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Mason County · State park
Ludington State Park public hunting, 2026-27
Ludington State Park, 3,243 acres in Mason County: deer units and zones, area rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: Bailiwick Studios (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Ludington State Park
Parking, trailheads and gates near Ludington State Park
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Nordhouse Dunes Wilderness Area TrailheadTrailhead · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.3 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 Ludington State Park
On the map Ludington State Park sits in Mason County. On paper it is a state park with land open to hunting. That puts it in the northern Lower Peninsula, the DNR Northern Lower Peninsula Region. Stewardship falls to the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. Measured at 3,243 acres, it lands 8th of the 37 state parks we cover. Ludington is the closest town we cover, about 8 miles away; the area lies north of it.
- Mapped hunting status: 3,243 open and 1,564 closed acres.
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 Ludington State Park
Public tracts within a drive of Ludington State Park
Besides Ludington State Park, the map carries 10 public tracts within driving range. The neighbors add 419,740 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pere Marquette | State game area | 396 | 10 mi | southeast |
| Manistee River | State game area | 4,378 | 18 mi | northeast |
| Manistee | Ranger district | 123,931 | 22 mi | northeast |
| Pentwater River | State game area | 2,599 | 23 mi | south |
| Silver Lake | State park | 2,962 | 27 mi | south |
| Baldwin | Ranger district | 155,651 | 29 mi | southeast |
| Tippy Dam | Recreation area | 102 | 31 mi | northeast |
| Little Widewaters Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 225 | 36 mi | east |
| Betsie River | State game area | 741 | 40 mi | north |
| Cadillac | Ranger district | 128,755 | 42 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) (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside))). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
What Ludington State Park asks of hunters
Ludington State Park access terms
Only the zones the DNR park hunting map marks open may be hunted or trapped. Vehicles need a Recreation Passport, and the 450-foot safety zone around occupied buildings applies. The default for a state park is closed; this one has designated open land.
- Standard 450' Safety Zones apply around occupied buildings (not shown).
- September goose season: open in part, Day After Labor Day – 9/15.
The statewide fine print, applied to Ludington State Park
- 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.
- Bear baiters on state and Commercial Forest land: no barrels or containers, bait on the ground only.
What licenses Ludington State Park 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 Ludington State Park
Nothing narrows the game at Ludington State Park: the county season rows and zone units below are the guide.
For Mason County the regulation summaries carry 41 dated hunting rows covering 23 species, among them White-tailed deer, Black bear, Wild turkey, Ruffed grouse and Woodcock.
Watch the park's weapon limits, which can rule out rifles or some game.
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.
Zones and units that take in Ludington State Park
The DNR zone line puts it in Zone 2. Antlerless use limit, Mason County: 5. DMU 053 carries an antler point restriction: 3 or more points on one side. Mason County is on the list for the early (Sept. 12-13) and late (Dec. 7-Jan. 1) antlerless firearm seasons. The Baldwin BMU drawing covers 1 hunt period; the first (Sept. 12–22 and Oct. 2–8) has 395 licenses. Spring unit NN, fall unit I. Spring 2026 dates were the last ones published. Duck dates follow the Middle Zone: Oct 3-Nov 29 and Dec 12-Dec 13.
Antlerless rules near Ludington State Park
| Deer unit | Name | Antlerless | Limit per hunter | Point rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 053 | Mason county | Open | 5 | APR |
Bear permits for Ludington State Park
| BMU | Hunts | 2026 quota | Points (2025) | Bears 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baldwin | 1 hunt | 395 | 7–8 | 114 |
Spring and fall units for Ludington State Park
| Turkey unit | Birds reported | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Spring NN | 4,156 | 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 Ludington State Park
For Ludington State Park, 41 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 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 (firearm/bait/dogs) | Baldwin BMU | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Period 1, archery | Baldwin BMU | Oct 2, 2026 | Oct 8, 2026 | |
| 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 2 | 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 | Middle Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | Middle Zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 13, 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 | Middle Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Dark geese | Dark goose part 2 | Middle Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Dec 18, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 1 | Middle Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 2 | Middle Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Dec 18, 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 G | Jan 1, 2027 | Jan 20, 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.
