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Deer Zone 2 · Northern Lower Peninsula
Clare County Hunting
Clare County sits in the Lower Peninsula, deer Zone 2. This guide covers its 1 deer unit, universal antlerless limits, CWD and baiting status, bear and turkey units, public land with acres and the 2026-27 season table.
Photo: Christian Collins (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Out in the northern Lower Peninsula, Clare County spreads across 564 square miles around Harrison. The 2024 population stood near 31,405, up 1.8% on 2020. The whole county is Zone 2 for deer, with 1 DMU drawn over it. Hunters here line up at the Cadillac customer service counter for DNR business. Conservation officers work it from Law Enforcement District 5. 4 public properties on the state and federal lists sit at least partly inside the line, 1 state game area among them.
Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates (population), DNR region from the DNR wildlife region layer, deer zones from the DNR zone layer, law enforcement districts from the DNR district layer, customer service centers from the DNR contact page. Checked October 22, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Clare County
Clare County season dates for 2026-27
23 species and 41 dated segments apply in Clare County; the last column checks each against today.
| Quarry | Season | Zone | From | To | Status today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| White-tailed deer | Early antlerless firearm | Listed antlerless county | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Liberty Hunt | Statewide | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 13, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery, early | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Independence Hunt | Statewide | Oct 15, 2026 | Oct 18, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Regular firearm | Statewide | Nov 15, 2026 | Nov 30, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Archery, late | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| White-tailed deer | December firearm | Lower Peninsula | Dec 4, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| White-tailed deer | Late antlerless firearm | Listed antlerless county | Dec 7, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 (firearm/bait/dogs) | Gladwin BMU | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 (archery only) | Gladwin BMU | Oct 2, 2026 | Oct 8, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall | Fall unit I | Sep 15, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Fall first part | Statewide | Sep 15, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Ruffed grouse | Fall second part | Statewide | Dec 1, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Woodcock | Fall | Statewide | Sep 15, 2026 | Oct 29, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | Fall | Zone 2 | Oct 20, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Fox and gray squirrel | Private-land season | Statewide | Apr 1, 2026 | Sep 14, 2026 | |
| Fox and gray squirrel | Regular | Statewide | Sep 15, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Cottontail | Private-land season | Statewide | Apr 1, 2026 | Sep 14, 2026 | |
| Cottontail | Regular | Statewide | Sep 15, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Snowshoe hare | Regular | Statewide | Sep 15, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Crow | Summer | Statewide | Aug 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Crow | Late winter | Statewide | Feb 1, 2027 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Teal | Early teal | Statewide | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 9, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 1 | Middle Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | Middle Zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Waterfowl | Veterans days | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Waterfowl | Youth weekend | Statewide | Sep 19, 2026 | Sep 20, 2026 | |
| Dark geese | Dark goose part 1 | Middle Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Dark geese | Dark goose part 2 | Middle Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Dec 18, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 1 | Middle Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 2 | Middle Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Dec 18, 2026 | |
| Raccoon | Management season | Statewide | Apr 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Raccoon | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 1, 2026 | Mar 31, 2027 | |
| Red and gray fox | Hunting | Statewide | Oct 15, 2026 | Mar 1, 2027 | |
| Coyote | Management season | Statewide | Mar 2, 2026 | Oct 14, 2026 | |
| Coyote | Regular hunting | Statewide | Oct 15, 2026 | Mar 1, 2027 | |
| Bobcat | Hunting | Bobcat Unit D | Jan 1, 2027 | Feb 1, 2027 | |
| Feral swine | Year-round | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Opossum | Year-round | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Skunk | Year-round | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
| Woodchuck | Year-round | Statewide | Year-round | Year-round | Year-round |
From the Michigan Department of Natural Resources 2026 hunting regulation summaries (deer, bear, elk, turkey, small game, waterfowl and furbearer editions), checked October 22, 2026.
DMUs that overlap Clare County
Universal antlerless licenses ($20 each, 10 per hunter) count against a limit of 4 in Clare County. Early antlerless firearm runs Sep 12 to Sep 13, 2026 in Clare County, and late antlerless follows Dec 7, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. The 3-point antler restriction does not apply here; only the combo restricted tag needs 4 points.
| DMU | Called | Type | UAL limit | APR | 2025 reports |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 018 | Clare county | County unit | 4 | Statewide only | 4,224 |
Firearm dates
Long guns and slugs from Nov 15 through Nov 30; the LP December hunt is Dec 4 to Dec 6, 2026.
Bows and crossbows
Two bow segments: Oct 1 to Nov 14, 2026, then Dec 1, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027.
Youth and disability hunts
Liberty Hunt Sep 12 to Sep 13, 2026, Independence Hunt Oct 15 to Oct 18, 2026.
