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Flooding or WMA, the northern Lower Peninsula
Tomahawk Creek Flooding Wildlife Management Area for deer, birds and more
1,144 acres of flooding or WMA in Presque Isle and Montmorency counties, with 2026-27 units, use limits, rules, CWD testing and a map.
Photo: Tony Faiola (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Tomahawk Creek Flooding Wildlife Management Area
Parking, trailheads and gates near Tomahawk Creek Flooding Wildlife Management Area
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Tomahawk Lake Boat LaunchBoat ramp · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 2.0 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 2.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Shoepac Lake SFCG 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, 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 Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA
Tomahawk Creek Flooding Wildlife Management Area belongs with the wildlife management areas of Presque Isle and Montmorency counties. The DNR Wildlife Division counts it in its Northern Lower Peninsula Region, which covers the northern Lower Peninsula. The DNR Wildlife Division manages the ground. Its 1,144 acres make it the 32nd 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 Canada Creek Ranch, around 3 miles off as the crow flies.
- County on the DNR list: Presque Isle County.
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 Tomahawk Creek Flooding Wildlife Management Area
Access, closures and licenses on Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA
Access rules for Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA
Tomahawk Creek Flooding 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 Tomahawk Creek Flooding 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 may not be baited or fed in the Lower Peninsula.
- No man-made containers for bear bait on public or Commercial Forest land.
- 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 Tomahawk Creek Flooding 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 Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA sits among the state and federal tracts
Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA is the big pin, with 10 neighbors around it. Add them up and the neighbors hold 422,049 acres.
| Property | Type | Acres | Straight line | Which way |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Rainey River Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 1,422 | 5.5 mi | east |
| Sportsman's Pond Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 162 | 11 mi | south |
| Pigeon River Country State Forest | Forest unit | 123,358 | 11 mi | west |
| Dog Lake Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 1,665 | 12 mi | northwest |
| Atlanta Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | 291,430 | 13 mi | east |
| Stoney Creek Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 1,110 | 17 mi | northwest |
| Lee Grand Ranch | GEMS | 2,436 | 20 mi | northwest |
| Sage Lakes Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 248 | 22 mi | south |
| Mud Creek Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 18 | 22 mi | northwest |
| P.H. Hoeft | State park | 200 | 23 mi | northeast |
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 Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA
Zone on the DNR map: Zone 2. 10 is the Presque Isle County cap on universal antlerless licenses used. Presque Isle County hosts both antlerless firearm seasons, early and late. The Red Oak unit's first hunt period (Sept. 12–22 and Oct. 2–8) has a 2026 quota of 685 licenses. Spring turkey falls under unit NN and fall turkey under unit I. The 2027 spring dates are still to come. Regular duck splits here: Oct 3-Nov 29 and Dec 12-Dec 13. Units H, I and X of the elk range overlap this country.
Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA deer units
| Unit | Name | Antlerless | Licenses usable | Antler points |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 487 | Northeast Lower Peninsula multicounty | Open | By county | None |
| DMU 071 | Presque Isle county | – | 10 | None |
| DMU 060 | Montmorency county | – | 10 | None |
Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA: bear management units
| BMU | Periods | Quota | Points needed | Bears taken |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Oak | 1 hunt | 685 | 9–10 | 282 |
Turkey units at Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA
| Unit | Harvest | Period |
|---|---|---|
| Spring NN | 4,156 | 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.
Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA: the game on record
No species list is published for Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA, so every open Michigan season applies under the area rules.
The county table below lists 44 season rows for 24 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.
Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA season dates for 2026-27
24 species and 44 dated segments apply in Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA; 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 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 (firearm/bait/dogs) | Red Oak BMU | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Period 1, archery | Red Oak BMU | Oct 2, 2026 | Oct 8, 2026 | |
| Elk | Hunt period 1 | Elk unit X | Sep 23, 2026 | Oct 4, 2026 | |
| Elk | Hunt period 2 | Elk unit X/H | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 15, 2026 | |
| Elk | Hunt period 2 | Elk unit X | Dec 1, 2026 | Dec 15, 2026 | |
| 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 2 | 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 | Middle Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Nov 29, 2026 | |
| Ducks | Split 2 | Middle Zone | Dec 12, 2026 | Dec 13, 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 | Middle Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Dark geese | Dark goose part 2 | Middle Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Dec 18, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 1 | Middle Zone | Sep 1, 2026 | Sep 30, 2026 | |
| Light geese | Light goose part 2 | Middle Zone | Oct 3, 2026 | Dec 18, 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 C | 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.
