# Gratiot/saginaw state game area



## jhielscher (May 22, 2011)

Does anyone have any information or experience hunting this area. Me and my son scouted it and found tracks, bedding area and food supply. We picked a spot for the youth hunt and would like any expereinces you may have


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## Outdoorsman17 (Dec 28, 2005)

Be ready for "ALOT" of company


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## FredBearYooper (Oct 5, 2009)

Outdoorsman17 said:


> Be ready for "ALOT" of company


What he said.

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## jhielscher (May 22, 2011)

We were hoping the youth hunt wont be to busy even though it coincides with the early anterless hunt. Regular season will be too busy for us ....What you think???


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## Ack (Oct 3, 2004)

Depends on which part of the GSSGA you plan on hunting. Some gets extreme pressure, other parts do not.


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## Rick Butler (Dec 4, 2005)

I hunted it quite a bit during bow season (for many years) until I gained access to some private land in Saginaw County. Eleven yrs. ago my son shot his first buck in the GSSGA during the youth hunt. I don't recall there being that many hunters that weekend, but that has probably changed since then.


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## MI.FISH-N-HUNTER (Feb 11, 2010)

Myself and my family have hunted that are throughout the years, depends on the area you scouted you may have company and you might not. It's such a large chunk of land, you just need to get away from the beaten paths, you can look at aerial views on google earth of the area you intend to hunt, might help you out.

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## whitetailmaniac (Mar 23, 2008)

I've grown up hunting these public lands, so did my father, and my brother hunts it no also. My father has shot a buck there in gun season every year for the last 10yrs. I shot a 110 inch 8pt Nov. 12 last year, and a buddy shot a 135inch 10pt there the same year in Nov bow. I know alot of private guys are practicing qdm, and since bait piles have been limited alot of younger deer are getting a chance to get to make it to another season. My cousin also shot a 110 inch 8 the year before. Scout, hunt the bedding areas adjacent to the feed sources and you will have success. Youth season will be less crowded, and so will bow, but gun season is a mess period.


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## panfishking (Jan 2, 2011)

whitetailmaniac said:


> I've grown up hunting these public lands, so did my father, and my brother hunts it no also. My father has shot a buck there in gun season every year for the last 10yrs. I shot a 110 inch 8pt Nov. 12 last year, and a buddy shot a 135inch 10pt there the same year in Nov bow. I know alot of private guys are practicing qdm, and since bait piles have been limited alot of younger deer are getting a chance to get to make it to another season. My cousin also shot a 110 inch 8 the year before. Scout, hunt the bedding areas adjacent to the feed sources and you will have success. Youth season will be less crowded, and so will bow, but gun season is a mess period.


Looks like a found a good local spot to hunt, thanks for all the info.:evilsmile


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## whitetailmaniac (Mar 23, 2008)

you have to do your homework and go to places less accessable to others, or find a direct route from private to a bedding area..look on here under general michigan hunting, and find my thread and take a look at the pics of some stateland bucks i have. I've shot 5 cbm bow kills and 2 of them made P and Y for score. It's more work, but results can be very rewarding.


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## pescadero (Mar 31, 2006)

jhielscher said:


> Does anyone have any information or experience hunting this area. Me and my son scouted it and found tracks, bedding area and food supply. We picked a spot for the youth hunt and would like any expereinces you may have



It's a huge SGA - with lots of deer.

I've shot 7 (5 doe, 2 buck) in the last 5 years off an 80 acre piece of that SGA,


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## pescadero (Mar 31, 2006)

Outdoorsman17 said:


> Be ready for "ALOT" of company


Compared to hunting public land in Lake county in the late 1980's and early 1990's - it's just about empty.

I hunt an isolated 80 acre piece, and only very rarely see more than 1-2 other hunters on it.


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## Outdoorsman17 (Dec 28, 2005)

I only live about 5 or 6 miles from some it


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## fisher210 (Aug 20, 2006)

Was in there looking Thursday. Does look good, noticed at the north side they have put up a sign to shoot wild pigs so even tho I havn't seen any in there, they must be some or at least the DNR thinks so.


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## Buck Wild! (Apr 22, 2009)

There are pigs in there. My brother in law shot one three deer seasons ago. There are also an abundance of hunters. That SGA brings lots of hunters from down state where there isn't alot of public hunting. You can plan on seeing more hunters in there this year due to the EHD outbreak in the nearby SGA.


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## Outdoorsman17 (Dec 28, 2005)

I'm surprised no one has mentioned the theft, vandalism and poaching that routinely occurs in that area. A climbing tree stand is the only way to go if your going to hunt it.


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## MI.FISH-N-HUNTER (Feb 11, 2010)

I've been hunting the GSGA on and off for probably the last 15 years since my dad's brothers sold the family farm (our hunting sanctuary) while I was growing up. We've never had any issues camping out there, the last few years we've camped out for a week, you see quite a few people often leave their RV's trailers and even tents over there as they probably commute. I imagine probably all that stuff go on over there, as do in other state games areas, it's such a large chunk of land to police...

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## whitetailmaniac (Mar 23, 2008)

i've spoken to one of the game warden's in that area, and the local farm and land owners have taken a strict stand on poachers, a state cop calls that place home, and i've also heard from local land owners that the poaching has taken a drastic plunge. unfortunately state land brings people who don't respect others or there property, but 99% of the hunters are really friendly, and even have found them to be just as protective over your stuff as there's. i'd still lock my campers and car doors. i have noticed that there are some real crappy hunters out there that like to claim deer that aren't there's and will scadattle in a hurry. Bow season should be really good, as well as the youth season..but hunt the far reaches and off the beaten path for gun season. There is a huge stretch i believe is a 4 mile x 4 mile stretch that has no east and west roads running through the middle..Grant Rd...hike in a ways and get into the deep secluded impoundments and swamps there and you WILL have success.


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