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Ogemaw County · Lower Peninsula hunting
Rose City, Michigan hunting guide
Trip notes for hunters staying in Rose City: nearby public land with acres and miles, 2026-27 dates for Ogemaw County, DNR shooting hours and the closest processors.
Photo: Photo of Mio Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest), 3.0 mi from Rose City; the town itself is not shown. USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
In Ogemaw County, Rose City is a city in the northern Lower Peninsula. Oscoda County state forest land is why Rose City is on this list: its closest edge lies 6 miles out. 582 people lived in Rose City in the 2024 estimate. Draw a 10-mile ring around town and it holds some 89,622 acres of public ground (6 listed). The nearest choice is Roscommon Forest Management Unit (State Forest), with its nearest line 2 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.
State and federal hunting land by miles from Rose City
Properties whose boundary comes within 10 miles of Rose City 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. No state game or wildlife area reaches inside 10 miles of Rose City. State forest ground near town belongs to Roscommon Forest Management Unit (State Forest). Federal land in the ring: Mio Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest), Kirtland's Warbler Wildlife Management Area and Tawas Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest). Rifle River Recreation Area is the closest park land open to hunting, with safety zones and closed areas set by Parks and Recreation.
| Property | Direction | Category | Agency | Boundary miles | Centre miles | Acres | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Roscommon Forest Management Unit (State Forest) 2.5 mi to Rose City | SW | State forest unit | DNR Forest | 2.5 mi | 14 mi | 260,802 | deer, bear |
| Mio Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) 3.0 mi to Rose City | NW | Ranger district | US Forest Service | 3.0 mi | 14 mi | 148,711 | deer, bear |
| Rifle River Recreation Area 3.2 mi to Rose City | SE | Recreation area | DNR Parks | 3.2 mi | 4.6 mi | 4,194 | Partly closed |
| Kirtland's Warbler Wildlife Management Area 5.5 mi to Rose City | NW | Federal WMA | US Fish and Wildlife | 5.5 mi | 28 mi | 6,684 | waterfowl, deer |
| Tawas Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) 6.2 mi to Rose City | E | Ranger district | US Forest Service | 6.2 mi | 23 mi | 126,214 | deer, bear |
| Harrisville Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) 8.1 mi to Rose City | NE | Ranger district | US Forest Service | 8.1 mi | 24 mi | 165,234 | deer, bear |
| Marsh Creek / Beaver Lake Flooding Wildlife Management Area 14 mi to Rose City | W | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | farther | 14 mi | 554 | – |
| Grayling Forest Management Unit (State Forest) 16 mi to Rose City | N | State forest unit | DNR Forest | farther | 16 mi | 246,649 | deer, bear |
| Russell Lake / Lake St. Helen State Wildlife Management Area 20 mi to Rose City | W | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | farther | 20 mi | 949 | – |
| Robinson Creek Floodings Wildlife Management Area 23 mi to Rose City | W | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | farther | 23 mi | 2,572 | – |
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 Rose City. Checked October 22, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Rose City season dates, 2026-27 license year
Private ground and public ground share these dates in Rose City; 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) | Gladwin BMU | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 (firearm/bait/dogs) | Red Oak BMU | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 (archery only) | Gladwin BMU | Oct 2, 2026 | Oct 8, 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.
Rose City deer units, limits and CWD
Deer around Rose City: the zone and units first, then disease rules and the baiting picture.
For deer, Rose City and the rest of Ogemaw County are Zone 2. The universal antlerless use limit for Ogemaw County is 5, out of the 10 a hunter may buy statewide. Antlerless-only firearm days reach Ogemaw 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 065 (Ogemaw County) | County unit | None | 5 | 4,009 |
Ogemaw County is on the list of counties with a confirmed CWD deer. 409 deer from Ogemaw County went through DNR CWD testing in 2025 (0 positive). Ogemaw County deer must be CWD and 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 Rose City
Antlered and antlerless reports for Ogemaw County, plus turkey reports and the fall turkey survey.
For 2025 the Ogemaw County total was 4,009 reported deer, all seasons. Statewide, Ogemaw County came in 35th. Reporting began in 2022, when the county logged 4,491. The 2026 season to date shows 788 reported deer.
In the first year of mandatory turkey reports, Ogemaw County logged 157 spring and 9 fall turkeys to date. The fall 2025 estimate for Ogemaw County is 55 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.
