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Alger County · Scenic site
Wagner Falls Scenic Site public hunting, 2026-27
Wagner Falls Scenic Site, 38 acres in Alger County: deer units and zones, area rules, county harvest and the land nearby.
Photo: LadyDragonflyCC – >;< (CC BY 2.0)
Getting to Wagner Falls Scenic Site
Parking, trailheads and gates near Wagner Falls Scenic Site
- Parking areaParking · 0.1 mi from the centreDirections
- Alger Falls ParkingParking · 0.3 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.8 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 0.9 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.4 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.5 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Boat rampBoat ramp · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 mi from the centreDirections
- Parking areaParking · 1.6 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.
What the records say about Wagner Falls Scenic Site
On the map Wagner Falls Scenic Site sits in Alger County. On paper it is a state scenic site with land open to hunting. That puts it in the Upper Peninsula, the DNR Upper Peninsula Region. Stewardship falls to the DNR Parks and Recreation Division. The figure on file: 38 acres. Munising is the closest town we cover, about 3 miles away; the area lies southwest of it.
- Mapped hunting status: 38 open acres.
From the source page (MI DNR Parks Hunting Land Boundary GIS Acres, polygons marked Open or Open-Restricted); region from the DNR wildlife region layer. Checked October 22, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Wagner Falls Scenic Site
Public tracts within a drive of Wagner Falls Scenic Site
Besides Wagner Falls Scenic Site, the map carries 10 public tracts within driving range. The neighbors add 807,520 acres between them.
| Nearby | Kind | Acres | Miles | Heading |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Munising | Ranger district | 193,410 | 4.6 mi | southwest |
| Cusino | Research area | 1,537 | 8.3 mi | east |
| Melstrand | GEMS | 1,221 | 11 mi | east |
| Au Train Basin State Waterfowl Management Area | Flooding or WMA | 6,836 | 14 mi | southwest |
| Shingleton Forest Management Unit | Forest unit | 375,050 | 19 mi | southeast |
| Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore | National lakeshore | 73,235 | 20 mi | northeast |
| Laughing Whitefish Falls | State park | 970 | 20 mi | west |
| Sand River / Jeske Flooding | Flooding or WMA | 850 | 24 mi | west |
| Little Fox River / Stanley Lake Flooding Wildlife Area | Flooding or WMA | 2,549 | 24 mi | east |
| Manistique | Ranger district | 151,862 | 25 mi | south |
Points from the DNR wildlife, GEMS, parks, forest, USFS, USFWS and NPS layers (MI DNR Parks Hunting Land Boundary GIS (centroid of hunting-open polygons) (polygon centroid)). Straight-line distances. Statewide public land map.
What Wagner Falls Scenic Site asks of hunters
Wagner Falls Scenic Site access terms
Only the zones the DNR park hunting map marks open may be hunted or trapped. Vehicles need a Recreation Passport, and the 450-foot safety zone around occupied buildings applies. The default for a state park is closed; this one has designated open land.
- Standard 450' Safety Zones apply around occupied buildings (not shown).
- September goose season: open, Day After Labor Day – 9/15.
The statewide fine print, applied to Wagner Falls Scenic Site
- Tree stands on public land are portable only, go up no earlier than Sept. 1 and come down by March 1, carry the owner's name and address or license or Sportcard number, and use no nails, screws, bolts or screw-in steps.
- Ground blinds may stand from Sept. 1 to the end of the deer seasons; portable blinds come out daily, and constructed blinds need ID and are barred on Zone 3 game areas, parks and recreation areas.
- Orange season runs Aug. 15 to April 30. Exempt: archery deer and bear, turkey, falconry and migratory birds other than woodcock.
- Use the Hunt Fish app or the DNR harvest report page within 72 hours for deer and turkey.
- Safety zone: 450 feet from any occupied building for firearm hunting.
- Public land: no food plots.
- In the UP deer bait is allowed from Sept. 15 to Jan. 1, 2 gallons at most, scattered.
- Bear baiters on state and Commercial Forest land: no barrels or containers, bait on the ground only.
What licenses Wagner Falls Scenic Site needs
The base license covers small game; deer hunters pick a single or combo license at purchase, and universal antlerless licenses follow the use limit where you hunt.
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.
What hunters chase at Wagner Falls Scenic Site
Nothing narrows the game at Wagner Falls Scenic Site: the county season rows and zone units below are the guide.
For Alger County the regulation summaries carry 40 dated hunting rows covering 22 species, among them White-tailed deer, Black bear, Wild turkey, Ruffed grouse and Woodcock.
Watch the park's weapon limits, which can rule out rifles or some game.
Species from the source (The park hunting layer does not list species; open seasons follow statewide/zone regulations unless a restriction is listed.); bag limits from the DNR regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Zones and units that take in Wagner Falls Scenic Site
The DNR zone line puts it in Zone 1. The 2026 deer rules removed DMU 351, which older layers still draw. The 2026 deer summary closes DMU 021 to universal antlerless licenses. The Gwinn BMU drawing covers 3 hunt periods; the first (Sept. 9 – Oct. 21) has 140 licenses. Spring unit M, fall unit M. Spring 2026 dates were the last ones published. Duck dates follow the North Zone: Sep 26-Nov 22 and Nov 28-Nov 29.
