Home › Michigan › Public land › Island Lake Recreation Area
Recreation area, southeast Michigan
Island Lake Recreation Area for deer, birds and more
4,112 acres of recreation area in Livingston and Oakland counties, with 2026-27 units, use limits, rules, CWD testing and a map.
Photo: Arvind Govindaraj (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Island Lake Recreation Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Island Lake Recreation Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Riverbend Parking LotParking · 1.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Park and RideParking · 1.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 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.
Key facts on Island Lake Recreation Area
Island Lake Recreation Area belongs with the recreation areas of Livingston and Oakland counties. The DNR Wildlife Division counts it in its Southeast Lower Peninsula Region, which covers southeast Michigan. The DNR Parks and Recreation Division manages the ground. Its 4,112 acres make it the 11th largest of 22 recreation areas in our Michigan list. The nearest covered town is Brighton, around 3 miles off as the crow flies.
- Hunting status by acreage: 4,008 open and 104 open-restricted.
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 Island Lake Recreation Area
Access, closures and licenses on Island Lake Recreation Area
Access rules for Island Lake Recreation Area
Open zones on the DNR park hunting map are the only places to hunt or trap. A Recreation Passport covers vehicle entry; occupied buildings carry a 450-foot safety zone. Recreation areas start open under DNR rules; designated land closes.
- Local Controls: No Firearms.
- Standard 450' Safety Zones apply around occupied buildings (not shown). No trapping within 50' of mowed portions of developed areas.
- Early Canada goose dates here: Day After Labor Day – 9/15, part of the park only.
Michigan rules that travel with you onto Island Lake Recreation Area
- Put a portable stand up after Aug. 31 and take it down by March 1; label it with your ID, and skip screw-in steps, nails and bolts.
- Blinds go up from Sept. 1. Constructed blinds carry ID and are banned on state game areas, parks and recreation areas in Zone 3; no cutting vegetation for any blind.
- Between Aug. 15 and April 30 take game in hunter orange (pink is an approved color); turkey and duck hunters do not need it.
- Deer and turkeys must be reported within 72 hours (or before the animal changes hands) through the DNR website or the Hunt Fish app.
- A 150-yard safety zone surrounds every occupied building.
- The DNR bars food plots on public land.
- Deer may not be baited or fed in the Lower Peninsula.
Licenses and prices for Island Lake Recreation Area
A base license plus the species license is the Michigan formula. Universal antlerless licenses are sold over the counter, up to 10, with use limits by county and 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.
Where Island Lake Recreation Area sits among the state and federal tracts
Island Lake Recreation Area is the big pin, with 10 neighbors around it. Add them up and the neighbors hold 34,247 acres.
| Property | Type | Acres | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton | Recreation area | 4,568 | 4.9 mi | west |
| Proud Lake | Recreation area | 2,433 | 11 mi | northeast |
| Highland | Recreation area | 4,458 | 12 mi | northeast |
| Hillcrest | State game area | 257 | 14 mi | northwest |
| Pinckney | Recreation area | 11,687 | 16 mi | southwest |
| Gregory | State game area | 2,706 | 16 mi | west |
| Chelsea | State game area | 802 | 17 mi | southwest |
| Pontiac Lake | Recreation area | 3,757 | 18 mi | northeast |
| Oak Grove | State game area | 2,390 | 19 mi | northwest |
| Unadilla | State wildlife area | 1,189 | 19 mi | west |
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) (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside))). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Unit lines at Island Lake Recreation Area
Zone on the DNR map: Zone 3. The former Limited Firearm Deer Zone line ran through this country; it is gone for 2026, and all legal firearms are allowed. 5 is the Livingston County cap on universal antlerless licenses used. Livingston County hosts both antlerless firearm seasons, early and late. Spring turkey falls under unit ZZ and fall turkey under unit I. The 2027 spring dates are still to come. Regular duck splits here: Oct 17-Dec 13 and Dec 26-Dec 27.
Island Lake Recreation Area deer units
| Unit | Name | Antlerless | Licenses usable | Antler points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 486 | Southern Lower Peninsula multicounty | – | By county | None |
| DMU 047 | Livingston county | Open | 5 | None |
| DMU 499 | Urban deer management zone | – | – | None |
| DMU 063 | Oakland county | Open | 5 | None |
Island Lake Recreation Area: bear management units
| BMU | Periods | Quota | Points needed | Bears taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dansville | No season | – | – | – |
Turkey units at Island Lake Recreation Area
| Unit | Harvest | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Spring ZZ | 13,292 | Unit-wide, spring 2026 |
| Fall I | 822 | All of unit, partial |
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.
Which animals Island Lake Recreation Area offers
No species list is published for Island Lake Recreation Area, so every open Michigan season applies under the area rules.
