EXPLORE WILDLIFE IN MANISTEE COUNTY

YOUR HUNTING TRIP STARTS HERE!

Explore Manistee County’s wildlife and the nature that surrounds them. Here you’ll find all the resources you need to make it happen.

Hunting Seasons

Leave No Trace

Hunting Public Land

DNR

Where to Buy Licenses

Purchase DNR elicense

HELPFUL HUNTING TIPS

Tips for processing your deer

Top 10 hunting violations during firearm deer season

Safety Reminders

Hunters Safety Certificate

Follow the travelers that love Manistee County, enjoy these stories about our incredible outdoor recreation, things-to-do, dining, shopping and unique experiences you will ONLY find here.

Browse our latest #MyManistee perspectives here, or scroll through these top stories in your category.

Big M’s Outer Loop

by Sherri | February 24, 2021 | Adventure Sports, Featured, First Time Visitors, Outdoors, Trails, What To Do, Winter, Winter Trails & Slopes | 0 Comments

Where we gonna ride today, Dyl? Today we are riding the Outer Loop at Big M! The outer loop is about 15 miles and depending on the conditions of the day, can take anywhere from just under 2 hours, to up to three and a half or more if conditions are like below! The...

ALERT

by Manistee VB | April 17, 2026 | Boating & Harbors, Fishing & Hunting, Media Relations, Outdoors, Rivers & Paddling, Spring | 0 Comments

2026 State of Emergency: Manistee County Flooding Manistee County is currently experiencing significant flooding due to rapid snowmelt and sustained rainfall. River levels have risen well beyond normal conditions, creating serious impacts across the region. Areas near...

Discover River Country

by Manistee VB | June 17, 2025 | First Time Visitors, Outdoors, Summer, Uncategorized | 0 Comments

Home to 3 major rivers, it isn’t hard to figure out how this region earned its name. Our southern-most region is the ideal destination for those seeking a place to launch their watercraft, anglers looking for a place to cast a line, and hikers and bikers ready to take...

Hiking the Lake Bluff Bird Sanctuary

by Manistee VB | February 17, 2016 | Seasons, Spring | 0 Comments

This jewel on Lake Michigan's shore boasts over 1500 feet of Lake Michigan Frontage on its 76 acres in Manistee County. Originally landscaped as an arboretum, many notable specimens have been preserved such as California Redwood, Ginko, and two Michigan...

XC Skiing Adventure on the Big M

by Manistee VB | November 22, 2022 | Outdoors, Seasons, Winter, Winter Alt Campaign, Winter Trails & Slopes | 0 Comments

Bike. Ski. Trek. With a rich history dating back to the 1950s, the Big M Recreation Area offers almost 40 miles of trails winding through the Manistee National Forest featuring terrain carved through the hardwoods to challenge all skill levels. This popular groomed...

Red, White & Blue Water

by Manistee VB | April 10, 2016 | Events, Fishing & Hunting, Spring | 2 Comments

The piers at the mouth of the Manistee River are most often used for watching spectacular sunsets over Lake Michigan. But on one weekend in May in Manistee, at dawn and again at noon, there are spectacular sights of a different variety to be witnessed. In...

Hodenpyl & Tippy Dams

by Manistee VB | January 14, 2016 | Fishing & Hunting, Local History | 0 Comments

Completed in 1918, Tippy Dam (known as Junction Hydro when it was built) was named after Charles W. Tippy, a board of directors chair for Consumers Power. Tippy is Consumer Energy’s second largest hydro dam producing up to 20,000 kilowatts and providing...

Generations of Land: Farms in Manistee County

by Manistee VB | September 10, 2016 | Conversations, Fall, Featured, Local History, Summer | 1 Comment

Farming in Manistee County is not just a job for the families who live and work here- it is part of their history and culture. Each individual farming family is unique in its own way, celebrating the traditions of ancestors through each crop they harvest...

Wonders of Winter Along M22

by Manistee VB | November 22, 2022 | First Time Visitors, Outdoors, Seasons, Self Guided Tours, Winter, Winter Alt Campaign | 0 Comments

The scenic M22 route following the Lake Michigan shoreline from Manistee north through the Leelanau Peninsula is one of the most beautiful drives in any season of the year, winter is no exception. Your route begins at US31 & M22 at the Little River Casino Resort....

Big Manistee Winter Paddling

by Manistee VB | November 22, 2022 | Outdoors, Rivers & Paddling, Seasons, Winter, Winter 24-25 blog, Winter Alt Campaign | 1 Comment

With open water year-round on the 4 rivers of Manistee County, winter paddling adventure abounds from the same access points paddlers enjoy in the summer months. Don’t let colder temperatures keep you away from paddling when the snow flies. You will find the scenic...

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