Home › Michigan › Public land › Michigan State Forest System
State forest system
Michigan State Forest System public hunting, 2026-27
Michigan State Forest System, 3,954,811 acres in Alcona, Alger, Alpena, Antrim and 39 more counties: white-tailed deer, black bear, elk and wild turkey, deer units and zones, area rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: Aaron Volkening (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Michigan State Forest System
What the records say about Michigan State Forest System
On the map Michigan State Forest System sits in Alcona, Alger, Alpena, Antrim and 39 more counties. On paper it is a statewide state forest system. Stewardship falls to the DNR Forest Resources Division. The figure on file: 3,954,811 acres. Below are the units it holds (15).
- From the source: Michigan's state forest land is managed by the DNR Forest Resources Division in 15 forest management units (FMUs) grouped into districts.
- From the source: The DNR state forests page says the forests offer hunting among other uses and points hunters to Mi-HUNT for public hunting lands.
- From the source: Pigeon River Country State Forest (109,000 acres, home of Michigan's elk herd) is its own management unit.
From the source page (MI DNR Managed Lands (LOTS) GIS: sum of Acreage for Forest Resources Division parcels in the 15 forest management units); region from the DNR wildlife region layer. Checked October 22, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Michigan State Forest System
Michigan State Forest System, pinned
Every unit of Michigan State Forest System with coordinates gets a pin (14).
Points from the DNR and federal layers as recorded in lands.json. Statewide public land map.
What Michigan State Forest System asks of hunters
Michigan State Forest System access terms
State forest land in Michigan State Forest System is open to public hunting and trapping in Michigan seasons with the required licenses unless posted closed. DNR land use orders cover stands and blinds, ORV use on designated routes and dispersed camping. Commercial Forest and private inholdings are not state land.
The statewide fine print, applied to Michigan State Forest System
- 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.
- The Lower Peninsula baiting and feeding ban covers its LP counties; in its UP counties deer bait is legal Sept. 15-Jan. 1, up to 2 gallons.
- Bear baiters on state and Commercial Forest land: no barrels or containers, bait on the ground only.
- From Nov. 15 to 30, ORVs and snowmobiles are restricted 7-11 a.m. and 2-5 p.m. on land open to public hunting.
What licenses Michigan State Forest System 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 Michigan State Forest System
Species named for Michigan State Forest System: white-tailed deer, black bear, elk, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, woodcock, snowshoe hare, ducks and geese, squirrels and rabbits and furbearers.
White-tailed deer
Black bear
Elk
Wild turkey
Ruffed grouse
Woodcock
Snowshoe hare
Ducks and geese
Small game
Furbearers
Unlisted game follows the Luce County dates below.
Species from the source (Statewide; species follow Michigan seasons and units (elk only inside the elk management units with a DNR elk license; bear by BMU license).); bag limits from the DNR regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Zones and units that take in Michigan State Forest System
These are the zones its units touch, merged. The DNR zone line puts it in Zone 2, Zone 1 and Zone 3. This ground was in the Limited Firearm Deer Zone, which no longer exists in 2026; rifles are legal across the Lower Peninsula. The 2026 deer rules removed DMU 352 and DMU 351, which older layers still draw. The 2026 deer summary closes DMU 027, DMU 066, DMU 031, DMU 036, DMU 042, DMU 131, DMU 007, DMU 127, DMU 021, DMU 252, DMU 152, DMU 149, DMU 048, DMU 249, DMU 349, DMU 017 and DMU 117 to universal antlerless licenses. DMU 122, DMU 083, DMU 057, DMU 067, DMU 043, DMU 053, DMU 005, DMU 024, DMU 015, DMU 115, DMU 117, DMU 040, DMU 051, DMU 028, DMU 045, DMU 010, DMU 145 and DMU 245 carry an antler point restriction: 3 or more points on one side. The Red Oak BMU drawing covers 1 hunt period; the first (Sept. 12–22 and Oct. 2–8) has 685 licenses. Spring unit NN/M/ZZ, fall unit I. Spring 2026 dates were the last ones published. Duck dates follow the Middle, North and South Zone: Middle Zone Oct 3-Nov 29 and Dec 12-Dec 13 and North Zone Sep 26-Nov 22 and Nov 28-Nov 29. Elk hunting here needs a drawn license for units H, I and X. Wild deer with CWD have been recorded in Dickinson, Gladwin, Isabella, Midland and Ogemaw counties. DMU 452 (bovine TB) is one of its deer units.
