2,439 (1,332 antlered, 1,107 antlerless) |
| Regular firearm season, 2025 | 1,193 deer |
| Public land | 31.5% (112,459 acres) |
| Wildlife areas and parks | 2 (4,482 acres inside Manistee County) |
| Hunting Access Program land | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Manistee, Eastlake, Kaleva, Thompsonville, Free Soil and Mesick |
How many deer are harvested in Manistee County?
Hunters reported 2,439 deer in Manistee County in 2025: 1,332 antlered and 1,107 antlerless. By season: 1,193 in the regular firearm season, 790 by archers (early and late segments) and 168 in the muzzleloader season.
| License year | Deer reported | Antlered | Antlerless | Regular firearm | Archery, early | Archery, late | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 2,439 | 1,332 | 1,107 | 1,193 | 756 | 34 | 168 |
| 2024 | 2,780 | 1,454 | 1,326 | 1,330 | 827 | 58 | 222 |
| 2023 | 2,751 | 1,428 | 1,323 | 1,477 | 816 | 51 | 87 |
| 2022 | 3,243 | 1,525 | 1,718 | 1,829 | 963 | 58 | 96 |
Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), Manistee 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 Manistee County?
112,459 of Manistee County's 356,939 acres are public land open to the public (31.5%). The biggest share is national forest: 87,318 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Manistee County |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 87,318 | 24.5% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 19,975 | 5.6% |
| State game and wildlife areas | 3,918 | 1.1% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 685 | 0.2% |
| County, city and regional land | 361 | 0.1% |
| State parks and recreation areas | 202 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 112,459 | 31.5% |
| Commercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law) | 841 | 0.2% |
841 acres of Manistee County (0.2%) 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 Manistee County
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in Manistee County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Manistee River State Game Area: 4,381 acres
- Tippy Dam Rec Area (leased from Consumer's Energy): 101 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Manistee National Forest (87,349 acres).
How do you get to Manistee County?
Highways through it: US 31 (about 34 miles inside), M 55 (about 25 miles inside), M 22 (about 19 miles inside) and M 115 (about 10 miles inside). Towns inside: Manistee, Eastlake, Kaleva, Copemish, Onekama and Bear Lake. Nearby: Thompsonville (on the line), Free Soil (5 miles), Mesick (5 miles) and Harrietta (6 miles).
Which counties border Manistee County?
Manistee County touches 5 other counties. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Hunting Access Program land sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lake County | 1,820 | 2025 | 46.9% | |
| Mason County | 4,294 | 2025 | 20.2% | |
| Benzie County | 1,323 | 2025 | 30.5% | |
| Wexford County | 1,658 | 2025 | 41.8% | |
| Grand Traverse County | 1,837 | 2025 | 22.5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Manistee County in 2025?
Hunters reported 2,439 deer: 1,332 antlered and 1,107 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 2,780.
Is there public hunting land in Manistee County?
Yes. 112,459 acres, 31.5% 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 national forest (87,318 acres). The DNR's maps show 2 wildlife areas and parks open to hunting here.
Does Manistee 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 Lake County Mason County Benzie County Wexford County Grand Traverse County