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Jackson County · State game area
Grass Lake State Game Area public hunting, 2026-27
Grass Lake State Game Area, 124 acres in Jackson County: deer units and zones, area rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: joannapoe (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Grass Lake State Game Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Grass Lake State Game Area
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- Parking areaParking ยท 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking ยท 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking ยท 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking ยท 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking ยท 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking ยท 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking ยท 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking ยท 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking ยท 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking ยท 1.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking ยท 1.1 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 Grass Lake State Game Area
On the map Grass Lake State Game Area sits in Jackson County. On paper it is a DNR state game area. That puts it in southeast Michigan, the DNR Southeast Lower Peninsula Region. Stewardship falls to the DNR Wildlife Division. Measured at 124 acres, it lands 84th of the 95 state game areas we cover. The DNR page gives 125 acres, a little off the mapped total. The DNR area list (180 rows) includes it. Grass Lake is the closest town we cover, about 1 mile away; the area lies west of it.
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 Grass Lake State Game Area
Public tracts within a drive of Grass Lake State Game Area
Besides Grass Lake State Game Area, the map carries 10 public tracts within driving range. The neighbors add 34,353 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Schlee | WPA | 159 | 0.6 mi | southwest |
| Goose Lake | State game area | 203 | 5.6 mi | east |
| Sharonville | State game area | 4,387 | 5.9 mi | southeast |
| Watkins Lake | State park | 373 | 8.7 mi | southeast |
| Waterloo | Recreation area | 20,447 | 9.9 mi | northeast |
| Waterloo Wildlife Unit of Waterloo | Wildlife unit | 5,776 | 10 mi | north |
| Malan | WPA | 141 | 11 mi | north |
| Onsted | State game area | 876 | 14 mi | south |
| Chelsea | State game area | 802 | 15 mi | northeast |
| Unadilla | State wildlife area | 1,189 | 15 mi | northeast |
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.
What Grass Lake State Game Area asks of hunters
Access rules for Grass Lake State Game Area
Like other DNR game and wildlife land, Grass Lake State Game Area takes hunters and trappers during open seasons. Signs mark the refuges, safety zones and closed areas; portable, labelled stands and blinds are the rule.
The statewide fine print, applied to Grass Lake State Game Area
- 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.
- No deer bait: the Lower Peninsula ban covers it.
- Firearm season ORV limits apply: no riding 7-11 a.m. or 2-5 p.m. from Nov. 15 to 30.
What licenses Grass Lake State Game Area 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 Grass Lake State Game Area
Nothing narrows the game at Grass Lake State Game Area: the county season rows and zone units below are the guide.
For Jackson County the regulation summaries carry 44 dated hunting rows covering 22 species, among them White-tailed deer, Wild turkey, 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.
Zones and units that take in Grass Lake State Game Area
The DNR zone line puts it in Zone 3. This ground was in the Limited Firearm Deer Zone, which no longer exists in 2026; rifles are legal across the Lower Peninsula. Antlerless use limit, Jackson County: 5. Jackson County is on the list for the early (Sept. 12-13) and late (Dec. 7-Jan. 1) antlerless firearm seasons. Spring unit ZZ, fall unit I. Spring 2026 dates were the last ones published. Duck dates follow the South Zone: Oct 17-Dec 13 and Dec 26-Dec 27. Wild deer with CWD have been recorded in Jackson County.
Antlerless rules near Grass Lake State Game Area
| Deer unit | Name | Antlerless | Limit per hunter | Point rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 486 | Southern Lower Peninsula multicounty | – | County limit | None |
| DMU 038 | Jackson county | Open | 5 | None |
Bear permits for Grass Lake State Game Area
| BMU | Hunts | 2026 quota | Points (2025) | Bears 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dansville | No bear season | – | – | – |
Spring and fall units for Grass Lake State Game Area
| Turkey unit | Birds reported | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Spring ZZ | 13,292 | Spring 2026, unit |
| Fall I | 822 | 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 Grass Lake State Game Area
For Grass Lake State Game Area, 44 segments cover deer, small game, waterfowl and furbearers this license year.
| Species | Hunt type | Zone or unit | Opening | Closing | 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 | |
| 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 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.
Mandatory reporting numbers for the Grass Lake State Game Area area
Deer reported in Jackson County for 2025: 6,674. The reporting era peaked at 7,748 in 2024 and bottomed at 6,674 in 2025. The starred 2026 bar (528) is partial. 565 spring turkeys were reported in Jackson County in 2026. No harvest is published for Grass Lake State Game Area itself, so county and DMU totals are the finest level.
