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State game area, southeast Michigan
Shiawassee River State Game Area for deer, birds and more
10,154 acres of state game area in Saginaw County, with 2026-27 units, use limits, rules, CWD testing and a map.
Photo: Christian Collins (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Getting to Shiawassee River State Game Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Shiawassee River State Game Area
- Parking areaParking · 1.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- DNR Field Office Boat LaunchBoat ramp · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.7 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.8 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 Shiawassee River State Game Area
Shiawassee River State Game Area belongs with the state game areas of Saginaw County. The DNR Wildlife Division counts it in its Southeast Lower Peninsula Region, which covers southeast Michigan. The DNR Wildlife Division manages the ground. Its 10,154 acres make it the 7th largest of 95 state game areas in our Michigan list. The DNR page rounds it to 9,852 acres; the other number is the mapped sum. You will find it among the 180 areas on the DNR list page. The nearest covered town is St. Charles, 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 Shiawassee River State Game Area
Access, closures and licenses on Shiawassee River State Game Area
Access rules for Shiawassee River State Game Area
Shiawassee River State Game Area is open to public hunting and trapping in Michigan seasons for anyone holding the right licenses. Posted refuges, safety zones and closed areas are the exceptions, and the Wildlife Conservation Order and the Land Use Orders of the Director govern how the land is used.
Michigan rules that travel with you onto Shiawassee River State Game Area
- 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 may not be baited or fed in the Lower Peninsula.
- No ORVs 7-11 a.m. and 2-5 p.m. on public hunting land during the Nov. 15-30 rifle season.
Licenses and prices for Shiawassee River State Game Area
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.
Shiawassee River State Game Area drawing and release notes
Daily drawings for free hunting zone permits throughout the open waterfowl season. Wetland Wonders acreage: 10,000. Apply ahead for the 4 reserved opening-weekend sessions. Veterans preference drawings: Pointe Mouillee Nov. 10; Fish Point, Harsens Island, Nayanquing Point and Shiawassee River Nov. 11; Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center Nov. 12. It is on the DNR list of special deer hunt locations (Shiawassee River SGA DMU 273 (reserved)).
Shiawassee River State Game Area hunt drawings
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.)
Dates set aside for youth: Oct. 17 (p.m.) reserved; Nov. 7 (p.m.) nonreserved.
Opening weekend at Shiawassee River State Game Area, reserved
| Date | Time | Available | Hunt |
|---|---|---|---|
| Oct. 17 | a.m. | 40 | 0009 |
| Oct. 17 | p.m., youth* | 40 | 0010 |
| Oct. 18 | a.m. | 40 | 0011 |
| Oct. 18 | p.m. | 40 | 0012 |
From the DNR waterfowl summary, Wetland Wonders page, deer summary. Checked October 22, 2026.
Where Shiawassee River State Game Area sits among the state and federal tracts
Shiawassee River State Game Area is the big pin, with 10 neighbors around it. Add them up and the neighbors hold 36,310 acres.
| Property | Type | Acres | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gratiot-Saginaw | State game area | 16,729 | 15 mi | west |
| Crow Island | State game area | 4,221 | 16 mi | northeast |
| Maple River Gratiot-Saginaw Connector | State game area | 310 | 21 mi | southwest |
| Denmark Township | State game area | 91 | 26 mi | northeast |
| Tobico Marsh Wildlife Unit of Bay City | Wildlife unit | 2,088 | 27 mi | north |
| Quanicassee | State wildlife area | 5,207 | 27 mi | northeast |
| Bay City | State park | 1,043 | 28 mi | north |
| Vassar | State game area | 3,435 | 30 mi | east |
| Sleepy Hollow | State park | 2,396 | 31 mi | southwest |
| Bluff Creek / US-10 / M-18 Floodings | Flooding or WMA | 790 | 32 mi | northwest |
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.
Unit lines at Shiawassee River State Game Area
Zone on the DNR map: Zone 3. The former Limited Firearm Deer Zone line ran through this country; it is gone for 2026, and all legal firearms are allowed. 5 is the Saginaw County cap on universal antlerless licenses used. Saginaw County hosts both antlerless firearm seasons, early and late. Spring turkey falls under unit ZZ and fall turkey under unit I. The 2027 spring dates are still to come. Regular duck splits here: Oct 17-Dec 13 and Dec 26-Dec 27.
Shiawassee River State Game Area deer units
| Unit | Name | Antlerless | Licenses usable | Antler points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 486 | Southern Lower Peninsula multicounty | – | By county | None |
| DMU 073 | Saginaw county | Open | 5 | None |
| DMU 273 | Shiawassee deer management | Open | By county | None |
Shiawassee River State Game Area: bear management units
| BMU | Periods | Quota | Points needed | Bears taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dansville | No season | – | – | – |
Turkey units at Shiawassee River State Game Area
| Unit | Harvest | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Spring ZZ | 13,292 | Unit-wide, spring 2026 |
| Fall I | 822 | 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.
Shiawassee River State Game Area: the game on record
The source names ducks and geese for Shiawassee River State Game Area.
Ducks and geese
The list is not a limit: every season open in Saginaw County applies here within the area rules.
Species from the source (Wetland Wonders page.); bag limits from the DNR regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
The records above and beside Shiawassee River State Game Area
Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge has its own page.
Shiawassee River State Game Area season dates for 2026-27
23 species and 45 dated segments apply in Shiawassee River State Game Area; the last column checks each against today.
| Quarry | Season | Zone | From | To | Status today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | |
| 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 3 | Oct 20, 2026 | Nov 14, 2026 | |
| Pheasant | December | Zone 3 | Dec 1, 2026 | Jan 1, 2027 | |
| Bobwhite quail | Fall | Open quail county | Oct 20, 2026 | Nov 14, 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 | South Zone | Oct 17, 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 | South Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 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 | South Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 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 H | Jan 1, 2027 | Jan 11, 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.
