Why It Matters: Hunters and anglers shoulder the costs of fish and wildlife conservation, but when their license dollars no longer adequately cover the costs of conservation, state agencies cannot deliver the quality hunting and fishing opportunities that keeps sportsmen and women afield. A modest license fee adjustment can address these funding shortfalls and better secure the longevity of our time-honored outdoor traditions.
Highlights:
- The Michigan Department of Natural Resources relies on the licenses purchased by sportsmen and women to carry out its function of conserving the Great Lakes State’s fish and wildlife resources.
- Michigan Senate Bills 276 and 277 would adjust hunting license fees while ensuring that the Michigan Department of Natural Resources captures revenue from discounted licenses and Michigan House Bill 5093 would similarly adjust fishing licenses.
- The Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation (CSF) has supported the fee package throughout the legislative session and will continue to do so as the 2025-26 biennium draws to a close.
As the original conservationists, hunters and anglers serve as the backbone of the American System of Conservation Funding, supporting the fish and wildlife conservation efforts of their state. The Michigan DNR relies on license sales to conserve Michigan’s storied fish and wildlife resources, but growing operational costs, including departmental staffing, habitat management, enforcement, and the provision of public access have outpaced what is generated by license fees, which have not been adjusted in over a decade.
Together, SB 276, SB 277, and HB 5093 would implement modest adjustments to license fees. Even with these proposed increases, Michigan would remain one of the least expensive states for residents to hunt and fish in the Great Lakes region. The package would also alleviate an unintended technical hang-up that has prohibited the state agency from being reimbursed for discounted licenses, even though the statutory mechanism has been in place for decades. Reimbursing state fish and wildlife agencies for the revenue lost from these discounts serves to lower participation barriers for deserving groups, without sacrificing conservation funding.
Unfortunately, the Michigan Legislature adjourned for the summer without addressing the package, which collectively received widespread and vocal support from conservation organizations, tourism bureaus and small businesses that depend on Michigan’s booming outdoor recreation economy. The Legislature is set to reconvene in September, and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation will continue to advocate for the package during this final stretch of the legislative session.