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Ontonagon County, Michigan
Hunting on Norwich Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS): units and rules
DMU 066, bear and turkey units, closures, licenses and the nearest towns and services.
Photo: Curtis Abert (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Norwich Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS)
Parking, trailheads and gates near Norwich Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS)
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Cascade Falls TrailheadTrailhead · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Norwich Bluff TrailheadTrailhead · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 3.5 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.
Norwich GEMS, the essentials
Norwich Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) is a Grouse Enhanced Management Site in Ontonagon County. Wildlife Division region: Upper Peninsula Region. The rules on site come from the DNR GEMS program. Size ranking: 6th of 19 grouse sites, with 4,400 acres. From Bergland it is about 8 miles east.
- Site location on file: approximately 5 miles north of Matchwood and 18 miles south of Ontonagon..
- Kiosk point: 46.6208, -89.3918.
From the source page (MI DNR GEMS Site Boundaries GIS acres field); region from the DNR wildlife region layer. Checked October 22, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Norwich Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS)
Norwich GEMS pinned among its neighbors
The bold pin marks Norwich GEMS, ringed by 10 other public tracts. Neighboring public acres on the map: 1,070,288.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergland | Ranger district | 147,640 | 7.4 mi | west |
| Porcupine Mountains Wilderness | State park | 59,561 | 19 mi | northwest |
| Bessemer | Ranger district | 158,909 | 21 mi | southwest |
| Ontonagon | Ranger district | 144,587 | 22 mi | east |
| Blue Bill Creek | GEMS | 9,491 | 22 mi | south |
| Baraga Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | 142,356 | 24 mi | east |
| Watersmeet | Ranger district | 195,088 | 25 mi | southeast |
| Pike Lake Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 130 | 31 mi | northeast |
| Mosinee | GEMS | 1,212 | 31 mi | southwest |
| Kenton | Ranger district | 211,314 | 31 mi | east |
Points from the DNR wildlife, GEMS, parks, forest, USFS, USFWS and NPS layers (MI DNR GEMS boundary GIS (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Access, rules and licenses for Norwich GEMS
Norwich GEMS: open to whom
Norwich GEMS is set up for grouse and woodcock hunters on foot, with parking, a kiosk and trails, though every open season applies under the land manager's rules.
Stands, orange and reporting at Norwich GEMS
- On public ground a tree stand must be portable and labelled, may stand from Sept. 1 to March 1, and may not penetrate the bark.
- Ground blinds: Sept. 1 through the deer seasons, no cutting of plants, and no constructed blinds on Zone 3 game areas, parks or recreation areas.
- Hunter orange is required from Aug. 15 to April 30 while taking game in daylight hours; archery deer and bear hunters, turkey hunters and migratory bird hunters other than woodcock are exempt.
- Mandatory harvest reporting: 72 hours for deer and turkey, by app or online.
- No firearm hunting within 150 yards (450 feet) of an occupied building without the occupant's written permission.
- No food plots or artificial gardens on public land.
- Bait for deer is allowed in the Upper Peninsula Sept. 15-Jan. 1, capped at 2 gallons.
- Bear bait here must be placed on the ground without containers.
- ORV and snowmobile limits, Nov. 15-30: 7-11 a.m. and 2-5 p.m.
The license bill for Norwich GEMS
Licenses sell through DNR eLicense, license agents and the Hunt Fish app; the base license comes first. Universal antlerless licenses are capped at 10 a year and limited by county or UP DMU.
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.
Which animals Norwich GEMS offers
Game listed for Norwich GEMS: ruffed grouse and woodcock.
Ruffed grouse
Woodcock
Other Ontonagon County seasons apply too, under the same rules.
Species from the source (GEMS are DNR grouse (and woodcock) hunting sites; other open seasons also apply.); bag limits from the DNR regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Norwich GEMS by zone and unit
For hunting and trapping it lies in Zone 1 (Upper Peninsula). Universal antlerless licenses cannot be used in DMU 066. In the Bergland BMU, 170 licenses go out for hunt 0001; residents needed 3–4 points in 2025. The DNR turkey layer gives spring unit M and fall unit M; no spring 2027 dates are out. For ducks use the North Zone splits, Sep 26-Nov 22 and Nov 28-Nov 29.
DMU details for Norwich GEMS
| DMU | Name | Status | Use limit | Restriction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 066 | Ontonagon unit | Closed | Closed | No |
Bear hunting units at Norwich GEMS
| Unit | Hunts | License quota | Points 2025 | Registered 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergland | 3 hunts | 835 | 3–4 | 247 |
Norwich GEMS: spring and fall turkey units
| Unit | Birds | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Spring M | 1,254 | Whole unit, spring 2026 |
| Fall M | 124 | Fall 2026, unit |
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.
