Home › Michigan › Towns › Grand Rapids
Kent County · Lower Peninsula hunting
Grand Rapids, Michigan hunting guide
Trip notes for hunters staying in Grand Rapids: nearby public land with acres and miles, 2026-27 dates for Kent County, DNR shooting hours and the closest processors.
Photo: Taken in Kent County: Cattail wetland and autumn trees, Kent County. fireflythegreat (CC BY 2.0)
As seat of Kent County, Grand Rapids anchors a stretch of southwest Michigan that the DNR runs from its Southwest Lower Peninsula Region. 200,117 people lived in Grand Rapids in the 2024 estimate. Draw a 10-mile ring around town and it holds some 1,159 acres of public ground (1 listed). The nearest choice is Cannonsburg State Game Area, with its nearest line 8 miles out.
Town point and land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer, population from the Census Vintage 2024 estimates; public acreage and boundary distances within 10 miles are a GIS measure over the DNR wildlife property, park hunting-land and state forest layers and the USFS, USFWS and NPS boundaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Grand Rapids
State and federal hunting land by miles from Grand Rapids
Properties whose boundary comes within 10 miles of Grand Rapids lead the table, nearest line first; mapped lands farther out follow by distance to their centre.
By size, Cannonsburg State Game Area tops the 10-mile list with 1,361 acres. Within 10 miles of Grand Rapids the DNR game area list starts with Cannonsburg State Game Area. For managed waterfowl hunting, Muskegon County Resource Recovery Center holds draws through the season.
| Property | Direction | Category | Agency | Boundary miles | Centre miles | Acres | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Cannonsburg State Game Area 8.5 mi to Grand Rapids | NE | State game area | DNR Wildlife | 8.5 mi | 9.6 mi | 1,361 | – |
| Bakale Wildlife Unit of Bass River State Recreation Area 17 mi to Grand Rapids | W | Park wildlife unit | DNR Wildlife | farther | 17 mi | 653 | – |
| Blendon Township State Game Area 17 mi to Grand Rapids | W | State game area | DNR Wildlife | farther | 17 mi | 180 | – |
| Saranac-Lowell State Game Area 18 mi to Grand Rapids | E | State game area | DNR Wildlife | farther | 18 mi | 2,152 | – |
| Middleville State Game Area 20 mi to Grand Rapids | SE | State game area | DNR Wildlife | farther | 20 mi | 4,583 | – |
| Rogue River State Game Area 20 mi to Grand Rapids | N | State game area | DNR Wildlife | farther | 20 mi | 6,200 | – |
| Olive Township State Game Area 21 mi to Grand Rapids | W | State game area | DNR Wildlife | farther | 21 mi | 247 | – |
| Yankee Springs Recreation Area 24 mi to Grand Rapids | S | Recreation area | DNR Parks | farther | 24 mi | 3,522 | Partly closed |
| Grand Haven State Game Area 24 mi to Grand Rapids | W | State game area | DNR Wildlife | farther | 24 mi | 1,450 | – |
| Edgar Waterfowl Production Area 25 mi to Grand Rapids | SE | WPA | US Fish and Wildlife | farther | 25 mi | 158 | waterfowl, deer |
Lands, acreage and notes from DNR property lists, DNR GIS acreage and federal hunting pages (lands.json); boundary distances inside 10 miles from places.json; centre distances are straight lines from the Census point for Grand Rapids. Checked October 22, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Grand Rapids season dates, 2026-27 license year
Private ground and public ground share these dates in Grand Rapids; a state park, refuge or national lakeshore can set its own limits.
| Animal | Segment | Area | Starts | Ends | Open now? |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Grand Rapids deer units, limits and CWD
Deer around Grand Rapids: the zone and units first, then disease rules and the baiting picture.
