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2026-27 · deer Zone 2
Oceana County Hunting
Reported deer since 2022, CWD testing by year, bear and turkey numbers, state game areas and forest acres, and the dates that reach Oceana County from September through March.
Photo: rkramer62 (CC BY 2.0)
Oceana County stretches over 538 square miles in southwest Michigan, run from Hart. Its Vintage 2024 Census estimate is 27,014 residents (+1.3% since 2020). Zone 2 applies county-wide, split into 2 management units. The closest DNR counter is the Cadillac customer service center. Enforcement here belongs to DNR District 4. Oceana County touches 1 state game area and 1 other public property.
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 Oceana County
Every hunt that reaches Oceana County
For Oceana County, 51 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 1 | South Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | Middle Zone | Dec 12, 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 | Middle Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Dark geese | Dark goose part 1 | South Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Dark geese | Dark goose part 2 | Middle Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Dec 18, 2026 | |
| Dark geese | Dark goose part 2 | South Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 13, 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 | Middle Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 1 | South Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 2 | Middle Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Dec 18, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 2 | South Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 13, 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 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.
Oceana County deer units, dates and baiting
The use limit for Oceana County is 4: that many universal antlerless licenses can be filled inside the county. Antlerless-only firearm hunts open here twice, Sep 12 to Sep 13, 2026 and again Dec 7, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027. Antler rules in Oceana County are the statewide ones.
| DMU | Unit name | Kind | Universal antlerless limit | Point rule | 2025 harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 064 | Oceana county | County unit | 4 | Statewide only | 4,589 |
| DMU 361 | Fremont Unit; Muskegon north – Newaygo – Oceana | Overlay unit | 4 | Statewide only | — |
Rifle season
Nov 15 to Nov 30, 2026 is the firearm season; the December hunt follows Dec 4 to Dec 6, 2026.
Archery dates
Archery opens Oct 1, pauses for firearm, resumes Dec 1.
Liberty and Independence
Two special hunts come early: Sep 12 to Sep 13, 2026 and Oct 15 to Oct 18, 2026.
Baiting rule
Hunters in Oceana County may not bait or feed deer.
Every Michigan deer unit · Universal antlerless licenses
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.
Oceana County: state and federal land
The map drops a pin on each of the 2 Oceana County properties and on 5 close neighbours outside it. Add 53,216 national forest acres to the public total. Private timber land in the Commercial Forest program adds 1,348 walk-in acres.
- State parks in the county (1)Silver Lake State Park (2,962 acres)
- State game areas, 1 herePentwater River State Game Area (2,599 acres)
- Federal forest landHuron-Manistee National Forest (53,216 acres in county), White Cloud Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest), Baldwin Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest)
Short drives past the line: Duck Lake State Park 739 acres, 18 miles out; Pere Marquette State Game Area 396 acres, 23 miles out; Muskegon State Game Area 15,691 acres, 30 miles out; Ludington State Park 3,243 acres, 32 miles out; Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center 11,182 acres, 33 miles out.
Closed to hunting and trapping in Oceana County: Charles Mears State Park.
Michigan land index · Game areas · National forests · About 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.
Oceana County reported deer by year
Hunters reported 4,589 deer from Oceana County in 2025: 2,289 antlered and 2,300 antlerless. That is 9% below the 2022 count of 5,024; the high year in the series is 2022 at 5,024. So far in 2026, with the firearm season still ahead, 1,083 deer have been reported.
| Year | Bucks | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (season open) | 410 | 673 | 1,083 |
| 2025 | 2,289 | 2,300 | 4,589 |
| 2024 | 2,292 | 2,315 | 4,607 |
| 2023 | 2,407 | 2,404 | 4,811 |
| 2022 | 2,526 | 2,498 | 5,024 |
DNR Harvest Report Summary (reported deer by county, all seasons, read October 22, 2026; 2026 is in progress). Checked October 22, 2026.
Oceana County CWD testing and TB rules
CWD has not been confirmed in wild deer from Oceana County. The DNR CWD data pages show 770 tested and 0 positive in 2022. Hunters Feeding Michigan takes deer from here without a test.
| Year | Deer sampled | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 770 | 0 |
Michigan CWD and TB page · Why the LP bans bait
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.
