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Forest unit · Northern Lower Peninsula
Cadillac Forest Management Unit (State Forest): where, what and how to hunt
A hunter's summary of Cadillac Forest Management Unit (State Forest) in Missaukee, Lake, Wexford, Osceola and Mason counties: units and limits, rules, CWD numbers and local help.
Photo: Aaron Volkening (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Cadillac Forest Management Unit (State Forest)
Parking, trailheads and gates near Cadillac Forest Management Unit (State Forest)
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 4.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 4.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 4.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 4.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 4.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 4.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 4.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 4.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 6.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 6.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 6.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 6.2 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.
Cadillac Forest Unit: the record card
Cadillac Forest Management Unit (State Forest) counts as a state forest management unit, and it lies in Missaukee, Lake, Wexford, Osceola and Mason counties. Its home region at the DNR is the Northern Lower Peninsula Region. The DNR Forest Resources Division sets the rules on site. By acreage (234,198) it ranks 11th in a group of 15 forest management units. Roughly 7 miles southwest of Wedgewood. Michigan State Forest System holds it.
From the source page (MI DNR Managed Lands (LOTS) GIS: Acreage of Forest Resources Division parcels in this management unit); region from the DNR wildlife region layer. Checked October 22, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Cadillac Forest Management Unit (State Forest)
Who can hunt Cadillac Forest Unit, and on what terms
Entry terms, Cadillac Forest Unit
State forest acres in Cadillac Forest Unit are open to the public in season with the right licenses. The boundary also wraps private and federal land, so check ownership on Mi-HUNT before you walk in.
Michigan rules that follow you to Cadillac Forest Unit
- The DNR stand rule for public land: portable, ID affixed, Sept. 1 to March 1, no nails, screws or bolts.
- From Sept. 1 to the end of deer season blinds are allowed; constructed blinds need ID and are prohibited on game areas, parks and recreation areas in Zone 3.
- From mid-August to the end of April, a hunter orange outer layer is the law in daylight; camouflage counts if half of it is orange. Turkey and waterfowl hunters are exempt.
- Harvest reporting is required for deer and turkey inside 72 hours; failing to report is a civil infraction.
- Firearm hunters keep 150 yards from occupied dwellings, cabins and farm buildings.
- Planting a food plot on public land is not legal.
- This is Lower Peninsula ground, where deer baiting and feeding are banned.
- On public land, bear bait goes on the ground, never in a container.
- ORV quiet hours on public hunting land, Nov. 15-30: 7 to 11 a.m. and 2 to 5 p.m.
Cadillac Forest Unit: licenses to carry
Buy in the Hunt Fish app, at an agent or on eLicense. Every hunter needs the base license; antlerless licenses (up to 10) obey the county or DMU use limit.
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.
Cadillac Forest Unit and nearby public ground
Cadillac Forest Unit at the big pin; the nearest 10 public places around it. Between them the nearby tracts list 422,236 acres.
| Public land | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cadillac | Ranger district | 128,755 | 8.1 mi | northwest |
| Mitchell | State park | 724 | 11 mi | northeast |
| Little Widewaters Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 225 | 11 mi | southwest |
| Mark Knee Memorial | GEMS | 4,091 | 15 mi | southeast |
| Tippy Dam | Recreation area | 102 | 19 mi | northwest |
| Osceola-Missaukee Grasslands | State game area | 1,259 | 23 mi | east |
| Manistee | Ranger district | 123,931 | 25 mi | west |
| Baldwin | Ranger district | 155,651 | 26 mi | southwest |
| Haymarsh Lake | State game area | 6,783 | 29 mi | southeast |
| Headquarters Lake Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 715 | 31 mi | northeast |
Points from the DNR wildlife, GEMS, parks, forest, USFS, USFWS and NPS layers (MI DNR Forest Management Units GIS (unit boundary centroid; boundary includes private and federal land) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Cadillac Forest Unit deer units, bear units and zones
It is Zone 2 ground in the Northern Lower Peninsula. Missaukee County allows 5 universal antlerless licenses per hunter. In DMU 083, DMU 057, DMU 067, DMU 043 and DMU 053 the antler point restriction is 3 on a side. Missaukee County is an early and late antlerless county. For bear the unit is Baldwin; its 2026 hunt 0021 quota is 395. For turkeys it is unit NN (spring) and I (fall); the 2027 spring calendar has not been printed. Waterfowl: Middle Zone, regular duck season Oct 3-Nov 29 and Dec 12-Dec 13. Elk unit X overlap its counties; elk licenses come by drawing, residents only.
