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Manistee County, Michigan
Hunting near Wellston in Michigan
Hunting from Wellston, Michigan: land inside a 10-mile circle, Manistee County deer, bear and turkey rules, the season table, legal light and the nearest DNR counter.
Photo: Picture taken on Manistee Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest), beside Wellston. USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0)
Wellston belongs to Manistee County, on the Lower Peninsula. The page exists because Manistee Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) wraps around or touches the town. Inside 10 miles of the town point the DNR, Forest Service, refuge and park maps add up to about 104,594 acres of public hunting land across 5 listed properties. Top of the distance list: Manistee Ranger District (Huron-Manistee 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 Wellston
Where Wellston hunters find public land
Miles are straight lines from the Census point for Wellston; by county road the trip is longer.
For room to roam, Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest) offers 314,151 acres inside the ring. For a state game area from Wellston, drive past the 10-mile mark. Forest compartments within reach: Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest) and 1 more unit. 2 federal properties sit inside 10 miles, nearest Manistee Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest). For park hunting, check Tippy Dam Recreation Area and its posted no-hunting zones.
| Public land | Heading | Type | Agency | Edge | Centre | Acres | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Manistee Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) at town to Wellston Anchor land | W | Ranger district | US Forest Service | at town | 6.2 mi | 123,931 | deer, bear |
| Cadillac Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) 2.8 mi to Wellston | E | Ranger district | US Forest Service | 2.8 mi | 15 mi | 128,755 | deer, bear |
| Tippy Dam Recreation Area 3.2 mi to Wellston | NE | Recreation area | DNR Parks | 3.2 mi | 3.2 mi | 102 | – |
| Traverse City Forest Management Unit (State Forest) 6.3 mi to Wellston | NE | State forest unit | DNR Forest | 6.3 mi | 32 mi | 314,151 | deer, bear |
| Cadillac Forest Management Unit (State Forest) 8.0 mi to Wellston | E | State forest unit | DNR Forest | 8.0 mi | 19 mi | 234,198 | deer, bear |
| Manistee River State Game Area 14 mi to Wellston | W | State game area | DNR Wildlife | beyond 10 mi | 14 mi | 4,378 | – |
| Little Widewaters Flooding Wildlife Management Area 16 mi to Wellston | SE | Flooding (SWMA) | DNR Wildlife | beyond 10 mi | 16 mi | 225 | – |
| Little Betsie River Grouse Enhanced Management Site (GEMS) 23 mi to Wellston | N | GEMS grouse site | DNR GEMS | beyond 10 mi | 23 mi | 4,183 | ruffed grouse, woodcock |
| Baldwin Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) 24 mi to Wellston | S | Ranger district | US Forest Service | beyond 10 mi | 24 mi | 155,651 | deer, bear |
| Mitchell State Park 26 mi to Wellston | E | State park | DNR Parks | beyond 10 mi | 26 mi | 724 | 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 Wellston. Checked October 22, 2026. Statewide public land map.
Manistee County seasons that reach Wellston
23 species and 41 dated segments apply in Wellston; the last column checks each against today.
| Quarry | Season | Zone | From | To | Status 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) | 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.
Antlerless limits and CWD around Wellston
Universal antlerless licenses are over the counter, but the number you may use depends on the county or UP unit. Here is Manistee County.
Deer hunters around Wellston are in Zone 2. Universal antlerless licenses are over the counter, and 5 of them may be used in Manistee County. The WCO lists an antler point restriction for DMU 051: 3+ points on one side. Two antlerless firearm windows open in Manistee County, starting Sep 12, 2026 and Dec 7, 2026.
| Unit | Type | APR rule | Licenses you may use | Deer reported, 2025 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| DMU 051 (Manistee County) | County unit | 3+ points on one side | 5 | 2,438 |
Manistee County is not on the DNR list of counties with CWD-positive wild deer. In 2024, 324 Manistee County deer were tested for CWD and 0 came back positive. No baiting or feeding of deer is allowed anywhere in the Lower Peninsula.
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.
Harvest trend around Wellston
The bar for 2026* is the season to date; the firearm and late hunts have not happened yet.
Mandatory reports put 1,332 antlered and 1,107 antlerless deer in Manistee County for 2025. Only 50 counties reported more. In 2022, the first year of mandatory reports, it was 3,243. Early 2026 reports, season to date, total 395.
Manistee County’s 2026 turkey count stands at 110, with the fall season running to mid-November. By the fall 2025 survey, Manistee County saw about 137 turkey hunters and 13 birds taken.
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.
Bear and turkey units covering Wellston
Bear quotas, hunt periods, points and registered bears, then turkey hunts and the waterfowl and small game units.
Apply for the Baldwin BMU to hunt bear around Wellston; 1 hunt period open in 2026. The 2024 bear survey shows 42% success in Baldwin BMU. The spring turkey unit for Manistee County is NN, shown with its spring 2026 hunts. For fall birds, hunt 0401 (unit I) is open Sept. 15 – Nov. 14.
| BMU | Hunt periods | License quota | Resident points | Harvest 2024 | Harvest 2025* |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Baldwin BMU | 1 | 395 | 7–8 | 150 | 114 |
| Unit | Hunt no. | Season | Quota | 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.
Wellston deer processing and hunting retail
Nearest listing first, measured from Wellston. Venison processors are drawn from Hunters Feeding Michigan, DNR sample drop sites and Yellow Pages entries that mention deer or game.
| Service | Within 15 mi | Within 35 mi | Nearest | Miles | Town |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Processors | 0 | 3 | Swick Custom Butchering | 27 mi E | Tustin |
| Mounts | 1 | 15 | Bob's Taxidermy | 11 mi N | Kaleva |
| Game bird preserves | 0 | 5 | Thundering Aspens, LLC | 18 mi NE | Mesick |
| Gun, bow and outdoor retailers | 5 | 33 | Pappy's Bait & Tackle | 0.5 mi NE | Wellston |
Processors
Mounts
Game bird preserves
Gun, bow and outdoor retailers
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.
DNR customer service near Wellston
Questions about units or licenses near Wellston? The customer service center counter is the place to ask.
DNR Cadillac Customer Service Center: 28 mi away
Huron-Manistee National Forests Cadillac/Manistee Ranger Station · E 1.4 mi
DNR Baldwin Field Office · S 20 mi
From the DNR customer service center page and the federal office pages listed in services.json, checked October 22, 2026.
Shooting hours at Wellston
The DNR hunting-time map splits the state into Zones A to D from east to west. Each step west adds 6 minutes to the Zone A times below.
| 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.
Upcoming hunting dates close to Wellston
Within roughly 30 miles of town: 5 upcoming events (NWTF banquet and hunting class). Read October 22, 2026.
Dates ahead
| Held | What | How far | Where | Register | Source page |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Oct 31, 2026 | Mitchell State Park – Learn to Hunt Whitetail Deer / Hunting class | 26 | Mitchell State Park in Cadillac (Wexford Co.) | Register | Source |
| Apr 2, 2027 | 3 Corners Habitat Chapter NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | 27 | Cadillac (Wexford Co.) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Apr 10, 2027 | Sunset Shoreline Strutters NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | 18 | Manistee (Manistee Co.) | Buy tickets | Source |
| Apr 10, 2027 | Tri-County Longbeards NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | 21 | Thompsonville (Benzie Co.) | Buy tickets | Source |
| May 7, 2027 | Gold Coast Gobblers NWTF Banquet / NWTF banquet | 30 | Ludington (Mason Co.) | Buy tickets | Source |
Wellston: three nearest ranges
Distances start at the middle of Wellston.
Takes trap, skeet, 5-stand, rifle, handgun
Takes sporting clays, shotgun
Takes trap, skeet, sporting clays, rifle, handgun
For a state-run range, Supply Road Shooting Range sits about 43 miles away. Range page
Straight-line miles from the town center; ranges checked October 22, 2026.
Michigan hunting questions from Wellston
What do mandatory reports show for deer near Wellston?
2,439 deer in 2025, by mandatory report. That is 51st highest in the state.
Which duck season dates apply near Wellston?
Duck seasons here are Middle Zone seasons. Check the table above for the split dates.
Which public land lies nearest Wellston?
The list starts with Manistee Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest), which runs right up to town. Cadillac Ranger District (Huron-Manistee National Forest) comes next on the list for Wellston.
How large is the public land base inside 10 miles of Wellston?
Some 104,594 acres, by the GIS overlay. 5 properties touch that 10-mile circle.
Which DMUs and deer zone take in Wellston?
DMU 051 (Manistee County). An antler point rule applies in DMU 051.
How many antlerless deer may I take around Wellston?
5 licenses, under the 2026 county limits. They are sold over the counter, with no drawing, up to 10 per hunter statewide.
Which CWD and baiting rules cover Manistee County?
The DNR lists none. The whole Lower Peninsula bans deer baiting.
How do I get a bear license near Wellston?
Bear licenses for Wellston are Baldwin BMU licenses. Quota for 2026: 395. Bears registered in 2025: 114.
When is turkey season near Wellston?
Spring unit NN, fall unit I. Fall 2026 runs Sept. 15 – Nov. 14. Reported so far in 2026: 110 turkeys.
When can I hunt deer with a gun near Wellston?
Gun season opens on the traditional Nov. 15 date and runs through Nov 30, 2026. Then come the December firearm days, Dec 4 to Dec 6, 2026.
What are opening-day hunting hours at Wellston?
From 6:53 a.m. until 5:48 p.m. in Zone A on Nov 15, 2026; check the DNR map for your zone.
Who processes venison for Wellston hunters?
Swick Custom Butchering is nearest, at 27 miles. Processors within 35 miles of Wellston: 3.
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.
Final checks for a Wellston hunt
Distances here are straight lines from Wellston; game areas, parks and federal land each add their own rules, so read the property page and the 2026-27 DNR summaries first.
Other photos on this page: USDA Forest Service Eastern Region (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Huron-Manistee National Forests (Public Domain Mark 1.0); Larry Lamsa (CC BY 2.0); GregGilbert1 (CC BY 2.0); Joe K Gage (CC BY-SA 2.0); YellowstoneNPS (Public domain); fishhawk (CC BY 2.0); U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service – Midwest Region (Public domain).