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Roscommon County · Lower Peninsula hunting
Houghton Lake, Michigan hunting guide
Trip notes for hunters staying in Houghton Lake: nearby public land with acres and miles, 2026-27 dates for Roscommon County, DNR shooting hours and the closest processors.
Photo: Photo of Mio Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest), 30 mi from Houghton Lake; the town itself is not shown. Tony Faiola (CC BY 2.0)
In Roscommon County, Houghton Lake is a unincorporated community (a Census-designated place) in the northern Lower Peninsula. Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area is why Houghton Lake is on this list: its closest edge lies 2 miles out. Houghton Lake serves as the gateway to Wraco Lodge Lake Flooding State Wildlife Management Area, whose line is 4 miles out. Draw a 10-mile ring around town and it holds some 116,869 acres of public ground (15 listed). The nearest choice is Roscommon Forest Management Unit (State Forest), with its nearest line 1 mile out.
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 Houghton Lake
State and federal hunting land by miles from Houghton Lake
Properties whose boundary comes within 10 miles of Houghton Lake lead the table, nearest line first; mapped lands farther out follow by distance to their centre.
By size, Roscommon Forest Management Unit (State Forest) tops the 10-mile list with 260,802 acres. Within 10 miles of Houghton Lake the DNR game area list starts with Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area and runs to 3 properties. Floodings managed as State Wildlife Management Areas sit nearby too: Wraco Lodge Lake Flooding State Wildlife Management Area, Houghton Lake Flats South Flooding Wildlife Management Area and Bear Creek Flooding Wildlife Management Area. State forest ground near town belongs to Roscommon Forest Management Unit (State Forest). South Higgins Lake State Park is the closest park land open to hunting, with safety zones and closed areas set by Parks and Recreation. Grouse hunters can walk Backus Creek Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS), a GEMS tract.
| Property | Direction | Category | Agency | Boundary miles | Centre miles | Acres | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roscommon Forest Management Unit (State Forest) 1.2 mi to Houghton Lake | E | State forest unit | DNR Forest | 1.2 mi | 19 mi | 260,802 | deer, bear |
| Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area 2.2 mi to Houghton Lake Anchor | W | Research area | DNR Wildlife | 2.2 mi | 5.2 mi | 12,131 | – |
| Wraco Lodge Lake Flooding State Wildlife Management Area 3.7 mi to Houghton Lake Anchor | S | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 3.7 mi | 4.9 mi | 2,018 | – |
| Houghton Lake Flats South Flooding Wildlife Management Area 3.8 mi to Houghton Lake | NW | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 3.8 mi | 4.8 mi | 991 | – |
| Bear Creek Flooding Wildlife Management Area 5.1 mi to Houghton Lake | SW | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 5.1 mi | 6.2 mi | 942 | – |
| Cadillac Forest Management Unit (State Forest) 5.1 mi to Houghton Lake | W | State forest unit | DNR Forest | 5.1 mi | 43 mi | 234,198 | deer, bear |
| Houghton Lake Flats North Flooding Wildlife Management Area 5.5 mi to Houghton Lake | NW | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 5.5 mi | 6.5 mi | 838 | – |
| Dead Stream Flooding Wildlife Management Area 6.4 mi to Houghton Lake | NW | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 6.4 mi | 7.0 mi | 1,024 | – |
| Backus Creek State Game Area 7.3 mi to Houghton Lake | E | State game area | DNR Wildlife | 7.3 mi | 8.7 mi | 4,379 | – |
| South Higgins Lake State Park 8.1 mi to Houghton Lake | NE | State park | DNR Parks | 8.1 mi | 9.2 mi | 1,367 | – |
| Denton Creek Flooding Wildlife Management Area 8.5 mi to Houghton Lake | E | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 8.5 mi | 9.1 mi | 805 | – |
| Backus Creek Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) 8.7 mi to Houghton Lake | E | GEMS grouse site | DNR GEMS | 8.7 mi | 8.7 mi | 4,339 | ruffed grouse, woodcock |
| Townline Creek Flooding Wildlife Management Area 9.1 mi to Houghton Lake | S | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 9.1 mi | 9.7 mi | 662 | – |
| Osceola-Missaukee Grasslands State Game Area 9.2 mi to Houghton Lake | SW | State game area | DNR Wildlife | 9.2 mi | 22 mi | 1,259 | – |
| Gladwin Forest Management Unit (State Forest) 9.7 mi to Houghton Lake | SE | State forest unit | DNR Forest | 9.7 mi | 35 mi | 230,775 | deer, bear |
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 Houghton Lake. Checked October 22, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Houghton Lake season dates, 2026-27 license year
Private ground and public ground share these dates in Houghton Lake; 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 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 (firearm/bait/dogs) | Red Oak BMU | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 (archery only) | 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 | 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 D | Jan 1, 2027 | Feb 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.
Houghton Lake deer units, limits and CWD
Deer around Houghton Lake: the zone and units first, then disease rules and the baiting picture.
For deer, Houghton Lake and the rest of Roscommon County are Zone 2. The universal antlerless use limit for Roscommon County is 3, out of the 10 a hunter may buy statewide. Antlerless-only firearm days reach Roscommon 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 072 (Roscommon County) | County unit | None | 3 | 1,993 |
The DNR has listed no CWD deer for Roscommon County. Roscommon County deer must be bovine TB 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 Houghton Lake
Antlered and antlerless reports for Roscommon County, plus turkey reports and the fall turkey survey.
For 2025 the Roscommon County total was 1,993 reported deer, all seasons. Statewide, Roscommon County came in 56th. Reporting began in 2022, when the county logged 2,917. The 2026 season to date shows 314 reported deer.
