Home › Michigan › Public land › Crystal Waters State Game Area
Monroe County, Michigan
Hunting on Crystal Waters State Game Area: units and rules
DMU 058, bear and turkey units, closures, licenses and the nearest towns and services.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Getting to Crystal Waters State Game Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Crystal Waters State Game Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 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.
Crystal Waters State Game Area, the essentials
Crystal Waters State Game Area is a DNR state game area in Monroe County. Wildlife Division region: Southeast Lower Peninsula Region. The rules on site come from the DNR Wildlife Division. Size ranking: 55th of 95 state game areas, with 680 acres. The state list of game and wildlife areas carries it. From Monroe it is about 14 miles northwest.
From the source page (MI DNR Wildlife Property Boundary GIS Acres field); region from the DNR wildlife region layer. Checked October 22, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Crystal Waters State Game Area
Crystal Waters State Game Area pinned among its neighbors
The bold pin marks Crystal Waters State Game Area, ringed by 10 other public tracts. Neighboring public acres on the map: 24,959.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Petersburg | State game area | 537 | 14 mi | southwest |
| Sterling | State park | 914 | 16 mi | southeast |
| Brownstown Prairie | State wildlife area | 53 | 16 mi | northeast |
| Pointe Aux Peaux | State wildlife area | 225 | 17 mi | southeast |
| Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge | Wildlife refuge | 6,200 | 18 mi | east |
| Pointe Mouillee | State game area | 7,310 | 20 mi | east |
| Erie | State game area | 4,158 | 23 mi | south |
| Chelsea | State game area | 802 | 28 mi | northwest |
| Watkins Lake | State park | 373 | 30 mi | west |
| Sharonville | State game area | 4,387 | 31 mi | west |
Points from the DNR wildlife, GEMS, parks, forest, USFS, USFWS and NPS layers (MI DNR Wildlife Property Boundary GIS (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Access, rules and licenses for Crystal Waters State Game Area
Crystal Waters State Game Area: open to whom
Hunters and trappers may use Crystal Waters State Game Area through every open Michigan season with the licenses those seasons call for. Stay out of posted refuges, safety zones and closed areas; the Land Use Orders of the Director and the Wildlife Conservation Order cover the rest.
Stands, orange and reporting at Crystal Waters State Game Area
- On public ground a tree stand must be portable and labelled, may stand from Sept. 1 to March 1, and may not penetrate the bark.
- Ground blinds: Sept. 1 through the deer seasons, no cutting of plants, and no constructed blinds on Zone 3 game areas, parks or recreation areas.
- Hunter orange is required from Aug. 15 to April 30 while taking game in daylight hours; archery deer and bear hunters, turkey hunters and migratory bird hunters other than woodcock are exempt.
- Mandatory harvest reporting: 72 hours for deer and turkey, by app or online.
- No firearm hunting within 150 yards (450 feet) of an occupied building without the occupant's written permission.
- No food plots or artificial gardens on public land.
- Baiting deer is illegal here under the Lower Peninsula ban.
- From Nov. 15 to 30, no ORV or snowmobile use 7-11 a.m. and 2-5 p.m. on land open to public hunting, with listed exceptions.
The license bill for Crystal Waters State Game Area
Licenses sell through DNR eLicense, license agents and the Hunt Fish app; the base license comes first. Universal antlerless licenses are capped at 10 a year and limited by county or UP DMU.
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.
Which animals Crystal Waters State Game Area offers
The agency names no particular game for Crystal Waters State Game Area; read every open season as applying within its rules.
Read the Monroe County dates: 43 rows and 21 species, including White-tailed deer, Ruffed grouse, Woodcock and Pheasant.
Species from the source (The DNR list gives no species for this area; open seasons follow statewide/zone regulations.); bag limits from the DNR regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Units and limits for Crystal Waters State Game Area
For hunting and trapping it lies in Zone 3 (Southern Lower Peninsula). Shotgun-zone history: it sat in the Limited Firearm Deer Zone, eliminated for the 2026 season. In Monroe County a hunter may use up to 3 universal antlerless licenses. The early and late antlerless firearm seasons reach Monroe County. The DNR turkey layer gives spring unit ZZ and fall unit none; no spring 2027 dates are out. For ducks use the South Zone splits, Oct 17-Dec 13 and Dec 26-Dec 27.
DMU details for Crystal Waters State Game Area
| DMU | Name | Status | Use limit | Restriction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 058 | Monroe county | Open | 3 | No |
Bear hunting units at Crystal Waters State Game Area
| Unit | Hunts | License quota | Points 2025 | Registered 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dansville | Closed | – | – | – |
Crystal Waters State Game Area: spring and fall turkey units
| Unit | Birds | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Spring ZZ | 13,292 | Whole unit, spring 2026 |
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.
What is open in Crystal Waters State Game Area 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 Crystal Waters State Game Area.
| 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 | |
| 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 3 | Oct 20, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | December | Zone 3 | Dec 1, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Fall | Open quail county | 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 | 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 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 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 | |
| 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.
