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Marenisco base, Gogebic County
Hunting from Marenisco, Michigan
How close Marenisco sits to state game areas, state forest and federal land, which DMUs and units cover Gogebic County, what hunters report there each year and where to bring a deer.
Photo: View from Bessemer Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest), beside Marenisco. chumlee10 (CC BY-SA 2.0)
Marenisco is a unincorporated community (a Census-designated place) in Gogebic County, in the Upper Peninsula; the county seat is Bessemer. No other listed town sits closer to Bessemer Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest), which reaches into Marenisco. 3 public properties reach within 10 miles, together about 118,610 mapped acres. For the shortest drive, begin with Bessemer Ranger District (Ottawa National 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 Marenisco
Marenisco public hunting land, closest edge first
Land reaching the 10-mile ring around Marenisco comes first. A base-area tag marks the land this town was chosen for.
The largest piece in the ring is Bessemer Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest) at 158,909 acres. There is no state game area inside 10 miles of Marenisco. Federal land in the ring: Bessemer Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest) and Bergland Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest). Blue Bill Creek Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) is a Grouse Enhanced Management Site within reach.
| Land | Bearing | Kind | Run by | Boundary | Middle | Acreage | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bessemer Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest) at town to Marenisco Base area | NW | Ranger district | US Forest Service | at town | 6.2 mi | 158,909 | deer, bear |
| Blue Bill Creek Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) 8.7 mi to Marenisco | SE | GEMS grouse site | DNR GEMS | 8.7 mi | 8.5 mi | 9,491 | ruffed grouse, woodcock |
| Bergland Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest) 9.1 mi to Marenisco | NE | Ranger district | US Forest Service | 9.1 mi | 17 mi | 147,640 | deer, bear |
| Mosinee Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) 11 mi to Marenisco | W | GEMS grouse site | DNR GEMS | outside ring | 11 mi | 1,212 | ruffed grouse, woodcock |
| Norwich Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) 22 mi to Marenisco | NE | GEMS grouse site | DNR GEMS | outside ring | 22 mi | 4,400 | ruffed grouse, woodcock |
| Watersmeet Ranger District (Ottawa National Forest) 25 mi to Marenisco | E | Ranger district | US Forest Service | outside ring | 25 mi | 195,088 | deer, bear |
| Porcupine Mountains Wilderness State Park 27 mi to Marenisco | N | State park | DNR Parks | outside ring | 27 mi | 59,561 | Partly closed |
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 Marenisco. Checked October 22, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Drawing units that cover Marenisco
Turkey rows are the spring 2026 hunts and fall 2026 season; the DNR has not released spring 2027.
For bear, Marenisco hunters apply for the Bergland unit (the county also touches Amasa). In 2024 about 43% of Bergland BMU bear hunters took a bear. Spring turkey near Marenisco is unit M; the table shows the spring 2026 hunts, since 2027 dates are not out yet. Fall turkey hunt 0402 in unit M runs Sept. 15 – Nov. 14 with a quota of 2,200 licenses.
| BMU | Periods | 2026 licenses | Draw points | 2024 registered | 2025 prelim* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bergland BMU | 3 | 835 | 3–4 | 252 | 247 |
| Amasa BMU | 3 | 510 | 5–6 | 179 | 205 |
| Unit | Hunt | Dates | Quota | Edition |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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.
Taking a Marenisco deer to the processor
Counts cover 15 and 35 mile circles around Marenisco; each group shows the nearest few businesses.
| Category | Count, 15 mi | Count, 35 mi | First stop | How far | Located in |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Taxidermy | 0 | 1 | Cedar Valley Taxidermy | 21 mi W | Ironwood |
| Guide services | 1 | 1 | North Country Bird Dog Ranch | at town N | Marenisco |
| Gun and archery stores | 0 | 8 | Steve's Sporting Goods | 16 mi NE | Bergland |
Taxidermy
Guide services
Gun and archery 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.
Deer units and disease rules for Marenisco
Units, antler point rules, antlerless use limits and 2025 reported harvest for the DMUs covering Marenisco, with CWD, TB and baiting status.
Gogebic County lies entirely in Zone 1 for deer. Gogebic County units 027, 066 and 127 are all closed to antlerless use.
| Unit | Unit type | Antler point rule | Antlerless licenses usable | Reported 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 027 (Watersmeet unit) | Upper peninsula unit | None | Closed | 507 |
| DMU 127 (Ironwood unit) | Upper peninsula unit | None | Closed | 206 |
| DMU 066 (Ontonagon unit) | Upper peninsula unit | None | Closed | 392 |
Gogebic County sits outside the CWD management zone. In the UP, deer may be baited Sept. 15 through Jan. 1 with no more than 2 gallons, spread out.
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.
First and last days near Marenisco
Marenisco rows run from the September Liberty Hunt and bear periods through the late coyote, fox and bobcat dates.
| Game | Hunt | Unit | First day | Last day | Status |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 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 | Bergland 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 | Bergland 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 | Bergland 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.
Reported game from Gogebic County
Reported deer by license year for Gogebic County, then the first year of mandatory turkey reports.
Gogebic County hunters reported 444 deer in 2025, 381 of them antlered. It was the 81st highest county total in 2025. Compare 517 in 2022. So far in 2026 (season to date on Oct 22, 2026), 50 deer have been reported.
