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Benzie County hunting town
Hunting trips from Nessen City, Michigan
From Nessen City to the nearest DNR and federal land, plus the Benzie County deer management units, antlerless use limit, bear and turkey units and local taxidermists.
Photo: Shown here is Manistee Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) (8.7 mi from Nessen City). USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Nessen City lies in Benzie County, one of the counties of the DNR Northern Lower Peninsula Region. Among towns around Grass Lake Flooding Wildlife Management Area, Nessen City is the nearest base, with the line 5 miles out. Mapped public acreage within 10 miles totals about 64,531, spread over 5 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; 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 Nessen City
Michigan deer rules that apply at Nessen City
How many antlerless licenses you can fill near Nessen City, which bucks are legal, and what the disease rules require.
The DNR places Benzie County wholly in Zone 2. In Benzie County you can fill up to 3 universal antlerless licenses, sold over the counter. DMU 010 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 010 (Benzie County) | County unit | 3+ points on one side | 3 | 1,323 |
CWD has not been confirmed in Benzie County wild deer, per the DNR county list. CWD results for Benzie County, 2024: 0 of 131. bovine TB testing comes first for donated Benzie County deer. 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.
Nessen City to the closest game areas and forests
The boundary column measures a straight line from Nessen City 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 Nessen City holds no DNR game area. Grass Lake Flooding Wildlife Management Area is the closest flooding (4.7 mi to its line). 2 state forest units reach the ring, led by Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest). Manistee Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) is the nearest federal unit; its own rules and closures apply. The ring includes 1 GEMS grouse site, nearest Little Betsie River Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS).
| Area | Way | Type | Managed by | Line | Point | Acres | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest) 0.6 mi to Nessen City | NE | State forest unit | DNR Forest | 0.6 mi | 12 mi | 314,151 | deer, bear |
| Little Betsie River Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) 2.0 mi to Nessen City | N | GEMS grouse site | DNR GEMS | 2.0 mi | 2.0 mi | 4,183 | ruffed grouse, woodcock |
| Cadillac Forest Management Unit (State Forest) 2.6 mi to Nessen City | SE | State forest unit | DNR Forest | 2.6 mi | 30 mi | 234,198 | deer, bear |
| Grass Lake Flooding Wildlife Management Area 4.7 mi to Nessen City Why listed | N | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 4.7 mi | 6.2 mi | 2,627 | – |
| Manistee Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) 8.7 mi to Nessen City | SW | Ranger district | US Forest Service | 8.7 mi | 25 mi | 123,931 | deer, bear |
| Lake DuBonnet Flooding State Wildlife Management Area 12 mi to Nessen City | N | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | past 10 mi | 12 mi | 1,040 | – |
| Betsie River State Game Area 17 mi to Nessen City | W | State game area | DNR Wildlife | past 10 mi | 17 mi | 741 | – |
| Tippy Dam Recreation Area 18 mi to Nessen City | S | Recreation area | DNR Parks | past 10 mi | 18 mi | 102 | – |
| Cadillac Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) 22 mi to Nessen City | SE | Ranger district | US Forest Service | past 10 mi | 22 mi | 128,755 | deer, bear |
| Headquarters Lake Flooding Wildlife Management Area 26 mi to Nessen City | E | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | past 10 mi | 26 mi | 715 | – |
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 Nessen City. Checked October 22, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Benzie County harvest numbers for Nessen City hunters
Michigan has required deer harvest reports since 2022, so county figures below are hunter reports, not survey estimates.
Hunters reported 1,323 deer from Benzie County in 2025: 696 antlered and 627 antlerless. Benzie sat 69th on the 2025 county list. The first reporting year, 2022, showed 1,412. With the firearm opener still ahead, 2026 reports stand at 143.
2026 turkey reports for Benzie County: 58 spring, 3 fall (fall still open). The DNR fall 2025 survey estimated 137 fall turkey hunters in Benzie County, 24 birds and 18% 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 Nessen City
Walk-in help for Nessen City hunters comes from the service center listed first; the others look after their own properties.
DNR Traverse City Customer Service Center (14 mi NE of town)
Huron-Manistee National Forests Cadillac/Manistee Ranger Station, 21 mi from Nessen City
Huron-Manistee National Forests Supervisor's Office, 31 mi from Nessen City
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 Nessen City
Bear and elk licenses come by drawing, so the unit decides what you apply for.