Baiting and feeding
The Lower Peninsula ban on deer and elk baiting and feeding covers the county.
Deer unit index · Antlerless rules
Units from the Wildlife Conservation Order chapter XII and the county-to-unit list, use limits from the 2026 deer summary, early and late antlerless counties from the WCO list, antler rules from WCO 3.101l, baiting from the deer summary, reported harvest by unit from the DNR harvest report summary. Checked October 22, 2026.
Clare County public hunting land
The list holds every game area, flooding, park and refuge touching Clare County, 4 in all, largest first within each type. 60,226 acres of state forest lie inside the county (Gaylord Forest Management Unit, Gladwin Forest Management Unit and Grayling Forest Management Unit). Open Commercial Forest acreage here: 80.
- Floodings (SWMAs), 3 listedOld Fur Farm Flooding Wildlife Management Area (2,063 acres), Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area (1,885 acres), Townline Creek Flooding Wildlife Management Area (662 acres*)
- State game areas, 1 listedGladwin State Game Area (1,354 acres*)
- State forest FMUsGaylord Forest Management Unit (37 acres in county), Gladwin Forest Management Unit (60,009 acres in county), Grayling Forest Management Unit (180 acres in county)
Regional units reaching Clare: Kirtland's Warbler Wildlife Management Area.
Neighbouring-county options: Wraco Lodge Lake Flooding State Wildlife Management Area 2,018 acres, 17 miles out; Bear Creek Flooding Wildlife Management Area 942 acres, 17 miles out; Gladwin Field Trial Area and Gladwin Wildlife Unit 4,749 acres, 17 miles out; Osceola-Missaukee Grasslands State Game Area 1,259 acres, 19 miles out; Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area 12,131 acres, 22 miles out.
Wilson State Park does not allow hunting or trapping.
Michigan land hub · All game areas · State forest system · Commercial Forest
Public land from the DNR wildlife property, park hunting-land and managed-lands layers and federal records; state forest acres from the DNR state forest lands (LOTS parcels); national forest acres from USFS land statistics; Commercial Forest acres from the DNR Commercial Forest program; HAP from the DNR HAP property list. Acres within 10 miles of the county seat are a GIS measure. Checked October 22, 2026.
Clare County antlered and antlerless harvest
The 2025 total for Clare County came to 4,230 deer, 45% of them antlerless. Across the four full years on file, 2022 was the high mark with 4,989 deer. 905 deer are in for 2026 to date, before the Nov. 15 opener.
| Year | Antlered | Does and fawns | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (so far) | 417 | 488 | 905 |
| 2025 | 2,311 | 1,919 | 4,230 |
| 2024 | 2,277 | 2,003 | 4,280 |
| 2023 | 2,262 | 1,789 | 4,051 |
| 2022 | 2,628 | 2,361 | 4,989 |
DNR Harvest Report Summary (reported deer by county, all seasons, read October 22, 2026; 2026 is in progress). Checked October 22, 2026.
Clare County: CWD and TB
Clare County has no confirmed CWD case in free-ranging deer. DNR testing data list 145 tested and 0 positive in 2024. No disease test is needed to donate a Clare County deer through Hunters Feeding Michigan.
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 145 | 0 |
Testing kits and drop boxes · LP bait ban, UP bait rules
CWD areas and county lists from the 2026 deer summary and the WCO; tests by county from the DNR CWD testing data (results current to 10/16/2026 for 2026); TB from the deer summary; donation testing from the Hunters Feeding Michigan county lists. Checked October 22, 2026.
Bear, turkey and bird units in Clare County
Bear drawing and harvest
Bear licenses for Clare County are drawn by unit: Gladwin. That unit registered 33 bears in 2025 (preliminary), unit-wide.
| BMU | Period | 2026 dates | Quota | Nonresident max | 2025 applicants | 2025 points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gladwin | 1 | Sept. 12–22 and Oct. 2–8 | 95 | 4 | 1,165 | 8–9 |
| Unit | Registered, 2024 | Registered, 2025* | Success rate 2024 |
|---|---|---|---|
| Gladwin | 43 | 33 | 48% |
Wild turkey
For spring turkeys Clare County is unit NN; the 2026 hunts below are the latest published, and 2027 dates are not out yet. Fall turkey is unit I, Sep 15 to Nov 14, 2026, quota unlimited. Reported 2026 turkeys in Clare County: 191 spring, 10 fall to date. Survey estimates for fall 2025 in Clare County: 50 birds taken.