The deer units around Cadillac Forest Unit
| DMU | Unit name | Antlerless status | Antlerless use limit | APR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 083 | Wexford county | Open | 3 | 3+ on one side |
| DMU 057 | Missaukee county | Open | 5 | 3+ on one side |
| DMU 067 | Osceola county | Open | 5 | 3+ on one side |
| DMU 043 | Lake county | Open | 3 | 3+ on one side |
| DMU 053 | Mason county | Open | 5 | 3+ on one side |
Cadillac Forest Unit bear units
| Bear unit | Hunts | Quota | Points (res.) | 2025 bears |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baldwin | 1 hunt | 395 | 7–8 | 114 |
| Red Oak | 1 hunt | 685 | 9–10 | 282 |
| Gladwin | 1 hunt | 95 | 8–9 | 33 |
Cadillac Forest Unit turkey units
| Unit | Reported harvest | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Spring NN | 4,156 | All of unit, 2026 |
| Fall I | 822 | Unit-wide, fall to date |
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.
Game you can hunt at Cadillac Forest Unit
The agency's game list for Cadillac Forest Unit reads 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
Any other game open in Missaukee County is legal here within the rules.
Species from the source (Statewide; species follow Michigan seasons and units (elk only inside the elk management units with a DNR elk license; bear by BMU license).); bag limits from the DNR regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Cadillac Forest Unit broken down by county
Missaukee County carries the largest share, 102,167 acres.
From the source, DNR GIS, Michigan DNR. Checked October 22, 2026.
Cadillac Forest Unit and the land it belongs with
Parent: Michigan State Forest System, which has 15 listed parts.
Units that share Michigan State Forest System with Cadillac Forest Unit
| Page | Type | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shingleton Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Schoolcraft, Alger | 375,050 |
| Newberry Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Luce, Chippewa | 359,596 |
| Sault Ste. Marie Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Mackinac, Chippewa | 334,295 |
| Gaylord Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Cheboygan, Emmet | 314,633 |
| Traverse City Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Kalkaska, Grand Traverse | 314,151 |
| Crystal Falls Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Dickinson, Iron | 303,714 |
| Atlanta Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Montmorency, Presque Isle | 291,430 |
| Gwinn Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Marquette, Alger | 281,509 |
| Roscommon Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Roscommon, Ogemaw | 260,802 |
| Grayling Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Crawford, Oscoda | 246,649 |
| Gladwin Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Gladwin, Clare | 230,775 |
| Baraga Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Baraga, Houghton | 142,356 |
| Escanaba Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Menominee, Delta | 142,296 |
| Pigeon River Country State Forest | Forest unit | Cheboygan, Otsego | 123,358 |
Cadillac Forest Unit openers and closers in one table
Private ground and public ground share these dates in Cadillac Forest Unit; a state park, refuge or national lakeshore can set its own limits.
| Animal | Segment | Area | Starts | Ends | Open 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) | Red Oak BMU | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Period 1, archery | 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.
Lodging, fuel and a processor near Cadillac Forest Unit
Pick a town for the night, then a processor for the deer.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wedgewood | Wexford | 6.6 mi | – | 55,300 |
| Tustin | Osceola | 7.1 mi | 255 | 28,050 |
| Luther | Lake | 7.9 mi | 318 | 86,063 |
| Caberfae | Wexford | 10 mi | – | 128,226 |
Each county here has its own page: Missaukee County, Lake County, Wexford County, Osceola County, Mason County.
Who handles a deer from Cadillac Forest Unit
Office phone numbers that handle Cadillac Forest Unit
Licenses and questions for Missaukee County go through DNR Cadillac 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.
