Ontonagon County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land
Ontonagon County covers 1,328 square miles around Ontonagon. Hunters reported 712 deer here in the 2025 license year, 625 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is up 5% from 2024. 42.8% of Ontonagon County is public land open to the public, the largest share national forest (290,280 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)Ontonagon CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 849,695 acres (1,328 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 712 (625 antlered, 87 antlerless) |
| Regular firearm season, 2025 | 514 deer |
| Public land | 42.8% (363,785 acres) |
| Wildlife areas and parks | 1 (49,353 acres inside Ontonagon County) |
| Hunting Access Program land | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Ontonagon, White Pine, Bruce Crossing, Wakefield, Bessemer and South Range |
How many deer are harvested in Ontonagon County?
Hunters reported 712 deer in Ontonagon County in 2025: 625 antlered and 87 antlerless. By season: 514 in the regular firearm season, 140 by archers (early and late segments) and 38 in the muzzleloader season.
| License year | Deer reported | Antlered | Antlerless | Regular firearm | Archery, early | Archery, late | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 712 | 625 | 87 | 514 | 131 | 9 | 38 |
| 2024 | 676 | 617 | 59 | 505 | 106 | 7 | 49 |
| 2023 | 600 | 507 | 93 | 449 | 89 | 5 | 39 |
| 2022 | 1,002 | 892 | 110 | 766 | 153 | 2 | 55 |
Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), Ontonagon 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 Ontonagon County?
363,785 of Ontonagon County's 849,695 acres are public land open to the public (42.8%). The biggest share is national forest: 290,280 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Ontonagon County |
|---|---|---|
| National forest | 290,280 | 34.2% |
| State parks and recreation areas | 51,119 | 6% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 17,258 | 2% |
| County, city and regional land | 4,105 | 0.5% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 1,023 | 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 363,785 | 42.8% |
| Commercial Forest (private, open to hunting by law) | 225,783 | 26.6% |
225,783 acres of Ontonagon County (26.6%) 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 Ontonagon County
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in Ontonagon County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park: 49,353 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Ottawa National Forest (284,432 acres), Baraga State Forest Area (16,916 acres), Paynesville Purchase Unit (1,753 acres), Military Hill Purchase Unit (1,620 acres), South Ewen Purchase Unit (1,576 acres) and North Ewen Purchase Unit (922 acres).
How do you get to Ontonagon County?
Highways through it: US 45 (about 42 miles inside), M 28 (about 40 miles inside), M 38 (about 21 miles inside) and M 26 (about 16 miles inside). Towns inside: Ontonagon, White Pine, Bruce Crossing, Lake Gogebic, Ewen and Bergland. Nearby: Wakefield (9 miles), Bessemer (12 miles), South Range (14 miles) and Ironwood (17 miles).
Which counties border Ontonagon County?
Ontonagon County touches 3 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% | |
| Gogebic County | 444 | 2025 | 51.7% | |
| Houghton County | 830 | 2025 | 31.5% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Ontonagon County in 2025?
Hunters reported 712 deer: 625 antlered and 87 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 676.
Is there public hunting land in Ontonagon County?
Yes. 363,785 acres, 42.8% 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 (290,280 acres). The DNR's maps show 1 wildlife area or park open to hunting here.
Does Ontonagon 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.