Home › Michigan › Public land › Portage Marsh WMA
Flooding or WMA, the Upper Peninsula
Portage Marsh Wildlife Management Area for deer, birds and more
1,072 acres of flooding or WMA in Delta County, with 2026-27 units, use limits, rules, CWD testing and a map.
Photo: jgagnon63 (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Getting to Portage Marsh Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Portage Marsh Wildlife Management Area
- Portage Point Boat LaunchBoat ramp · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.8 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.
Key facts on Portage Marsh WMA
Portage Marsh Wildlife Management Area belongs with the wildlife management areas of Delta County. The DNR Wildlife Division counts it in its Upper Peninsula Region, which covers the Upper Peninsula. The DNR Wildlife Division manages the ground. Its 1,072 acres make it the 34th largest of 72 wildlife management areas in our Michigan list. You will find it among the 180 areas on the DNR list page. The nearest covered town is Escanaba, around 3 miles off as the crow flies.
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 Portage Marsh Wildlife Management Area
Access, closures and licenses on Portage Marsh WMA
Access rules for Portage Marsh WMA
Portage Marsh WMA is a flooding or marsh unit the DNR manages for wildlife, usually inside state forest. It is open to public hunting and trapping in Michigan seasons, except for posted refuges and closed areas.
Michigan rules that travel with you onto Portage Marsh WMA
- Put a portable stand up after Aug. 31 and take it down by March 1; label it with your ID, and skip screw-in steps, nails and bolts.
- Blinds go up from Sept. 1. Constructed blinds carry ID and are banned on state game areas, parks and recreation areas in Zone 3; no cutting vegetation for any blind.
- Between Aug. 15 and April 30 take game in hunter orange (pink is an approved color); turkey and duck hunters do not need it.
- Deer and turkeys must be reported within 72 hours (or before the animal changes hands) through the DNR website or the Hunt Fish app.
- A 150-yard safety zone surrounds every occupied building.
- The DNR bars food plots on public land.
- Deer baiting here follows the Upper Peninsula rule: Sept. 15 to Jan. 1, 2 gallons, spread out.
- No man-made containers for bear bait on public or Commercial Forest land.
- No ORV riding on public hunting land in the morning and late afternoon hours of Nov. 15-30.
Licenses and prices for Portage Marsh WMA
A base license plus the species license is the Michigan formula. Universal antlerless licenses are sold over the counter, up to 10, with use limits by county and 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.
Where Portage Marsh WMA sits among the state and federal tracts
Portage Marsh WMA is the big pin, with 10 neighbors around it. Add them up and the neighbors hold 314,811 acres.
| Property | Type | Acres | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escanaba Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | 142,296 | 18 mi | northwest |
| Fayette | Historic park | 631 | 20 mi | east |
| Peterson Pond Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 216 | 20 mi | southwest |
| Rapid River | Ranger district | 157,799 | 21 mi | northeast |
| Cedar Creek | GEMS | 3,093 | 25 mi | southwest |
| Friday Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 46 | 26 mi | north |
| J.W. Wells | State park | 386 | 26 mi | southwest |
| Hayward Lake to North Lake Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 3,290 | 30 mi | southwest |
| Garden Grade | GEMS | 6,403 | 31 mi | east |
| Hancock Creek Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 651 | 35 mi | northwest |
Points from the DNR wildlife, GEMS, parks, forest, USFS, USFWS and NPS layers (MI DNR Wildlife Property Boundary GIS (point inside polygon (centroid falls outside))). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Unit lines at Portage Marsh WMA
Zone on the DNR map: Zone 1. The Carney unit's first hunt period (Sept. 9 – Oct. 21) has a 2026 quota of 90 licenses. Spring turkey falls under unit M and fall turkey under unit M. The 2027 spring dates are still to come. Regular duck splits here: Sep 26-Nov 22 and Nov 28-Nov 29.
Portage Marsh WMA deer units
| Unit | Name | Antlerless | Licenses usable | Antler points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 055 | Menominee unit | Open | 5 | None |
Portage Marsh WMA: bear management units
| BMU | Periods | Quota | Points needed | Bears taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Carney | 3 hunts | 565 | 7–8 | 165 |
Turkey units at Portage Marsh WMA
| Unit | Harvest | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Spring M | 1,254 | Unit-wide, spring 2026 |
| Fall M | 124 | All of unit, partial |
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.
Portage Marsh WMA: the game on record
No species list is published for Portage Marsh WMA, so every open Michigan season applies under the area rules.
The county table below lists 44 season rows for 23 species, from white-tailed deer to woodchuck.
Species from the source (The DNR list gives no species for this area; open seasons follow statewide/zone regulations.); bag limits from the DNR regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Portage Marsh WMA season dates for 2026-27
23 species and 44 dated segments apply in Portage Marsh WMA; the last column checks each against today.
| Quarry | Season | Zone | From | To | Status 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 | Carney BMU | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 | Gwinn BMU | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 | Newberry BMU | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 2 | Carney BMU | Sep 14, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 2 | Gwinn BMU | Sep 14, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 2 | Newberry BMU | Sep 14, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 3 | Carney BMU | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 3 | Gwinn BMU | Sep 25, 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 | |
| Pheasant | Fall | Pheasant Zone 1 unit | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 31, 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.