Antlerless rules near Michigan State Forest System
| Deer unit | Name | Antlerless | Limit per hunter | Point rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 487 | Northeast Lower Peninsula multicounty | Open | – | None |
| DMU 071 | Presque Isle county | – | 10 | None |
| DMU 060 | Montmorency county | – | 10 | None |
| DMU 004 | Alpena county | – | 10 | None |
| DMU 452 | TB core area | Open | – | None |
| DMU 016 | Cheboygan county | Open | 3 | None |
| DMU 027 | Watersmeet unit | Open | Closed | None |
| DMU 066 | Ontonagon unit | Closed | Closed | None |
Bear permits for Michigan State Forest System
| BMU | Hunts | 2026 quota | Points (2025) | Bears 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Oak | 1 hunt | 685 | 9–10 | 282 |
| Baraga | 3 hunts | 1,570 | 3–4 | 349 |
| Bergland | 3 hunts | 835 | 3–4 | 247 |
| Amasa | 3 hunts | 510 | 5–6 | 205 |
Spring and fall units for Michigan State Forest System
| Turkey unit | Birds reported | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Spring NN | 4,156 | Spring 2026, unit |
| Spring M | 1,254 | Spring 2026, unit |
| 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 Luce County
For Luce County, 37 segments cover deer, small game, waterfowl and furbearers this license year.
| Species | Hunt type | Zone or unit | Opening | Closing | Now |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Newberry BMU | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 2 | Newberry BMU | Sep 14, 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.
The Michigan State Forest System table
Most of the state land lies in Luce, Schoolcraft and Marquette.
| County | DNR forest land |
|---|---|
| Luce | 289,296 |
| Schoolcraft | 284,800 |
| Marquette | 257,554 |
| Dickinson | 223,053 |
| Mackinac | 211,801 |
| Cheboygan | 197,849 |
| Chippewa | 194,160 |
| Roscommon | 187,985 |
| Kalkaska | 164,671 |
| Crawford | 161,963 |
| Montmorency | 153,195 |
| Otsego | 105,329 |
| Missaukee | 102,167 |
| Menominee | 95,884 |
| Alger | 93,527 |
| Gladwin | 88,351 |
| Iron | 81,240 |
| Presque Isle | 80,377 |
| Ogemaw | 72,834 |
| Grand Traverse | 72,521 |
| Baraga | 70,329 |
| Delta | 68,589 |
| Emmet | 65,075 |
| Oscoda | 63,124 |
| Clare | 60,226 |
| Lake | 59,202 |
| Wexford | 54,334 |
| Benzie | 51,341 |
| Antrim | 46,852 |
| Alpena | 46,061 |
| Houghton | 44,338 |
| Midland | 43,715 |
| Charlevoix | 32,727 |
| Arenac | 27,122 |
| Iosco | 23,271 |
| Manistee | 20,496 |
| Osceola | 18,406 |
| Ontonagon | 16,253 |
| Keweenaw | 9,998 |
| Alcona | 7,457 |
| Leelanau | 5,044 |
| Isabella | 2,158 |
| Mason | 126 |
| Newaygo | 8 |
From the source, DNR GIS, DNR GIS. Checked October 22, 2026.
How Michigan State Forest System splits into units
The units under Michigan State Forest System add up to 3,954,812 acres (15 in the records).