What hunters reported from the county around Cadillac Forest Unit
2025 in Missaukee County: 1,213 antlered, 1,290 antlerless, 2,503 in all. The reporting era peaked at 2,967 in 2024 and bottomed at 2,503 in 2025. Season to date (Oct. 22, 2026): 423 deer. The DNR sampled 42 deer from Missaukee County in 2023, with 0 CWD positives. With mandatory reporting new in 2026, Missaukee County logged 129 spring turkeys. Shown: Missaukee County, home to the largest piece of Cadillac Forest Unit. These are county or unit totals, not Cadillac Forest Unit alone; the DNR does not report harvest by property.
Missaukee County harvest table
| Season | Antlered | Does and fawns | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 213 | 210 | 423 |
| 2025 | 1,213 | 1,290 | 2,503 |
| 2024 | 1,542 | 1,425 | 2,967 |
| 2023 | 1,501 | 1,140 | 2,641 |
| 2022 | 1,505 | 1,394 | 2,899 |
Reported by DMU, Cadillac Forest Unit
CWD samples, Missaukee County
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 42 | 0 |
Turkeys reported in Missaukee County
| Figure | Turkeys |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 reported | 129 |
| Fall 2026 | 5 |
| Fall 2025 survey | 0 |
| Fall 2025 hunters | 151 |
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.
Nearest ranges to Cadillac Forest Management Unit (State Forest)
From Cadillac Forest Management Unit (State Forest), Supply Road Shooting Range is the closest range on DNR land (38 miles). Clubs inside 30 miles are included.
From the DNR shooting page and its range pages, checked October 22, 2026.
Cadillac Forest Unit hunting-hour table for key season dates
Use the column for the hunting-time zone that covers Cadillac Forest Unit 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.
Cadillac Forest Unit: quick answers
Where do I go when Cadillac Forest Unit has too many trucks?
Cadillac Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) (8 miles), Mitchell State Park (11 miles) and Little Widewaters Flooding Wildlife Management Area (11 miles) all have pages on this site.
Which larger record contains Cadillac Forest Unit?
The bigger unit is Michigan State Forest System.
Is Cadillac Forest Unit state or federal ground?
A state forest management unit; the manager is the DNR Forest Resources Division.
How much ground does Cadillac Forest Unit hold?
The figure used here is 234,198 acres.
Which town makes a good base for a Cadillac Forest Unit hunt?
Missaukee, Lake, Wexford, Osceola and Mason counties; Wedgewood, the nearest town we cover, is 7 miles away.
What do hunters come to Cadillac Forest Unit for?
White-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, woodcock, snowshoe hare, ducks and geese, squirrels and rabbits and furbearers, plus any other season open in the county.
What deer rules apply on Cadillac Forest Unit?
It lies in DMU 083, 057 and 067. In Missaukee County a hunter may use up to 5 universal antlerless licenses.
How do I get a bear license for Cadillac Forest Unit?
Bear unit: Baldwin, Red Oak and Gladwin. Draw a Baldwin license with preference points (2025: 7–8 points for residents).
Which unit do I pick for turkeys at Cadillac Forest Unit?
The fall license ($15) is for unit I; spring hunts follow unit NN.
What are the waterfowl rules at Cadillac Forest Unit?
It is Middle Zone ground. Waterfowl hunters need the state waterfowl license, HIP and a federal stamp.
Is it legal to bait deer on Cadillac Forest Unit?
The baiting ban applies. The DNR list of counties with a CWD-positive wild deer does not include this one.
Do turkey hunters wear orange at Cadillac Forest Unit?
A hunter orange cap, hat, vest, jacket or rain gear, visible from all sides, from Aug. 15 to April 30.
Do I register a bear from Cadillac Forest Unit?
Bears go to a DNR registration station within 72 hours for sealing.
Cadillac Forest Unit: what to confirm
Gates, refuges and open zones at Cadillac Forest Unit are the manager's call; confirm them before opening day.
Sources for this page: DNR GIS · DNR GIS · Michigan DNR: state forests · experience.arcgis.com: 433c5780079640079aecadd04b4fdc29; regulations from the 2026 Michigan hunting regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Other photos on this page: FolioRoad (CC BY 2.0); Peter Sheik (CC BY 2.0).