Crystal Waters State Game Area: reported deer, turkeys and CWD tests nearby
Hunters reported 2,399 deer in Monroe County in 2025: 1,329 antlered and 1,070 antlerless. High year: 2025 at 2,399; low year: 2023 at 1,692. 2026 so far: 430 deer reported, season in progress. Monroe County CWD results (2022): 0 positives from 120 tests. Monroe County hunters reported 213 spring turkeys in 2026, the first year of mandatory turkey reporting. Harvest and CWD figures describe the county as a whole.
Deer reported near Crystal Waters State Game Area
| Year | Bucks | Antlerless | Deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 236 | 194 | 430 |
| 2025 | 1,329 | 1,070 | 2,399 |
| 2024 | 1,141 | 1,004 | 2,145 |
| 2023 | 982 | 710 | 1,692 |
| 2022 | 1,096 | 771 | 1,867 |
DMU harvest around Crystal Waters State Game Area
| Unit | Bucks | Antlerless | Deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 058 | 1,329 | 1,070 | 2,399 |
Monroe County deer heads tested
| Year | Deer tested | CWD positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 120 | 0 |
Turkey numbers near Crystal Waters State Game Area
| Measure | Turkeys |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 213 |
| 2025 fall survey | 0 |
| Hunters (2025) | 0 |
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.
Where to stay and shop on a Crystal Waters State Game Area hunt
Start with a town, then line up a cooler, a processor and a mount.
| Town | County | Miles off | People | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Monroe | Monroe | 14 mi | 20,177 | 4,105 |
| South Monroe | Monroe | 14 mi | – | 5,962 |
| Ann Arbor | Washtenaw | 17 mi | 122,925 | – |
| Stony Point | Monroe | 17 mi | – | 9,374 |
County-level pages to read next: Monroe County.
Where Crystal Waters State Game Area hunters get a deer cut or mounted
Crystal Waters State Game Area: the nearest agency desks
Pointe Mouillee DNR Wildlife Office handles Crystal Waters State Game Area, per the DNR list.
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.
Range time before hunting Crystal Waters State Game Area
Sharonville Shooting Range (Jackson County) is the closest DNR range, 30 miles away. Two closer club ranges follow.
Shoots: rifle, handgun, muzzleloader, shotgun, archery
Shoots: trap, shotgun, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire
Shoots: trap, skeet, archery, 3D archery, shotgun
From the DNR shooting page and its range pages, checked October 22, 2026.
Crystal Waters State Game Area on the Michigan events calendar
NWTF ladies hunt: 1 upcoming event on site or a few miles away.
Coming up
| On | Event | Miles away | Where held | Sign-up | Found at |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 8, 2026 | Whiteford Valley Gobblers Ladies Pheasant Hunt / NWTF ladies hunt | 9 | Dundee (Monroe Co.) | Event details | Source |
Opening and closing minutes for Crystal Waters State Game Area by zone
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 | 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.
Crystal Waters State Game Area FAQ for 2026-27
Which covered town is closest to Crystal Waters State Game Area?
Base in Monroe, 14 miles away; it lies in Monroe County.
Does Crystal Waters State Game Area publish a species list?
The record lists none, which means all open seasons, within the area rules.
How many antlerless licenses can I use at Crystal Waters State Game Area?
Units: 058. Up to 3 universal antlerless licenses may be used in Monroe County.
Which BMU do I apply for to hunt Crystal Waters State Game Area?
The bear unit is Dansville. Dansville BMU has no bear season.
Is there a fall turkey season at Crystal Waters State Game Area?
Spring unit ZZ, fall unit none.
What duck dates apply at Crystal Waters State Game Area?
The South Zone. Lead shot is not legal for waterfowl.
Can I scatter bait for deer on Crystal Waters State Game Area?
No bait or feed for deer. This county has no positive wild deer on the DNR list.
Does the Aug. 15 to April 30 orange rule cover Crystal Waters State Game Area?
Yes from Aug. 15 to April 30 while taking game, with exceptions for archery deer and bear, turkey and most migratory birds.
When must I report a turkey from Crystal Waters State Game Area?
Turkeys: within 72 hours, online or app (mandatory from 2026).
Can I leave a tree stand at Crystal Waters State Game Area?
Portable blinds come out daily; constructed blinds need ID and are barred on Zone 3 game areas and parks.
Which licenses work on Crystal Waters State Game Area?
No special permit for most of it; the base license and the species license are enough.
Is there a second spot near Crystal Waters State Game Area?
Try Petersburg State Game Area (14 miles), Sterling State Park (16 miles) and Brownstown Prairie State Wildlife Area (16 miles), measured in a straight line.
What kind of public ground is Crystal Waters State Game Area on paper?
It is a DNR state game area, run by the DNR Wildlife Division.
Heading to Crystal Waters State Game Area? Read this first
Print the Crystal Waters State Game Area map, carry your licenses, and check the agency page the week you go.
Sources for this page: Michigan DNR: state wildlife game areas list · DNR GIS; regulations from the 2026 Michigan hunting regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Other photos on this page: YoungSue (Public Domain Mark 1.0); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0).