The county table below lists 44 season rows for 22 species, from white-tailed deer to woodchuck.
Read the park restrictions in the rules section before choosing a weapon.
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.
Island Lake Recreation Area season dates for 2026-27
22 species and 44 dated segments apply in Island Lake Recreation Area; the last column checks each against today.
| Quarry | Season | Zone | From | To | Status 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 | |
| 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.
Island Lake Recreation Area trip planning: towns and services
Each town below has its own hunting page on this site.
| Town | County | Distance | Population | Public ground, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brighton | Livingston | 3.4 mi | 7,933 | 9,207 |
| South Lyon | Oakland | 4.8 mi | 12,219 | 8,217 |
| Whitmore Lake | Washtenaw | 5.6 mi | – | 8,717 |
| Milford | Oakland | 9.0 mi | 6,554 | 13,717 |
Go wider with the county pages: Livingston County, Oakland County.
Where Island Lake Recreation Area hunters get a deer cut or mounted
Island Lake Recreation Area: the nearest agency desks
Livingston County is served by DNR Lansing 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.
Deer, turkeys and CWD around Island Lake Recreation Area
Last full license year (2025) Livingston County gave up 5,472 reported deer. Since mandatory reporting began in 2022 the yearly count has ranged from 4,525 (2023) to 5,472 (2025). The 2026 bar is season to date (983 deer by Oct. 22). In 2022 the DNR tested 274 Livingston County deer; 0 were positive. Livingston County: 472 spring birds reported in 2026. County figures come from Livingston, the first county for Island Lake Recreation Area. Harvest and CWD figures describe the county as a whole.
Deer table, Livingston County
| License year | Antlered | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 480 | 503 | 983 |
| 2025 | 2,878 | 2,594 | 5,472 |
| 2024 | 2,594 | 2,281 | 4,875 |
| 2023 | 2,642 | 1,883 | 4,525 |
| 2022 | 2,894 | 2,011 | 4,905 |
2025 deer by unit near Island Lake Recreation Area
Wild deer checked for CWD in Livingston County
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 274 | 0 |
Livingston County turkeys
| Figure | Number |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 birds | 472 |
| Fall 2026 so far | 30 |
| Fall 2025 (survey) | 89 |
| Fall 2025 hunters | 417 |
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.
Island Lake Recreation Area has its own range
On this property: Island Lake Shooting Range.
- A Recreation Passport is required to enter.
- Michigan Shooting Centers sets the times and prices.
From the DNR shooting page and its range pages, checked October 22, 2026.
DNR hunting hours for Island Lake Recreation Area
Michigan deer hours run from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. The DNR prints one Zone A table and adds 6, 12 or 18 minutes for Zones B, C and D.
| When | Event | A zone | B zone | C zone | D zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Hunter questions on Island Lake Recreation Area
What do baiting and CWD rules mean for Island Lake Recreation Area?
Not here: deer baiting and feeding are banned in the Lower Peninsula. Not a CWD county.
Which waterfowl zone covers Island Lake Recreation Area?
South Zone splits apply. Carry non-toxic shot for ducks and geese.
Do I take an Island Lake Recreation Area deer to a check station?
Check stations are fewer now; mandatory online or app reporting within 72 hours is the rule.
Which months need orange at Island Lake Recreation Area?
No: turkey hunters are exempt from the orange rule.
Do I need permission to hunt Island Lake Recreation Area?
A Michigan base license ($11 resident) plus the species license.
How long can a blind stay on Island Lake Recreation Area?
Portable stands only, from Sept. 1 to March 1, labelled with your ID.
What public ground borders or neighbors Island Lake Recreation Area?
The three nearest are Brighton Recreation Area (5 miles), Proud Lake Recreation Area (11 miles) and Highland Recreation Area (12 miles).
Where can I hunt inside Island Lake Recreation Area?
Yes; the park hunting map marks them.
How big is Island Lake Recreation Area on the map?
4,112 acres, per MI DNR Parks Hunting Land Boundary GIS Acres, polygons marked Open or Open-Restricted.
Whose land is Island Lake Recreation Area?
It is a state recreation area, run by the DNR Parks and Recreation Division.
What may I hunt on Island Lake Recreation Area?
All open seasons apply, subject to the area rules; the source names no species.
Which county holds most of Island Lake Recreation Area?
Brighton is closest (3 miles); the ground is in Livingston and Oakland counties.
Which BMU do I apply for to hunt Island Lake Recreation Area?
It is in the Dansville BMU. There is no Dansville bear hunt.
Island Lake Recreation Area: the last checklist
One last look before the drive: the Island Lake Recreation Area map, your licenses in the Hunt Fish app and any posted closures.
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: ShenandoahNPS (Public domain); Virginia State Parks staff (CC BY 2.0).