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Bessemer Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest) public hunting, 2026-27
Bessemer Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest), 158,909 acres in Gogebic County: white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey and ruffed grouse, deer units and zones, area rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: chumlee10 (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Bessemer Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest)
Parking, trailheads and gates near Bessemer Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest)
- Parking areaParking · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Elbow Lake Boat LaunchBoat ramp · 6.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Redboat Lake Boat LaunchBoat ramp · 7.3 mi from the centreDirections
Parking, trailhead and gate locations come from OpenStreetMap contributors. Roads into public land can be gated or seasonal; check with the managing agency before you go.
What the records say about Bessemer Ranger District
On the map Bessemer Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest) sits in Gogebic County. On paper it is a national forest ranger district. That puts it in the Upper Peninsula, the DNR Upper Peninsula Region. Stewardship falls to the USDA Forest Service. Measured at 158,909 acres, it lands 6th of the 18 ranger districts we cover. Marenisco is the closest town we cover, about 6 miles away; the area lies northwest of it. The records file it under Ottawa National Forest.
From the source page (USFS EDW Lands Area Statistics: National Forest System land in the district (GIS acres)); region from the DNR wildlife region layer. Checked October 22, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Bessemer Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest)
Public tracts within a drive of Bessemer Ranger District
Besides Bessemer Ranger District, the map carries 5 public tracts within driving range. The neighbors add 217,020 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mosinee | GEMS | 1,212 | 10 mi | southwest |
| Blue Bill Creek | GEMS | 9,491 | 14 mi | southeast |
| Norwich | GEMS | 4,400 | 21 mi | northeast |
| Porcupine Mountains Wilderness | State park | 59,561 | 22 mi | north |
| Baraga Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | 142,356 | 43 mi | east |
Points from the DNR wildlife, GEMS, parks, forest, USFS, USFWS and NPS layers (USFS EDW Ranger Districts (district boundary centroid) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
What Bessemer Ranger District asks of hunters
Bessemer Ranger District access terms
National forest ground in Bessemer Ranger District is open with a Michigan license. The Motor Vehicle Use Map controls ORV and truck travel, and stands must be portable.
The statewide fine print, applied to Bessemer Ranger District
- Tree stands on public land are portable only, go up no earlier than Sept. 1 and come down by March 1, carry the owner's name and address or license or Sportcard number, and use no nails, screws, bolts or screw-in steps.
- Ground blinds may stand from Sept. 1 to the end of the deer seasons; portable blinds come out daily, and constructed blinds need ID and are barred on Zone 3 game areas, parks and recreation areas.
- Orange season runs Aug. 15 to April 30. Exempt: archery deer and bear, turkey, falconry and migratory birds other than woodcock.
- Use the Hunt Fish app or the DNR harvest report page within 72 hours for deer and turkey.
- Safety zone: 450 feet from any occupied building for firearm hunting.
- Public land: no food plots.
- In the UP deer bait is allowed from Sept. 15 to Jan. 1, 2 gallons at most, scattered.
- Bear baiters on state and Commercial Forest land: no barrels or containers, bait on the ground only.
- From Nov. 15 to 30, ORVs and snowmobiles are restricted 7-11 a.m. and 2-5 p.m. on land open to public hunting.
What licenses Bessemer Ranger District needs
The base license covers small game; deer hunters pick a single or combo license at purchase, and universal antlerless licenses follow the use limit where you hunt.
Access from the source page; public-land stand, blind, safety-zone and food-plot rules from the DNR deer regulations summary; hunter orange from MCL 324.40116; prices from the 2026 license fee tables. Checked October 22, 2026.
What hunters chase at Bessemer Ranger District
Species named for Bessemer Ranger District: white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, woodcock, snowshoe hare, ducks and geese, squirrels and rabbits and furbearers.
White-tailed deer
Black bear
Wild turkey
Ruffed grouse
Woodcock
Snowshoe hare
Ducks and geese
Small game
Furbearers
Unlisted game follows the Gogebic County dates below.