Bear hunting near Nessen City runs through the Baldwin BMU drawing. Survey success in the Baldwin unit was 42% for 2024. For spring gobblers, Nessen City sits in unit NN; the DNR has not released spring 2027 dates. Fall unit I covers the county this autumn (Sept. 15 – Nov. 14).
| BMU | Periods | Licenses 2026 | Points needed | Registered 2024 | Registered 2025* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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; small game units from the small game, waterfowl and fur harvester summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Open and upcoming seasons near Nessen City
For Nessen City, 41 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 (archery only) | Baldwin 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 G | Jan 1, 2027 | Jan 20, 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 Nessen City
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 | 1 | Chupp's Custom Butchering | 23 mi E | Manton |
| Taxidermy shops | 4 | 13 | Outdoor Adventures Taxidermy | 7.1 mi E | Mesick |
| Guides and preserves | 2 | 2 | Luther's Pheasant Hunting | 9.9 mi E | Buckley |
| Sporting goods | 7 | 39 | Flash Point Firearms | 3.4 mi W | Thompsonville |
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.
Nessen City 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 Nessen City: hunting events
5 upcoming events inside about 30 straight-line miles, soonest first: NWTF banquet, RMEF banquet and hunting class. Read October 22, 2026.
Scheduled
| When | Event | Miles | Location | Tickets or entry | Read at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 2026 | Mitchell State Park – Learn to Hunt Whitetail Deer / Hunting class | 28 | Mitchell State Park in Cadillac (Wexford Co.) | Register | Source |
| Apr 2, 2027 | 3 Corners Habitat Chapter NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | 29 | Cadillac (Wexford Co.) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Apr 10, 2027 | Sunset Shoreline Strutters NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | 30 | Manistee (Manistee Co.) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Apr 10, 2027 | Traverse Bay Chapter Banquet in Traverse City, MI / RMEF banquet | 21 | Traverse City (Grand Traverse Co.) | Event details | Source |
| Apr 10, 2027 | Tri-County Longbeards NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | 3 | Thompsonville (Benzie Co.) | Buy tickets | Source |
Ranges closest to Nessen City
Three ranges nearest Nessen City, measured in straight-line miles.
Offers sporting clays, shotgun
Offers trap, skeet, 5-stand, rifle, handgun
Offers trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, shotgun
Supply Road Shooting Range is the nearest DNR range, roughly 27 miles out. More
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 22, 2026.
Nessen City hunting, answered
How do I report a deer shot near Nessen City?
Online or in the Hunt Fish app, within 72 hours or before transfer. The DNR has cut back check stations, and heads for CWD or TB testing are taken only after the report is filed.
Is there a two-buck limit near Nessen City?
Two antlered deer per license year statewide (one in DMU 117), one deer per kill tag. Single and combo licenses are chosen at purchase.
What was the 2025 reported deer total near Nessen City?
1,323 deer were reported from Benzie County in 2025. Benzie County came 69th among the 83 counties.
Which waterfowl zone is Nessen City in?
Waterfowl dates follow the Middle Zone. The season table lists the zone splits.
What public land do Nessen City 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 Nessen City hunters is Little Betsie River Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS).
Does Nessen City have much public acreage nearby?
64,531 acres of state and federal land fall within 10 miles. The circle total comes from 5 separate tracts.
Which Michigan deer management units cover Nessen City?
DMU 010 (Benzie County) is the main unit here. DMU 010 has APRs on most tags.
Can I buy antlerless licenses for Benzie County over the counter?
Benzie County allows 3 per hunter. Buy them over the counter; the statewide cap is 10.
Has CWD been found near Nessen City?
Benzie County has no listed CWD deer. Deer bait is not allowed anywhere in the LP.
How many bear licenses does the unit near Nessen City get?
Nessen City sits in the Baldwin unit. 395 licenses were set for 2026. Preliminary 2025 count: 114 bears.
Which spring turkey unit do Nessen City hunters use?
Spring hunts here are unit NN; fall is unit I. Fall dates are Sept. 15 – Nov. 14. The 2026 count is 61.
What are the 2026 rifle deer dates for Benzie 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).
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 Nessen City for the woods
Driving out from Nessen City? Look up legal light for your hunting-time zone and the Benzie County season table.
Other photos on this page: ilouque (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); Ligocsicnarf89 (CC BY 4.0); lwolfartist (CC BY 2.0); Birding for Climate (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); ShenandoahNPS (Public domain).