Michigan deer research / Schoolcraft County

Schoolcraft County, Michigan Deer Hunting Research

Provisional FDR Deer Herd Index 45.7 Provisional, ranked #62 of 83 ranked Michigan counties. Built from Michigan DNR (MDNR) county deer harvest registrations (antlered/antlerless), seasons 2011 and 2018–2025.

C - Above Average
45.7 / 100
Provisional FDR Index
#62 of 83
Ranked-county rank
0→
Trophy Index
790
2025 deer harvest

What drives the Schoolcraft County index

Provisional components, each scored 0–100 against the ranked Michigan counties. Provisional.

Herd quality · 33%90
Population · 21%9
Trophy history · 18%20
Momentum · 14%23
Deer-vehicle crash rate · 14%52

Trophy Index

0→ out of 100. How this county ranks for trophy bucks against every county we cover. 100 is the top. Ranked per acre of bow-huntable land (10 m estimate).

2022–2025 harvest trend

SeasonTotal harvest
2025790
2024769
2023710
2022928

Harvest totals from Michigan DNR (MDNR) county deer harvest registrations (antlered/antlerless), seasons 2011 and 2018–2025. Michigan DNR reports totals by county and season; archery / firearm splits are not broken out in this dataset.

County figures in this dataset exist for 2011 and for 2018 through 2025. Seasons in between have no county figure here and are left out, not estimated, and some counties have fewer seasons than others.

Harvest composition

Michigan DNR reports each deer as antlered or antlerless. In 2025, the Schoolcraft County harvest was 652 antlered and 138 antlerless deer.

SeasonAntleredAntlerlessTotal
2025652138790
2024661108769
2023580130710
2022760168928

The dataset carries antlered and antlerless counts only, with no finer split of the antlerless count.

Herd & land detail

MetricValue
Latest season (2025)790 deer
Harvest per sq mi0.67
Antlered harvest652
Antlerless harvest138
County land (sq mi)1171.90

Methodology

Provisional index. Provisional index: herd, harvest, trophy (the Trophy Index), and roadway (exposure-normalized deer-vehicle crash rate) components; habitat/age-structure partial where the state does not publish them.. FULLY DRAWN RESEARCH · Michigan DNR (MDNR) PROVISIONAL COUNTY DEER INDEX

Informational only. Built from public-record Michigan DNR (MDNR) county harvest data, US Census TIGER county land area, the Trophy Index, and exposure-normalized deer-vehicle crash rates where published. Provisional index; some components partial or pending. Not a prediction or guarantee. Verify with the Michigan DNR (MDNR).

See Schoolcraft County on the map

Parcels with owner & acreage, public hunting land, leaf-off imagery, and this research, together on one hunting map.

Nearby counties

Frequently asked questions

Is Schoolcraft County, Michigan good for deer hunting?

Schoolcraft County scores 45.7 of 100 on the provisional FDR Deer Herd Index (C - Above Average), ranked #62 of 83 ranked Michigan counties. The provisional index is built from Michigan DNR public harvest records, the Trophy Index and deer-vehicle crash data; some components are partial, as noted in the methodology.

How many deer were harvested in Schoolcraft County last season?

Michigan DNR records show 790 deer harvested in Schoolcraft County, Michigan in 2025, the most recent reported season.

Sources: Michigan DNR (MDNR) county deer harvest registrations (antlered/antlerless), seasons 2011 and 2018–2025. Public-record data only: no private contact information, no landowner lists. This provisional index includes harvest, trophy and roadway records. Other inputs may be partial.

Fully Drawn Research is independent and not affiliated with or endorsed by the Michigan DNR. Historical data and modeled indexes describe the past; they are not a promise of hunting outcomes. Always verify current seasons, permits, and site rules with the Michigan DNR before you hunt.

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