Species from the source (Forest-wide; species follow Michigan seasons and units.); bag limits from the DNR regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Zones and units that take in Bessemer Ranger District
The DNR zone line puts it in Zone 1. The 2026 deer rules removed DMU 352, which older layers still draw. The 2026 deer summary closes DMU 027, DMU 066 and DMU 127 to universal antlerless licenses. The Bergland BMU drawing covers 3 hunt periods; the first (Sept. 9 – Oct. 21) has 170 licenses. Spring unit M, fall unit M. Spring 2026 dates were the last ones published. Duck dates follow the North Zone: Sep 26-Nov 22 and Nov 28-Nov 29.
Antlerless rules near Bessemer Ranger District
| Deer unit | Name | Antlerless | Limit per hunter | Point rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 027 | Watersmeet unit | Open | Closed | None |
| DMU 066 | Ontonagon unit | Closed | Closed | None |
| DMU 127 | Ironwood unit | Closed | Closed | None |
Bear permits for Bessemer Ranger District
| BMU | Hunts | 2026 quota | Points (2025) | Bears 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergland | 3 hunts | 835 | 3–4 | 247 |
Spring and fall units for Bessemer Ranger District
| Turkey unit | Birds reported | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Spring M | 1,254 | Spring 2026, unit |
| Fall M | 124 | Whole unit, in progress |
Zones from the DNR 2026 zone layers as recorded in lands.json; DMU status and APR from the Wildlife Conservation Order; use limits from the 2026 deer summary; BMU hunts and quotas from the 2026 bear summary and bear registration data; turkey from the DNR turkey harvest report; CWD lists from the DNR CWD rules. Checked October 22, 2026.
Every hunt that reaches Bessemer Ranger District
For Bessemer Ranger District, 40 segments cover deer, small game, waterfowl and furbearers this license year.
| Species | Hunt type | Zone or unit | Opening | Closing | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Muzzleloader | Upper Peninsula | Dec 4, 2026 | Dec 6, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 | Amasa BMU | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 | Bergland BMU | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 2 | Amasa BMU | Sep 14, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 2 | Bergland BMU | Sep 14, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 3 | Amasa BMU | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 3 | Bergland BMU | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Wild turkey | Fall | Fall unit M | 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 | |
| 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 | North Zone | Sep 26, 2026 | Nov 22, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | North Zone | Nov 28, 2026 | Nov 29, 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 | North Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Dec 16, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 1 | North Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Dec 16, 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 A | Jan 1, 2027 | Mar 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.
The Bessemer Ranger District table
Bessemer Ranger District by county, Forest Service acres:
| County | Acres |
|---|---|
| Gogebic | 158,909 |
From the source, USFS EDW, USFS. Checked October 22, 2026.
Where Bessemer Ranger District fits in the larger property
Ottawa National Forest takes in Bessemer Ranger District and 5 other units.
All other Ottawa National Forest records
| Unit | Category | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kenton | Ranger district | Houghton, Iron | 211,314 |
| Watersmeet | Ranger district | Gogebic, Ontonagon | 195,088 |
| Bergland | Ranger district | Ontonagon, Gogebic | 147,640 |
| Ontonagon | Ranger district | Ontonagon, Houghton | 144,587 |
| Iron River | Ranger district | Iron | 143,212 |
Gogebic County harvest near Bessemer Ranger District
Deer reported in Gogebic County for 2025: 444. The reporting era peaked at 517 in 2022 and bottomed at 316 in 2023. The starred 2026 bar (50) is partial. 55 spring turkeys were reported in Gogebic County in 2026. No harvest is published for Bessemer Ranger District itself, so county and DMU totals are the finest level.
Reported deer around Bessemer Ranger District
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Sum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 39 | 11 | 50 |
| 2025 | 381 | 63 | 444 |
| 2024 | 341 | 38 | 379 |
| 2023 | 272 | 44 | 316 |
| 2022 | 468 | 49 | 517 |
Unit totals near Bessemer Ranger District
Gogebic County turkey table
| Measure | Birds |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 55 |
| Fall so far | 4 |
| Fall 2025 estimate | 16 |
| Hunters, fall 2025 | 66 |
Deer from the DNR Harvest Report Summary (mandatory reporting; 2026 season to date); CWD from the DNR CWD testing data; turkeys from the turkey harvest report and the 2025 fall survey. Checked October 22, 2026.
