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Kalkaska County hunting town
Hunting trips from Kalkaska, Michigan
From Kalkaska to the nearest DNR and federal land, plus the Kalkaska County deer management units, antlerless use limit, bear and turkey units and local taxidermists.
Photo: Rapid River through summer woods at Seven Bridges, Kalkaska County (Kalkaska County). supercraigtalbert (CC BY 2.0)
Kalkaska serves as the Kalkaska County seat, in the Lower Peninsula below the Straits. The Census puts Kalkaska at 2,255 residents for 2024. Mapped public acreage within 10 miles totals about 66,449, spread over 2 properties. Nearest of all is Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest), with its nearest line less than a mile out.
Town point and land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer, population from the Census Vintage 2024 estimates; public acreage and boundary distances within 10 miles are a GIS measure over the DNR wildlife property, park hunting-land and state forest layers and the USFS, USFWS and NPS boundaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Kalkaska
Michigan deer rules that apply at Kalkaska
How many antlerless licenses you can fill near Kalkaska, which bucks are legal, and what the disease rules require.
The DNR places Kalkaska County wholly in Zone 2. In Kalkaska County you can fill up to 3 universal antlerless licenses, sold over the counter. DMU 040 carries an antler point rule (3+ points on one side). Hunters here get the September antlerless weekend (Sep 12 to Sep 13, 2026) and the late hunt to Jan 1, 2027.
| Deer unit | Type | Antler rule | Antlerless use limit | 2025 reports |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 040 (Kalkaska County) | County unit | 3+ points on one side | 3 | 1,298 |
CWD has not been confirmed in Kalkaska County wild deer, per the DNR county list. CWD results for Kalkaska County, 2024: 0 of 37. Hunters here may not bait deer; the ban covers the whole Lower Peninsula.
Zones and units from counties.json (DNR layers) and the Wildlife Conservation Order; use limits, CWD areas, TB area and baiting from the DNR 2026 deer regulation summary; county CWD tests from DNR CWD testing data; donation testing from the DNR deer donation page; DMU harvest from the DNR harvest report summary. Checked October 22, 2026.
Kalkaska to the closest game areas and forests
The boundary column measures a straight line from Kalkaska to the closest edge; the centre column runs to the mapped point, so a big state forest unit can start far nearer than that figure.
Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest) (314,151 acres) is the biggest block of public land within 10 miles. The 10-mile ring around Kalkaska holds no DNR game area. Skegemog Lake Wildlife Management Area is the closest flooding (5.6 mi to its line). 1 state forest unit reach the ring, led by Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest).
| Area | Way | Type | Managed by | Line | Point | Acres | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest) 0.7 mi to Kalkaska | W | State forest unit | DNR Forest | 0.7 mi | 25 mi | 314,151 | deer, bear |
| Skegemog Lake Wildlife Management Area 5.6 mi to Kalkaska | NW | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 5.6 mi | 7.7 mi | 3,614 | – |
| Petobego State Game Area 15 mi to Kalkaska | NW | State game area | DNR Wildlife | past 10 mi | 15 mi | 787 | – |
| Headquarters Lake Flooding Wildlife Management Area 15 mi to Kalkaska | SW | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | past 10 mi | 15 mi | 715 | – |
| Goose Creek Flooding Wildlife Management Area 16 mi to Kalkaska | E | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | past 10 mi | 16 mi | 161 | – |
| Cannon Creek Flooding No.2 Wildlife Management Area 19 mi to Kalkaska | SE | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | past 10 mi | 19 mi | 92 | – |
| Cannon Creek Flooding No.1 Wildlife Management Area 20 mi to Kalkaska | SE | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | past 10 mi | 20 mi | 156 | – |
| Grass Lake Marsh Flooding Wildlife Management Area 20 mi to Kalkaska | SE | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | past 10 mi | 20 mi | 968 | – |
| Addis Creek Flooding Wildlife Management Area 21 mi to Kalkaska | SE | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | past 10 mi | 21 mi | 438 | – |
| Old Mission Peninsula State Park 22 mi to Kalkaska | NW | State park | DNR Parks | past 10 mi | 22 mi | 667 | – |
Lands, acreage and notes from DNR property lists, DNR GIS acreage and federal hunting pages (lands.json); boundary distances inside 10 miles from places.json; centre distances are straight lines from the Census point for Kalkaska. Checked October 22, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Kalkaska County harvest numbers for Kalkaska hunters
Michigan has required deer harvest reports since 2022, so county figures below are hunter reports, not survey estimates.
