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Wetland Wonders

Michigan Managed Waterfowl Areas

The 7 Wetland Wonders managed waterfowl areas where the DNR hands out hunting zones by drawing through the waterfowl season: Fish Point, Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center, Nayanquing Point, Pointe Mouillee, Shiawassee River, Fennville Farm Unit (Allegan State Game Area) and Harsens Island Unit (St. Clair Flats State Wildlife Area).

7Records
49,923Acres on file
5Mapped

Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain)

Michigan Managed Waterfowl Areas in numbers

Seven draw locations from Saginaw Bay to Lake St. Clair and Allegan.

7Records
49,923Acres on file
7With species list
5Mapped
Muskegon County Resource Recovery CenterBiggest record

Opening weekend at Fish Point, Harsens Island, Nayanquing Point, Pointe Mouillee and Shiawassee River runs as 20 reserved hunts filled by application; veterans preference drawings follow in November.

Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge no longer requires the weekly drawing for 2026: waterfowl hunting is allowed in its designated unit on set mornings and Thursday afternoons.

Counted by DNR region, the managed areas split Southeast Lower Peninsula 5 and Southwest Lower Peninsula 2. Biggest managed areas by acreage: Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center (11,182 acres), Shiawassee River State Game Area (10,154 acres), Fish Point State Wildlife Area (9,514 acres), Pointe Mouillee State Game Area (7,310 acres) and Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area (4,308 acres).

Southwest Michigan: 2 managed areas, the largest Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center at 11,182 acres. Southeast Michigan: 5 managed areas, the largest Shiawassee River State Game Area at 10,154 acres.

Every managed area on this list, 7 in all

PropertyTypeCountyAcresZoneDMUBear unitPhone
Pointe MouilleeState game areaWayne, Monroe7,3103058, 499Dansville734-379-9692
Shiawassee RiverState game areaSaginaw10,1543486, 073Dansville989-865-6211
Fish PointState wildlife areaTuscola9,5143486, 079Dansville989-674-2511
Nayanquing PointState wildlife areaBay4,3083486, 009Dansville989-697-5101
Fennville Farm Unit
(Allegan State Game Area)
Managed waterfowl unitAllegan4,1003486, 003Dansville269-561-2258
Harsens Island Unit
(St. Clair Flats
State Wildlife Area)
Managed waterfowl unitSt. Clair3,3553–Dansville810-748-9504
Muskegon County Resource
Recovery Center
Managed waterfowl areaMuskegon11,1823486, 061Baldwin231-788-5055

Acres, zones and units from lands.json (DNR, USFWS, USFS and NPS layers and pages, retrieved 2026-10-22); unit rules from the 2026 regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.

Michigan managed waterfowl areas by phone

The waterfowl summary lists each area with its phone number and youth hunt dates.

AreaPhoneYouth dates
Fennville Farm (Allegan County, Fennville)269-561-2258Oct. 17 (a.m.) nonreserved; Dec. 26 (a.m.) nonreserved
Fish Point (Tuscola County, Unionville)989-674-2511Oct. 3 (p.m.) reserved; Oct. 24 (p.m.) nonreserved
Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center (Muskegon County, Twin Lake)231-788-5055Oct. 24 (a.m. and p.m.) nonreserved
Nayanquing Point (Bay County, Linwood)989-697-5101Oct. 3 (p.m.) reserved; Oct. 24 (p.m.) nonreserved
Pointe Mouillee (Wayne County, Rockwood)734-379-9692Oct. 17 (p.m.) reserved; Nov. 1 (p.m.) nonreserved
Shiawassee River (Saginaw County, St. Charles)989-865-6211Oct. 17 (p.m.) reserved; Nov. 7 (p.m.) nonreserved
St. Clair Flats (Harsens Island, St. Clair County, Algonac)810-748-9504Oct. 17 (p.m.) reserved; Nov. 7 (p.m.) nonreserved
Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge (Saginaw County, Saginaw)989-777-5930N/A

From the 2026 waterfowl summary and the Wetland Wonders page.

Wood duck and wigeon held for banding
Wood duck and wigeon held for bandingPhoto: USFWS/Southeast (Public domain)
Pair of hooded mergansers flying low over marsh water
Pair of hooded mergansers flying low over marsh waterPhoto: AdamB1995 (CC BY 2.0)
Canada geese flying low over a marsh
Canada geese flying low over a marshPhoto: Yellowstone National Park (Public domain)

Michigan Managed Waterfowl Areas, asked and answered

How do the Wetland Wonders drawings work?

Hunters gather at the area for a drawing for free hunting zone permits on scheduled days of the waterfowl season; morning draws are at 5:30 a.m.

Do I need to apply ahead?

Only for the reserved opening-weekend hunts; the reserved waterfowl application costs $5.

Which area is dry field only?

Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center: dry field hunting, no water impoundments.

Is Shiawassee NWR still a drawing?

No, for 2026 hunters no longer apply for the weekly drawing; the designated unit is open on set days.

Next step: open one of the 7 managed areas

Each area page has its drawing schedule and reserved hunt numbers; call the area before a long drive.