| Name | Kind | Counties | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shingleton Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Schoolcraft, Alger | 375,050 |
| Newberry Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Luce, Chippewa | 359,596 |
| Sault Ste. Marie Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Mackinac, Chippewa | 334,295 |
| Gaylord Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Cheboygan, Emmet | 314,633 |
| Traverse City Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Kalkaska, Grand Traverse | 314,151 |
| Crystal Falls Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Dickinson, Iron | 303,714 |
| Atlanta Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Montmorency, Presque Isle | 291,430 |
| Gwinn Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Marquette, Alger | 281,509 |
| Roscommon Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Roscommon, Ogemaw | 260,802 |
| Grayling Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Crawford, Oscoda | 246,649 |
| Cadillac Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Missaukee, Lake | 234,198 |
| Gladwin Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Gladwin, Clare | 230,775 |
| Baraga Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Baraga, Houghton | 142,356 |
| Escanaba Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Menominee, Delta | 142,296 |
| Pigeon River Country State Forest | Forest unit | Cheboygan, Otsego | 123,358 |
Luce County harvest near Michigan State Forest System
Deer reported in Luce County for 2025: 260. The reporting era peaked at 315 in 2022 and bottomed at 251 in 2023. The starred 2026 bar (18) is partial. 2025 CWD sampling in Luce County: 33 deer, 0 positive. 3 spring turkeys were reported in Luce County in 2026. Of the counties Michigan State Forest System touches, Luce comes first; its figures follow. No harvest is published for Michigan State Forest System itself, so county and DMU totals are the finest level.
Reported deer around Michigan State Forest System
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Sum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 13 | 5 | 18 |
| 2025 | 223 | 37 | 260 |
| 2024 | 253 | 9 | 262 |
| 2023 | 240 | 11 | 251 |
| 2022 | 294 | 21 | 315 |
Unit totals near Michigan State Forest System
Luce County CWD lab results
| Year | Wild deer tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 33 | 0 |
| 2024 | 32 | 0 |
Luce County turkey table
| Measure | Birds |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 3 |
| Fall so far | 0 |
| Fall 2025 estimate | 0 |
| Hunters, fall 2025 | 5 |
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.
Michigan State Forest System: nearby towns and businesses
Covered towns come first, measured straight-line, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
County write-ups on this site: Alcona County, Alger County, Alpena County, Antrim County, Arenac County, Baraga County, Benzie County, Charlevoix County, Cheboygan County, Chippewa County.
Butcher shops and taxidermists for Michigan State Forest System trips
Agency offices closest to Michigan State Forest System
Service center for Luce County: DNR Newberry 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.
Legal shooting light at Michigan State Forest System
Deer hunters at Luce County 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.
Michigan State Forest System questions with data-backed answers
How do I report a deer from Michigan State Forest System?
Within 72 hours, online or in the Hunt Fish app; keep the confirmation number.
Is hunter orange required on Michigan State Forest System?
Aug. 15 through April 30, in daylight shooting hours.
Which Michigan licenses do I need for Michigan State Forest System?
eLicense or the Hunt Fish app sells everything needed; nonresidents pay $151 for the base license.
Are screw-in steps allowed on Michigan State Forest System?
Yes: name and address, license or Sportcard number.
Who writes the rules for Michigan State Forest System?
The DNR Forest Resources Division treats it as a statewide state forest system.
Which units does Michigan State Forest System contain?
It holds 15 units, linked in the units band.
Which part of Michigan does Michigan State Forest System cover?
Its acres fall in Alcona, Alger, Alpena, Antrim and 39 more counties.
What is the acreage figure for Michigan State Forest System?
Roughly 3,954,811 acres.
Which DMU numbers apply on Michigan State Forest System?
Deer unit 487, 071 and 060.
Which animals show up on the Michigan State Forest System list?
Listed: white-tailed deer, black bear, elk, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, woodcock, snowshoe hare, ducks and geese, squirrels and rabbits and furbearers.
Which turkey units cover Michigan State Forest System?
Fall unit I; spring 2027 dates are not out yet.
Which bear management unit holds Michigan State Forest System?
Bear Management Unit Red Oak, Baraga, Bergland, Amasa, Baldwin, Gladwin, Carney, Gwinn, Newberry, Dansville and Drummond Island. Bear hunting needs a drawn or leftover license for a Red Oak hunt period.
Does the deer baiting rule allow bait at Michigan State Forest System?
No: the Lower Peninsula ban covers it. Free-ranging deer from Dickinson, Gladwin, Isabella and Midland counties have tested positive since 2015.
Michigan State Forest System: what to confirm
Refuges, closures and drawing schedules at Michigan State Forest System can change during the season; the agency page and Mi-HUNT have the current picture.
Sources for this page: Michigan DNR: state forests · DNR GIS · DNR GIS · experience.arcgis.com: 433c5780079640079aecadd04b4fdc29; regulations from the 2026 Michigan hunting regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Gregory "Slobirdr" Smith (CC BY-SA 2.0); USDAgov (Public domain).