Presque Isle County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land
Presque Isle County covers 684 square miles around Rogers City. Hunters reported 3,630 deer here in the 2025 license year, 2,113 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is down 5% from 2024. 20.9% of Presque Isle County is public land open to the public, the largest share state forest and other DNR land (79,566 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 wildlife refugesState parks and recreation areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landHunting Access Program landPresque Isle CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 437,985 acres (684 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 3,630 (2,113 antlered, 1,517 antlerless) |
| Regular firearm season, 2025 | 2,192 deer |
| Public land | 20.9% (91,509 acres) |
| Wildlife areas and parks | 4 (8,124 acres inside Presque Isle County) |
| Hunting Access Program land | 4 sites, 823 acres |
| Towns in and near it | Rogers City, Onaway, Posen, Alpena, Hillman and Cheboygan |
How many deer are harvested in Presque Isle County?
Hunters reported 3,630 deer in Presque Isle County in 2025: 2,113 antlered and 1,517 antlerless. By season: 2,192 in the regular firearm season, 592 by archers (early and late segments) and 295 in the muzzleloader season.
| License year | Deer reported | Antlered | Antlerless | Regular firearm | Archery, early | Archery, late | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 3,630 | 2,113 | 1,517 | 2,192 | 567 | 25 | 295 |
| 2024 | 3,837 | 2,223 | 1,614 | 2,358 | 597 | 20 | 316 |
| 2023 | 3,156 | 1,996 | 1,160 | 2,184 | 522 | 23 | 101 |
| 2022 | 3,368 | 2,044 | 1,324 | 2,330 | 598 | 33 | 91 |
Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), Presque Isle 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 Presque Isle County?
91,509 of Presque Isle County's 437,985 acres are public land open to the public (20.9%). The biggest share is state forest and other DNR land: 79,566 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Presque Isle County |
|---|---|---|
| State forest and other DNR land | 79,566 | 18.2% |
| State parks and recreation areas | 7,599 | 1.7% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 3,756 | 0.9% |
| County, city and regional land | 388 | 0.1% |
| National wildlife refuges | 200 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 91,509 | 20.9% |
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 Presque Isle County
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in Presque Isle County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Thompson's Harbor State Park: 5,344 acres
- Rockport Recreation Area: 1,844 acres
- Tomahawk Creek Flooding State Wildlife Management Area: 736 acres
- P.H. Hoeft State Park: 200 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Atlanta State Forest Area (72,247 acres), Kirtland Warbler Unit Clear Lake (6,151 acres) and Kirtlands Warbler Wildlife Management Area (200 acres).
Hunting Access Program land in Presque Isle County
The DNR's 2026 layer shows 4 active Hunting Access Program properties in Presque Isle County, 823 acres of private land leased for public hunting. Each property's listing says which hunting it allows and how to check in. DNR Hunting Access Program.
How do you get to Presque Isle County?
Highways through it: US 23 (about 88 miles inside), M 68 (about 24 miles inside), M 33 (about 12 miles inside), M 65 (about 9 miles inside) and M 211 (about 5 miles inside). Towns inside: Rogers City, Onaway, Posen, Millersburg and Presque Isle Harbor. Nearby: Alpena (9 miles), Hillman (9 miles), Cheboygan (11 miles) and Wolverine (17 miles).
Which counties border Presque Isle County?
Presque Isle 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alpena County | 3,989 | 2025 | 13.8% | 10 |
| Cheboygan County | 1,874 | 2025 | 40.1% | 3 |
| Montmorency County | 2,465 | 2025 | 40.4% | 4 |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Presque Isle County in 2025?
Hunters reported 3,630 deer: 2,113 antlered and 1,517 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 3,837.
Is there public hunting land in Presque Isle County?
Yes. 91,509 acres, 20.9% 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 state forest and other DNR land (79,566 acres). The DNR's maps show 4 wildlife areas and parks open to hunting here.
Does Presque Isle County have Hunting Access Program land?
Yes. 4 active properties, 823 acres, on the DNR's 2026 layer.
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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 Alpena County Cheboygan County Montmorency County