Mason County harvest near Ludington State Park
Deer reported in Mason County for 2025: 4,294. The reporting era peaked at 4,727 in 2022 and bottomed at 4,126 in 2023. The starred 2026 bar (864) is partial. 152 spring turkeys were reported in Mason County in 2026. No harvest is published for Ludington State Park itself, so county and DMU totals are the finest level.
Reported deer around Ludington State Park
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Sum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 361 | 503 | 864 |
| 2025 | 1,982 | 2,312 | 4,294 |
| 2024 | 1,995 | 2,326 | 4,321 |
| 2023 | 2,051 | 2,075 | 4,126 |
| 2022 | 2,150 | 2,577 | 4,727 |
Unit totals near Ludington State Park
| Unit | Antlered | Antlerless | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 053 | 1,982 | 2,312 | 4,294 |
Mason County turkey table
| Measure | Birds |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 152 |
| Fall so far | 10 |
| Fall 2025 estimate | 39 |
| Hunters, fall 2025 | 129 |
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.
Ludington State Park: nearby towns and businesses
Covered towns come first, measured straight-line, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ludington | Mason | 7.9 mi | 7,577 | 7,963 |
| Manistee | Manistee | 15 mi | 6,241 | 33,060 |
| Custer | Mason | 16 mi | 300 | 28,180 |
| Parkdale | Manistee | 18 mi | – | 34,375 |
County write-ups on this site: Mason County.
Butcher shops and taxidermists for Ludington State Park trips
Agency offices closest to Ludington State Park
Service center for Mason County: DNR Cadillac 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.
Sighting in before Ludington State Park
Supply Road Shooting Range, 69 miles off, is the DNR range nearest Ludington State Park. Club ranges within 30 miles follow.
Disciplines: trap, skeet, sporting clays, rifle, handgun
From the DNR shooting page and its range pages, checked October 22, 2026.
Trials, classes and dinners near Ludington State Park
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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 7, 2027 | Gold Coast Gobblers NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | 8 | Ludington (Mason Co.) | Buy tickets | Source |
Legal shooting light at Ludington State Park
Deer hunters at Ludington State Park 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.
Ludington State Park questions with data-backed answers
Which turkey units cover Ludington State Park?
Fall unit I; spring 2027 dates are not out yet.
Which bear management unit holds Ludington State Park?
Bear Management Unit Baldwin. Bear hunting needs a drawn or leftover license for a Baldwin hunt period.
Does the deer baiting rule allow bait at Ludington State Park?
No: the Lower Peninsula ban covers it. The county is missing from the 18-county CWD list.
What are the waterfowl rules at Ludington State Park?
Use the Middle Zone dates. Bring non-toxic shot and a plugged gun.
How do I report a deer from Ludington State Park?
Within 72 hours, online or in the Hunt Fish app; keep the confirmation number.
Is hunter orange required on Ludington State Park?
Aug. 15 through April 30, in daylight shooting hours.
Which Michigan licenses do I need for Ludington State Park?
eLicense or the Hunt Fish app sells everything needed; nonresidents pay $151 for the base license.
Are screw-in steps allowed on Ludington State Park?
Yes: name and address, license or Sportcard number.
What other state or federal land is near Ludington State Park?
In order of distance: Pere Marquette State Game Area (10 miles), Manistee River State Game Area (18 miles) and Manistee Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) (22 miles).
Where can I hunt inside Ludington State Park?
No: only the parts shown open on the DNR park hunting map. About 1,564 acres stay closed.
What is the acreage figure for Ludington State Park?
Roughly 3,243 acres.
Who writes the rules for Ludington State Park?
The DNR Parks and Recreation Division treats it as a state park with land open to hunting.
What game does Ludington State Park hold, per the DNR?
Any species in an open season, as long as you follow the area rules.
Ludington State Park: what to confirm
Refuges, closures and drawing schedules at Ludington State Park can change during the season; the agency page and Mi-HUNT have the current picture.
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: rkramer62 (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0).