Rose City: 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 Rose City and has 685 licenses across its 2026 hunt periods. Red Oak BMU success ran 57% in the 2024 survey, from 605 hunters. Ogemaw County is spring unit NN. Spring 2027 hunts have not been published, so the 2026 hunts are listed. In fall, Ogemaw County is unit I: Sept. 15 – Nov. 14, quota unlimited. Drawn elk hunters may hunt unit X near Rose City.
| Bear unit | Hunt periods | 2026 quota | Points, period 1 (2025) | Bears 2024 | Bears 2025* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Red Oak BMU | 1 | 685 | 9–10 | 346 | 282 |
| Gladwin BMU | 1 | 95 | 8–9 | 43 | 33 |
| 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.
Rose City 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: Community Cuts (18 mi).
| Type | Inside 15 | Inside 35 | Nearest one | Distance | Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processing shops | 2 | 4 | Tony's Processing | 12 mi S | West Branch |
| Mount makers | 2 | 6 | Prior Creek Taxidermy-Trapping | 3.2 mi SW | Rose City |
| Preserves, guides | 0 | 1 | Cherry Creek Farm | 17 mi N | Mio |
| Outdoor stores | 7 | 31 | CJ's Bait & Tackle LLC | 7.6 mi SE | Lupton |
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.
Rose City: DNR and Forest Service contacts
Agency offices near Rose City: the closest DNR customer service center, then any wildlife field, Forest Service or refuge office within 40 miles.
DNR Roscommon Customer Service Center, 24 mi W
Huron-Manistee National Forests Mio Ranger Station (17 mi N of town)
DNR Houghton Lake Wildlife Area Field Office (34 mi W of town)
From the DNR customer service center page and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 22, 2026.
Rose City shooting time on key dates
Deer hunters at Rose City 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 Rose City
A 30-mile circle drawn around Rose City holds 3 upcoming events. Kinds: BOW workshop, DU sportsman bingo and NWTF banquet.
Next dates
| Date | Event | Away | Where | Sign up | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| May 8, 2027 | Otsego County Firearm Frenzy / DU sportsman bingo | 17 | AuSable River Outfitters in Mio (Oscoda Co.) | Buy tickets | Source |
| May 15, 2027 | Elk Country Gobblers NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | 21 | Fairview (Oscoda Co.) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Jun 11–13, 2027 | Becoming an Outdoors Woman Summer Workshop 2027 / BOW workshop | 24 | RAM Center on Higgins Lake in Roscommon (Roscommon Co.) | Event details | Source |
Nearest places to shoot from Rose City
Kirtland Community College Range is nearest, roughly 15 miles from Rose City.
Set up for archery, trap, rifle, handgun, shotgun
About 44 miles to Voyer Lake Shooting Range, the nearest range on DNR land. Open
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 22, 2026.
What Rose City hunters often ask
Is there a deer processor close to Rose City?
Tony's Processing (West Branch) is 12 miles from Rose City. Within 35 miles of Rose City: 4 processor listings.
What are the Nov. 15 deer hours near Rose City?
Zone A: 6:53 a.m. to 5:48 p.m. Zone B: 6:59 a.m. to 5:54 p.m. Pick yours on the DNR map.
Which DNR license agents serve Rose City?
Agents, eLicense and the Hunt Fish app all sell them; start with a base license. 13 agents on the DNR map lie inside 15 miles of Rose City, led by Rose City Ace Hardware. The closest DNR customer service center is DNR Roscommon Customer Service Center, 24 miles out.
Can I get a Michigan buck mounted near Rose City?
Prior Creek Taxidermy-Trapping (Rose City) is nearest to Rose City at 3 miles. Around Rose City the 35-mile taxidermist count is 6.
How many antlered deer may a hunter take in Ogemaw County?
A hunter may take two antlered deer a year (one in DMU 117). Pick single or combo when you buy.
How do Rose City 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 Ogemaw County rank for reported deer?
Ogemaw County: 4,009 reported deer in 2025. Statewide rank: 35th of 83.
Does Ogemaw 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 Rose City from a state game area or state forest?
Begin with Roscommon Forest Management Unit (State Forest), with its nearest line 2 miles out. Mio Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) follows it in the Rose City table.
Which goose and duck zone holds Rose City?
It is Middle Zone for ducks and geese. See the season table for zone dates.
Which deer unit numbers matter for Rose City hunters?
The DNR layers place Ogemaw County in DMU 065 (Ogemaw County).
How much state and federal hunting land surrounds Rose City?
Close to 89,622 acres lie within a 10-mile radius. That acreage is split across 6 state or federal properties.
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 Rose City 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: GerryT (CC BY 2.0); Tony Faiola (CC BY 2.0); NPS Photo (Public domain); YoungSue (Public Domain Mark 1.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Public Domain Mark 1.0); rkramer62 (CC BY 2.0); Don Henise (CC BY 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0).