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Ranger district · Upper Peninsula
Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District (Hiawatha National Forest): where, what and how to hunt
Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District (Hiawatha National Forest), 243,502 acres in Chippewa County: white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey and ruffed grouse, deer units and zones, area rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: Tony Webster (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District (Hiawatha National Forest)
Parking, trailheads and gates near Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District (Hiawatha National Forest)
- Parking areaParking · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.2 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 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.
Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District: the record card
Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District (Hiawatha National Forest) counts as a national forest ranger district, and it lies in Chippewa County. Its home region at the DNR is the Upper Peninsula Region. The USDA Forest Service sets the rules on site. By acreage (243,502) it ranks 1st in a group of 18 ranger districts. Roughly 16 miles west of Brimley. Hiawatha National Forest holds it.
From the source page (USFS EDW Lands Area Statistics: National Forest System land in the district (GIS acres)); region from the DNR wildlife region layer. Checked October 22, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District (Hiawatha National Forest)
Who can hunt Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District, and on what terms
Entry terms, Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District
Michigan seasons apply across the federal acres of Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District. Keep vehicles to the Motor Vehicle Use Map and bring portable stands; blinds left behind are taken down.
Michigan rules that follow you to Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District
- The DNR stand rule for public land: portable, ID affixed, Sept. 1 to March 1, no nails, screws or bolts.
- From Sept. 1 to the end of deer season blinds are allowed; constructed blinds need ID and are prohibited on game areas, parks and recreation areas in Zone 3.
- From mid-August to the end of April, a hunter orange outer layer is the law in daylight; camouflage counts if half of it is orange. Turkey and waterfowl hunters are exempt.
- Harvest reporting is required for deer and turkey inside 72 hours; failing to report is a civil infraction.
- Firearm hunters keep 150 yards from occupied dwellings, cabins and farm buildings.
- Planting a food plot on public land is not legal.
- Upper Peninsula deer baiting is legal Sept. 15 to Jan. 1, up to 2 gallons scattered over a 10-by-10-foot area.
- On public land, bear bait goes on the ground, never in a container.
- The Nov. 15-30 ORV closure hours apply on this public land.
Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District: licenses to carry
Buy in the Hunt Fish app, at an agent or on eLicense. Every hunter needs the base license; antlerless licenses (up to 10) obey the county or DMU use limit.
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.
Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District and nearby public ground
Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District at the big pin; the nearest 10 public places around it. Between them the nearby tracts list 785,100 acres.
| Public land | Type | Acres | Distance | Direction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sault Ste. Marie Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | 334,295 | 12 mi | southeast |
| Strickler | GEMS | 2,166 | 23 mi | southwest |
| Tahquamenon Falls | State park | 47,140 | 24 mi | northwest |
| Halifax | GEMS | 2,718 | 26 mi | northwest |
| Newberry Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | 359,596 | 29 mi | northwest |
| Munuscong | Flooding or WMA | 19,288 | 32 mi | east |
| Dollarville Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 3,013 | 33 mi | west |
| Black Creek Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 2,777 | 38 mi | west |
| French Farm Lake Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 2,948 | 40 mi | south |
| Wilderness | State park | 11,159 | 41 mi | south |
Points from the DNR wildlife, GEMS, parks, forest, USFS, USFWS and NPS layers (USFS EDW Ranger Districts (district boundary centroid) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District deer units, bear units and zones
It is Zone 1 ground in the Upper Peninsula. DMU 351 no longer exists in 2026; the layer label is a leftover. DMU 249 and DMU 048: use limit 0. For bear the unit is Newberry; its 2026 hunt 0016 quota is 200. For turkeys it is unit M (spring) and M (fall); the 2027 spring calendar has not been printed. Waterfowl: North Zone, regular duck season Sep 26-Nov 22 and Nov 28-Nov 29.
The deer units around Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District
| DMU | Unit name | Antlerless status | Antlerless use limit | APR |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 249 | Trout lake unit | Open | Closed | No APR |
| DMU 048 | Newberry unit | Closed | Closed | No APR |
Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District bear units
| Bear unit | Hunts | Quota | Points (res.) | 2025 bears |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Newberry | 3 hunts | 880 | 9–10 | 334 |
Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District turkey units
| Unit | Reported harvest | Note |
|---|---|---|
| Spring M | 1,254 | All of unit, 2026 |
| Fall M | 124 | Unit-wide, fall to date |
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.
Game you can hunt at Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District
The agency's game list for Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District reads white-tailed deer, black bear, wild turkey, ruffed grouse, woodcock, snowshoe hare, ducks and geese, squirrels and rabbits and furbearers.
White-tailed deer
Black bear
Wild turkey
Ruffed grouse
Woodcock
Snowshoe hare
Ducks and geese
Small game
Furbearers
Any other game open in Chippewa County is legal here within the rules.
Species from the source (Forest-wide; species follow Michigan seasons and units.); bag limits from the DNR regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District broken down by county
Forest Service acres in each county of Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District:
| County | Forest acres |
|---|---|
| Chippewa | 243,502 |
From the source, USFS EDW, USFS. Checked October 22, 2026.
Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District and the land it belongs with
Parent: Hiawatha National Forest, which has 5 listed parts.
Units that share Hiawatha National Forest with Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District
| Page | Type | County | Acres |
|---|---|---|---|
| Munising | Ranger district | Alger, Schoolcraft | 193,410 |
| Rapid River | Ranger district | Delta | 157,799 |
| St. Ignace | Ranger district | Mackinac | 152,925 |
| Manistique | Ranger district | Delta, Schoolcraft | 151,862 |
Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District openers and closers in one table
Private ground and public ground share these dates in Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District; a state park, refuge or national lakeshore can set its own limits.
| Animal | Segment | Area | Starts | Ends | Open 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 | Drummond Island 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 | 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.
Lodging, fuel and a processor near Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District
Pick a town for the night, then a processor for the deer.
| Town | County | Miles | Population | Public land near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Brimley | Chippewa | 16 mi | – | 66,132 |
| Kincheloe | Chippewa | 21 mi | – | 40,896 |
| Sault Ste. Marie | Chippewa | 27 mi | 13,288 | 2,983 |
| Newberry | Luce | 30 mi | 1,390 | 112,544 |
Each county here has its own page: Chippewa County.
Who handles a deer from Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District
Office phone numbers that handle Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District
Licenses and questions for Chippewa County go through DNR Sault Ste. Marie 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.
What hunters reported from the county around Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District
2025 in Chippewa County: 856 antlered, 127 antlerless, 983 in all. The reporting era peaked at 1,142 in 2022 and bottomed at 983 in 2025. Season to date (Oct. 22, 2026): 139 deer. The DNR sampled 126 deer from Chippewa County in 2025, with 0 CWD positives. With mandatory reporting new in 2026, Chippewa County logged 82 spring turkeys. These are county or unit totals, not Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District alone; the DNR does not report harvest by property.
Chippewa County harvest table
| Season | Antlered | Does and fawns | Total |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 88 | 51 | 139 |
| 2025 | 856 | 127 | 983 |
| 2024 | 934 | 127 | 1,061 |
| 2023 | 825 | 175 | 1,000 |
| 2022 | 928 | 214 | 1,142 |
Reported by DMU, Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District
CWD samples, Chippewa County
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 126 | 0 |
| 2024 | 178 | 0 |
Turkeys reported in Chippewa County
| Figure | Turkeys |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 reported | 82 |
| Fall 2026 | 10 |
| Fall 2025 survey | 54 |
| Fall 2025 hunters | 110 |
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.
Nearest ranges to Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District (Hiawatha National Forest)
From Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District (Hiawatha National Forest), Voyer Lake Shooting Range is the closest range on DNR land (96 miles). Clubs inside 30 miles are included.
Offers trap, skeet, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire
From the DNR shooting page and its range pages, checked October 22, 2026.
Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District hunting-hour table for key season dates
Use the column for the hunting-time zone that covers Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District on the DNR map. Zone D is the far western Upper Peninsula.
| 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.
Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District: quick answers
Which unit do I pick for turkeys at Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District?
The fall license ($15) is for unit none; spring hunts follow unit M.
What are the waterfowl rules at Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District?
It is North Zone ground. Waterfowl hunters need the state waterfowl license, HIP and a federal stamp.
Is it legal to bait deer on Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District?
Bait is allowed with limits. The DNR list of counties with a CWD-positive wild deer does not include this one.
Do turkey hunters wear orange at Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District?
A hunter orange cap, hat, vest, jacket or rain gear, visible from all sides, from Aug. 15 to April 30.
Do I register a bear from Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District?
Bears go to a DNR registration station within 72 hours for sealing.
When can stands go up at Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District?
No: nothing may penetrate the bark on public land.
What does a license for Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District cost?
Base license, then deer ($20 single, $40 combo) or other species licenses.
Where can I drive in Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District?
On the routes the Motor Vehicle Use Map opens.
Where do I go when Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District has too many trucks?
Sault Ste. Marie Forest Management Unit (State Forest) (12 miles), Strickler Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) (23 miles) and Tahquamenon Falls State Park (24 miles) all have pages on this site.
Which larger record contains Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District?
The bigger unit is Hiawatha National Forest.
Is Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District state or federal ground?
A national forest ranger district; the manager is the USDA Forest Service.
What is the acreage figure for Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District?
The figure used here is 243,502 acres.
Which town makes a good base for a Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District hunt?
Brimley is closest (16 miles); the ground is in Chippewa County.
Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District: what to confirm
Gates, refuges and open zones at Sault Ste. Marie Ranger District are the manager's call; confirm them before opening day.
Sources for this page: USFS EDW · USFS EDW · USFS: hunting shooting · USFS: offices; regulations from the 2026 Michigan hunting regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Other photos on this page: Don Henise (CC BY 2.0); Department of the Interior. U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service. National Conservation Training Center. 10/1997-8888 (Public domain).