Oceana County bear quotas and turkey hunts
Bear units and quotas
The DNR bear map puts Oceana County in Baldwin. The 2025 preliminary bear tally across Baldwin is 114.
| BMU | Hunt period | Open | Licenses | Nonresident cap | Applicants | 2025 points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baldwin | 1 | Sept. 12–22 and Oct. 2–8 | 395 | 19 | 2,762 | 7–8 |
| Unit | 2024 bears | 2025 bears, preliminary | 2024 success |
|---|---|---|---|
| Baldwin | 150 | 114 | 42% |
Gobblers
Spring 2026 hunt numbers for unit NN are listed below; 2027 is not yet set. The fall hunt for Oceana County is unit I, Sep 15 to Nov 14, 2026. Mandatory reporting, new in 2026, shows 295 spring turkeys from Oceana County and 21 so far this fall. An estimated 61 fall turkeys came from Oceana County in 2025.
| Spring 2026 unit | Dates | Quota | Hunt |
|---|---|---|---|
| NN | April 18–May 1 | 18,000 | 0134 |
| Statewide | May 2–May 31 | Unlimited | 0234 |
Ducks, pheasants, quail, bobcat
Bear quotas by unit · Turkey units M, NN and ZZ
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.
Oceana County legal hunting light
Michigan deer hours run from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. The DNR prints one Zone A table and adds 6, 12 or 18 minutes for Zones B, C and D.
| Date | Season point | Zone A | Zone B | Zone C | Zone D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Oceana County base towns and next-door counties
Head counts are Vintage 2024 Census figures; Census-designated places carry none.
- Hartcounty seat · 2,059 residents · 9,757 acres of public land in 10 miles
- Mears7,918 acres of public land in 10 miles
- Pentwater899 residents · 7,160 acres of public land in 10 miles
The Census adjacency file pairs Oceana County with 4 Michigan counties and with Ozaukee (WI) and Sheboygan (WI).
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Oceana County help once the deer is down
Mileage runs from the county centre point, not by road; phone ahead before a trip to Oceana County.
DNR doors closest to Oceana County
Call ahead at any DNR office; hours change through the season.
Getting a deer processed
For a mount
Guides and preserves
Gear 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.
Fires, permits and bans around Oceana County
The Michigan burn ban page shows Oceana 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): Oceana 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.
Zeroing a rifle in Oceana County
5 ranges sit within Oceana County, all of them club, business or private ranges.
Offers sporting clays, shotgun
Echo Point Shooting Range in Allegan County is the nearest DNR range, about 78 miles. Open it
Ranges from the DNR shooting page, the DNR range list and directory listings, checked October 22, 2026.
Oceana County FAQ
Can I carry a rifle before the Oceana County opener?
Not Nov. 10-14, the quiet period, except when transported to camp or a range.
Do turkey hunters wear orange in Oceana County?
No. Turkey hunters are exempt.
Who cuts venison for Oceana County hunters?
Our closest listings are Makkedah Meat Processing & Bul, Cushman Meat Processing and Jewett's Deer Processing; ring before you drop off a deer.
Is there an early antlerless hunt in Oceana County?
Yes, the antlerless-only firearm weekend of Sep 12 to Sep 13, 2026.
How many antlerless licenses can I use in Oceana County?
4. You may buy up to 10 universal antlerless licenses, but only 4 can be filled here.
Is Oceana County deer Zone 1, 2 or 3?
Zone 2, in the Lower Peninsula, with 2 DMUs on top: DMU 064 and DMU 361.
Must a Oceana County deer be tested before Hunters Feeding Michigan takes it?
No. Oceana County is on neither donation testing list.
What share of Oceana County deer were antlerless in 2025?
50%: 2,300 of 4,589.
How many people applied for Baldwin bear?
2,762 first-choice applicants for period 1 in 2025.
When does deer baiting open in Oceana County?
It never opens; the ban runs year-round.
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.
Oceana County: before the opener
Buy licenses on DNR eLicense or the Hunt Fish app and carry them afield.
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: See1,Do1,Teach1 (CC BY 2.0); rkramer62 (CC BY 2.0); YoungSue (Public Domain Mark 1.0); ZionNPS (CC BY 2.0); alexfiles (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).