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Southwest Lower Peninsula · 2026-27
Muskegon County Hunting
Deer units and antlerless limits, reported harvest since 2022, CWD testing, the baiting rule, bear, turkey and waterfowl units and every public property in Muskegon County, all taken from DNR data.
Photo: Qfamily (CC BY 2.0)
Muskegon County covers 504 square miles of land and 956 of inland water, with county offices in Muskegon. The Census counted 177,428 people there for 2024, about 352 to each square mile. By area the county splits 54% Zone 2 and 46% Zone 3. The Cadillac office is the nearest of the 13 DNR customer service centers. DNR law enforcement places it in District 7. 3 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 Muskegon County
What is open in Muskegon County this season
Archery and the Nov. 15 rifle opener are statewide, but bear units, fall turkey units, waterfowl zones and bobcat units decide the rest for Muskegon County.
| Species | Season | Applies | Opens | Closes | 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) | 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 | |
| Pheasant | Fall | Zone 3 | Oct 20, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | December | Zone 3 | Dec 1, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| 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 | South Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | South Zone | Dec 26, 2026 | Dec 27, 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 | South Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Dark geese | Dark goose part 2 | South Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Dark geese | Dark goose part 1 | Muskegon Wastewater GMU | Oct 20, 2026 | Dec 19, 2026 | |
| Dark geese | Dark goose part 3 | South Zone | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Dark geese | Dark goose part 4 | South Zone | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 1 | South Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 2 | South Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 1 | Muskegon Wastewater GMU | Oct 20, 2026 | Dec 19, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 3 | South Zone | Dec 26, 2026 | Jan 3, 2027 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 4 | South Zone | Feb 6, 2027 | Feb 15, 2027 | |
| 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 H | Jan 1, 2027 | Jan 11, 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.
Muskegon County DMUs, limits and antler rules
New for 2026, use limits cap antlerless licenses by county; Muskegon County allows 5. Two antlerless-only gun windows apply: Sep 12 to Sep 13, 2026 and Dec 7, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. Muskegon County has no extra antler point rule beyond the statewide 4-point restricted tag.
| Unit | DNR name | Type | Antlerless cap | Antler restriction | Harvest 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 061 | Muskegon county | County unit | 5 | Statewide only | 2,819 |
| DMU 341 | Sparta Unit; Kent – Muskegon south – Ottawa | Overlay unit | 5 | Statewide only | — |
| DMU 361 | Fremont Unit; Muskegon north – Newaygo – Oceana | Overlay unit | 5 | Statewide only | — |
| DMU 486 | Southern Lower Peninsula multi-county | Overlay unit | 5 | Statewide only | — |
Gun deer
The firearm opener is Nov 15, 2026, closing Nov 30; three December firearm days follow.
Archery deer
Early archery Oct 1 to Nov 14, 2026; late archery Dec 1, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027.
September and October hunts
Youth hunters take to the woods Sep 12 to Sep 13, 2026 in the Liberty Hunt.
Bait status
No bait and no feeding: Muskegon County is under the Lower Peninsula ban.
Compare DMUs · Use limits statewide
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.
Muskegon County game areas, forests and refuges
Muskegon County overlaps 3 properties on the land list, from state game areas to parks and refuges. The Forest Service holds 12,434 acres here, open with Michigan licenses and seasons. The DNR parcel list shows 113 Commercial Forest acres in Muskegon County.
- State game areas (1 here)Muskegon State Game Area (15,691 ac*)
- Managed waterfowl areas (1)Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center (11,182 ac)
- State parks (1)Duck Lake State Park (739 ac)
- Forest Service groundHuron-Manistee National Forest (12,434 ac in county), White Cloud Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest)
Across the boundary, closest first: Silver Lake State Park 2,962 ac, 17 miles out; Pentwater River State Game Area 2,599 ac, 22 miles out; Grand Haven State Game Area 1,450 ac, 31 miles out; Pere Marquette State Game Area 396 ac, 35 miles out; Bass River Recreation Area 1,662 ac, 36 miles out.
The DNR park layer shows Muskegon State Park, P.J. Hoffmaster State Park and William Field Memorial Hart-Montague Trail SP as closed ground.
All 328 land pages · Game area list · Federal hunting land · Commercial Forest lands
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.
Deer reports from Muskegon County
2,819 deer were reported from Muskegon County in 2025, ranking it 46th of 83 counties. Set beside the 2,920 of 2022, the 2025 tally moved -3% over three seasons. Reports for 2026 stand at 711 (321 antlerless) and will climb after Nov. 15.
| Year | Antlered harvest | Antlerless harvest | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (in progress) | 390 | 321 | 711 |
| 2025 | 1,506 | 1,313 | 2,819 |
| 2024 | 1,550 | 1,386 | 2,936 |
| 2023 | 1,661 | 1,324 | 2,985 |
| 2022 | 1,750 | 1,170 | 2,920 |
DNR Harvest Report Summary (reported deer by county, all seasons, read October 22, 2026; 2026 is in progress). Checked October 22, 2026.
CWD zones and TB lists for Muskegon County
Management-zone CWD rules apply in Muskegon County. So far no wild deer from Muskegon County has tested positive. County testing rows: 421 tested and 0 positive in 2022. Donated deer from here need no CWD or TB test.
| Harvest year | Deer tested | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 421 | 0 |
Bovine TB and CWD guide · Two-gallon UP bait rule
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.
