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Gwinn base, Marquette County
Michigan hunting around Gwinn
Public ground measured from Gwinn, the Marquette County deer units and antlerless limits, bear and turkey units, CWD and baiting status, reported harvest and the shops that serve hunters.
Photo: Photo of Marquette County: Downtown Marquette in fall, looking toward Lake Superior. Tony Webster (CC BY 2.0)
Marquette County, in the Upper Peninsula, is home to the unincorporated community (a Census-designated place) of Gwinn. Marquette County state forest land starts at the town line, so Gwinn works as its base. A 10-mile circle around Gwinn takes in close to 84,306 mapped public acres on 3 properties. Closest on the list is Gwinn Forest Management Unit (State Forest), which runs right up to town.
Town point and land area from the Census 2024 Gazetteer; 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 Gwinn
Gwinn: DMUs, antler rules and baiting
County DMUs sit under bigger overlay units in Michigan, so a spot near Gwinn can be in several at once.
All of Marquette County is deer Zone 1. Use limits for Marquette County DMUs: 155 (2) and 255 (2); zero in 007, 036, 152 and 252.
| DMU | Kind | Antler points | Antlerless cap | 2025 harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 007 (Big Bay unit) | Upper peninsula unit | None | Closed | 1,188 |
| DMU 152 (Gwinn unit) | Upper peninsula unit | None | Closed | 423 |
| DMU 252 (Rock unit) | Upper peninsula unit | None | Closed | 319 |
| DMU 036 (Amasa-Michigamme unit) | Upper peninsula unit | None | Closed | 498 |
| DMU 255 (LaBranche unit) | Upper peninsula unit | None | 2 | 1,193 |
| DMU 155 (Gladstone unit) | Upper peninsula unit | None | 2 | 1,193 |
No CWD-positive free-ranging deer is listed for Marquette County. Upper Peninsula baiting is legal from Sept. 15 to Jan. 1, up to 2 gallons per site, scattered.
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.
Land open to hunting around Gwinn
Sorted by nearest boundary, then by centre distance. Each property page carries its own closed areas, safety zones and season notes.
303,714 acres make Crystal Falls Forest Management Unit (State Forest) the largest property near Gwinn. None of the Wildlife Division game areas falls within 10 miles of Gwinn. State forest land nearby falls under Gwinn Forest Management Unit (State Forest) and Crystal Falls Forest Management Unit (State Forest). Bill Rollo Memorial Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) offers managed aspen for grouse.
| Name | Direction | Land type | Manager | Nearest line | Centre point | Size (ac) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gwinn Forest Management Unit (State Forest) at town to Gwinn | NW | State forest unit | DNR Forest | at town | 11 mi | 281,509 | deer, bear |
| Bill Rollo Memorial Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) 7.6 mi to Gwinn | SW | GEMS grouse site | DNR GEMS | 7.6 mi | 7.6 mi | 6,874 | ruffed grouse, woodcock |
| Crystal Falls Forest Management Unit (State Forest) 9.1 mi to Gwinn | – | State forest unit | DNR Forest | 9.1 mi | – | 303,714 | deer, bear |
| Lake-36 State Wildlife Management Area 12 mi to Gwinn | SW | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 10+ mi | 12 mi | 968 | – |
| Lake LaVasseur Flooding Wildlife Management Area 18 mi to Gwinn | NE | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 10+ mi | 18 mi | 403 | – |
| Laughing Whitefish Falls State Park 19 mi to Gwinn | E | State park | DNR Parks | 10+ mi | 19 mi | 970 | – |
| Sand River / Jeske Flooding Wildlife Management Area 20 mi to Gwinn | NE | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 10+ mi | 20 mi | 850 | – |
| Ralph Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) 21 mi to Gwinn | SW | GEMS grouse site | DNR GEMS | 10+ mi | 21 mi | 5,290 | ruffed grouse, woodcock |
| Hardwood Reservoir (north side) State Wildlife Management Area 23 mi to Gwinn | SW | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 10+ mi | 23 mi | 1,394 | – |
| Friday Flooding State Wildlife Management Area 23 mi to Gwinn | SE | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 10+ mi | 23 mi | 46 | – |
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 Gwinn. Checked October 22, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Gwinn area deer and turkey harvest
County totals from the DNR harvest report summary, with the 2026 figure still growing.
In 2025, 1,502 deer were reported from Marquette County. Among the 83 counties, Marquette placed 67th. The 2022 count stood at 2,087. The running 2026 figure is 223 deer, before the Nov. 15 opener.
The 2026 turkey total for Marquette County is 114 so far, 61st among counties. Survey estimates for fall 2025 put Marquette County at 46 turkeys from 195 hunters.
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.
Michigan DNR offices for Gwinn hunters
DNR customer service centers sell licenses and answer hunting questions in person. The one nearest Gwinn is listed first.
DNR Marquette Customer Service Center · N 16 mi
DNR Ishpeming Field Office, about 19 mi out
Hiawatha National Forest Rapid River/Manistique Ranger District, about 34 mi out
From the DNR customer service center page and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 22, 2026.
Marquette County bear and turkey units near Gwinn
What a Gwinn hunter applies for: the bear unit and its numbers, then the turkey and elk units.
Marquette County falls in the Gwinn BMU, Baraga BMU, Amasa BMU and Carney BMU; bear licenses are drawn with preference points. The 2024 DNR survey put Gwinn BMU hunter success at 36%. Gwinn turkey hunters apply in unit M; the spring 2027 structure is not published yet. Unit M fall turkey: Sept. 15 – Nov. 14, licenses 2,200.
| Unit | Periods | Quota 2026 | Points to draw | Bears, 2024 | Bears, 2025* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gwinn BMU | 3 | 735 | 6–7 | 211 | 220 |
| Baraga BMU | 3 | 1,570 | 3–4 | 352 | 349 |
| Amasa BMU | 3 | 510 | 5–6 | 179 | 205 |
| Carney BMU | 3 | 565 | 7–8 | 157 | 165 |
| Turkey unit | Hunt number | Open | License quota | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring unit M | 0110 | April 18 – May 31 | 6,000 | Spring 2026 |
| Fall unit M | 0402 | Sept. 15 – Nov. 14 | 2,200 | 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.