For deer, Grand Rapids and the rest of Kent County are Zone 3. The universal antlerless use limit for Kent County is 10, out of the 10 a hunter may buy statewide. Antlerless-only firearm days reach Kent County twice: Sep 12 to Sep 13, 2026 and Dec 7, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027.
| DMU | Kind | APR | Universal antlerless limit | Deer 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 041 (Kent County) | County unit | None | 10 | 4,222 |
| DMU 341 (Sparta Unit; Kent – Muskegon south – Ottawa) | Overlay unit | None | County limit | – |
| DMU 486 (Southern Lower Peninsula multi-County) | Overlay unit | None | County limit | – |
As part of the core CWD area, Kent County has extra carcass and testing rules. 40 deer from Kent County went through DNR CWD testing in 2026 (2 positive). Focused CWD surveillance runs here in 2026. Kent County deer must be CWD tested to go to Hunters Feeding Michigan. Like the rest of the Lower Peninsula, the county bans deer baiting and feeding.
Zones and units from counties.json (DNR layers) and the Wildlife Conservation Order; use limits, CWD areas, TB area and baiting from the DNR 2026 deer regulation summary; county CWD tests from DNR CWD testing data; donation testing from the DNR deer donation page; DMU harvest from the DNR harvest report summary. Checked October 22, 2026.
Deer and turkey reported near Grand Rapids
Antlered and antlerless reports for Kent County, plus turkey reports and the fall turkey survey.
For 2025 the Kent County total was 4,222 reported deer, all seasons. Statewide, Kent County came in 32nd. Reporting began in 2022, when the county logged 5,525. The 2026 season to date shows 1,145 reported deer.
In the first year of mandatory turkey reports, Kent County logged 474 spring and 21 fall turkeys to date. The fall 2025 estimate for Kent County is 65 turkeys (13% success).
Deer and 2026 turkey from the DNR harvest report summary (2026 is season to date, retrieved October 22, 2026); fall 2025 turkey survey from the DNR wildlife publications (Report 3754). Checked October 22, 2026.
Grand Rapids: bear, turkey, elk and small game
Preference points shown are the resident range needed in 2025 for the first hunt period.
Kent County lies in the Dansville BMU, which has no bear season. Kent County is spring unit ZZ. Spring 2027 hunts have not been published, so the 2026 hunts are listed. In fall, Kent County is unit I: Sept. 15 – Nov. 14, quota unlimited.
| Turkey unit | Hunt no. | Runs | Licenses | Which year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring unit ZZ | 0301 | April 18 – May 31 | Unlimited (private land) | Spring 2026 |
| Spring unit ZZ | 0302 | April 18 – May 1 | 8,000 | Spring 2026 |
| Spring unit ZZ | 0303 | May 2 – 31 | 8,000 | Spring 2026 |
| Fall unit I | 0401 | Sept. 15 – Nov. 14 | Unlimited | Fall 2026 |
Units from counties.json (DNR layers); bear hunts, quotas and points from the DNR 2026 bear summary; registered bears and the 2024 survey from the DNR bear data and bear harvest reports; turkey hunts from the DNR spring turkey summary and fall turkey summary; small game units from the small game, waterfowl and fur harvester summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Grand Rapids hunter services, nearest listing first
Gas stations, grocery and hardware counters that only sell licenses are left out; the shop list keeps gun, archery, outdoor and chain sporting stores. Closest donation processor: Yes Deer Processing (29 mi).
| Type | Inside 15 | Inside 35 | Nearest one | Distance | Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processing shops | 1 | 9 | Mike's Deer Processing | 15 mi W | Allendale |
| Mount makers | 7 | 39 | Just Tines Taxidermy | 7.0 mi N | Comstock Park |
| Preserves, guides | 1 | 8 | The Pheasant Farm, LLC | at town N | Grand Rapids |
| Outdoor stores | 46 | 116 | Hall's Sport Center | at town N | Grand Rapids |
Processing shops
Mount makers
Preserves, guides
Outdoor stores
Processors from the DNR Hunters Feeding Michigan list, DNR deer sample sites and Yellow Pages; shops from the DNR license agent map (license-only counters left out) and Yellow Pages; preserves from the DNR game bird preserve directory and Yellow Pages; taxidermists from Yellow Pages (the DNR taxidermy permit list is not public). Checked October 22, 2026; hours were not checked.
