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Mackinac County, Michigan
Hunting on Sault Ste. Marie Forest Management Unit (State Forest): units and rules
DMU 249 and 017, bear and turkey units, closures, licenses and the nearest towns and services.
Photo: Aaron Volkening (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Sault Ste. Marie Forest Management Unit (State Forest)
Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit, the essentials
Sault Ste. Marie Forest Management Unit (State Forest) is a state forest management unit in Mackinac and Chippewa counties. Wildlife Division region: Upper Peninsula Region. The rules on site come from the DNR Forest Resources Division. Size ranking: 3rd of 15 forest management units, with 334,295 acres. From Kincheloe it is about 16 miles southwest. It is managed within Michigan State Forest System.
From the source page (MI DNR Managed Lands (LOTS) GIS: Acreage of Forest Resources Division parcels in this management unit); region from the DNR wildlife region layer. Checked October 22, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Sault Ste. Marie Forest Management Unit (State Forest)
Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit pinned among its neighbors
The bold pin marks Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit, ringed by 10 other public tracts. Neighboring public acres on the map: 486,159.
| Area | Category | Acreage | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Ignace | Ranger district | 152,925 | 9.4 mi | south |
| Sault Ste. Marie | Ranger district | 243,502 | 12 mi | northwest |
| Munuscong | Flooding or WMA | 19,288 | 24 mi | east |
| Strickler | GEMS | 2,166 | 25 mi | west |
| French Farm Lake Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 2,948 | 30 mi | south |
| Wilderness | State park | 11,159 | 33 mi | south |
| O'Neal Lake Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 1,251 | 33 mi | south |
| Dingman Marsh Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 4,863 | 33 mi | south |
| Tahquamenon Falls | State park | 47,140 | 36 mi | northwest |
| Lime Island | Recreation area | 917 | 37 mi | east |
Points from the DNR wildlife, GEMS, parks, forest, USFS, USFWS and NPS layers (MI DNR Forest Management Units GIS (unit boundary centroid; boundary includes private and federal land) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Access, rules and licenses for Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit
Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit: open to whom
Open in season unless posted: that covers the state forest parcels in Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit. DNR land use orders set the rules for ORV routes, dispersed camping and stands.
Stands, orange and reporting at Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit
- 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 Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit
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 Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit offers
White-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, woodcock, snowshoe hare, ducks and geese, squirrels and rabbits and furbearers: that is the list the agency gives for Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit.
White-tailed deer
Black bear
Wild turkey
Ruffed grouse
Woodcock
Snowshoe hare
Ducks and geese
Small game
Furbearers
Other Mackinac County seasons apply too, under the same rules.
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.
Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit by zone and unit
For hunting and trapping it lies in Zone 1 (Upper Peninsula). DMU 351 appears on the layer but was rescinded for 2026. Universal antlerless licenses cannot be used in DMU 249, DMU 017, DMU 349, DMU 048, DMU 117 and DMU 149. DMU 117: 3-point APR applies. In the Newberry BMU, 200 licenses go out for hunt 0016; residents needed 9–10 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 Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit
| DMU | Name | Status | Use limit | Restriction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 249 | Trout lake unit | Open | Closed | No |
| DMU 017 | Sault Ste. Marie unit | Open | Closed | No |
| DMU 349 | Engadine unit | Open | Closed | No |
| DMU 048 | Newberry unit | Closed | Closed | No |
| DMU 117 | Drummond island unit | Open | Closed | 3-point rule |
| DMU 149 | Bois Blanc unit | Open | Closed | No |
Bear hunting units at Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit
| Unit | Hunts | License quota | Points 2025 | Registered 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newberry | 3 hunts | 880 | 9–10 | 334 |
| Drummond Island | 1 hunt | 8 | 21–22 | 8 |
Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit: 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 Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit 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 Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit.
| 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 | 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 | |
| Sharp-tailed grouse | Fall | Eastern UP unit | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 31, 2026 | |
| 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.
Where Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit lies, in detail
State forest acres in Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit by county, from the DNR managed lands layer; Mackinac (210,315), Chippewa (123,940) and Delta (40) hold the most.
From the source, DNR GIS, Michigan DNR. Checked October 22, 2026.
Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit: parent and sister units
Michigan State Forest System is the parent; 14 more units share it.