Antlerless rules near Wagner Falls Scenic Site
| Deer unit | Name | Antlerless | Limit per hunter | Point rule |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 021 | Manistique unit | Open | Closed | None |
Bear permits for Wagner Falls Scenic Site
| BMU | Hunts | 2026 quota | Points (2025) | Bears 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gwinn | 3 hunts | 735 | 6–7 | 220 |
Spring and fall units for Wagner Falls Scenic Site
| Turkey unit | Birds reported | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Spring M | 1,254 | Spring 2026, unit |
| Fall M | 124 | Whole unit, in progress |
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.
Every hunt that reaches Wagner Falls Scenic Site
For Wagner Falls Scenic Site, 40 segments cover deer, small game, waterfowl and furbearers this license year.
| Species | Hunt type | Zone or unit | Opening | Closing | 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 | 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 | 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 | 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 | |
| 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.
Alger County harvest near Wagner Falls Scenic Site
Deer reported in Alger County for 2025: 521. The reporting era peaked at 626 in 2022 and bottomed at 482 in 2023. The starred 2026 bar (40) is partial. 26 spring turkeys were reported in Alger County in 2026. No harvest is published for Wagner Falls Scenic Site itself, so county and DMU totals are the finest level.
Reported deer around Wagner Falls Scenic Site
| Year | Antlered | Antlerless | Sum |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2026* | 19 | 21 | 40 |
| 2025 | 457 | 64 | 521 |
| 2024 | 498 | 48 | 546 |
| 2023 | 432 | 50 | 482 |
| 2022 | 537 | 89 | 626 |
Unit totals near Wagner Falls Scenic Site
| Unit | Antlered | Antlerless | Reported |
|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 021 | 942 | 201 | 1,143 |
Alger County turkey table
| Measure | Birds |
|---|---|
| Spring 2026 | 26 |
| Fall so far | 4 |
| Fall 2025 estimate | 8 |
| Hunters, fall 2025 | 26 |
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.
Wagner Falls Scenic Site: nearby towns and businesses
Covered towns come first, measured straight-line, then shops, processors and DNR desks.
| Base town | County | Away | Residents | Public acres near |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Munising | Alger | 3.2 mi | 1,948 | 98,634 |
| Rock | Delta | 33 mi | – | 60,217 |
| K. I. Sawyer | Marquette | 34 mi | – | 50,712 |
| Manistique | Schoolcraft | 35 mi | 2,871 | 57,864 |
County write-ups on this site: Alger County.
Butcher shops and taxidermists for Wagner Falls Scenic Site trips
Agency offices closest to Wagner Falls Scenic Site
Service center for Alger County: DNR Marquette 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.
Sighting in before Wagner Falls Scenic Site
Skoglund-Erickson Shooting Range, 41 miles off, is the DNR range nearest Wagner Falls Scenic Site.
Disciplines: handgun, rifle, shotgun, archery
From the DNR shooting page and its range pages, checked October 22, 2026.
Legal shooting light at Wagner Falls Scenic Site
Deer hunters at Wagner Falls Scenic Site get legal light from 30 minutes before sunrise to 30 minutes after sunset, read from the DNR table for the date.
| 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.
Wagner Falls Scenic Site questions with data-backed answers
Who writes the rules for Wagner Falls Scenic Site?
The DNR Parks and Recreation Division treats it as a state scenic site with land open to hunting.
What other state or federal land is near Wagner Falls Scenic Site?
In order of distance: Munising Ranger District (Hiawatha National Forest) (5 miles), Cusino State Wildlife Research Area (8 miles) and Melstrand Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) (11 miles).
Where do Wagner Falls Scenic Site hunters stay?
Alger County holds it, 3 miles from Munising.
What is the acreage figure for Wagner Falls Scenic Site?
Roughly 38 acres.
Which DMU numbers apply on Wagner Falls Scenic Site?
Deer unit 021.
What game does Wagner Falls Scenic Site hold, per the DNR?
Any species in an open season, as long as you follow the area rules.
Which turkey units cover Wagner Falls Scenic Site?
Fall unit none; spring 2027 dates are not out yet.
Which bear management unit holds Wagner Falls Scenic Site?
Bear Management Unit Gwinn. Bear hunting needs a drawn or leftover license for a Gwinn hunt period.
Does the deer baiting rule allow bait at Wagner Falls Scenic Site?
Yes, Sept. 15 to Jan. 1, up to 2 gallons scattered. The county is missing from the 18-county CWD list.
What are the waterfowl rules at Wagner Falls Scenic Site?
Use the North Zone dates. Bring non-toxic shot and a plugged gun.
How do I report a deer from Wagner Falls Scenic Site?
Within 72 hours, online or in the Hunt Fish app; keep the confirmation number.
Is hunter orange required on Wagner Falls Scenic Site?
Aug. 15 through April 30, in daylight shooting hours.
Which Michigan licenses do I need for Wagner Falls Scenic Site?
eLicense or the Hunt Fish app sells everything needed; nonresidents pay $151 for the base license.
Wagner Falls Scenic Site: what to confirm
Refuges, closures and drawing schedules at Wagner Falls Scenic Site can change during the season; the agency page and Mi-HUNT have the current picture.
Sources for this page: DNR GIS · Michigan DNR: rules; regulations from the 2026 Michigan hunting regulation summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Other photos on this page: rkramer62 (CC BY 2.0); Calistemon (CC BY-SA 4.0).