St. Clair County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land
St. Clair County covers 747 square miles around Port Huron. Hunters reported 6,128 deer here in the 2025 license year, 3,125 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is down 3% from 2024. 6.7% of St. Clair County is public land open to the public, the largest share state game and wildlife areas (23,744 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 areasCounty, city and regional landLand trusts and other open landHunting Access Program landSt. Clair CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 477,925 acres (747 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 6,128 (3,125 antlered, 3,003 antlerless) |
| Regular firearm season, 2025 | 2,383 deer |
| Public land | 6.7% (32,162 acres) |
| Wildlife areas and parks | 5 (26,957 acres inside St. Clair County) |
| Hunting Access Program land | 1 site, 147 acres |
| Towns in and near it | Port Huron, Marysville, St. Clair, Memphis, Richmond and New Baltimore |
How many deer are harvested in St. Clair County?
Hunters reported 6,128 deer in St. Clair County in 2025: 3,125 antlered and 3,003 antlerless. By season: 2,383 in the regular firearm season, 1,750 by archers (early and late segments) and 667 in the muzzleloader season.
| License year | Deer reported | Antlered | Antlerless | Regular firearm | Archery, early | Archery, late | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 6,128 | 3,125 | 3,003 | 2,383 | 1,652 | 98 | 667 |
| 2024 | 6,346 | 3,300 | 3,046 | 2,448 | 1,799 | 102 | 591 |
| 2023 | 5,670 | 3,190 | 2,480 | 2,420 | 1,861 | 98 | 425 |
| 2022 | 6,139 | 3,525 | 2,614 | 2,691 | 2,080 | 107 | 469 |
Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), St. Clair 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 St. Clair County?
32,162 of St. Clair County's 477,925 acres are public land open to the public (6.7%). The biggest share is state game and wildlife areas: 23,744 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of St. Clair County |
|---|---|---|
| State game and wildlife areas | 23,744 | 5% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 3,703 | 0.8% |
| County, city and regional land | 2,716 | 0.6% |
| State parks and recreation areas | 1,988 | 0.4% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 11 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 32,162 | 6.7% |
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 St. Clair County
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in St. Clair County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area: 15,543 acres
- Port Huron State Game Area: 6,868 acres
- St. Johns Marsh State Wildlife Area: 3,058 acres
- Algonac State Park: 1,376 acres
- St. Clair Township State Game Area: 112 acres
Hunting Access Program land in St. Clair County
The DNR's 2026 layer shows 1 active Hunting Access Program property in St. Clair County, 147 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 St. Clair County?
Highways through it: I-69 (about 55 miles inside), I-94 (about 52 miles inside), M 29 (about 36 miles inside), M 25 (about 31 miles inside) and M 19 (about 20 miles inside). Towns inside: Port Huron, Marysville, St. Clair, Marine City, Capac and Emmett. Nearby: Memphis (on the line), Richmond (on the line), New Baltimore (on the line) and Melvin (2 miles).
Which counties border St. Clair County?
St. Clair 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lapeer County | 7,241 | 2025 | 5.9% | |
| Macomb County | 2,360 | 2025 | 5.4% | |
| Sanilac County | 8,784 | 2025 | 2.5% | 7 |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in St. Clair County in 2025?
Hunters reported 6,128 deer: 3,125 antlered and 3,003 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 6,346.
Is there public hunting land in St. Clair County?
Yes. 32,162 acres, 6.7% 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 game and wildlife areas (23,744 acres). The DNR's maps show 5 wildlife areas and parks open to hunting here.
Does St. Clair County have Hunting Access Program land?
Yes. 1 active property, 147 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.