Muskegon County bear and turkey numbers
Black bears
Muskegon County lies in the Baldwin bear management unit. Licenses come by preference-point drawing. Unit-wide, 114 bears were registered in 2025, a preliminary figure.
| Unit | Hunt | Dates | Licenses | Nonres. cap | Applicants 2025 | Points 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baldwin | 1 | Sept. 12–22 and Oct. 2–8 | 395 | 19 | 2,762 | 7–8 |
| BMU | 2024 | 2025 preliminary | Hunter success |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baldwin | 150 | 114 | 42% |
Turkey units and reports
Spring turkey unit ZZ covers the county. Spring 2027 hunts have not been published, so the 2026 hunts are shown. In fall the county is unit I: Sep 15 to Nov 14, 2026. Spring 2026 reports put Muskegon County at 360 birds. 39% of fall 2025 hunters in Muskegon County took a bird, per the DNR survey.
| Unit | Dates (2026) | License quota | Hunt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Statewide | May 2–May 31 | Unlimited | 0234 |
| ZZ* | April 18–May 31 | Unlimited | 0301 |
| ZZ | April 18–May 1 | 8,000 | 0302 |
| ZZ | May 2–31 | 8,000 | 0303 |
Muskegon bird and furbearer units
Muskegon County holds the managed waterfowl area at Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center. Check the Muskegon County Wastewater GMU goose dates.
Bear units · Compare turkey units
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.
Muskegon County shooting time on key dates
Use the column for the hunting-time zone that covers Muskegon County on the DNR map. Zone D is the far western Upper Peninsula.
| 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.
Base camps in and around Muskegon County
Base camp choices in Muskegon County follow, seat first; each town page maps the closest open ground.
- Muskegoncounty seat · 37,287 people in 2024 · 8,359 acres open to hunters within 10 miles
- North Muskegon4,089 people in 2024 · 10,381 acres open to hunters within 10 miles
- Twin Lake34,364 acres open to hunters within 10 miles
- Wolf Lake19,195 acres open to hunters within 10 miles
Tiles below open the 4 counties that share a line with Muskegon County; Milwaukee (WI) and Ozaukee (WI) lies outside Michigan.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Muskegon County hunting services
Muskegon County businesses show first; the nearest ones in adjoining counties follow.
Agency desks serving Muskegon
Most DNR customer service centers open Monday to Friday; check before you drive.
Deer processors
Mounts and taxidermy
Guided hunts
Outdoor stores
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.
Burning rules in Muskegon County
See the Michigan county list for Muskegon County today.
- Permits: 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): Muskegon 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).
- Public land fires: Campfires for cooking or recreation need no DNR permit.
Muskegon County shooting ranges and match dates
11 ranges in Muskegon County, as of October 22, 2026.
Lines: trap, shotgun
Lines: rifle, silhouette
Lines: rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, archery, muzzleloader
Lines: handgun, smallbore rimfire
| Range or club | Closest town | Lines on file | Who may shoot |
|---|---|---|---|
| Ravenna Conservation Club (sportsmen's club) | Ravenna | muzzleloader/trap/archery/3D archery/shotgun | Public per DNR list |
| Seaway Gun Club (sporting clays course) | Muskegon | trap/shotgun/skeet/sporting clays/5-stand | Public per DNR list |
| Twin Lake Gun Club (sportsmen's club) | Twin Lake | trap/shotgun/sporting clays/rifle/handgun/smallbore rimfire/archery/3D archery/muzzleloader/cowboy action/highpower | Public per DNR list |
| Grasmeyer Bros, LLC (outdoor range) | Twin Lake | Public per DNR list | |
| Copper Creek Shooting Academy (outdoor range) | Nunica | handgun/shotgun | Access not stated |
For a state-run range, Echo Point Shooting Range (Allegan County) is roughly 66 miles away. Details
Matches in the county
| When and what | Kind | Go |
|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2026 ▸ Muskegon Pistol and Rifle Club 2026 GVSM match | CMP pistol | Register |
| Nov 1, 2026 ▸ Muskegon Pistol and Rifle Club 2026 GVSM match at Muskegon Pistol & Rifle Club | High power | Enter |
| Nov 1, 2026 ▸ Muskegon Pistol and Rifle Club CMP HP Rifle Matches | CMP pistol | Register |
Ranges from the DNR shooting page, the DNR range list and directory listings, checked October 22, 2026.
Events held in Muskegon County
Read October 22, 2026: 1 upcoming event, covering NWTF banquet.
Still to come
| Held | What | Where | Register | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 9, 2027 | Lakeshore Longbeards NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | Whitehall (Muskegon Co.) | Buy tickets | Source |
Muskegon County questions from hunters
Are spring 2027 turkey dates out for Muskegon County?
Not yet. The table shows the spring 2026 hunts as the latest published.
Is there state forest land in Muskegon County?
No state forest acres are recorded.
What is the deadline to report a deer in Muskegon County?
72 hours after recovery, or before transfer of possession if sooner.
Must Muskegon County archers wear orange during the November firearm season?
Yes. The archery exemption ends whenever a firearm deer season is open.
When does archery close in Muskegon County?
Jan 1, 2027, the end of the late segment.
Are antler point rules in force in Muskegon County?
No 3-point rule; the restricted combo tag still needs 4 points.
Which Muskegon County meat shops take whole deer?
Start with Cushman Meat Processing, Drummond Meat Processing Co and Makkedah Meat Processing & Bul, nearest first.
Is Muskegon County in the Upper or Lower Peninsula?
The Lower Peninsula, deer Zone 2/3.
How much is an antlerless license for Muskegon County?
$20 for a universal antlerless license, with 5 usable here.
How many bucks came from Muskegon County in 2025?
1,506 antlered deer were reported.
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.
Double-check before Muskegon County
The DNR can change use limits, quotas and bans between seasons. The regulation summaries and the Wildlife Conservation Order are the legal reference.
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: USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); Cindy Sue Causey (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); sonstroem (CC BY 2.0).