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Antrim County · Northern Lower Peninsula
Michigan hunting around Lakes of the North
Public ground measured from Lakes of the North, the Antrim County deer units and antlerless limits, bear and turkey units, CWD and baiting status, reported harvest and the shops that serve hunters.
Photo: Pigeon River Country State Forest (Pigeon River Country Forest Management Unit) (30 mi from Lakes of the North), standing in for the town. AdamB1995 (CC BY 2.0)
Antrim County, in the northern Lower Peninsula, is home to the unincorporated community (a Census-designated place) of Lakes of the North. The closest edge of Otsego County state forest land sits 2 miles out from Lakes of the North, making it the base town. A 10-mile circle around Lakes of the North takes in close to 66,163 mapped public acres on 3 properties. Closest on the list is Gaylord Forest Management Unit (State Forest), with its nearest line less than a 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 Lakes of the North
Lakes of the North: DMUs, antler rules and baiting
County DMUs sit under bigger overlay units in Michigan, so a spot near Lakes of the North can be in several at once.
All of Antrim County is deer Zone 2. The DNR set the Antrim County antlerless use limit at 3 licenses for 2026-27. Expect an antler point rule in DMU 005 (3+ points on one side). Antrim County is open to the early antlerless firearm hunt (Sep 12 to Sep 13, 2026) and the late one (Dec 7, 2026 to Jan 1, 2027).
| DMU | Kind | Antler points | Antlerless cap | 2025 harvest |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 005 (Antrim County) | County unit | 3+ points on one side | 3 | 2,153 |
No CWD-positive free-ranging deer is listed for Antrim County. The 2024 CWD table shows 0 positive of 322 tested in Antrim County. The DNR donation page lists Antrim County as a bovine TB test county. The Lower Peninsula baiting and feeding ban covers this county.
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 Lakes of the North
Sorted by nearest boundary, then by centre distance. Each property page carries its own closed areas, safety zones and season notes.
314,633 acres make Gaylord Forest Management Unit (State Forest) the largest property near Lakes of the North. None of the Wildlife Division game areas falls within 10 miles of Lakes of the North. State forest land nearby falls under Gaylord Forest Management Unit (State Forest) and Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest).
| Name | Direction | Land type | Manager | Nearest line | Centre point | Size (ac) | Remarks |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Gaylord Forest Management Unit (State Forest) 0.8 mi to Lakes of the North | N | State forest unit | DNR Forest | 0.8 mi | 24 mi | 314,633 | deer, bear |
| Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest) 4.9 mi to Lakes of the North | SW | State forest unit | DNR Forest | 4.9 mi | 44 mi | 314,151 | deer, bear |
| Grayling Forest Management Unit (State Forest) 5.4 mi to Lakes of the North | SE | State forest unit | DNR Forest | 5.4 mi | 48 mi | 246,649 | deer, bear |
| Goose Creek Flooding Wildlife Management Area 12 mi to Lakes of the North | S | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 10+ mi | 12 mi | 161 | – |
| Hartwick Pines State Park 16 mi to Lakes of the North | SE | State park | DNR Parks | 10+ mi | 16 mi | 8,425 | Partly closed |
| Skegemog Lake Wildlife Management Area 22 mi to Lakes of the North | SW | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 10+ mi | 22 mi | 3,614 | – |
| Barker Creek Flooding State Wildilfe Management Area 25 mi to Lakes of the North | SE | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 10+ mi | 25 mi | 49 | – |
| Petobego State Game Area 27 mi to Lakes of the North | W | State game area | DNR Wildlife | 10+ mi | 27 mi | 787 | – |
| Conner's Marsh Flooding Wildlife Management Area 28 mi to Lakes of the North | SE | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 10+ mi | 28 mi | 1,052 | – |
| Kirtland's Warbler Wildlife Management Area 28 mi to Lakes of the North | E | Federal WMA | US Fish and Wildlife | 10+ mi | 28 mi | 6,684 | 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 Lakes of the North. Checked October 22, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Lakes of the North area deer and turkey harvest
County totals from the DNR harvest report summary, with the 2026 figure still growing.
In 2025, 2,153 deer were reported from Antrim County. Among the 83 counties, Antrim placed 55th. The 2022 count stood at 2,271. The running 2026 figure is 353 deer, before the Nov. 15 opener.
The 2026 turkey total for Antrim County is 89 so far, 67th among counties. Survey estimates for fall 2025 put Antrim County at 37 turkeys from 124 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 Lakes of the North hunters
DNR customer service centers sell licenses and answer hunting questions in person. The one nearest Lakes of the North is listed first.