Michigan State Forest System: the remaining units
| Name | Kind | Counties | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Shingleton Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Schoolcraft, Alger | 375,050 |
| Newberry Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | Luce, Chippewa | 359,596 |
| 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 |
Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit: reported deer, turkeys and CWD tests nearby
Hunters reported 786 deer in Mackinac County in 2025: 698 antlered and 88 antlerless. High year: 2022 at 835; low year: 2023 at 713. 2026 so far: 62 deer reported, season in progress. Mackinac County CWD results (2025): 0 positives from 51 tests. Mackinac County hunters reported 18 spring turkeys in 2026, the first year of mandatory turkey reporting. Mackinac County holds the largest share of Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit, so its figures are shown. Harvest and CWD figures describe the county as a whole.
Mackinac County deer by year
| Year | Bucks | Antlerless | Deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 41 | 21 | 62 |
| 2025 | 698 | 88 | 786 |
| 2024 | 699 | 76 | 775 |
| 2023 | 540 | 173 | 713 |
| 2022 | 626 | 209 | 835 |
DMU harvest around Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit
Mackinac County deer heads tested
| Year | Deer tested | CWD positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 51 | 0 |
| 2024 | 58 | 0 |
Turkey numbers near Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit
| Measure | Turkeys |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 18 |
| Fall 2026, partial | 2 |
| 2025 fall survey | 13 |
| Hunters (2025) | 19 |
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 Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit hunt
Start with a town, then line up a cooler, a processor and a mount.
| Town | County | Miles off | People | Public acres, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Kincheloe | Chippewa | 16 mi | – | 40,896 |
| Brimley | Chippewa | 18 mi | – | 66,132 |
| St. Ignace | Mackinac | 20 mi | 2,331 | 39,314 |
| Mackinac Island | Mackinac | 23 mi | 613 | 21,022 |
County-level pages to read next: Mackinac County, Chippewa County.
Where Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit hunters get a deer cut or mounted
Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit: the nearest agency desks
For Mackinac County, the DNR points to 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.
Range time before hunting Sault Ste. Marie Forest Management Unit (State Forest)
Voyer Lake Shooting Range (Montmorency County) is the closest DNR range, 84 miles away. Two closer club ranges follow.
Shoots: rifle, handgun
Shoots: trap, skeet, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire
From the DNR shooting page and its range pages, checked October 22, 2026.
Opening and closing minutes for Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit 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.
Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit FAQ for 2026-27
Can I scatter bait for deer on Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit?
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 Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit?
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 Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit?
Turkeys: within 72 hours, online or app (mandatory from 2026).
Can I leave a tree stand at Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit?
Portable blinds come out daily; constructed blinds need ID and are barred on Zone 3 game areas and parks.
Which licenses work on Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit?
No special permit for most of it; the base license and the species license are enough.
Is there a second spot near Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit?
Try St. Ignace Ranger District (Hiawatha National Forest) (9 miles), Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District (Hiawatha National Forest) (12 miles) and Munuscong Wildlife Management Area (24 miles), measured in a straight line.
Which bigger area wraps around Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit?
The records file it under Michigan State Forest System.
What kind of public ground is Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit on paper?
It is a state forest management unit, run by the DNR Forest Resources Division.
What does Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit measure in acres?
About 334,295 acres.
Which covered town is closest to Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit?
Base in Kincheloe, 16 miles away; it lies in Mackinac and Chippewa counties.
What species does the agency name for Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit?
The record lists white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, woodcock, snowshoe hare, ducks and geese, squirrels and rabbits and furbearers.
How many antlerless licenses can I use at Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit?
Units: 249, 017 and 349.
Which BMU do I apply for to hunt Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit?
The bear unit is Newberry and Drummond Island. The bear drawing uses preference points; Newberry hunt 0016 has a quota of 200.
Heading to Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit? Read this first
Print the Sault Ste. Marie Forest Unit map, carry your licenses, and check the agency page the week you go.
Sources for this page: DNR GIS · DNR GIS · Michigan DNR: state forests · experience.arcgis.com: 433c5780079640079aecadd04b4fdc29; regulations from the 2026 Michigan hunting regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Other photos on this page: fidelis_o (CC BY 2.0); Joe Mabel (CC BY-SA 4.0).