Gwinn: hunting calendar
Archery and the Nov. 15 rifle opener are statewide, but bear units, fall turkey units, waterfowl zones and bobcat units decide the rest for Gwinn.
| Species | Season | Applies | Opens | Closes | Today |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Amasa BMU | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 | Baraga BMU | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 | Carney BMU | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 | Gwinn BMU | Sep 9, 2026 | Oct 21, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 2 | Amasa BMU | Sep 14, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 2 | Baraga BMU | Sep 14, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 2 | Carney BMU | Sep 14, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 2 | Gwinn BMU | Sep 14, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 3 | Amasa BMU | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 3 | Baraga BMU | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 3 | Carney BMU | Sep 25, 2026 | Oct 26, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 3 | Gwinn 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 | |
| Pheasant | Fall | Pheasant Zone 1 unit | Oct 10, 2026 | Oct 31, 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.
Gwinn venison processors, taxidermists and gun shops
The DNR issues taxidermy permits but publishes no list of holders, so taxidermists come from directory listings. Call before you drive. Soderman's Processing processes donated deer for the DNR program.
| Kind | 15 mi | 35 mi | Closest listing | Distance | In |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer cutting | 0 | 1 | Soderman's Processing | 33 mi SE | Gladstone |
| Taxidermists | 0 | 3 | Green Creek Taxidermy | 17 mi NW | Negaunee |
| Hunting preserves | 0 | 1 | Buck Sporting Lodge | 29 mi E | Munising |
| Hunting shops | 1 | 9 | Gwinn Bait & Tackle | 0.9 mi SE | Gwinn |
Deer cutting
Taxidermists
Hunting preserves
Hunting shops
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.
Shooting hours at Gwinn
Ducks and geese stop at sunset and early teal and woodcock start at sunrise; these deer times are for big game and most small game.
| 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.
Gwinn area hunting events
Read October 22, 2026. 2 upcoming events fall inside about 30 miles, covering BOW workshop and hunter education field day.
On the calendar
| Held | What | Miles away | Where | Register | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Dec 12, 2026 | Hunter Education – Field Day – West Branch Sportsmen's Club / Hunter education field day | 13 | West Branch Sportsmen's Club in Skandia (Marquette Co.) | Register | Source |
| Feb 19–21, 2027 | Becoming an Outdoors Woman Winter Workshop 2027 / BOW workshop | 27 | Bay Cliff Health Camp (near Marquette) (Marquette Co.) | Event details | Source |
Shooting near Gwinn
The three closest to Gwinn, each card with its access rule.
Lines: rifle, handgun, trap, shotgun
Lines: handgun, rifle, shotgun, archery
Lines: archery, 3D archery
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 22, 2026.
Gwinn hunting FAQ
Is Marquette County in the North, Middle or South Zone?
Marquette County is in the North Zone. Season dates for each zone are in the table above.
How many deer does Marquette County report?
The 2025 reported total for Marquette County was 1,502. That placed Marquette 67th of 83 counties.
How many mapped public acres can Gwinn hunters reach?
Roughly 84,306 acres sit inside 10 miles. Counting land farther out, the table on this page lists 10 places to hunt.
Which public hunting land lies closest to Gwinn?
Closest is Gwinn Forest Management Unit (State Forest), which runs right up to town. Second closest to Gwinn is Bill Rollo Memorial Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS).
Which Marquette County units allow universal antlerless licenses?
In the UP it depends on the unit: DMU 155 (2) and DMU 255 (2).
What deer units cover Marquette County?
The county’s units are DMU 007 (Big Bay unit), DMU 152 (Gwinn unit), DMU 252 (Rock unit), DMU 036 (Amasa-Michigamme unit), DMU 255 (LaBranche unit) and DMU 155 (Gladstone unit).
Which BMU holds Gwinn?
Marquette County is in the Gwinn BMU, Baraga BMU, Amasa BMU and Carney BMU. 735 2026 licenses, by drawing. 220 bears were registered there in 2025 (preliminary).
May I bait deer near Gwinn?
Marquette County: no CWD on record. Bait is allowed Sept. 15 to Jan. 1, up to 2 gallons.
What dates is the firearm deer season around Gwinn?
The regular firearm season runs Nov 15 to Nov 30, 2026. The three-day UP muzzleloader hunt is Dec 4 to Dec 6, 2026.
How many turkeys does Marquette County report?
Marquette County is unit M in spring and M in fall. The fall season is Sept. 15 – Nov. 14. 114 turkeys have been reported from the county in 2026.
Which processor nearest Gwinn will cut a Michigan deer?
Shortest drive: Soderman's Processing, 33 miles. 1 deer processor are on file within 35 miles of Gwinn.
What time can I shoot on the firearm opener near Gwinn?
Opening day legal light is 6:53 a.m. to 5:48 p.m. in Zone A, later to the west.
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.
Gwinn trip checklist
Before leaving Gwinn, confirm your DMU, the antlerless use limit and any closed areas on the property you plan to hunt.
Other photos on this page: Photommo! (CC BY-SA 2.0); Joetography LLC (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Charles Patrick Ewing (CC BY 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public Domain Mark 1.0); BCNH09 (CC BY-SA 2.0); Larry Lamsa (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0).