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2026-27 · State wildlife area
A hunter's look at Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
Who runs it, which DMU and bear unit cover it, what it lists (ducks and geese and white-tailed deer), and the public land and towns around it in Bay County.
Photo: Don Henise (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
- Parking areaParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.7 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.
Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area in short
Classed as a DNR state wildlife area, Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area is found in Bay County. The Southeast Lower Peninsula Region of the DNR looks after this part of southeast Michigan. Day-to-day care of the ground falls to the DNR Wildlife Division. At 4,308 acres it is number 6 by size among the 15 Michigan state wildlife areas with a figure on file. Printed DNR figure: 3,250 acres. It appears on the DNR list of game and wildlife areas. Drive south from Pinconning for roughly 6 miles.
From the source page (MI DNR Wildlife Property Boundary GIS Acres field); region from the DNR wildlife region layer. Checked October 22, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area: species and bag limits
For Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area the record lists ducks and geese and white-tailed deer.
Ducks and geese
White-tailed deer
The Bay County season table below covers everything else.
Species from the source (Wetland Wonders page.); bag limits from the DNR regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Special hunt rules for Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
Daily drawings for free hunting zone permits throughout the open waterfowl season. The drawing unit covers 1,505 acres on the Wetland Wonders page. The reserved hunts on opening weekend (4 sessions) are drawn from applications. Veterans preference drawing days: Pointe Mouillee Nov. 10; Fish Point, Harsens Island, Nayanquing Point and Shiawassee River Nov. 11; Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center Nov. 12. Deer hunting here includes a special or reserved hunt (Nayanquing Point Wildlife Area (989-697-5101)).
Daily draws at Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
Morning hunts: Daily at 5:30 a.m. (Reserved hunt opening weekend of duck season.) Afternoon hunts: Daily at 11 a.m. (Reserved hunt opening weekend of duck season.)
Youth days on the area: Oct. 3 (p.m.) reserved; Oct. 24 (p.m.) nonreserved.
Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area: reserved hunts by drawing
| Day | Session | Parties | Number |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 3 | a.m. | 25 | 0025 |
| Oct. 3 | p.m., youth* | 25 | 0026 |
| Oct. 4 | a.m. | 25 | 0027 |
| Oct. 4 | p.m. | 25 | 0028 |
From the DNR waterfowl summary, Wetland Wonders page, deer summary. Checked October 22, 2026.
Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area: DMU, BMU and turkey unit
Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area falls in Zone 3, Southern Lower Peninsula. Up to 5 antlerless licenses may be used in Bay County. Early and late antlerless firearm hunts run in Bay County. Turkey: spring unit ZZ, fall unit I; spring 2027 dates are not published yet. It is South Zone waterfowl ground (Oct 17-Dec 13 and Dec 26-Dec 27).
Deer management units over Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
| DMU | Called | WCO status | Use limit | APR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 486 | Southern Lower Peninsula multicounty | – | By county | No APR |
| DMU 009 | Bay county | Open | 5 | No APR |
Bear units that cover Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
| Bear unit | Hunt periods | Licenses | Resident points | 2025 registered |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dansville | Closed to bear | – | – | – |
Turkey units, Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
| Unit | Turkeys | When |
|---|---|---|
| Spring ZZ | 13,292 | Unit total, spring |
| Fall I | 822 | Unit total so far |
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.
Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area on the map with its neighbors
Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area gets the large pin; the smaller ones are 10 neighboring public places. The tracts on the map total 24,253 acres.
| Name | Type | Size (ac) | Away | Bearing |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bay City | State park | 1,043 | 4.6 mi | south |
| Fraser Township No.2 | State game area | 33 | 4.6 mi | west |
| Fraser Township No.1 | State game area | 46 | 5.8 mi | northwest |
| Tobico Marsh Wildlife Unit of Bay City | Wildlife unit | 2,088 | 5.9 mi | south |
| Pinconning Township (Cody-Etsy Road) | State game area | 51 | 7.9 mi | northwest |
| Quanicassee | State wildlife area | 5,207 | 16 mi | southeast |
| Wigwam Bay | State wildlife area | 6,746 | 17 mi | northeast |
| Kawkawlin Creek Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 2,933 | 17 mi | west |
| Molasses River Flooding No.3 | Flooding or WMA | 1,885 | 18 mi | northwest |
| Crow Island | State game area | 4,221 | 19 mi | south |
Points from the DNR wildlife, GEMS, parks, forest, USFS, USFWS and NPS layers (MI DNR Wildlife Property Boundary GIS (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area rules and licenses
Access rules for Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
Michigan seasons and licenses open Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area to everyone. Expect posted refuges, safety zones and closed pieces, and use only stands and blinds that follow the DNR public-land rules.
Blind, stand and baiting law for Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
- Public-land stands: portable, set no earlier than Sept. 1, removed by March 1, labelled with your name and address or Sportcard number, and nothing driven into the bark.
- A portable blind leaves with you each day; a blind of dead natural material needs no ID; a constructed blind needs ID and is not allowed on Zone 3 game areas, parks or recreation areas.
- Michigan law asks for hunter orange from Aug. 15 to April 30, visible from all sides when deer hunting with a firearm; archers in archery season are exempt.