DNR Gaylord Customer Service Center · NE 11 mi
DNR Atlanta Field Office, about 36 mi out
From the DNR customer service center page and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 22, 2026.
Antrim County bear and turkey units near Lakes of the North
What a Lakes of the North hunter applies for: the bear unit and its numbers, then the turkey and elk units.
Antrim County falls in the Red Oak BMU; bear licenses are drawn with preference points. The 2024 DNR survey put Red Oak BMU hunter success at 57%. Lakes of the North turkey hunters apply in unit NN; the spring 2027 structure is not published yet. Unit I fall turkey: Sept. 15 – Nov. 14, licenses unlimited. Part of Antrim County is elk country (unit X).
| Unit | Periods | Quota 2026 | Points to draw | Bears, 2024 | Bears, 2025* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Oak BMU | 1 | 685 | 9–10 | 346 | 282 |
| Turkey unit | Hunt number | Open | License quota | Season |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Lakes of the North: 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 Lakes of the North.
| Species | Season | Applies | Opens | Closes | 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 | 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 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.
Lakes of the North 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. M-32 Processing processes donated deer for the DNR program.
| Kind | 15 mi | 35 mi | Closest listing | Distance | In |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Deer cutting | 0 | 1 | Halstead Game Processing | 19 mi SE | Grayling |
| Taxidermists | 2 | 8 | Agrens Animal Artistry | 12 mi NE | Gaylord |
| Hunting preserves | 1 | 2 | Wild Wings Game Farm | 4.3 mi N | Elmira |
| Hunting shops | 9 | 30 | Jay's Sporting Goods | 11 mi E | Gaylord |
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.
Lakes of the North legal hunting light
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.
Shooting near Lakes of the North
The three closest to Lakes of the North, each card with its access rule.
Lines: trap, skeet, 5-stand, rifle, handgun
Lines: trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle
Lines: archery, 3D archery
About 30 miles to Supply Road Shooting Range, the nearest range on DNR land. Hours and rules
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 22, 2026.
Lakes of the North hunting FAQ
How many bucks can I take near Lakes of the North?
Michigan allows two antlered deer a year; DMU 117 allows one. Choose a single deer license or a deer combo license at purchase.
How soon must a deer be reported in Michigan?
Mandatory reporting: 72 hours, online or Hunt Fish app. Report first: DNR testing takes deer heads only with a filed harvest report.
How many deer does Antrim County report?
The 2025 reported total for Antrim County was 2,153. That placed Antrim 55th of 83 counties.
Is Antrim County in a Michigan elk unit?
Part of the county is in unit X. An elk license comes only from the DNR drawing, not over the counter. Hunt period 1: Sep 23 to Oct 4, 2026.
Which public hunting land lies closest to Lakes of the North?
Closest is Gaylord Forest Management Unit (State Forest), with its nearest line less than a mile out. Second closest to Lakes of the North is Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest).
Is Antrim County in the North, Middle or South Zone?
Antrim County is in the Middle Zone. Season dates for each zone are in the table above.
What deer units cover Antrim County?
The county’s unit is DMU 005 (Antrim County). DMU 005 carries antler point limits.
How many mapped public acres can Lakes of the North hunters reach?
Roughly 66,163 acres sit inside 10 miles. Counting land farther out, the table on this page lists 10 places to hunt.
May I bait deer near Lakes of the North?
Antrim County: no CWD on record. Baiting and feeding deer are banned across the Lower Peninsula.
What is the antlerless license limit in Antrim County?
The limit for Antrim County is 3. No drawing is needed; a hunter may buy up to 10 a year.
How many turkeys does Antrim County report?
Antrim County is unit NN in spring and I in fall. The fall season is Sept. 15 – Nov. 14. 89 turkeys have been reported from the county in 2026.
Which BMU holds Lakes of the North?
Antrim County is in the Red Oak BMU. 685 2026 licenses, by drawing. 282 bears were registered there in 2025 (preliminary).
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.
Lakes of the North trip checklist
Before leaving Lakes of the North, confirm your DMU, the antlerless use limit and any closed areas on the property you plan to hunt.
Other photos on this page: USFWS Headquarters (CC BY 2.0); michaelhunter5 (CC BY 2.0); rkramer62 (CC BY 2.0); BCNH09 (CC BY-SA 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); born1945 (CC BY 2.0); Don Henise (CC BY 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public Domain Mark 1.0).