| Unit | Season 2026 | Quota | Hunt number |
|---|---|---|---|
| NN | April 18–May 1 | 18,000 | 0134 |
| Statewide | May 2–May 31 | Unlimited | 0234 |
Upland and waterfowl
Bear drawing by unit · Turkey unit details
Bear units from the DNR bear unit layer; quotas, applicants and points from the 2026 bear summary; registrations from the same summary (2025 preliminary) and survey success from the DNR bear harvest reports; turkey hunts from the spring 2026 and fall 2026 summaries, reported turkeys from the turkey harvest report summary, fall 2025 survey from the DNR turkey report; elk from the elk summary and DNR elk report; bird units from the small game, waterfowl and furbearer summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Clare County legal hunting light
Ducks and geese stop at sunset and early teal and woodcock start at sunrise; these deer times are for big game and most small game.
| Date | Moment | Zone A hours | Zone B hours | Zone C hours | Zone D hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Archery opener | 6:59 a.m. to 7:46 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 7:52 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 7:58 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 8:04 p.m. |
| Oct 15, 2026 | Independence Hunt | 7:15 a.m. to 7:24 p.m. | 7:21 a.m. to 7:30 p.m. | 7:27 a.m. to 7:36 p.m. | 7:33 a.m. to 7:42 p.m. |
| Nov 15, 2026 | Firearm opener | 6:53 a.m. to 5:48 p.m. | 6:59 a.m. to 5:54 p.m. | 7:05 a.m. to 6:00 p.m. | 7:11 a.m. to 6:06 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Firearm close | 7:11 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. | 7:17 a.m. to 5:46 p.m. | 7:23 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. | 7:29 a.m. to 5:58 p.m. |
| Dec 5, 2026 | December hunts | 7:16 a.m. to 5:39 p.m. | 7:22 a.m. to 5:45 p.m. | 7:28 a.m. to 5:51 p.m. | 7:34 a.m. to 5:57 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late archery close | 7:31 a.m. to 5:40 p.m. | 7:37 a.m. to 5:46 p.m. | 7:43 a.m. to 5:52 p.m. | 7:49 a.m. to 5:58 p.m. |
Zone A times from the Michigan Department of Natural Resources deer hunting hours table, zone offsets from the DNR hunting hours map legend, checked October 22, 2026. Hunting hours for every zone.
Clare County town guides and adjacent counties
Clare County has 2 town guides, each with the public land within reach, nearby services and daily shooting hours.
- Harrisonseat · 2,170 residents (2024) · 24,872 public acres close by
- Farwell899 residents (2024) · 5,219 public acres close by
Cross the Clare County line and you are in one of 7 Michigan counties.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Clare County processors, taxidermists and shops
Listings with a Clare County address lead each group, and shops just over the line fill it out.
DNR and agency offices
Wildlife field offices keep short hours and share one DNR phone line; call first.
Meat processors
Taxidermy
Preserves and guides
Gun and bow shops
DNR customer service centers and field offices from the DNR contact page; processors from the Hunters Feeding Michigan list, DNR disease sample sites and directory listings; preserves from the DNR game bird preserve directory; shops from the DNR license agent map (license-only counters removed) and directories. Checked October 22, 2026; call ahead. All Michigan hunting services.
Before you burn in Clare County
The Michigan burn ban page shows Clare County today.
- Permit season: Any time the ground is not snow-covered.
- Counties where DNR burn permits are not issued electronically (southern Lower Peninsula; local fire dept/government issues permits): Clare County is not on this list.
- Who declares bans: (1) The DNR sets daily burn permit status by county and township ('No' = no open debris burning allowed).
- Campfires while hunting: Campfires for cooking or recreation need no DNR permit.
Places to shoot in Clare County
The first six Clare County ranges are cards; any others are in the table.
Takes trap, shotgun, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle
DNR range nearest the county: Supply Road Shooting Range, Grand Traverse County, 53 miles. Range page
Ranges from the DNR shooting page, the DNR range list and directory listings, checked October 22, 2026.
Events held in Clare County
1 upcoming event and 15 posted results (DU dinner, championship stake and club field trial), read October 22, 2026.
