Marquette County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land
Marquette County covers 1,870 square miles around Negaunee. Hunters reported 1,502 deer here in the 2025 license year, 1,241 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is down 10% from 2024. 24.7% of Marquette County is public land open to the public, the largest share state forest and other DNR land (254,961 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 forestNational wildlife refugesState parks and recreation areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landCommercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law)Marquette CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 1,197,070 acres (1,870 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 1,502 (1,241 antlered, 261 antlerless) |
| Regular firearm season, 2025 | 959 deer |
| Public land | 24.7% (296,239 acres) |
| Wildlife areas and parks | 6 (10,396 acres inside Marquette County) |
| Hunting Access Program land | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Negaunee, Marquette, Ishpeming, Chatham, Gladstone and Crystal Falls |
How many deer are harvested in Marquette County?
Hunters reported 1,502 deer in Marquette County in 2025: 1,241 antlered and 261 antlerless. By season: 959 in the regular firearm season, 406 by archers (early and late segments) and 103 in the muzzleloader season.
| License year | Deer reported | Antlered | Antlerless | Regular firearm | Archery, early | Archery, late | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 1,502 | 1,241 | 261 | 959 | 349 | 57 | 103 |
| 2024 | 1,666 | 1,512 | 154 | 1,214 | 295 | 39 | 95 |
| 2023 | 1,248 | 1,126 | 122 | 927 | 220 | 17 | 60 |
| 2022 | 2,087 | 1,836 | 251 | 1,518 | 411 | 38 | 93 |
Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), Marquette 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 Marquette County?
296,239 of Marquette County's 1,197,070 acres are public land open to the public (24.7%). The biggest share is state forest and other DNR land: 254,961 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Marquette County |
|---|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 254,961 | 21.3% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 19,718 | 1.6% |
| National forest | 18,042 | 1.5% |
| County, city and regional land | 1,336 | 0.1% |
| State parks and recreation areas | 1,101 | 0.1% |
| State game and wildlife areas | 966 | 0.1% |
| National wildlife refuges | 115 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 296,239 | 24.7% |
| Commercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law) | 310,034 | 25.9% |
310,034 acres of Marquette County (25.9%) 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 Marquette County
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in Marquette County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Bill Rollo Memorial Grouse Enhanced Management System: 6,599 acres
- Craig Lake State Park: 1,474 acres
- Van Riper State Park: 1,063 acres
- Sand River / Jeske Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 849 acres
- Lake LaVasseur Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 403 acres
- Lake-36 State Wildlife Management Area: 8 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Ottawa National Forest (12,113 acres), Hiawatha National Forest (5,921 acres) and Baraga State Forest Area (861 acres).
How do you get to Marquette County?
Highways through it: US 41 (about 68 miles inside), M 28 (about 59 miles inside), M 35 (about 42 miles inside), M 95 (about 19 miles inside) and M 94 (about 17 miles inside). Towns inside: Negaunee, Marquette, Ishpeming, Harvey, Big Bay and Republic. Nearby: Chatham (9 miles), Gladstone (14 miles), Crystal Falls (15 miles) and L'Anse (17 miles).
Which counties border Marquette County?
Marquette County touches 6 other counties. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Hunting Access Program land sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Iron County | 1,605 | 2025 | 35.8% | |
| Alger County | 521 | 2025 | 43.8% | |
| Delta County | 3,565 | 2025 | 42% | |
| Baraga County | 573 | 2025 | 26% | |
| Dickinson County | 1,964 | 2025 | 46.7% | |
| Menominee County | 5,455 | 2025 | 15.2% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Marquette County in 2025?
Hunters reported 1,502 deer: 1,241 antlered and 261 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 1,666.
Is there public hunting land in Marquette County?
Yes. 296,239 acres, 24.7% 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 (254,961 acres). The DNR's maps show 6 wildlife areas and parks open to hunting here.
Does Marquette 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 Iron County Alger County Delta County Baraga County Dickinson County Menominee County