Tomahawk Creek Flooding 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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Canada Creek Ranch | Montmorency | 2.6 mi | – | 131,423 |
| Tower | Cheboygan | 12 mi | – | 95,064 |
| Atlanta | Montmorency | 14 mi | – | 90,776 |
| Hillman | Montmorency | 17 mi | 660 | 32,727 |
Go wider with the county pages: Presque Isle County, Montmorency County.
Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA: businesses in the area
Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA: the nearest agency desks
Questions about Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA go to Atlanta Field 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 Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA
Last full license year (2025) Presque Isle County gave up 3,630 reported deer. Since mandatory reporting began in 2022 the yearly count has ranged from 3,156 (2023) to 3,837 (2024). The 2026 bar is season to date (592 deer by Oct. 22). Presque Isle County: 50 spring birds reported in 2026. County figures come from Presque Isle, the first county for Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA. Harvest and CWD figures describe the county as a whole.
Presque Isle County deer by year
| License year | Antlered | Antlerless | All deer |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 194 | 398 | 592 |
| 2025 | 2,113 | 1,517 | 3,630 |
| 2024 | 2,223 | 1,614 | 3,837 |
| 2023 | 1,996 | 1,160 | 3,156 |
| 2022 | 2,044 | 1,324 | 3,368 |
2025 deer by unit near Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA
Presque Isle County turkeys
| Figure | Number |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 birds | 50 |
| Fall 2026 so far | 3 |
| Fall 2025 (survey) | 24 |
| Fall 2025 hunters | 122 |
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 Tomahawk Creek Flooding Wildlife Management Area
Nearest DNR range: Voyer Lake Shooting Range, roughly 11 miles from Tomahawk Creek Flooding Wildlife Management Area. Nearer club ranges are shown as well.
Lines: 5-stand, rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, archery
Lines: rifle, air gun
From the DNR shooting page and its range pages, checked October 22, 2026.
DNR hunting hours for Tomahawk Creek Flooding 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 Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA
Which county holds most of Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA?
Canada Creek Ranch is closest (3 miles); the ground is in Presque Isle and Montmorency counties.
How big is Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA on the map?
1,144 acres, per MI DNR Wildlife Property Boundary GIS Acres field.
Can I use universal antlerless licenses on Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA?
DMU 487, DMU 071 and DMU 060. Presque Isle County allows 10 universal antlerless licenses per hunter.
What may I hunt on Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA?
All open seasons apply, subject to the area rules; the source names no species.
What turkey license do I need for Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA?
Use spring unit NN or fall unit I.
Which BMU do I apply for to hunt Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA?
It is in the Red Oak BMU. Apply May 1-June 1 in the bear drawing for the Red Oak unit.
What do baiting and CWD rules mean for Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA?
Not here: deer baiting and feeding are banned in the Lower Peninsula. Not a CWD county.
Which waterfowl zone covers Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA?
Middle Zone splits apply. Carry non-toxic shot for ducks and geese.
Do I take a Tomahawk Creek Flooding 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 Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA?
No: turkey hunters are exempt from the orange rule.
Do I need permission to hunt Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA?
A Michigan base license ($11 resident) plus the species license.
How long can a blind stay on Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA?
Portable stands only, from Sept. 1 to March 1, labelled with your ID.
Whose land is Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA?
The DNR Wildlife Division oversees this DNR wildlife management area (a flooding or marsh unit).
Tomahawk Creek Flooding WMA: the last checklist
One last look before the drive: the Tomahawk Creek Flooding 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: robin_ottawa (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS/Southeast (Public domain).