Reported deer around Grass Lake State Game Area
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Sum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 148 | 380 | 528 |
| 2025 | 3,246 | 3,428 | 6,674 |
| 2024 | 3,944 | 3,804 | 7,748 |
| 2023 | 3,829 | 3,138 | 6,967 |
| 2022 | 4,135 | 3,006 | 7,141 |
Unit totals near Grass Lake State Game Area
| Unit | Antlered | Antlerless | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 038 | 3,244 | 3,408 | 6,652 |
Jackson County turkey table
| Measure | Birds |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 565 |
| Fall so far | 23 |
| Fall 2025 estimate | 52 |
| Hunters, fall 2025 | 419 |
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.
Towns and shops that serve Grass Lake State Game Area hunters
Covered towns come first, measured straight-line, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grass Lake | Jackson | 1.4 mi | 1,101 | 22,705 |
| Napoleon | Jackson | 5.5 mi | – | 7,736 |
| Jackson | Jackson | 8.8 mi | 30,920 | 3,031 |
| Chelsea | Washtenaw | 12 mi | 5,393 | 29,997 |
County write-ups on this site: Jackson County.
Butcher shops and taxidermists for Grass Lake State Game Area trips
Agency offices closest to Grass Lake State Game Area
The DNR list names Waterloo Wildlife Office as the local office for Grass Lake State Game Area.
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 Grass Lake State Game Area
Sharonville Shooting Range, 7 miles off, is the DNR range nearest Grass Lake State Game Area. Club ranges within 30 miles follow.
Disciplines: rifle, handgun, muzzleloader, shotgun, archery
Disciplines: handgun
Disciplines: trap, shotgun, rifle, handgun
From the DNR shooting page and its range pages, checked October 22, 2026.
Trials, classes and dinners near Grass Lake State Game Area
1 upcoming event on the property or within about 10 miles of it (NWTF banquet). Read October 22, 2026.
Still to come
| Dates | Name | Miles | Place | Link | From |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mar 6, 2027 | Waterloo Longbeards NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | 9 | Jackson (Jackson Co.) | Event details | Source |
Legal shooting light at Grass Lake State Game Area
Deer hunters at Grass Lake State Game Area get legal light from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset, read from the DNR table for the date.
| 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.
Grass Lake State Game Area questions with data-backed answers
How do I report a deer from Grass Lake State Game Area?
Within 72 hours, online or in the Hunt Fish app; keep the confirmation number.
Is hunter orange required on Grass Lake State Game Area?
Aug. 15 through April 30, in daylight shooting hours.
Which Michigan licenses do I need for Grass Lake State Game Area?
eLicense or the Hunt Fish app sells everything needed; nonresidents pay $151 for the base license.
Are screw-in steps allowed on Grass Lake State Game Area?
Yes: name and address, license or Sportcard number.
Who writes the rules for Grass Lake State Game Area?
The DNR Wildlife Division treats it as a DNR state game area.
What other state or federal land is near Grass Lake State Game Area?
In order of distance: Schlee Waterfowl Production Area (1 mile), Goose Lake State Game Area (6 miles) and Sharonville State Game Area (6 miles).
Where do Grass Lake State Game Area hunters stay?
Jackson County holds it, 1 mile from Grass Lake.
What is the acreage figure for Grass Lake State Game Area?
Roughly 124 acres.
Which DMU numbers apply on Grass Lake State Game Area?
Deer unit 486 and 038. The Jackson County use limit is 5.
What game does Grass Lake State Game Area hold, per the DNR?
Any species in an open season, as long as you follow the area rules.
Which turkey units cover Grass Lake State Game Area?
Fall unit I; spring 2027 dates are not out yet.
Which bear management unit holds Grass Lake State Game Area?
Bear Management Unit Dansville. No bear season exists in Dansville BMU.
Does the deer baiting rule allow bait at Grass Lake State Game Area?
No: the Lower Peninsula ban covers it. Free-ranging deer from Jackson County have tested positive since 2015.
Grass Lake State Game Area: what to confirm
Refuges, closures and drawing schedules at Grass Lake State Game Area can change during the season; the agency page and Mi-HUNT have the current picture.
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: YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); vastateparksstaff (CC BY 2.0).