What is open in Norwich GEMS this season
Archery and the Nov. 15 rifle opener are statewide, but bear units, fall turkey units, waterfowl zones and bobcat units decide the rest for Norwich GEMS.
| Species | Season | Applies | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Amasa BMU | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 | Baraga BMU | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 | Bergland BMU | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 2 | Amasa BMU | Sep 14, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 2 | Baraga BMU | Sep 14, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 2 | Bergland BMU | Sep 14, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 3 | Amasa BMU | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 3 | Baraga BMU | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 3 | Bergland 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.
Norwich GEMS: reported deer, turkeys and CWD tests nearby
Hunters reported 712 deer in Ontonagon County in 2025: 625 antlered and 87 antlerless. High year: 2022 at 1,002; low year: 2023 at 600. 2026 so far: 67 deer reported, season in progress. Ontonagon County CWD results (2025): 0 positives from 7 tests. Ontonagon County hunters reported 55 spring turkeys in 2026, the first year of mandatory turkey reporting. Harvest and CWD figures describe the county as a whole.
Ontonagon County deer by year
| Year | Bucks | Antlerless | Deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 43 | 24 | 67 |
| 2025 | 625 | 87 | 712 |
| 2024 | 617 | 59 | 676 |
| 2023 | 507 | 93 | 600 |
| 2022 | 892 | 110 | 1,002 |
DMU harvest around Norwich GEMS
| Unit | Bucks | Antlerless | Deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 066 | 347 | 45 | 392 |
Ontonagon County deer heads tested
| Year | Deer tested | CWD positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 7 | 0 |
| 2024 | 5 | 0 |
Turkey numbers near Norwich GEMS
| Measure | Turkeys |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 55 |
| Fall 2026, partial | 8 |
| 2025 fall survey | 34 |
| Hunters (2025) | 142 |
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.
Where to stay and shop on a Norwich GEMS hunt
Start with a town, then line up a cooler, a processor and a mount.
| Town | County | Miles off | People | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergland | Ontonagon | 7.9 mi | – | 77,415 |
| Ewen | Ontonagon | 8.9 mi | – | 87,502 |
| White Pine | Ontonagon | 11 mi | – | 93,132 |
| Bruce Crossing | Ontonagon | 13 mi | – | 104,836 |
County-level pages to read next: Ontonagon County.
Where Norwich GEMS hunters get a deer cut or mounted
Norwich GEMS: the nearest agency desks
For Ontonagon County, the DNR points to DNR Baraga 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.
Range time before hunting Norwich Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS)
Skoglund-Erickson Shooting Range (Marquette County) is the closest DNR range, 92 miles away. Two closer club ranges follow.
Shoots: handgun, rifle, shotgun, archery
Shoots: rifle, handgun, archery, trap, shotgun
From the DNR shooting page and its range pages, checked October 22, 2026.
Opening and closing minutes for Norwich GEMS by zone
The DNR hunting-time map splits the state into Zones A to D from east to west. Each step west adds 6 minutes to the Zone A times below.
| Date | Season point | Zone A | Zone B | Zone C | Zone D |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Norwich GEMS FAQ for 2026-27
Is there a second spot near Norwich GEMS?
Try Bergland Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest) (7 miles), Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park (19 miles) and Bessemer Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest) (21 miles), measured in a straight line.
What kind of public ground is Norwich GEMS on paper?
It is a Grouse Enhanced Management Site, run by the DNR GEMS program.
Is Norwich GEMS large enough for a full day afield?
About 4,400 acres.
Which covered town is closest to Norwich GEMS?
Base in Bergland, 8 miles away; it lies in Ontonagon County.
What species does the agency name for Norwich GEMS?
The record lists ruffed grouse and woodcock.
How many antlerless licenses can I use at Norwich GEMS?
Units: 066.
Which BMU do I apply for to hunt Norwich GEMS?
The bear unit is Bergland. The bear drawing uses preference points; Bergland hunt 0001 has a quota of 170.
Is there a fall turkey season at Norwich GEMS?
Spring unit M, fall unit none.
What duck dates apply at Norwich GEMS?
The North Zone. Lead shot is not legal for waterfowl.
Can I scatter bait for deer on Norwich GEMS?
Yes within the 2-gallon UP limit. This county has no positive wild deer on the DNR list.
Does the Aug. 15 to April 30 orange rule cover Norwich GEMS?
Yes from Aug. 15 to April 30 while taking game, with exceptions for archery deer and bear, turkey and most migratory birds.
When must I report a turkey from Norwich GEMS?
Turkeys: within 72 hours, online or app (mandatory from 2026).
Can I leave a tree stand at Norwich GEMS?
Portable blinds come out daily; constructed blinds need ID and are barred on Zone 3 game areas and parks.
Heading to Norwich GEMS? Read this first
Print the Norwich GEMS map, carry your licenses, and check the agency page the week you go.
Sources for this page: Michigan DNR: where · DNR GIS; regulations from the 2026 Michigan hunting regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Other photos on this page: U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); Dave Williss (CC BY 2.0).