Grand Rapids: DNR and Forest Service contacts
Agency offices near Grand Rapids: the closest DNR customer service center, then any wildlife field, Forest Service or refuge office within 40 miles.
DNR Plainwell Customer Service Center, 34 mi S
DNR Flat River State Game Area Field Office (25 mi NE of town)
DNR Barry State Game Area (25 mi SE of town)
From the DNR customer service center page and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 22, 2026.
Grand Rapids shooting time on key dates
Deer hunters at Grand Rapids 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.
Banquets, classes and trials near Grand Rapids
A 30-mile circle drawn around Grand Rapids holds 11 upcoming events. Kinds: DU dinner, NWTF banquet, championship stake and outdoor show.
Next dates
Nearest places to shoot from Grand Rapids
Chippewa Archery Club is nearest, roughly 1 mile from Grand Rapids.
Set up for trap, skeet, shotgun
About 28 miles to Barry County Shooting Range, the nearest range on DNR land.
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 22, 2026.
What Grand Rapids hunters often ask
How do Grand Rapids hunters report game?
Report it within 72 hours of recovery, or before handing it to anyone, online or in the Hunt Fish app. Heads are accepted for CWD or TB testing only after the deer is reported.
Which DNR license agents serve Grand Rapids?
Agents, eLicense and the Hunt Fish app all sell them; start with a base license. 25 agents on the DNR map lie inside 15 miles of Grand Rapids, led by Great Lakes Ace #18427. The closest DNR customer service center is DNR Plainwell Customer Service Center, 34 miles out.
How many antlered deer may a hunter take in Kent County?
A hunter may take two antlered deer a year (one in DMU 117). Pick single or combo when you buy.
Which goose and duck zone holds Grand Rapids?
It is South Zone for ducks and geese. See the season table for zone dates.
How does Kent County rank for reported deer?
Kent County: 4,222 reported deer in 2025. Statewide rank: 32nd of 83.
How much state and federal hunting land surrounds Grand Rapids?
Close to 1,159 acres lie within a 10-mile radius. That acreage is split across 1 state or federal property.
How far is Grand Rapids from a state game area or state forest?
Begin with Cannonsburg State Game Area, with its nearest line 8 miles out. Bakale Wildlife Unit of Bass River State Recreation Area follows it in the Grand Rapids table.
How many universal antlerless licenses work in Kent County?
The use limit is 10. There is no antlerless quota or drawing in Michigan.
Which deer unit numbers matter for Grand Rapids hunters?
The DNR layers place Kent County in DMU 041 (Kent County), DMU 341 (Sparta Unit; Kent – Muskegon south – Ottawa) and DMU 486 (Southern Lower Peninsula multi-County).
Is there a bear season around Grand Rapids?
No bear hunt is held in the Dansville unit. Look to the Baldwin, Gladwin, Red Oak or UP units.
What do the CWD and baiting rules say for Grand Rapids?
It is in the core area. The LP baiting and feeding ban covers it.
When is firearm deer season near Grand Rapids?
Rifles and shotguns come out on Nov 15, 2026, and the season closes Nov 30, 2026. LP hunters get Dec 4 to Dec 6, 2026 as well.
Answers drawn from the sources listed in each section above; harvest reporting and the antlered deer limit from the DNR 2026 deer regulation summary. Checked October 22, 2026.
Last look before a Grand Rapids hunt
Wear hunter orange from Aug. 15 to April 30 when the rules call for it, and report every deer within 72 hours.
Other photos on this page: fishhawk (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain); DaPuglet (CC BY-SA 2.0); GlacierNPS (Public Domain Mark 1.0); grendelkhan (CC BY-SA 2.0); AdamB1995 (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); YoungSue (Public Domain Mark 1.0).