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Lower Peninsula county guide
Ogemaw County Hunting
Hunting Ogemaw County in 2026-27: the Lower Peninsula deer rules, every DMU that crosses the county line, antlerless license limits, disease rules, public land, towns, services and legal light.
Photo: joannapoe (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Some 564 square miles of land lie inside Ogemaw County, and West Branch is the seat. Roughly 20,985 residents in 2024 means close to 37 people per square mile. All of it lies in deer Zone 2, covered by 1 deer management unit. Walk-in DNR help is at Roscommon, 25 miles from the middle of the county. The county is part of DNR Law Enforcement District 5. Hunters can pick among 1 public property here, the biggest being Rifle River Recreation Area.
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 Ogemaw County
Ogemaw County dates from September to March
Ogemaw County is in Lower Peninsula Zone 2. The 45 rows below are the dated hunts the DNR summaries put there.
| Game | Season | Where | Begins | Through | Right 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) | Gladwin 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) | Gladwin 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.
Ogemaw County deer units and antlerless limits
Ogemaw County carries a universal antlerless use limit of 5, set by county across the Lower Peninsula for 2026. The early antlerless weekend (Sep 12 to Sep 13, 2026) and the late antlerless hunt (Dec 7, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027) both reach Ogemaw County. No unit in Ogemaw County carries the Lower Peninsula 3-point rule; one antler of 3 inches makes a legal buck on a single license.
| Deer unit | Name | Unit type | Licenses usable | Antler points | Deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 065 | Ogemaw county | County unit | 5 | Statewide only | 4,009 |
November firearm
Firearm deer opens Nov. 15 and closes Nov 30, 2026; December firearm Dec 4 to Dec 6, 2026.
Two archery segments
Archery runs Oct 1 to Nov 14, 2026 and again Dec 1, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027.
Special hunts
The Liberty Hunt for youth and hunters with disabilities is Sep 12 to Sep 13, 2026; the Independence Hunt is Oct 15 to Oct 18, 2026.
Deer bait
Ogemaw County follows the peninsula-wide rule: no deer bait and no feeding, on any land, public or private.
All DMU pages · Antlerless limits by county
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.
Ogemaw County acres open to hunters
1 listed property reaches into Ogemaw County; acres for properties that cross a county line are for the whole property. State forest land adds 72,834 acres in Ogemaw County, managed by the Roscommon Forest Management Unit FMU. Huron-Manistee National Forest adds 20,123 acres of federal land.
- Recreation areas: 1Rifle River Recreation Area (4,194 ac)
- State forest by management unitRoscommon Forest Management Unit (72,834 ac in county)
- USDA Forest Service landHuron-Manistee National Forest (20,123 ac in county), Mio Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest), Tawas Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest)
Wide units with a Ogemaw share: Kirtland's Warbler Wildlife Management Area.
Worth the drive next door: Marsh Creek / Beaver Lake Flooding Wildlife Management Area 554 ac, 13 miles out; Lame Duck Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) 11,369 ac, 17 miles out; Molasses River Flooding No.1 Wildlife Management Area 1,651 ac, 17 miles out; Molasses River Flooding No.2 Wildlife Management Area 1,509 ac, 18 miles out; Russell Lake / Lake St. Helen State Wildlife Management Area 949 ac, 19 miles out.
Land by DNR type · State forests by FMU · Federal land
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.
Ogemaw County deer, year by year
Ogemaw County produced 4,009 reported deer in 2025, 35th among Michigan's 83 counties. Reporting began in 2022, when the county logged 4,491 (-11% since). The 2026 license year is under way: 788 reports as of Oct. 22.
| Season | Antlered | Antlerless | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026 (to date) | 330 | 458 | 788 |
| 2025 | 2,064 | 1,945 | 4,009 |
| 2024 | 2,186 | 1,910 | 4,096 |
| 2023 | 1,998 | 1,560 | 3,558 |
| 2022 | 2,383 | 2,108 | 4,491 |
DNR Harvest Report Summary (reported deer by county, all seasons, read October 22, 2026; 2026 is in progress). Checked October 22, 2026.
Deer disease rules, Ogemaw County
Wild deer from Ogemaw County have tested positive for CWD. Results for Ogemaw County: 355 tested and 0 positive in 2024 and 409 tested and 0 positive in 2025. TB testing covers Ogemaw County in 2026. Plan a CWD and bovine TB test if you donate a deer from Ogemaw County.
| Year | Tests | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 409 | 0 |
| 2024 | 355 | 0 |
CWD core area and zone · Bait and feeding by peninsula
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.