Turkey reporting became mandatory in 2026: Gogebic County shows 55 spring birds and 4 fall birds so far. 24% of fall 2025 turkey hunters in Gogebic County took a bird, per the DNR survey.
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.
Reaching the DNR from Marenisco
For licenses, drawings and disease questions, start with the DNR customer service center closest to Marenisco. Wildlife field offices keep short hours.
DNR Baraga Customer Service Center, about 65 mi out
Ottawa National Forest Bessemer Ranger Station and Supervisor's Office, 16 mi NW
Ottawa National Forest Watersmeet/Iron River Ranger District, 27 mi E
From the DNR customer service center page and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 22, 2026.
Range time near Marenisco
Superior Range Sportsman's Club sits 23 miles from Marenisco.
Shoots: trap, sporting clays, 5-stand, rifle, handgun
Shoots: rifle, handgun, archery, trap, shotgun
Shoots: sporting clays, 5-stand, shotgun
About 106 miles to Skoglund-Erickson Shooting Range, the nearest range on DNR land. See it
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 22, 2026.
Marenisco legal hunting light
Use the column for the hunting-time zone that covers Marenisco on the DNR map. Zone D is the far western Upper Peninsula. These are Central Time figures for Marenisco.
| Date | Moment | Zone A hours | Zone B hours | Zone C hours | Zone D hours |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 1, 2026 | Archery opener | 5:59 a.m. to 6:46 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 6:52 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 6:58 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 7:04 p.m. |
| Oct 15, 2026 | Independence Hunt | 6:15 a.m. to 6:24 p.m. | 6:21 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. | 6:27 a.m. to 6:36 p.m. | 6:33 a.m. to 6:42 p.m. |
| Nov 15, 2026 | Firearm opener | 5:53 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. | 5:59 a.m. to 4:54 p.m. | 6:05 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. | 6:11 a.m. to 5:06 p.m. |
| Nov 30, 2026 | Firearm close | 6:11 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. | 6:17 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | 6:23 a.m. to 4:52 p.m. | 6:29 a.m. to 4:58 p.m. |
| Dec 5, 2026 | December hunts | 6:16 a.m. to 4:39 p.m. | 6:22 a.m. to 4:45 p.m. | 6:28 a.m. to 4:51 p.m. | 6:34 a.m. to 4:57 p.m. |
| Jan 1, 2027 | Late archery close | 6:31 a.m. to 4:40 p.m. | 6:37 a.m. to 4:46 p.m. | 6:43 a.m. to 4:52 p.m. | 6:49 a.m. to 4:58 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.
Marenisco hunters ask
Is antlerless deer hunting open near Marenisco?
No; every unit here is closed to universal antlerless use.
Is Gogebic County in a Michigan CWD area?
Not according to the DNR list. Limited UP baiting is legal, 2 gallons per site.
Can I hunt black bear near Marenisco?
Bear hunting here follows the Bergland BMU. Its 2026 hunts carry 835 licenses, drawn by preference points. 2025 registrations, preliminary: 247.
What turkey unit covers Gogebic County?
Spring turkey unit M covers the town. Fall birds: Sept. 15 – Nov. 14. 2026 reports so far: 59.
When does Michigan deer camp open for Marenisco hunters?
Michigan’s firearm deer season: Nov 15 to Nov 30, 2026. A three-day muzzleloader hunt runs Dec 4 to Dec 6, 2026.
When does legal light start at Marenisco on Nov. 15?
The DNR deer table gives 5:53 a.m. to 4:48 p.m. for Zone A on the opener, with B to D offsets of 6 to 18 minutes. Central Time applies here.
Where can a Marenisco hunter take a deer for processing?
Christnsen Dnald Cstm Btchring in Iron River sits about 52 miles from Marenisco. 0 processing listings lie inside 35 miles of Marenisco.
Which taxidermy studio is closest to Marenisco?
Cedar Valley Taxidermy in Ironwood is closest to Marenisco. 0 taxidermy listings sit inside 15 miles of Marenisco and 1 inside 35.
Where do Marenisco hunters buy a Michigan license?
Through eLicense or the Hunt Fish app, or at an agent, with the base license first. For a counter sale, Marenisco General Store LLC sits 1.0 mi from Marenisco. For counter help, the DNR Baraga Customer Service Center sits 65 miles from Marenisco.
What is the deer reporting deadline near Marenisco?
Use the DNR harvest report online or in the app within 72 hours. Michigan has reduced its check stations; file the report before dropping a head for testing.
What is the buck limit for Marenisco hunters?
Two per license year statewide, with one deer per kill tag. The single license has one tag; the combo has a regular and a restricted tag.
How many deer did Gogebic County hunters report in 2025?
Hunters reported 444 deer in 2025. It ranked 81st in Michigan.
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.
Packing up in Marenisco
The DNR can change dates and units by order. Re-check eLicense and the Gogebic County page before the trip.
Other photos on this page: chumlee10 (CC BY-SA 2.0); desertdutchman (CC BY 2.0); rkramer62 (CC BY 2.0); grendelkhan (CC BY-SA 2.0); AdamB1995 (CC BY 2.0); mbarrison (CC BY-SA 2.0); BCNH09 (CC BY-SA 2.0); rkramer62 (CC BY 2.0).