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Historic park · Upper Peninsula
Hunting Fayette Historic State Park in 2026-27
What we could verify about Fayette Historic State Park: acreage, units, area rules, harvest around it and nearby ground.
Photo: jgagnon63 (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Getting to Fayette Historic State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Fayette Historic State Park
- Parking areaParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Fayette.sp Boat LaunchBoat ramp · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 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.
Fayette Historic State Park: the record card
Look for Fayette Historic State Park in Delta County; the record files it as a historic state park with land open to hunting. For DNR purposes it falls in the Upper Peninsula Region. Management rests with the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. It takes in 631 acres. Roughly 20 miles southeast of Gladstone.
- Park hunting layer acres: 631 open and 225 closed.
From the source page (MI DNR Parks Hunting Land Boundary GIS Acres, polygons marked Open or Open-Restricted); region from the DNR wildlife region layer. Checked October 22, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Fayette Historic State Park
Quarry and limits at Fayette Historic State Park
Fayette Historic State Park carries no game list of its own. Any season open where it lies is fair game, within the area rules.
Delta County seasons cover White-tailed deer, Black bear, Wild turkey, Ruffed grouse and Woodcock and more: 23 species in 44 rows.
Park restrictions listed in the rules band can still narrow weapons or areas.
Species from the source (The park hunting layer does not list species; open seasons follow statewide/zone regulations unless a restriction is listed.); bag limits from the DNR regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Units and limits for Fayette Historic State Park
Hunting zone: Zone 1, in the Upper Peninsula. Newberry BMU, hunt 0016: Sept. 9 – Oct. 21, 200 licenses. Turkey units: M in spring, M in fall (spring 2027 dates not yet set). North Zone ducks: Sep 26-Nov 22 and Nov 28-Nov 29.
Fayette Historic State Park: DMUs and antlerless limits
| Unit | Name | Antlerless | Use limit | Antler rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 121 | Bay de Noc | Open | 2 | None |
BMUs over Fayette Historic State Park
| BMU | Hunts | Quota 2026 | Points | 2025 bears |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newberry | 3 hunts | 880 | 9–10 | 334 |
Turkey hunting units over Fayette Historic State Park
| Unit | Reported | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Spring M | 1,254 | Unit total 2026 |
| Fall M | 124 | Unit total, 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.
Map: Fayette Historic State Park and the public tracts around it
Smaller pins show 10 nearby public tracts around Fayette Historic State Park. Acres across them: 467,074.
| Neighbor | Type | Acres | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Garden Grade | GEMS | 6,403 | 13 mi | northeast |
| Rapid River | Ranger district | 157,799 | 19 mi | northwest |
| Portage Marsh | Flooding or WMA | 1,072 | 20 mi | west |
| Indian Lake | State park | 359 | 22 mi | northeast |
| Manistique | Ranger district | 151,862 | 24 mi | north |
| Palms Book | State park | 286 | 24 mi | northeast |
| Rainey Wildlife Area (State Wildlife Management Area) | Flooding or WMA | 115 | 27 mi | northeast |
| Friday Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 46 | 31 mi | northwest |
| Escanaba Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | 142,296 | 37 mi | west |
| Au Train Basin State Waterfowl Management Area | Flooding or WMA | 6,836 | 39 mi | north |
Points from the DNR wildlife, GEMS, parks, forest, USFS, USFWS and NPS layers (MI DNR Parks Hunting Land Boundary GIS (centroid of hunting-open polygons) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Fayette Historic State Park: what is allowed
How access works at Fayette Historic State Park
Hunt and trap only the open parts on the DNR park hunting map, buy the Recreation Passport for your vehicle, and respect the 450-foot zone around occupied buildings. DNR park rules close every state park to hunting unless it is designated open.
- Standard 450' Safety Zones apply around occupied buildings (not shown).
- Early goose hunting is allowed in some open zones, Day After Labor Day – 9/15.
Fayette Historic State Park: what the regulation summaries require
- Stands may be placed from Sept. 1 and must be gone by March 1. Portable models only, ID attached, no screw-in steps.
- Blind rule on public land: portable ones removed daily, dead-material ones need no label, constructed ones need ID and are out on Zone 3 game areas and parks.
- Wear a hunter orange cap, hat, vest, jacket or rain gear from Aug. 15 through April 30; bowhunters in archery seasons, turkey hunters and most migratory bird hunters are exempt.
- Within 72 hours of recovering a deer or turkey, report it on the DNR site or the Hunt Fish app.
- The 450-foot (150-yard) safety zone around occupied buildings applies.
- Food plots are not allowed on public ground.
- The UP permits up to 2 gallons of scattered deer bait from Sept. 15 to Jan. 1.
- Bear bait on public and Commercial Forest land must sit on the ground with no man-made container.
The license bill for Fayette Historic State Park
Start with the base license, then add the deer, turkey, waterfowl or pheasant license you need, on eLicense or in the Hunt Fish app. Universal antlerless use is limited by county or UP unit.
