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Alger County · State park
Hunting Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park in 2026-27
What we could verify about Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park: acreage, units, area rules, harvest around it and nearby ground.
Photo: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Getting to Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park
- Parking areaParking · 0.8 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.
Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park at a glance
Look for Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park in Alger County; the record files it as a 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. Out of 37 state parks, its 970 acres put it in place 19. Base town: K. I. Sawyer, some 15 miles away.
- Park hunting layer acres: 970 open.
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 Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park
Quarry and limits at Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park
Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park carries no game list of its own. Any season open where it lies is fair game, within the area rules.
Alger County seasons cover White-tailed deer, Black bear, Wild turkey, Ruffed grouse and Woodcock and more: 22 species in 40 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 Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park
Hunting zone: Zone 1, in the Upper Peninsula. No universal antlerless use in DMU 007 this season. Gwinn BMU, hunt 0013: Sept. 9 – Oct. 21, 140 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.
Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park: DMUs and antlerless limits
| Unit | Name | Antlerless | Use limit | Antler rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 007 | Big Bay unit | Closed | Closed | None |
BMUs over Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park
| BMU | Hunts | Quota 2026 | Points | 2025 bears |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gwinn | 3 hunts | 735 | 6–7 | 220 |
Turkey hunting units over Laughing Whitefish Falls 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: Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park and the public tracts around it
Smaller pins show 10 nearby public tracts around Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park. Acres across them: 492,724.
| Neighbor | Type | Acres | Miles off | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sand River / Jeske Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 850 | 6.8 mi | northwest |
| Lake LaVasseur Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 403 | 8.8 mi | northwest |
| Au Train Basin State Waterfowl Management Area | Flooding or WMA | 6,836 | 12 mi | southeast |
| Munising | Ranger district | 193,410 | 18 mi | east |
| Wagner Falls | Scenic site | 38 | 20 mi | east |
| Friday Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 46 | 21 mi | south |
| Gwinn Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | 281,509 | 23 mi | west |
| Bill Rollo Memorial | GEMS | 6,874 | 26 mi | southwest |
| Cusino | Research area | 1,537 | 28 mi | east |
| Melstrand | GEMS | 1,221 | 30 mi | east |
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.
Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park: what is allowed
How access works at Laughing Whitefish Falls 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 the open zones, 9/1 – 9/15.
Laughing Whitefish Falls 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 Laughing Whitefish Falls 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.
Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park hunting calendar
Laughing Whitefish Falls 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | |
| 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 Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park
The 2025 reported total for Alger County was 521 deer (457 antlered). 2022 was the busiest year on the chart (626 deer), 2023 the leanest (482). License year 2026 is still running; 40 deer reported by Oct. 22. Spring 2026 turkey reports for Alger County: 26 birds. These numbers cover the country around Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park, not the property alone.
Deer reported near Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 19 | 21 | 40 |
| 2025 | 457 | 64 | 521 |
| 2024 | 498 | 48 | 546 |
| 2023 | 432 | 50 | 482 |
| 2022 | 537 | 89 | 626 |
Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park: deer units, 2025
| Unit | Bucks | Antlerless | Deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 007 | 1,015 | 173 | 1,188 |
Alger County turkey harvest
| Item | Birds |
|---|---|
| Spring reported | 26 |
| Fall to date | 4 |
| Fall 2025 | 8 |
| Fall hunters | 26 |
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 Laughing Whitefish Falls 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| K. I. Sawyer | Marquette | 15 mi | – | 50,712 |
| Marquette | Marquette | 19 mi | 21,845 | 7,381 |
| Gwinn | Marquette | 19 mi | – | 84,306 |
| Munising | Alger | 22 mi | 1,948 | 98,634 |
County pages that cover this ground: Alger County.
Processors, mounts and gun counters near Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park
Local DNR and federal offices for Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park
For Alger County, the DNR points to DNR Marquette 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 Laughing Whitefish Falls 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.
Hunting events at or near Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park
Rows marked On site use this property as the venue; the rest are within about 10 miles. 1 upcoming event in all.
Dates ahead
| Date | Event | Mi | Where | Sign up | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 12, 2026 | Hunter Education – Field Day – West Branch Sportsmen's Club / Hunter education field day | 8 | West Branch Sportsmen's Club in Skandia (Marquette Co.) | Register | Source |
Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park: ranges nearby
Drive about 21 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 rifle, handgun, trap, shotgun
Set up for trap, skeet, sporting clays, rifle, shotgun
From the DNR shooting page and its range pages, checked October 22, 2026.
Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park hunting questions, short answers
Which deer units take in Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park?
DMU 007.
Are some animals off limits at Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park?
The record lists none, which means all open seasons, within the area rules.
Is Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park in a spring turkey unit?
Spring M and fall none.
Is there a bear season at Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park?
Gwinn for bear. A bear license for a hunt period comes from the drawing or leftover sales.
Is Laughing Whitefish Falls 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 Laughing Whitefish Falls 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 Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park deer?
Within 72 hours of recovery or before the animal changes hands.
Can bowhunters skip orange at Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park?
Hunter pink is an approved alternative; the rule runs Aug. 15 to April 30.
Is an extra permit required for Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park?
Residents pay $11 for the base license and $40 for the deer combo.
What are the blind rules at Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park?
From Sept. 1; they must be gone by March 1.
Which other areas sit within reach of Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park?
Nearest neighbors: Sand River / Jeske Flooding Wildlife Management Area (7 miles), Lake LaVasseur Flooding Wildlife Management Area (9 miles) and Au Train Basin State Waterfowl Management Area (12 miles).
Is Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park open to hunting at all?
The open zones on the park hunting map.
Is Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park large enough for a full day afield?
Acreage on record: 970.
Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park wrap-up
Print the Laughing Whitefish Falls 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: Christian Collins (CC BY-SA 2.0); Calistemon (CC BY-SA 4.0).