Shiawassee River State Game Area trip planning: towns and services
Each town below has its own hunting page on this site.
| Town | County | Distance | Population | Public ground, 10 mi |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| St. Charles | Saginaw | 3.1 mi | 1,945 | 22,130 |
| Shields | Saginaw | 7.0 mi | – | 21,020 |
| Saginaw | Saginaw | 9.9 mi | 43,001 | 19,121 |
| Bridgeport | Saginaw | 11 mi | – | 14,534 |
Go wider with the county pages: Saginaw County.
Shiawassee River State Game Area: businesses in the area
Shiawassee River State Game Area: the nearest agency desks
Questions about Shiawassee River State Game Area go to Shiawassee 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.
Shiawassee River State Game Area on the Michigan events calendar
Read October 22, 2026: 4 upcoming events at or near the property (UKC club hunt and hunter education field day).
Scheduled
| Held | What | How far | Where | Register | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 30–31, 2026 | Great Northern Raccoon Club UKC Double Header Nite Hunt / UKC club hunt | 10 | Chesaning (Saginaw Co.) | Event details | Source |
| Nov 10, 2026 | Hunter Education – Field Day – Bridgeport Gun Club / Hunter education field day | 10 | Bridgeport Gun Club in Saginaw (Saginaw Co.) | Register | Source |
| Nov 11, 2026 | Hunter Education – Field Day – Bridgeport Gun Club / Hunter education field day | 10 | Bridgeport Gun Club in Saginaw (Saginaw Co.) | Register | Source |
| Dec 11, 2026 | Great Northern Raccoon Club UKC Double Header Nite Hunt / UKC club hunt | 10 | Chesaning (Saginaw Co.) | Event details | Source |
Deer, turkeys and CWD around Shiawassee River State Game Area
Last full license year (2025) Saginaw County gave up 9,369 reported deer. Since mandatory reporting began in 2022 the yearly count has ranged from 6,232 (2023) to 9,369 (2025). The 2026 bar is season to date (2,392 deer by Oct. 22). In 2022 the DNR tested 555 Saginaw County deer; 0 were positive. Saginaw County: 518 spring birds reported in 2026. Harvest and CWD figures describe the county as a whole.
Deer table, Saginaw County
| License year | Antlered | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 666 | 1,726 | 2,392 |
| 2025 | 4,511 | 4,858 | 9,369 |
| 2024 | 3,938 | 3,994 | 7,932 |
| 2023 | 3,706 | 2,526 | 6,232 |
| 2022 | 3,615 | 2,662 | 6,277 |
2025 deer by unit near Shiawassee River State Game Area
Wild deer checked for CWD in Saginaw County
| Year | Tested | Positive |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 555 | 0 |
Saginaw County turkeys
| Figure | Number |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 birds | 518 |
| Fall 2026 so far | 23 |
| Fall 2025 (survey) | 98 |
| Fall 2025 hunters | 363 |
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.
Range time before hunting Shiawassee River State Game Area
Nearest DNR range: Rose Lake Shooting Range, roughly 38 miles from Shiawassee River State Game Area. Nearer club ranges are shown as well.
Lines: rifle, handgun, muzzleloader, shotgun, archery
From the DNR shooting page and its range pages, checked October 22, 2026.
DNR hunting hours for Shiawassee River State Game Area
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 Shiawassee River State Game Area
What public ground borders or neighbors Shiawassee River State Game Area?
The three nearest are Gratiot-Saginaw State Game Area (15 miles), Crow Island State Game Area (16 miles) and Maple River Gratiot-Saginaw Connector State Game Area (21 miles).
When are the drawings at Shiawassee River State Game Area?
Yes, drawings for free zone permits on the days listed above.
How big is Shiawassee River State Game Area on the map?
10,154 acres, per MI DNR Wildlife Property Boundary GIS Acres field.
Whose land is Shiawassee River State Game Area?
The DNR Wildlife Division oversees this DNR state game area.
Which quarry does Shiawassee River State Game Area list?
1 group on the list: ducks and geese.
Which county holds most of Shiawassee River State Game Area?
St. Charles is closest (3 miles); the ground is in Saginaw County.
Which BMU do I apply for to hunt Shiawassee River State Game Area?
It is in the Dansville BMU. There is no Dansville bear hunt.
Can I use universal antlerless licenses on Shiawassee River State Game Area?
DMU 486, DMU 073 and DMU 273. Saginaw County allows 5 universal antlerless licenses per hunter.
Which waterfowl zone covers Shiawassee River State Game Area?
South Zone splits apply. Carry non-toxic shot for ducks and geese.
What turkey license do I need for Shiawassee River State Game Area?
Use spring unit ZZ or fall unit I.
Which months need orange at Shiawassee River State Game Area?
No: turkey hunters are exempt from the orange rule.
What do baiting and CWD rules mean for Shiawassee River State Game Area?
Not here: deer baiting and feeding are banned in the Lower Peninsula. Not a CWD county.
How long can a blind stay on Shiawassee River State Game Area?
Portable stands only, from Sept. 1 to March 1, labelled with your ID.
Shiawassee River State Game Area: the last checklist
One last look before the drive: the Shiawassee River State Game Area map, your licenses in the Hunt Fish app and any posted closures.
Sources for this page: Michigan DNR: shiawassee river sga · 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: born1945 (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0).