Wayne County, Michigan: deer harvest and public hunting land
Wayne County covers 632 square miles around Detroit. Hunters reported 693 deer here in the 2025 license year, 438 of them antlered, through the DNR's harvest reporting. That is up 32% from 2024, and the most in the 4 years shown. 7.4% of Wayne County is public land open to the public, the largest share county, city and regional land (23,364 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 landWayne CountyNeighboring countiesLakeHighway
| Size | 404,340 acres (632 square miles) |
|---|---|
| Deer reported, 2025 | 693 (438 antlered, 255 antlerless) |
| Regular firearm season, 2025 | 198 deer |
| Public land | 7.4% (29,749 acres) |
| Wildlife areas and parks | 3 (1,774 acres inside Wayne County) |
| Hunting Access Program land | None mapped this year |
| Towns in and near it | Detroit, Livonia, Romulus, Village of Grosse Pointe Shores, South Rockwood and Ferndale |
How many deer are harvested in Wayne County?
Hunters reported 693 deer in Wayne County in 2025: 438 antlered and 255 antlerless. By season: 198 in the regular firearm season, 322 by archers (early and late segments) and 70 in the muzzleloader season.
| License year | Deer reported | Antlered | Antlerless | Regular firearm | Archery, early | Archery, late | Muzzleloader |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 693 | 438 | 255 | 198 | 279 | 43 | 70 |
| 2024 | 525 | 335 | 190 | 138 | 243 | 35 | 35 |
| 2023 | 539 | 365 | 174 | 164 | 258 | 38 | 26 |
| 2022 | 549 | 356 | 193 | 156 | 265 | 36 | 38 |
Source: Michigan DNR reported deer harvest (license years 2022 to 2025), Wayne 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 Wayne County?
29,749 of Wayne County's 404,340 acres are public land open to the public (7.4%). The biggest share is county, city and regional land: 23,364 acres.
| Manager | Acres | Share of Wayne County |
|---|---|---|
| County, city and regional land | 23,364 | 5.8% |
| Land trusts and other open land | 3,561 | 0.9% |
| National wildlife refuges | 1,491 | 0.4% |
| State parks and recreation areas | 1,240 | 0.3% |
| State game and wildlife areas | 53 | under 0.1% |
| State forest and other DNR land | 40 | under 0.1% |
| All public land open to the public | 29,749 | 7.4% |
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 Wayne County
DNR wildlife areas and parks open to hunting in Wayne County, largest first, with the acres of each inside it:
- Pointe Mouillee State Game Area: 1,116 acres
- USFWS Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge (cooperator): 605 acres
- Brownstown Prairie State Wildlife Area: 53 acres
Other large public areas here, by PAD-US: Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge (1,491 acres).
How do you get to Wayne County?
Highways through it: I-94 (about 77 miles inside), I-75 (about 65 miles inside), I-96 (about 61 miles inside), I-275 (about 52 miles inside) and US 12 (about 45 miles inside). Towns inside: Detroit, Livonia, Romulus, Dearborn, Taylor and Westland. Nearby: Village of Grosse Pointe Shores (on the line), South Rockwood (on the line), Ferndale (on the line) and Hazel Park (on the line).
Which counties border Wayne County?
Wayne County touches 4 other counties. Their latest DNR harvest and public land, for comparison:
| County | Deer harvested | Year | Public land | Hunting Access Program land sites |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Macomb County | 2,360 | 2025 | 5.4% | |
| Monroe County | 2,399 | 2025 | 3.4% | |
| Oakland County | 3,783 | 2025 | 10.4% | |
| Washtenaw County | 4,412 | 2025 | 8.1% |
Questions hunters ask
How many deer were harvested in Wayne County in 2025?
Hunters reported 693 deer: 438 antlered and 255 antlerless (DNR reported deer totals). In 2024: 525.
Is there public hunting land in Wayne County?
Yes. 29,749 acres, 7.4% 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 county, city and regional land (23,364 acres). The DNR's maps show 3 wildlife areas and parks open to hunting here.
Does Wayne 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 Macomb County Monroe County Oakland County Washtenaw County