Portage Marsh WMA trip planning: towns and services
Each town below has its own hunting page on this site.
| Town | County | Distance | Population | Public ground, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Escanaba | Delta | 2.5 mi | 12,296 | 18,987 |
| Gladstone | Delta | 10 mi | 5,226 | 39,318 |
| Rapid River | Delta | 16 mi | – | 73,085 |
| Rock | Delta | 25 mi | – | 60,217 |
Go wider with the county pages: Delta County.
Portage Marsh WMA: businesses in the area
Portage Marsh WMA: the nearest agency desks
Questions about Portage Marsh WMA go to Escanaba 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.
Deer, turkeys and CWD around Portage Marsh WMA
Last full license year (2025) Delta County gave up 3,565 reported deer. Since mandatory reporting began in 2022 the yearly count has ranged from 2,929 (2023) to 3,743 (2024). The 2026 bar is season to date (715 deer by Oct. 22). Delta County: 127 spring birds reported in 2026. Harvest and CWD figures describe the county as a whole.
Deer table, Delta County
| License year | Antlered | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 246 | 469 | 715 |
| 2025 | 2,113 | 1,452 | 3,565 |
| 2024 | 2,448 | 1,295 | 3,743 |
| 2023 | 2,080 | 849 | 2,929 |
| 2022 | 2,375 | 1,308 | 3,683 |
2025 deer by unit near Portage Marsh WMA
| Unit | Antlered | Antlerless | Total 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 055 | 3,020 | 2,326 | 5,346 |
Delta County turkeys
| Figure | Number |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 birds | 127 |
| Fall 2026 so far | 11 |
| Fall 2025 (survey) | 47 |
| Fall 2025 hunters | 105 |
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.
Hunting events at or near Portage Marsh Wildlife Management Area
Read October 22, 2026: 1 upcoming event at or near the property (trapper education field day).
Scheduled
| Held | What | How far | Where | Register | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 28, 2026 | Trapper Education – Field Day – Great Lakes Sports Club / Trapper education field day | 3 | Great Lakes Sports Club in Escanaba (Delta Co.) | Register | Source |
Range time before hunting Portage Marsh Wildlife Management Area
Nearest DNR range: Skoglund-Erickson Shooting Range, roughly 56 miles from Portage Marsh Wildlife Management Area. Nearer club ranges are shown as well.
Lines: handgun, rifle, shotgun, archery
Lines: trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle
Lines: rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, muzzleloader
From the DNR shooting page and its range pages, checked October 22, 2026.
DNR hunting hours for Portage Marsh WMA
Michigan deer hours run from half an hour before sunrise to half an hour after sunset. The DNR prints one Zone A table and adds 6, 12 or 18 minutes for Zones B, C and D.
| When | Event | A zone | B zone | C zone | D zone |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Hunter questions on Portage Marsh WMA
Can I use universal antlerless licenses on Portage Marsh WMA?
DMU 055.
What may I hunt on Portage Marsh WMA?
All open seasons apply, subject to the area rules; the source names no species.
What turkey license do I need for Portage Marsh WMA?
Use spring unit M or fall unit none.
Which BMU do I apply for to hunt Portage Marsh WMA?
It is in the Carney BMU. Apply May 1-June 1 in the bear drawing for the Carney unit.
What do baiting and CWD rules mean for Portage Marsh WMA?
UP baiting is legal Sept. 15-Jan. 1, 2 gallons. Not a CWD county.
Which waterfowl zone covers Portage Marsh WMA?
North Zone splits apply. Carry non-toxic shot for ducks and geese.
Do I take a Portage Marsh WMA deer to a check station?
Check stations are fewer now; mandatory online or app reporting within 72 hours is the rule.
Which months need orange at Portage Marsh WMA?
No: turkey hunters are exempt from the orange rule.
Do I need permission to hunt Portage Marsh WMA?
A Michigan base license ($11 resident) plus the species license.
How long can a blind stay on Portage Marsh WMA?
Portable stands only, from Sept. 1 to March 1, labelled with your ID.
Whose land is Portage Marsh WMA?
The DNR Wildlife Division oversees this DNR wildlife management area (a flooding or marsh unit).
What public ground borders or neighbors Portage Marsh WMA?
The three nearest are Escanaba Forest Management Unit (State Forest) (18 miles), Fayette Historic State Park (20 miles) and Peterson Pond Flooding Wildlife Management Area (20 miles).
Which county holds most of Portage Marsh WMA?
Escanaba is closest (3 miles); the ground is in Delta County.
Portage Marsh WMA: the last checklist
One last look before the drive: the Portage Marsh WMA map, your licenses in the Hunt Fish app and any posted closures.
Sources for this page: 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: USFWS Mountain Prairie (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0).