- Report a deer or a turkey within 72 hours of recovery, online or in the Hunt Fish app, and keep the confirmation number.
- Stay 150 yards off occupied buildings with a firearm unless you hold written permission.
- Leave the seed at home; food plots are banned on public land.
- The Lower Peninsula baiting and feeding ban applies here.
- Nov. 15-30 brings ORV and snowmobile closures on public hunting land in the morning and late afternoon.
Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area license list
eLicense and the Hunt Fish app sell everything here. Choose a single deer or deer combo license when you buy; antlerless licenses come over the counter.
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.
Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area dates from September to March
Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area is in Lower Peninsula Zone 3 and Zone 2. The 53 rows below are the dated hunts the DNR summaries put there.
| Game | Season | Where | Begins | Through | Right 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) | Gladwin BMU | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Period 1, archery | Gladwin 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 | |
| Pheasant | Fall | Zone 3 | Oct 20, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | December | Zone 3 | Dec 1, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| 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 1 | South Zone | Oct 17, 2026 | Dec 13, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | Middle Zone | Dec 12, 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 | Middle Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Dark geese | Dark goose part 1 | South Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Dark geese | Dark goose part 2 | Middle Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Dec 18, 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 | Middle Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 1 | South Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 2 | Middle Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Dec 18, 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 | |
| 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.
Mandatory reporting numbers for the Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area area
Bay County hunters reported 2,573 deer in 2025, 1,288 of them antlered. Yearly totals swing between 1,844 and 2,573. 710 deer reported so far in 2026. CWD testing in Bay County, 2022: 333 wild deer tested, 0 positive. The 2026 spring turkey count for Bay County is 146. The DNR reports by county and DMU, not by property; read these as the picture around Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area.
Bay County antlered and antlerless
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 234 | 476 | 710 |
| 2025 | 1,288 | 1,285 | 2,573 |
| 2024 | 1,146 | 1,175 | 2,321 |
| 2023 | 1,114 | 730 | 1,844 |
| 2022 | 1,304 | 786 | 2,090 |
2025 DMU figures for Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
| DMU | Antlered | Antlerless | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 009 | 1,288 | 1,274 | 2,562 |
Bay County CWD sampling
| Year | Tested | Positives |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 333 | 0 |
Turkey figures, Bay County
| Item | Count |
|---|---|
| Reported, spring 2026 | 146 |
| Fall 2026 to date | 6 |
| Survey, fall 2025 | 15 |
| Fall hunters 2025 | 92 |
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.
Towns and shops that serve Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area hunters
The nearest towns with pages of their own, then the businesses that serve this ground.
| Town | County | Straight line | 2024 pop. | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Pinconning | Bay | 5.8 mi | 1,185 | 5,388 |
| Essexville | Bay | 12 mi | 3,302 | 10,808 |
| Bay City | Bay | 13 mi | 32,086 | 10,039 |
| Standish | Arenac | 14 mi | 1,456 | 20,742 |
Counties this land touches, with pages: Bay County.
Gun shops and processors that serve Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
DNR and federal desks that cover Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
Local office on the DNR list: Nayanquing Point DNR Wildlife Office.
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.
Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area: shooting hours by date
Every time below comes from the DNR deer table; the B, C and D columns add the offsets printed on the zone map legend.
| 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.
DNR range closest to Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area has no range; Lapeer Shooting Range (Lapeer Pit) is the nearest DNR range, about 56 miles away. Two club options sit alongside.
Takes archery, 3D archery
From the DNR shooting page and its range pages, checked October 22, 2026.
Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area questions, answered from the data
How does the record classify Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area?
It is a DNR state wildlife area, run by the DNR Wildlife Division.
How many acres of Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area are there to hunt?
4,308 acres, the mapped total.
In which part of Michigan does Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area lie?
Bay County holds it, 6 miles from Pinconning.
What is on the game list at Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area?
The agency names ducks and geese and white-tailed deer; other legal game follows the county dates.
What deer management unit is Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area in for 2026?
The DMU layer gives 486 and 009. Use limit, Bay County: 5.
Can I hunt bear at Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area?
Dansville BMU. Dansville: no bear hunting.
Can I hunt turkeys at Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area?
Yes, unit ZZ in spring and I in fall.
Which duck zone is Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area in?
Waterfowl zone: South. Non-toxic shot is required for waterfowl statewide.
Has CWD been found near Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area?
Banned, as everywhere in the Lower Peninsula. No free-ranging deer from this county has tested positive since 2015.
Is hunter pink legal at Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area?
Archers in archery seasons are exempt, but not during a firearm deer season.
Where do I report game taken on Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area?
Report deer and turkeys within 72 hours through the DNR site or app.
Do stands need ID at Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area?
Sept. 1 through the end of the deer seasons.
Does Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area need any permit beyond my licenses?
Your Michigan licenses; no landowner permission on public ground.
Before you drive to Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area
Use this page as a start: the manager of Nayanquing Point State Wildlife Area has the final word on closures and maps.
Sources for this page: Michigan DNR: nayanquing point swa · Michigan DNR: wetland wonders · Michigan DNR: state wildlife game areas list · DNR GIS; regulations from the 2026 Michigan hunting regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Birding for Climate (Public domain); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service Southeast Region (Public domain).