Bessemer Ranger District: nearby towns and businesses
Covered towns come first, measured straight-line, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Marenisco | Gogebic | 6.2 mi | – | 118,610 |
| Wakefield | Gogebic | 7.7 mi | 1,674 | 45,509 |
| Bessemer | Gogebic | 13 mi | 1,780 | 13,420 |
| Bergland | Ontonagon | 14 mi | – | 77,415 |
County write-ups on this site: Gogebic County.
Butcher shops and taxidermists for Bessemer Ranger District trips
Agency offices closest to Bessemer Ranger District
Service center for Gogebic County: DNR Baraga Customer Service Center.
Towns and populations from Census 2024 estimates; public acres within 10 miles from the land layers; businesses from store locators and listings (license-only agents left out); offices from DNR, USFS and USFWS pages. Checked October 22, 2026. Call ahead.
Sighting in before Bessemer Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest)
Skoglund-Erickson Shooting Range, 108 miles off, is the DNR range nearest Bessemer Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest). Club ranges within 30 miles follow.
Disciplines: handgun, rifle, shotgun, archery
Disciplines: trap, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle, handgun
From the DNR shooting page and its range pages, checked October 22, 2026.
Legal shooting light at Bessemer Ranger District
Deer hunters at Bessemer Ranger District get legal light from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset, read from the DNR table for the date. Bessemer Ranger District keeps Central Time; times reflect that.
| Date | Moment | Zone A hours | Zone B hours | Zone C hours | Zone D hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Archery opener | 5:59 a.m. to 6:46 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 6:52 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 6:58 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:04 p.m. |
| Oct 15, 2026 | Independence Hunt | 6:15 a.m. to 6:24 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 6:36 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 6:42 p.m. |
| Nov 15, 2026 | Firearm opener | 5:53 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Firearm close | 6:11 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 4:52 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 4:58 p.m. |
| Dec 5, 2026 | December hunts | 6:16 a.m. to 4:39 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 4:57 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late archery close | 6:31 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 4:52 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 4:58 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.
Bessemer Ranger District questions with data-backed answers
Which Michigan licenses do I need for Bessemer Ranger District?
eLicense or the Hunt Fish app sells everything needed; nonresidents pay $151 for the base license.
Are screw-in steps allowed on Bessemer Ranger District?
Yes: name and address, license or Sportcard number.
What other state or federal land is near Bessemer Ranger District?
In order of distance: Mosinee Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) (10 miles), Blue Bill Creek Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) (14 miles) and Norwich Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) (21 miles).
Are there road rules on Bessemer Ranger District?
Yes, the Motor Vehicle Use Map decides.
Who writes the rules for Bessemer Ranger District?
The USDA Forest Service treats it as a national forest ranger district.
Is Bessemer Ranger District a unit of something larger?
Ottawa National Forest contains it.
Where do Bessemer Ranger District hunters stay?
Gogebic County holds it, 6 miles from Marenisco.
What is the acreage figure for Bessemer Ranger District?
Roughly 158,909 acres.
Which DMU numbers apply on Bessemer Ranger District?
Deer unit 027, 066 and 127.
Which animals show up on the Bessemer Ranger District list?
Listed: white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, woodcock, snowshoe hare, ducks and geese, squirrels and rabbits and furbearers.
Which turkey units cover Bessemer Ranger District?
Fall unit none; spring 2027 dates are not out yet.
Which bear management unit holds Bessemer Ranger District?
Bear Management Unit Bergland. Bear hunting needs a drawn or leftover license for a Bergland hunt period.
Does the deer baiting rule allow bait at Bessemer Ranger District?
Yes, Sept. 15 to Jan. 1, up to 2 gallons scattered. The county is missing from the 18-county CWD list.
Bessemer Ranger District: what to confirm
Refuges, closures and drawing schedules at Bessemer Ranger District can change during the season; the agency page and Mi-HUNT have the current picture.
Sources for this page: USFS EDW · USFS EDW · USFS: hunting shooting · USFS: offices; regulations from the 2026 Michigan hunting regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Other photos on this page: GlacierNPS (Public Domain Mark 1.0); GA-Kayaker (CC BY 2.0).