In the first year of mandatory turkey reports, Roscommon County logged 139 spring and 7 fall turkeys to date. The fall 2025 estimate for Roscommon County is 37 turkeys (18% 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.
Houghton Lake: bear, turkey, elk and small game
Preference points shown are the resident range needed in 2025 for the first hunt period.
The Red Oak BMU covers Houghton Lake and has 685 licenses across its 2026 hunt periods. Red Oak BMU success ran 57% in the 2024 survey, from 605 hunters. Roscommon County is spring unit NN. Spring 2027 hunts have not been published, so the 2026 hunts are listed. In fall, Roscommon County is unit I: Sept. 15 – Nov. 14, quota unlimited. Drawn elk hunters may hunt unit X near Houghton Lake.
| Bear unit | Hunt periods | 2026 quota | Points, period 1 (2025) | Bears 2024 | Bears 2025* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Oak BMU | 1 | 685 | 9–10 | 346 | 282 |
| Turkey unit | Hunt no. | Runs | Licenses | Which year |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring unit NN | 0134 | April 18 – May 1 | 18,000 | 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; elk from the DNR elk summary; small game units from the small game, waterfowl and fur harvester summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Houghton Lake 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.
| Type | Inside 15 | Inside 35 | Nearest one | Distance | Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processing shops | 0 | 5 | Klemmers Processing | 27 mi E | West Branch |
| Mount makers | 1 | 10 | Deadstream Taxidermy | 5.0 mi NW | Houghton Lake |
| Preserves, guides | 0 | 1 | Tails-A-Waggin' Acres | 24 mi SW | Marion |
| Outdoor stores | 8 | 42 | Dunham's Sports | 2.0 mi E | Houghton Lake |
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.
Houghton Lake: DNR and Forest Service contacts
Agency offices near Houghton Lake: the closest DNR customer service center, then any wildlife field, Forest Service or refuge office within 40 miles.
DNR Roscommon Customer Service Center, 13 mi NE
DNR Houghton Lake Wildlife Area Field Office (3.1 mi NW of town)
DNR Gladwin Field Office (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.
Houghton Lake shooting time on key dates
Deer hunters at Houghton Lake 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 Houghton Lake
A 30-mile circle drawn around Houghton Lake holds 5 upcoming events. Kinds: BOW workshop, DU dinner, banquet, championship stake and grouse futurity.
Next dates
| Date | Event | Away | Where | Sign up | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Nov 1, 2026 | Grand National Grouse Futurity 2026 / Grouse futurity | 25 | Gladwin (Gladwin Co.) | Event details | Source |
| Nov 3, 2026 | Grand National Grouse Championship 2026 / Championship stake | 25 | Gladwin (Gladwin Co.) | Event details | Source |
| Nov 5, 2026 | Whitetails Unlimited Gladwin County MI Chapter Banquet / Banquet | 25 | Gladwin K of C Hall in Gladwin (Gladwin Co.) | Event details | Source |
| Dec 4, 2026 | Houghton Lake Ducks Unlimited Annual Banquet / DU dinner | 0 | Lakeside Conference Center in Houghton Lake (Roscommon Co.) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Jun 11–13, 2027 | Becoming an Outdoors Woman Summer Workshop 2027 / BOW workshop | 15 | RAM Center on Higgins Lake in Roscommon (Roscommon Co.) | Event details | Source |
Nearest places to shoot from Houghton Lake
Houghton Lake Sportsmen's Club is nearest, roughly 1 mile from Houghton Lake.
Set up for rifle, handgun, smallbore rimfire, archery, 3D archery
Set up for sporting clays, 5-stand, shotgun
About 39 miles to Supply Road Shooting Range, the nearest range on DNR land. Open
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 22, 2026.
What Houghton Lake hunters often ask
How many antlered deer may a hunter take in Roscommon County?
A hunter may take two antlered deer a year (one in DMU 117). Pick single or combo when you buy.
How do Houghton Lake 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.
How does Roscommon County rank for reported deer?
Roscommon County: 1,993 reported deer in 2025. Statewide rank: 56th of 83.
Does Roscommon County have open elk units?
It sits partly inside unit X. Only applicants picked in the elk drawing may hunt the herd. Period 1: Sep 23 to Oct 4, 2026.
How far is Houghton Lake from a state game area or state forest?
Begin with Roscommon Forest Management Unit (State Forest), with its nearest line 1 mile out. Houghton Lake State Wildlife Research Area follows it in the Houghton Lake table.
Which goose and duck zone holds Houghton Lake?
It is Middle Zone for ducks and geese. See the season table for zone dates.
Which deer unit numbers matter for Houghton Lake hunters?
The DNR layers place Roscommon County in DMU 072 (Roscommon County).
How much state and federal hunting land surrounds Houghton Lake?
Close to 116,869 acres lie within a 10-mile radius. That acreage is split across 15 state or federal properties.
What do the CWD and baiting rules say for Houghton Lake?
No positives are listed. The LP baiting and feeding ban covers it.
How many universal antlerless licenses work in Roscommon County?
The use limit is 3. There is no antlerless quota or drawing in Michigan.
How do turkey hunters do near Houghton Lake?
It is unit NN for spring birds. Fall hunting runs Sept. 15 – Nov. 14. Hunters reported 146 in 2026 to date.
Which bear management unit covers Houghton Lake?
Roscommon County is Red Oak BMU country for bear. The 2026 quota is 685 licenses. The unit registered 282 bears in 2025.
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 Houghton Lake 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: PierreSelim (CC BY 3.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); USFWS/Southeast (CC BY 2.0); YoungSue (Public Domain Mark 1.0); judithjackson957 (CC BY 2.0); Frank.Vassen (CC BY 2.0).