On the calendar
| Dates | Name | Place | Link | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 14, 2027 | Clare County Chapter 49th Annual Dinner / DU dinner | Doherty Hotel in Clare (Clare Co.) | Buy tickets | Source |
Results
| Held | Event | Result | Source |
|---|---|---|---|
| Aug 22, 2026 | National Brittany Open Grouse Championship Association 2026 / Championship stake | First stake 1st: Highbanks Final Justice (pointer male; Bill Nelson, owner; Scott Chaffee, handler) | Source |
| Aug 8, 2026 | Lake States Field Trial Club 2026 / Club field trial | First stake 1st: White Indian Outlaw (pointer male; Thomas Butler, owner; Rachel Butler, handler) | Source |
| Apr 17, 2026 | Beaverton Grouse Dog Club 2026 / Club field trial | First stake 1st: Moss Meadow Searcher (setter male; Ken Moss, owner and handler) | Source |
| Apr 10, 2026 | Ruffed Grouse Field Trial Club 2026 / Club field trial | First stake 1st: Meredith Grade Penny (setter female; Dennis Keysor, owner; Scott Chaffee, handler) | Source |
| Apr 3, 2026 | Michigan Amateur Field Trial Club 2026 / Club field trial | First stake 1st: Moss Meadow Seeker (setter male; Ken Moss, owner and handler) | Source |
| Oct 22, 2025 | 81st Annual Lake States Grouse Dog Championship – Lake States Grouse Dog Championship 2025 / Championship stake | Lake States Grouse Dog Championship winner: Resin (setter male; Kevin Lahoda, owner; Marc Forman, handler) | Source |
| Oct 14, 2025 | Northern Michigan Cover Dog Championship 2025 / Championship stake | Northern Michigan Cover Dog Championship winner: Millers Dusty Version (pointer female; Mike Husenits, owner; Mark Hughes, handler) | Source |
| Oct 2, 2025 | National Brittany Open Grouse Championship Association – Restricted Breed Open Grouse Championship 2025 / Championship stake | First stake 1st: Back Creek Lucy (setter female; Steve Graham, owner; Rich Hollister, handler) | Source |
Clare County small areas, one by one
2 smaller public areas in Clare County, 3,948 acres together, each with its own section below: acres, office, zones, DNR map and the facts its agency documents give.
Deadman Swamp State Wildlife Management Area
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | State Wildlife Management Area |
| Acres | 1,885 (MI DNR Wildlife Property Boundary GIS Acres field) |
| County | Clare |
| Map point | 43.8285, -84.9212 (directions) |
| Zones | Deer Zone 2; Bear Management Unit Gladwin; Spring Turkey Hunt Unit NM; Waterfowl Middle Zone |
| Topic | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Water | The DNR Wildlife Division list gives about 16 acres of water within the area. | DNR area map (PDF) |
| Management | The list shows the Forest Resources Division as lead land administrator for this wildlife management area. | DNR area map (PDF) |
Old Fur Farm Flooding Wildlife Management Area
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Type | State Wildlife Management Area |
| Acres | 2,063 (MI DNR Wildlife Property Boundary GIS Acres field) |
| County | Clare |
| DNR office | Gladwin Field Office |
| Map point | 44.0935, -84.8964 (directions) |
| Zones | Deer Zone 2; Bear Management Unit Gladwin; Spring Turkey Hunt Unit NM; Waterfowl Middle Zone |
| Map | Area Map |
| Topic | Detail | Source |
|---|---|---|
| Water | Floodwood Creek and the Muskegon River appear on the area map. | Old Fur Farm Flooding State Wildlife Management Area General Map |
| Management | The DNR map notes that the area is a select area of State Forest land managed cooperatively for wildlife by the DNR Wildlife and Forestry Divisions. | Old Fur Farm Flooding State Wildlife Management Area General Map |
Clare County hunting questions
How many CWD deer has Michigan found?
389 confirmed since 2015, statewide.
How does Clare County rank for deer harvest?
31st of 83 counties in 2025 (4,230 deer).
Which bear unit is Clare County in?
Gladwin, by the DNR bear unit layer.
Does the Lower Peninsula bait ban cover Clare County?
Yes. Every Lower Peninsula county is under it.
Which state game areas are in Clare County?
Gladwin State Game Area.
What turkey unit is Clare County in?
Spring unit NN, fall unit I.
Is hunter pink legal in Clare County?
The statute lets the commission authorize other colors such as hunter pink.
How do I report a deer shot in Clare County?
Online or in the Hunt Fish app within 72 hours of recovery, before you hand it to anyone.
Can I take a doe in December in Clare County?
Yes, in the late antlerless hunt, Dec 7, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027.
How many bucks can I take in Clare County?
Two antlered deer per license year statewide.
Answers from the DNR 2026 regulation summaries, harvest reporting rules, MCL 324.40116, DNR harvest and CWD data and the sources cited above. Checked October 22, 2026.
Clare County trip checklist
DMU lines in Clare County follow roads and rivers as well as county borders, so confirm your unit on the DNR map before you buy licenses.
Sources: DNR 2026 hunting regulation summaries, Wildlife Conservation Order, township restrictions list, Michigan DNR hunting, Census and the agencies linked in each section. Checked October 22, 2026.
Other photos on this page: joannapoe (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); sonstroem (CC BY 2.0); ksblack99 (Public Domain Mark 1.0); San Bernardino Nat'l Forest (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Juliana Chong (CC BY 2.0); Ligocsicnarf89 (CC BY 4.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); Joe K Gage (CC BY-SA 2.0).