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Benzie County · Lower Peninsula hunting
Thompsonville, Michigan hunting guide
Trip notes for hunters staying in Thompsonville: nearby public land with acres and miles, 2026-27 dates for Benzie County, DNR shooting hours and the closest processors.
Photo: Photo of Manistee Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest), 9.7 mi from Thompsonville; the town itself is not shown. Huron-Manistee National Forests (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
In Benzie County, Thompsonville is a village in the northern Lower Peninsula. Thompsonville is the jumping-off point for Benzie County state forest land; the two meet at the edge of town. 489 people lived in Thompsonville in the 2024 estimate. Draw a 10-mile ring around town and it holds some 65,912 acres of public ground (5 listed). The nearest choice is Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest), which runs right up to town.
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.
Nearby
Places to hunt and shoot around Thompsonville
State and federal hunting land by miles from Thompsonville
Properties whose boundary comes within 10 miles of Thompsonville lead the table, nearest line first; mapped lands farther out follow by distance to their centre.
By size, Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest) tops the 10-mile list with 314,151 acres. No state game or wildlife area reaches inside 10 miles of Thompsonville. Floodings managed as State Wildlife Management Areas sit nearby too: Grass Lake Flooding Wildlife Management Area. State forest ground near town belongs to Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest). Federal land in the ring: Manistee Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest). Grouse hunters can walk Little Betsie River Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS), a GEMS tract.
| Property | Direction | Category | Agency | Boundary miles | Centre miles | Acres | Note |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest) at town to Thompsonville | NE | State forest unit | DNR Forest | at town | 15 mi | 314,151 | deer, bear |
| Little Betsie River Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) 3.6 mi to Thompsonville | NE | GEMS grouse site | DNR GEMS | 3.6 mi | 3.6 mi | 4,183 | ruffed grouse, woodcock |
| Cadillac Forest Management Unit (State Forest) 5.6 mi to Thompsonville | SE | State forest unit | DNR Forest | 5.6 mi | 32 mi | 234,198 | deer, bear |
| Grass Lake Flooding Wildlife Management Area 6.6 mi to Thompsonville | NE | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | 6.6 mi | 7.7 mi | 2,627 | – |
| Manistee Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) 9.7 mi to Thompsonville | S | Ranger district | US Forest Service | 9.7 mi | 24 mi | 123,931 | deer, bear |
| Lake DuBonnet Flooding State Wildlife Management Area 14 mi to Thompsonville | NE | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | farther | 14 mi | 1,040 | – |
| Betsie River State Game Area 14 mi to Thompsonville | NW | State game area | DNR Wildlife | farther | 14 mi | 741 | – |
| Tippy Dam Recreation Area 18 mi to Thompsonville | S | Recreation area | DNR Parks | farther | 18 mi | 102 | – |
| Manistee River State Game Area 23 mi to Thompsonville | SW | State game area | DNR Wildlife | farther | 23 mi | 4,378 | – |
| Cadillac Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) 24 mi to Thompsonville | SE | Ranger district | US Forest Service | farther | 24 mi | 128,755 | 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 Thompsonville. Checked October 22, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Thompsonville season dates, 2026-27 license year
Private ground and public ground share these dates in Thompsonville; 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) | Baldwin BMU | Sep 12, 2026 | Sep 22, 2026 | |
| Black bear | Hunt period 1 (archery only) | Baldwin BMU | Oct 2, 2026 | Oct 8, 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 G | Jan 1, 2027 | Jan 20, 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.
Thompsonville deer units, limits and CWD
Deer around Thompsonville: the zone and units first, then disease rules and the baiting picture.
For deer, Thompsonville and the rest of Benzie County are Zone 2. The universal antlerless use limit for Benzie County is 3, out of the 10 a hunter may buy statewide. Antler point restrictions apply in DMU 010: 3+ points on one side on the single and regular combo tags. Antlerless-only firearm days reach Benzie 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 010 (Benzie County) | County unit | 3+ points on one side | 3 | 1,323 |
The DNR has listed no CWD deer for Benzie County. 131 deer from Benzie County went through DNR CWD testing in 2024 (0 positive). Benzie 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 Thompsonville
Antlered and antlerless reports for Benzie County, plus turkey reports and the fall turkey survey.
For 2025 the Benzie County total was 1,323 reported deer, all seasons. Statewide, Benzie County came in 69th. Reporting began in 2022, when the county logged 1,412. The 2026 season to date shows 143 reported deer.
In the first year of mandatory turkey reports, Benzie County logged 58 spring and 3 fall turkeys to date. The fall 2025 estimate for Benzie County is 24 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.
Thompsonville: bear, turkey, elk and small game
Preference points shown are the resident range needed in 2025 for the first hunt period.
The Baldwin BMU covers Thompsonville and has 395 licenses across its 2026 hunt periods. Baldwin BMU success ran 42% in the 2024 survey, from 337 hunters. Benzie County is spring unit NN. Spring 2027 hunts have not been published, so the 2026 hunts are listed. In fall, Benzie County is unit I: Sept. 15 – Nov. 14, quota unlimited.
| Bear unit | Hunt periods | 2026 quota | Points, period 1 (2025) | Bears 2024 | Bears 2025* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baldwin BMU | 1 | 395 | 7–8 | 150 | 114 |
| 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; small game units from the small game, waterfowl and fur harvester summaries. Checked October 22, 2026.
Thompsonville 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 | 1 | Chupp's Custom Butchering | 26 mi E | Manton |
| Mount makers | 4 | 13 | Spikehorn whitetail shoulder mount`s | 10 mi NE | Interlochen |
| Preserves, guides | 2 | 2 | Luther's Pheasant Hunting | 13 mi E | Buckley |
| Outdoor stores | 4 | 37 | Flash Point Firearms | at town NW | Thompsonville |
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.
Thompsonville: DNR and Forest Service contacts
Agency offices near Thompsonville: the closest DNR customer service center, then any wildlife field, Forest Service or refuge office within 40 miles.
DNR Traverse City Customer Service Center, 17 mi NE
Huron-Manistee National Forests Cadillac/Manistee Ranger Station (21 mi S of town)
Huron-Manistee National Forests Supervisor's Office (33 mi SE of town)
From the DNR customer service center page and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 22, 2026.
Thompsonville shooting time on key dates
Deer hunters at Thompsonville 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 Thompsonville
A 30-mile circle drawn around Thompsonville holds 3 upcoming events. Kinds: NWTF banquet and RMEF banquet.
Next dates
| Date | Event | Away | Where | Sign up | Source |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Apr 10, 2027 | Sunset Shoreline Strutters NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | 27 | Manistee (Manistee Co.) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Apr 10, 2027 | Traverse Bay Chapter Banquet in Traverse City, MI / RMEF banquet | 23 | Traverse City (Grand Traverse Co.) | Event details | Source |
| Apr 10, 2027 | Tri-County Longbeards NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | 0 | Thompsonville (Benzie Co.) | Buy tickets | Source |
Nearest places to shoot from Thompsonville
Benzie Sportsman's Club is nearest, roughly 10 miles from Thompsonville.
Set up for trap, skeet, sporting clays, 5-stand, shotgun
Set up for trap, skeet, 5-stand, rifle, handgun
Set up for sporting clays, shotgun
About 30 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 Thompsonville hunters often ask
Which DNR license agents serve Thompsonville?
Agents, eLicense and the Hunt Fish app all sell them; start with a base license. 9 agents on the DNR map lie inside 15 miles of Thompsonville, led by Copemish Pro Hardware. The closest DNR customer service center is DNR Traverse City Customer Service Center, 17 miles out.
Can I get a Michigan buck mounted near Thompsonville?
Spikehorn whitetail shoulder mount`s (Interlochen) is nearest to Thompsonville at 10 miles. Around Thompsonville the 35-mile taxidermist count is 13.
How many antlered deer may a hunter take in Benzie County?
A hunter may take two antlered deer a year (one in DMU 117). Pick single or combo when you buy.
How do Thompsonville 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 Benzie County rank for reported deer?
Benzie County: 1,323 reported deer in 2025. Statewide rank: 69th of 83.
How far is Thompsonville from a state game area or state forest?
Begin with Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest), which runs right up to town. Little Betsie River Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) follows it in the Thompsonville table.
Which goose and duck zone holds Thompsonville?
It is Middle Zone for ducks and geese. See the season table for zone dates.
Which deer unit numbers matter for Thompsonville hunters?
The DNR layers place Benzie County in DMU 010 (Benzie County). Bucks in DMU 010 must meet a point rule.
How much state and federal hunting land surrounds Thompsonville?
Close to 65,912 acres lie within a 10-mile radius. That acreage is split across 5 state or federal properties.
What do the CWD and baiting rules say for Thompsonville?
No positives are listed. The LP baiting and feeding ban covers it.
How many universal antlerless licenses work in Benzie County?
The use limit is 3. There is no antlerless quota or drawing in Michigan.
How do turkey hunters do near Thompsonville?
It is unit NN for spring birds. Fall hunting runs Sept. 15 – Nov. 14. Hunters reported 61 in 2026 to date.
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 Thompsonville 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: YoungSue (Public Domain Mark 1.0); born1945 (CC BY 2.0); A. Drauglis (CC BY-SA 2.0); USFWS Mountain Prairie (CC BY 2.0); jitze (CC BY 2.0); Don Henise (CC BY 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Ligocsicnarf89 (CC BY 4.0).