Hunting

Clare County is a favorite of hunters, and has a tremendous number of small and large game species. Over 56,000 acres of state land and 7,000 acres of Federal lands are open to hunting, mainly in the northern and western sections of the county. We are currently working on a map to be displayed on this web page that will identify the location all of the publicly owned lands open to hunting in Clare County, look for the map on this page in mid 2006. Listed on our Events page, hunters can find any upcoming season openings or application submission dates. Any questions regarding detailed hunting information on public owned lands should be directed to the Michigan DNR Harrison Field Office at: 989-539-6411

Fishing

Clare County has wonderful fishing opportunities on its many lakes and rivers located throughout the county. As a whole, Clare County has total of 7 square miles of open water and over 330 miles of rivers and streams! Across the county, 18 lakes have public access boat launches, and the Muskegon, Tobacco, and Cedar rivers are angler favorites. Clare County is a popular fishing destination for travelers, and many trophy-sized fish have been recorded throughout the years.

Lake & River Access Maps

Clare County is the land of ’20 Lakes in 20 Minutes’. Lake and river access maps are available in the Clare County Recreation Guide. Although there are many lakes in the county, the most popular are shown below with the access points designated with blue dots on the maps: