Public land for November, by region, with its managers

The DNR’s RecSearch, filtered for state parks and recreation areas where hunting is allowed, returned 59 locations when read Oct. 31, 2026. This piece names one of them, and nothing that a manager’s own page does not carry. The DNR released a rebuilt MiHunt on Sept. 10, 2026; in the release, Sarah Mayhew, a data specialist for the DNR Wildlife Division, said the map “opens with lands open to public hunting and nothing else.” MiHunt shows “approximate boundaries,” the DNR’s where-to-hunt page says, so it remains the tool for the line.

Reading the list, and what it costs

Statewide, the DNR’s where-to-hunt page (read Oct. 30) describes its state game areas as “managed for wildlife habitat, wildlife watching and hunting”; no per-area rule is stated here. State recreation areas are open to hunting unless designated closed, and state parks are closed unless designated open (DNR state park rules, undated). A Recreation Passport is required for vehicle entry to DNR state parks, recreation areas and state forest campgrounds, and at DNR boating access sites, about 1,000 statewide (DNR Recreation Passport page). For what each manager allows, and for prices and stand, blind, ORV and orange rules, read its page and the public land guide in this issue.

Upper Peninsula

The Hiawatha National Forest (USDA Forest Service), “nearly a million acres,” and the Ottawa National Forest (USDA Forest Service) each set their hunting rules on their own hunting pages (updated Feb. 19 and Feb. 11, 2026). Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore (National Park Service) prohibits hunting “from April 1st through Labor Day” and closes the Sand Point area below the bluff and inside Munising’s city limits (page dated May 8, 2025, read Oct. 31, 2026). Seney National Wildlife Refuge (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) has about 75,000 of its 95,000 acres open to hunting, and its page sets the rules. The DNR’s game and wildlife areas list carries Drummond Island at 47,380 acres, and Tahquamenon Falls State Park is designated open.

Northern Lower Peninsula

The Huron-Manistee National Forests (USDA Forest Service) limit ORV operation in public hunting areas from Nov. 15 through Nov. 30; the hours are on their hunting page (updated May 22, 2026). Of the Forest’s river access sites in Manistee County, Blacksmith Bayou and Sawdust Hole, on the reach between Tippy Dam and the M-55 bridge, charge $5 a day; Red Bridge, above Tippy, charges no fee. All three list seasons of use of “April 1 – November 30” (site pages, May 14 to Sept. 1, 2026).

Pigeon River Country State Forest (DNR), 109,000 acres, is “managed differently than other state forests”; its headquarters are at 45.169742, -84.439495. The DNR’s campground amenity table, in its seasonal-closure column, lists Upper Manistee State Forest Campground (Crawford County) as “open all year” and notes that campground roads may not be plowed in winter. The Tippy Dam destination in this issue covers the DNR’s recreation area there, and the steelhead rivers piece in this issue covers the fishing.

Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore (National Park Service) “does allow hunting” (page updated May 27, 2026). Its North Manitou Island deer hunt, a National Park Service permit hunt, is scheduled for Oct. 31 to Nov. 7, 2026, per the park’s page updated June 2, 2026. Consumers Energy, which has agreed to sell its dams to Confluence Hydro, per its page read Oct. 30, 2026, permits hunting only on 12,000 acres bordering its Au Sable, Manistee and Muskegon river hydro facilities. As of Oct. 30, 2026, that page lists the Foote, Cooke and Mio tailwater access sites as temporarily closed, undated.

West Michigan

The DNR’s list carries Allegan State Game Area at 50,656 acres. In Grand Rapids, the city’s Lower Reach dam-removal page (read Oct. 30, 2026) says Ah-Nab-Awen Park is closed through the project. At Berrien Springs, the safety section of Indiana Michigan Power’s hydro page tells visitors not to enter danger zones or private areas upstream or downstream of its plant.

Mid-Michigan and Saginaw Bay

Shiawassee National Wildlife Refuge (U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service) lists 2026 November deer dates of “Nov. 15-19th,” “Nov. 20-24th” and “Nov. 25-29th,” and calls deer hunting a “Reserved hunt only,” with permits through the DNR. Shiawassee River State Game Area (DNR) is also a reserved-permit deer area in the 2026 Deer Hunting Regulations Summary; the public land guide carries the listings.

Southeast Michigan

Lake Erie Metropark (Huron-Clinton Metroparks) lists “Twelve boat ramps” and a $10 daily vehicle or boat pass; the Metroparks’ rules page governs what is allowed in a park. The launches in the walleye, perch and muskie piece cover the water. Sharonville State Game Area (DNR, 4,337 acres) is also a reserved-permit deer area in the 2026 summary.

Data, attribution and when to check again

A property’s boundary is on its manager’s map; this list names no refuge units or Commercial Forest parcels. Every closure, season and fee above is as of Oct. 30, 2026, except that the DNR closures page, read Oct. 31, 2026, has no entry for Tippy Dam, Lake Erie Metropark, Upper Manistee River State Forest Campground, Shiawassee River State Game Area or Sharonville State Game Area. Before you go, read the manager’s page again, then open MiHunt for the boundary.