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.
Fayette Historic State Park hunting calendar
Fayette Historic State Park rows run from the September Liberty Hunt and bear periods through the late coyote, fox and bobcat dates.
| Game | Hunt | Unit | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Carney BMU | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 | Gwinn BMU | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 | Newberry BMU | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 2 | Carney BMU | Sep 14, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 2 | Gwinn BMU | Sep 14, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 2 | Newberry BMU | Sep 14, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 3 | Carney BMU | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 3 | Gwinn BMU | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 3 | Newberry 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 | |
| Pheasant | Fall | Pheasant Zone 1 unit | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 31, 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.
Reported deer and turkeys near Fayette Historic State Park
The 2025 reported total for Delta County was 3,565 deer (2,113 antlered). 2024 was the busiest year on the chart (3,743 deer), 2023 the leanest (2,929). License year 2026 is still running; 715 deer reported by Oct. 22. Spring 2026 turkey reports for Delta County: 127 birds. These numbers cover the country around Fayette Historic State Park, not the property alone.
Deer reported near Fayette Historic State Park
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 246 | 469 | 715 |
| 2025 | 2,113 | 1,452 | 3,565 |
| 2024 | 2,448 | 1,295 | 3,743 |
| 2023 | 2,080 | 849 | 2,929 |
| 2022 | 2,375 | 1,308 | 3,683 |
Fayette Historic State Park: deer units, 2025
| Unit | Bucks | Antlerless | Deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 121 | 663 | 514 | 1,177 |
Delta County turkey harvest
| Item | Birds |
|---|---|
| Spring reported | 127 |
| Fall to date | 11 |
| Fall 2025 | 47 |
| Fall hunters | 105 |
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.
Base camps, butchers and DNR desks around Fayette Historic State Park
Towns first; the services after them are in this county or the next one over.
| Town | County | Distance | People | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gladstone | Delta | 20 mi | 5,226 | 39,318 |
| Escanaba | Delta | 21 mi | 12,296 | 18,987 |
| Rapid River | Delta | 21 mi | – | 73,085 |
| Manistique | Schoolcraft | 26 mi | 2,871 | 57,864 |
County pages that cover this ground: Delta County.
Processors, mounts and gun counters near Fayette Historic State Park
Local DNR and federal offices for Fayette Historic State Park
For Delta County, the DNR points to DNR Escanaba 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.
When the hunting day opens and closes at Fayette Historic State Park
Ducks and geese stop at sunset and early teal and woodcock start at sunrise; these deer times are for big game and most small game.
| 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.
Fayette Historic State Park: ranges nearby
Drive about 65 miles to Skoglund-Erickson Shooting Range for a DNR range. The next cards are clubs nearby.
Set up for handgun, rifle, shotgun, archery
Set up for sporting clays, 5-stand, shotgun
Set up for trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle
From the DNR shooting page and its range pages, checked October 22, 2026.
Fayette Historic State Park hunting questions, short answers
Is Fayette Historic State Park open to hunting at all?
The open zones on the park hunting map. 225 acres are closed.
Is an extra permit required for Fayette Historic State Park?
Residents pay $11 for the base license and $40 for the deer combo.
Which division or agency runs Fayette Historic State Park?
The DNR Parks and Recreation Division manages it; the land is a historic state park with land open to hunting.
Which other areas sit within reach of Fayette Historic State Park?
Nearest neighbors: Garden Grade Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) (13 miles), Rapid River Ranger District (Hiawatha National Forest) (19 miles) and Portage Marsh Wildlife Management Area (20 miles).
Which town makes a good base for a Fayette Historic State Park hunt?
Delta County, roughly 20 miles from Gladstone.
Is Fayette Historic State Park large enough for a full day afield?
Acreage on record: 631.
Which deer units take in Fayette Historic State Park?
DMU 121.
Are some animals off limits at Fayette Historic State Park?
The record lists none, which means all open seasons, within the area rules.
Is Fayette Historic State Park in a spring turkey unit?
Spring M and fall none.
Is there a bear season at Fayette Historic State Park?
Newberry for bear. A bear license for a hunt period comes from the drawing or leftover sales.
Is Fayette Historic State Park under the Lower Peninsula baiting ban?
It is legal here from Sept. 15 to Jan. 1. The county has no CWD positives on the DNR list.
Is Fayette Historic State Park in the North, Middle or South Zone?
North Zone for ducks and geese. Shotguns hold 3 shells and fire non-toxic shot.
How many hours do I have to report a Fayette Historic State Park deer?
Within 72 hours of recovery or before the animal changes hands.
Fayette Historic State Park wrap-up
Print the Fayette Historic State Park map, carry your licenses, and check the agency page the week you go.
Sources for this page: DNR GIS · Michigan DNR: rules; regulations from the 2026 Michigan hunting regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Other photos on this page: YoungSue (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Flappy Pigeon (CC BY-SA 4.0).