Ogemaw County bear, turkey and upland units
Bear numbers
Red Oak and Gladwin set the bear quotas for Ogemaw County. Registered bears for these units in 2025: 315 (preliminary).
| Unit | Period | 2026 season | Quota | Nonres. | 2025 first choice | Points |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Oak | 1 | Sept. 12–22 and Oct. 2–8 | 685 | 34 | 9,336 | 9–10 |
| Gladwin | 1 | Sept. 12–22 and Oct. 2–8 | 95 | 4 | 1,165 | 8–9 |
| BMU | Bears 2024 | Bears 2025* | Survey success |
|---|---|---|---|
| Red Oak | 346 | 282 | 57% |
| Gladwin | 43 | 33 | 48% |
Turkeys in Ogemaw County
Unit NN sets the spring hunts in Ogemaw County; 2027 dates are pending. Unit I covers fall turkey, Sep 15 to Nov 14, 2026. 157 gobblers were reported from Ogemaw County in spring 2026. In fall 2025, 299 hunters tried Ogemaw County (18% success by survey).
| Unit | Spring 2026 | Licenses | Hunt no. |
|---|---|---|---|
| NN | April 18–May 1 | 18,000 | 0134 |
| Statewide | May 2–May 31 | Unlimited | 0234 |
Elk licenses
Ogemaw County reaches into elk unit X. The 2026 drawing issued 200 licenses statewide. Elk taken in these hunts in 2025: 161.
| Period | Elk units | Start | End |
|---|---|---|---|
| Hunt period 1 | unit X | Sep 23, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 |
| Hunt period 2 | units H and X | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 15, 2026 |
| Hunt period 2 | units I and X | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 15, 2026 |
Units for birds and furbearers
Compare bear units · All turkey units · Elk range
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.
Ogemaw County legal hunting light
The DNR hunting-time map splits the state into Zones A to D from east to west. Each step west adds 6 minutes to the Zone A times below.
| 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.
Ogemaw County towns, plus bordering counties
Start from a Ogemaw County town: its page lists land in reach and the closest processors.
- West Branchseat of county · 2,355 people · 52,176 mapped public acres nearby
- Lupton77,115 mapped public acres nearby
- Rose City582 people · 89,622 mapped public acres nearby
- Skidway Lake26,113 mapped public acres nearby
Ogemaw County touches 7 other Michigan counties.
Towns: Census 2024 Gazetteer and Vintage 2024 estimates; adjacency from the Census county adjacency file.
Ogemaw County DNR offices and hunting businesses
Gas stations and grocery counters that only sell licenses are left out; these are hunting shops.
DNR doors closest to Ogemaw County
Customer service centers sell licenses and answer questions on weekdays; call ahead, since hours vary.
Butchering and processing
Taxidermists
Game bird preserves and guides
Hunting shops nearby
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 Ogemaw County
See the Michigan county list for Ogemaw County today.
- Burn permit: 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): Ogemaw County is not on this list.
- Burn bans come from: (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.
Where Ogemaw County hunters sight in
Three nearby ranges, since none is listed inside Ogemaw County.
Disciplines: trap, archery, muzzleloader, shotgun
About 50 miles away, Voyer Lake Shooting Range is the closest range on DNR land. Full page
Ranges from the DNR shooting page, the DNR range list and directory listings, checked October 22, 2026.
Ogemaw County: short answers
Does hunter orange apply to turkey hunters in Ogemaw County?
No. Turkey hunters are exempt from the orange rule.
Which Ogemaw County property has the most acres?
Rifle River Recreation Area, at 4,194 acres on our list.
Do I still take deer to a check station in Ogemaw County?
No; reporting is online or in the app. Heads for testing are taken only after reporting.
Do I need hunter orange in Ogemaw County?
Yes, from Aug. 15 through April 30 while taking game, with listed exceptions.
Is there a limited firearms zone in Ogemaw County?
No. The zone was eliminated for 2026; all legal firearms may be used.
Does the late antlerless season reach Ogemaw County?
Yes; the late antlerless firearm hunt runs Dec 7, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027 there.
Is elk hunting open to nonresidents in Ogemaw County?
The unit X early hunt is for Michigan residents only.
Is there a deer processor in or next to Ogemaw County?
Community Cuts, Tony's Processing and Klemmers Processing sit nearest on the Michigan list we keep.
Which DMU numbers apply in Ogemaw County?
DMU 065, from the county-to-unit list in the deer summary.
What is the universal antlerless use limit in Ogemaw County?
5 licenses for 2026.
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.
Ogemaw County checks before the drive
Where this page and the DNR summaries differ, follow the summaries and the WCO.
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: GlacierNPS (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); fishhawk (CC BY 2.0); BCNH09 (CC BY-SA 2.0); David A Mitchell (CC BY 2.0); Fyn Kynd (CC BY 2.0); Jim, the Photographer (CC BY 2.0); YoungSue (Public Domain Mark 1.0); robin_ottawa (CC BY-SA 2.0).