# Camping in State Game Areas



## Paddle (Mar 26, 2016)

I was hoping someone could clear something up for me or share their experiences. 

In the REMINDERS OF STATE LAND RULES FOR STATE WILDLIFE / GAME AREAS
http://www.michigandnr.com/publications/pdfs/huntingwildlifehabitat/sga/Sharonville_SGA_map.pdf

It mentions that dispersed camping is allowed within state game areas with a special permit so long as you follow other criteria. 

Has anybody done this or know how easy these special permits are to acquire? I live fairly close to a few State Game Areas and so am not trying to rush off and disperse camp when my own bed is so close but I am curious about the possibility. 

Thanks


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## mbirdsley (Jan 12, 2012)

I think you are allowed to camp in the Parking lots if you pull a permit ( I don’t know if it’s the same one you print off or another different one). There are some guys at work that do this and I believe they are first come first served. I don’t know if somebody were to actually hike in and set up camp. However some SGA do have some trails that motorized vehicles are allowed on and you can get deeper into them ( also seen this in the Gratiot/Saginaw State game area). Usually the motorized trails only go a mile deep and there are not a lot of them. But, if you pull into a parking lot and no trail into the area allowed for motorized vehicle I think you are restricted to the parking area


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## Petronius (Oct 13, 2010)

Paddle said:


> I was hoping someone could clear something up for me or share their experiences.
> 
> In the REMINDERS OF STATE LAND RULES FOR STATE WILDLIFE / GAME AREAS
> http://www.michigandnr.com/publications/pdfs/huntingwildlifehabitat/sga/Sharonville_SGA_map.pdf
> ...


The best thing to do is look up the State Wildlife/Game Area you are interested in and call the phone number provided. Different game areas may have different rules on camping.

*State Wildlife/Game Areas (listed by name)*

http://www.michigan.gov/dnr/0,4570,7-153-10363_10913-31657--,00.html#Keeler


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