Hunters reported 1,298 deer from Kalkaska County in 2025: 666 antlered and 632 antlerless. Kalkaska sat 70th on the 2025 county list. The first reporting year, 2022, showed 1,941. With the firearm opener still ahead, 2026 reports stand at 142.
2026 turkey reports for Kalkaska County: 91 spring, 7 fall (fall still open). The DNR fall 2025 survey estimated 125 fall turkey hunters in Kalkaska County, 24 birds and 19% success.
Deer and 2026 turkey from the DNR harvest report summary (2026 is season to date, retrieved October 22, 2026); fall 2025 turkey survey from the DNR wildlife publications (Report 3754). Checked October 22, 2026.
Wildlife field offices around Kalkaska
Walk-in help for Kalkaska hunters comes from the service center listed first; the others look after their own properties.
DNR Traverse City Customer Service Center (24 mi W of town)
DNR Houghton Lake Wildlife Area Field Office, 34 mi from Kalkaska
Huron-Manistee National Forests Supervisor's Office, 36 mi from Kalkaska
From the DNR customer service center page and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 22, 2026.
Bear, turkey and elk units for Kalkaska
Bear and elk licenses come by drawing, so the unit decides what you apply for.
Bear hunting near Kalkaska runs through the Red Oak BMU and Baldwin BMU drawing. Survey success in the Red Oak unit was 57% for 2024. For spring gobblers, Kalkaska sits in unit NN; the DNR has not released spring 2027 dates. Fall unit I covers the county this autumn (Sept. 15 – Nov. 14). Kalkaska lies near the open elk unit X.
| BMU | Periods | Licenses 2026 | Points needed | Registered 2024 | Registered 2025* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Oak BMU | 1 | 685 | 9–10 | 346 | 282 |
| Baldwin BMU | 1 | 395 | 7–8 | 150 | 114 |
| Unit | Hunt | When | Licenses | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring unit NN | 0134 | April 18 – May 1 | 18,000 | Spring 2026 |
| Fall unit I | 0401 | Sept. 15 – Nov. 14 | Unlimited | Fall 2026 |
Units from counties.json (DNR layers); bear hunts, quotas and points from the DNR 2026 bear summary; registered bears and the 2024 survey from the DNR bear data and bear harvest reports; turkey hunts from the DNR spring turkey summary and fall turkey summary; elk from the DNR elk summary; small game units from the small game, waterfowl and fur harvester summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Open and upcoming seasons near Kalkaska
For Kalkaska, 45 segments cover deer, small game, waterfowl and furbearers this license year.
| Species | Hunt type | Zone or unit | Opening | Closing | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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) | Baldwin BMU | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 (firearm/bait/dogs) | Red Oak BMU | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 (archery only) | Baldwin BMU | Oct 2, 2026 | Oct 8, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 (archery only) | Red Oak BMU | Oct 2, 2026 | Oct 8, 2026 | |
| Elk | Hunt period 1 | Elk unit X | Sep 23, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Elk | Hunt period 2 | Elk unit X | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 15, 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.
Venison, mounts and archery shops around Kalkaska
Phone, map and website buttons appear where the source gave them. Opening hours were not checked.
| Service | Close (15 mi) | Wider (35 mi) | Closest | Miles | City |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer processors | 0 | 2 | Halstead Game Processing | 25 mi E | Grayling |
| Taxidermy shops | 1 | 11 | Mike's Taxidermy | 15 mi SW | Fife Lake |
| Guides and preserves | 0 | 3 | Wild Wings Game Farm | 24 mi NE | Elmira |
| Sporting goods | 5 | 51 | Jack's Sport Shop, Inc. | 0.4 mi E | Kalkaska |
Deer processors
Taxidermy shops
Guides and preserves
Sporting goods
Processors from the DNR Hunters Feeding Michigan list, DNR deer sample sites and Yellow Pages; shops from the DNR license agent map (license-only counters left out) and Yellow Pages; preserves from the DNR game bird preserve directory and Yellow Pages; taxidermists from Yellow Pages (the DNR taxidermy permit list is not public). Checked October 22, 2026; hours were not checked.
Kalkaska shooting time on key dates
Every time below comes from the DNR deer table; the B, C and D columns add the offsets printed on the zone map legend.
| When | Event | A zone | B zone | C zone | D zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
A short drive from Kalkaska: hunting events
1 upcoming event inside about 30 straight-line miles, soonest first: RMEF banquet. Read October 22, 2026.
Scheduled
| When | Event | Miles | Location | Tickets or entry | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 2027 | Traverse Bay Chapter Banquet in Traverse City, MI / RMEF banquet | 21 | Traverse City (Grand Traverse Co.) | Event details | Source |
Ranges closest to Kalkaska
Three ranges nearest Kalkaska, measured in straight-line miles.
Offers trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 22, 2026.
Kalkaska hunting, answered
How do I get an elk license near Kalkaska?
The county overlaps open elk unit X. The Pigeon River Country herd is hunted by drawing alone. Early hunt: Sep 23 to Oct 4, 2026.
What was the 2025 reported deer total near Kalkaska?
1,298 deer were reported from Kalkaska County in 2025. Kalkaska County came 70th among the 83 counties.
Which waterfowl zone is Kalkaska in?
Waterfowl dates follow the Middle Zone. The season table lists the zone splits.
What public land do Kalkaska hunters reach first?
Measured from the town point: Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest), with its nearest line less than a mile out. The runner-up for Kalkaska hunters is Skegemog Lake Wildlife Management Area.
Does Kalkaska have much public acreage nearby?
66,449 acres of state and federal land fall within 10 miles. The circle total comes from 2 separate tracts.
Which Michigan deer management units cover Kalkaska?
DMU 040 (Kalkaska County) is the main unit here. DMU 040 has APRs on most tags.
Can I buy antlerless licenses for Kalkaska County over the counter?
Kalkaska County allows 3 per hunter. Buy them over the counter; the statewide cap is 10.
Has CWD been found near Kalkaska?
Kalkaska County has no listed CWD deer. Deer bait is not allowed anywhere in the LP.
How many bear licenses does the unit near Kalkaska get?
Kalkaska sits in the Red Oak unit. 685 licenses were set for 2026. Preliminary 2025 count: 282 bears.
Which spring turkey unit do Kalkaska hunters use?
Spring hunts here are unit NN; fall is unit I. Fall dates are Sept. 15 – Nov. 14. The 2026 count is 98.
What are the 2026 rifle deer dates for Kalkaska County?
Statewide firearm deer runs Nov 15 to Nov 30, 2026 in both peninsulas. After it comes Dec 4 to Dec 6, 2026 (December firearm).
How late can a Kalkaska hunter shoot on opening day?
On Nov 15, 2026 the DNR Zone A table reads 6:53 a.m. to 5:48 p.m.; add 6, 12 or 18 minutes for Zones B, C and D.
Answers drawn from the sources listed in each section above; harvest reporting and the antlered deer limit from the DNR 2026 deer regulation summary. Checked October 22, 2026.
Leaving Kalkaska for the woods
Driving out from Kalkaska? Look up legal light for your hunting-time zone and the Kalkaska County season table.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); Dawn Endico (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); YoungSue (Public Domain Mark 1.0); grendelkhan (CC BY-SA 2.0); fishhawk (CC BY 2.0).